Car supermarket - rights??

pinkglitter123

Hi,

I am looking for a bit of advice. I bought a car from Jeffries Farm car supermarket back in May. The salesman who sold me the car told me I *had* to pay a 'retail preparation fee' (£85.20) even when my partner and I asked him whether this was optional as we did not feel this was needed due to the car only being one year old, low mileage and still in warranty. He explicitly told us this was compulsory 'if I wanted the car' in an arrogant manner. In addition he said it is only traders who do not pay this fee.

I did not think anything of it until my partner decided to get a car from the same place a few weeks later. He was fortunate enough to have a work colleague with him whose father was in the motor trade and able to bargain with the salesman (different person to who I dealt with). The retail preparation fee was waived.

I have made a formal, written complaint to Jefferies Farm regarding the retail preparation fee for my car for two reasons:

1) I was mislead by the salesman regarding the retail preparation fee as I was told I had to pay, even when I explicitly asked if this was optional. The Head of Customer Services has confirmed it is 'optional' - but I was not told this!!!

2) The car had a fault which I discovered two days after I got it home - I am still waiting (7 weeks later!!!) for the part to arrive. Also, no cosmetic damage I noticed was repaired (as promised by the salesman) until I pointed it out on collection day. This suggests the vehicle was not checked over or 'prepared' in any way.

I have explained all the issues in detail to Jefferie's but they are 'strongly denying' my claims. I am of course very annoyed by their response as I know I am telling the truth, but I have no hard evidence as it was a verbal conversation. In addition, I do not believe waiting 7 weeks for a part is acceptable. I had asked for a refund and claim for consequential losses amounting to just over £100 which they have refused.

I have been liaising with Citizen's Advice Consumer Service who have been helpful to some extent but it is effectively my word against Jefferie's Farm.

Has anyone got any advice?

I would also be grateful to hear from anyone else who has been in the same situation as I know I am not the only one who has been told this from what I have seen on the internet.

Thanks

InsideInsurance

With a car you are ultimately looking at a bottom line price. They can slice it and dice it any way they want but what really matters is what the bottom of the invoice says.

If you get 3 people negotiating over the same car you will almost always get 3 different bottom line prices and different things "thrown in". There is no requirement for a company to sell at the same price to everyone unless their reason for not doing so is due to an outlawed "ism" (race, sexual orientation, gender etc)

Were you happy with the price paid? If not, why did you buy the car?


Evidently there is the second issue of the part which is a distinct matter. Have you checked with a local dealer on the availability of the part? If there is a backlog from the manufacturer then its not really the fault of the merchant. Presumably the car is still drivable at the moment?

Jakg

If the first salesman said the fee was mandatory, and the second person had it waived (i.e. they still "paid" it but it didn't cost anything) then this suggests the first person was telling the truth...

pinkglitter123

But the 'Head of Customer Services' has told me it is an optional fee when I disputed it, so neither were telling the truth!

The car is drivable but my point is the chances of the car developing a fault straight after getting it home are very slim and should have been picked up if they had 'prepared' it thoroughly. Good point about checking with a local dealer about the part though.

I was happy with the price of the car, just not the fact I was made to pay an additional fee from a dishonest salesman (at the time I did not know he was being dishonest, hence buying the car). It's the principle.

pinkshoes

It was up to you to negotiate with them to waiver the fee. You didn't. You always had the option to walk away, so you will get no where with this.

Concentrate on the part. Send them a letter giving them 16 days to supply you with the part that you have already waited 7 weeks for, otherwise you will source it yourself ASAP and send them the bill to have it fitted.

Hintza

When I started reading this I had very little sympathy. On the basis its the bottom like that counts.

But if the OP paid for "retail preparation" and the dealer didn't do it, which is evidenced by a fault (hopefully one that should have been picked up) within days then I think the OP does have an axe to grind.

OP get the car fixed (by the dealer) leave it a couple of weeks and if you still feel strongly then write them a letter giving them 14 days to repay the fee otherwise you reserve the right to take legal action

InsideInsurance

pinkglitter123 wrote: »

I was happy with the price of the car, just not the fact I was made to pay an additional fee from a dishonest salesman (at the time I did not know he was being dishonest, hence buying the car). It's the principle.

Ignore the price breakdown, its immaterial to you. If you pay 9,900 for a car and 100 for prep or 10,000 for a car and get the prep for free you are still paying 10,000

Putting add ons in at the end of the deal is one of the oldest tricks in the book and your ability to walk away is the most powerful tool to combat them.

I really would simply chalk the "prep" issue up as a learning experience and remember next time that you negotiate what extras you want and what the bottom line is, its then up to them on how for tax or other reasons they want to split the bill between line items.

Certainly check if the part delays are a genuine issue or them taking the p|ss

t508

The cars a year old with the balance of manufacturers warranty, why don't you just take it to the main agent to be repaired un the warranty and never go near them again?

Money-Saving-King

Basically you want to know about rights. You haven't got any!