Dealer registered New Car "Early" what can I do?

carricklady

Hi everyone

After saving hard I traded in my old car & bought a new Citroen. I paid for the new registration of 1st September 2012. When I got the logbook, it had been registered on August 31. The salesperson said a genuine mistake had been made & promised to sort it out. He's been dishonest (said he had called DVLA and new reg was in post etc. but when I called the DVLA they said there had been no contact). Then he denied he ever agreed 1st September!

A month later I am still phoning, chasing and just getting excuses. It has taken all the pleasure out of the experience of getting my new car.

The tax disc they arranged expires at the end of August as per a 1st September registration (a 13 month tax disc is impossible.) I think the salesperson was trying to pull a fast one and meet his August targets/quotas.

The latest feedback is an offer of £300 as a 'goodwill gesture.'

1. Do I have grounds to return the car?
2. If not, what do you think a reasonable settlement figure would be?
3. Is there an effective car industry complaints body I can go to?
4. How long have I got before the statutory rights period expires?

All advice very gratefully received!

verityboo

When you turned up to collect the car, did it have a new Sept 2012 '62' reg plate? Were you given the reg in advance to insure the car. The value of the car if you sell in say 3 years time will be affected by whether it has a 12 plate or a 62 plate

skivenov

Sounds like they've sold you a pre-reg that's been hanging about and charged you for a new one.

Sgt_Pepper_2

skivenov wrote: »

Sounds like they've sold you a pre-reg that's been hanging about and charged you for a new one.

That will be clearly evident by looking at the log book.

dacouch

Or registered in August to reach their sales targets...

carricklady

Thank you so much for replying. The salesman said the registration would definitely be '62'. As I have private number plates, I knew the reg and wasn't given it in advance - just found out when I got the log book that it had been registered in August.
He is claiming the difference in price in 3 years time will be £300. The list price was £18k, I paid £14k with discounts and trade in.
They couldn't locate the model/colour I wanted so ordered it in from Citroen & Citroen sent me an e mail thanking me for ordering a new car with them but didn't mention the reg.

Foxy-Stoat_3

If you want to return the car, I would read the original quotation or contract carefully and go from there. But as you have a private plate, then its not really going to change the car until you sell. As the new number plates change every 6 months, I very much doubt it will effect the resale value by much.

Ask for a free service and valet on top of the £300 and move on.

There are not going to be able to sort the "mistake" out.

Sgt_Pepper_2

If you are the first keeper you got a 2012 new car.

Do you have it in writing it would be a September 2012 car?

CKhalvashi

dacouch wrote: »

Or registered in August to reach their sales targets...

Not necessarily.

I've been driving my car about since the end of August, fully taxed/insured, but the logbook says the car was registered on 01/09/2012.

With regards to commission, this could be the case, however we're a large fleet customer for the dealer network in question, so something tells me that this is the basis the rules were bent.

CK

mildred1978

CKhalvashi wrote: »

Not necessarily.

I've been driving my car about since the end of August, fully taxed/insured, but the logbook says the car was registered on 01/09/2012.

With regards to commission, this could be the case, however we're a large fleet customer for the dealer network in question, so something tells me that this is the basis the rules were bent.

CK

So not really comparing like with like then.

Sgt_Pepper_2

CKhalvashi wrote: »

Not necessarily.

I've been driving my car about since the end of August, fully taxed/insured, but the logbook says the car was registered on 01/09/2012.

With regards to commission, this could be the case, however we're a large fleet customer for the dealer network in question, so something tells me that this is the basis the rules were bent.

CK

Is it a 62 plate?

It may have been released by the dealer but shouldn't have been on the road.