Paint Protection. A multi-million pound scam?

StripeyMiata

shaun_from_Africa wrote: »

I think the issue is that you don't have to take any actions to purchase the stuff but you have to decline the purchase as in many cases it is added automatically.
I wonder how many people are caught up in the excitement of buying a new car and simply don't notice the added extra on their invoice.

I was wondering, if a car is a Motability car, does the Taxpayer pay for it if it's added on?

In my research BMW dealers are notorious for sticking it on the invoice after a deal has been done, I'd post links but I can't as still a newbie.

shaun_from_Africa

DoaM wrote: »

But if the buyer signed the paperwork that included this addition (despite not noticing it), then any claim would fail because the dealer can legitimately say "The customer signed for the value of the invoice and all elements contained within it".

According to the legislation, "despite not noticing it" isn't good enough as payments for any goods added on to the main purchase must be specifically agreed by the customer. Simply not noticing the added extra and paying the invoice is no longer good enough.

Additional payments under a contract

40.—(1) Under a contract between a trader and a consumer, no payment is payable in addition to the remuneration agreed for the trader’s main obligation unless, before the consumer became bound by the contract, the trader obtained the consumer’s express consent.

(2) There is no express consent (if there would otherwise be) for the purposes of this paragraph if consent is inferred from the consumer not changing a default option (such as a pre-ticked box on a website).

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2013/3134/regulation/40/made

I realise that the salesman (or woman) could lie and say that the customer agreed to the paint protection, but their simply saying that the customer signed the invoice so must have been aware of what was on it means that the contract for the extras is not binding.

StripeyMiata

I think I should say for fairness that while it was always put on the invoice without asking (along with GAP in all cases and Alloy Wheel insurance once) they did all explain what it was (although exaggerated what it could do in my option).

VW dealer made me watch a 5 minute video about Autoglym on his iPad.

motorguy

StripeyMiata wrote: »

I think I should say for fairness that while it was always put on the invoice without asking (along with GAP in all cases and Alloy Wheel insurance once) they did all explain what it was (although exaggerated what it could do in my option).

VW dealer made me watch a 5 minute video about Autoglym on his iPad.

+1

Its how new car dealers make their money these days. Theres little or no profit in new cars, so the money is now in paint protectors, tyre insurance, GAP, accessories, etc.

They know buyers pretty much know the price down to the penny of what they should be paying for the car, but they introduce these extras once the deal is done and peoples guard is down when they're more likely to say yes.