£99 "admin fee" for buying used car

paddyrg

It's as bad as the Ryanair-esque payment fees - you have to pay a fee to pay the principal.

Alas as you've given them £500, they've got your money already. If you hadn't, it'd be a good time to laugh in the face of the sales droid and watch him scamper after you offering to waive it.

[Deleted User]

What were the terms of the deposit? Is it non-refundable or not?

If the £99 was purely for admin fee on the tax disc, then say you will get the tax disc - You only need the V5 form and copy of your insurance now i believe, the MOT is online

Say you will buy the car but you will sort the tax disc out, which will remove the £99 admin fee. If they claim it is more awkward for you (Which they will try) just be nice and say its fine. Buy the car, get someone to whip off and purchase the tax disc and your sorted and £99 better off. If they refuse then ask for your deposit back, i dont *think* they can hold onto it, i personally have never had a non-refundable car deposit (not saying they don't exist).

eschaton

That's why it's important to check the paperwork BEFORE signing.

Any dodgy fees and tell them to bolt.

I signed an order form for a new car on Tuesday. They will tax the car and do the paperwork to put my private plate on retention with no admin fee for doing so in sight.

j0nathon2

newbieboy wrote: »

If the £99 was purely for admin fee on the tax disc, then say you will get the tax disc - You only need the V5 form and copy of your insurance now i believe, the MOT is online.

In all the ones I've seen, it's mentioned on the same sticker as the tax, but it explains the £99 as actually an admin fee to cover checking over the car's history (which they'll have already paid their few quid for when buying the car in the first place - which dealer wants a stolen car forcibly removed from their forecourt?)

harveybobbles

So if they sell 1000 cars each month and charge £99 admin fee, thats a nice earner!

Personally I'd tell them to shove the admin fee or tell them that for you to enter your PIN on their machine to complete the sale there is your own admin fee of £99

Guest101

Sago48 wrote: »

Thanks all - opinions are varied I see.

BTW this is a franchised dealer, not a car supermarket.

We've paid a deposit and so I think "bought" the car already. I doubt we'd get our £500 back if we pulled out.

I'll dispute it again when we go to get the vehicle but accept it if they won't move. I'll then read the 3 month "warranty" that "covers everything" with great care before paying the balance.

My guess is that a good % of their customers are not very pleased with this, but since most of us don't buy cars often it doesn't really matter to them.

If you havent signed anything, you have a verbal contract, ad you have paid a deposit on thse terms.

If no-one told you about the £99 admin fee, then you do not pay it. Only both parties agreeing, can change the terms of a contract once agreed. Doesnt matter if they provide you with terms and conditions after youve paid, that is not what you agreed. they cannot enforce it.

SLITHER99

Things I've learned.

If you need a car, buy a used one for cash.

If you're willing to go on finance, buy brand new and enjoy it. Seems to me in my experience, everything in between just leaves you with a sore bum!

eschaton

SLITHER99 wrote: »

Things I've learned.

If you need a car, buy a used one for cash.

If you're willing to go on finance, buy brand new and enjoy it. Seems to me in my experience, everything in between just leaves you with a sore bum!

What's wrong with buying a new one for cash?

SLITHER99

eschaton wrote: »

What's wrong with buying a new one for cash?

You can usually get a better deal if the dealer can flog you finance. If you happen to have £10k+ in cash, then great, pay off the finance the next day when you get the better deal!

motorguy

SLITHER99 wrote: »

You can usually get a better deal if the dealer can flog you finance. If you happen to have £10k+ in cash, then great, pay off the finance the next day when you get the better deal!

I would question the viability of that.

Firstly, a lot of deals such as 0% finance are usually in lieu of discount, so you could insist on a finance deal, get no discount and then be worse off.

Secondly, whilst the dealer may be slightly more inclined to give you a discount if you take a finance deal, hes not likely to suddenly knock ££££'s off and it may not change the deal at all for him.

Theres very little profit these days in a car for a main dealer. Hes rarely likely to turn around and hand you back his only chance of decent profit as discount.