2 questions re safety of buying car from dealer

boots_babe

Hi,

After much searching, I've found the car I want. Agreed a price, paid a deposit, and am due to collect it this Sunday - which involves an 8 hour round trip, all now arranged.

It's from a car dealer that is part of a group, not just a standalone.

On asking how to pay the balance of ~£24k as I want to notify my bank in advance, I've been asked to pay it BEFORE I pick the car up. Collecting the car on Sunday, but being asked to pay in full on Friday "whilst banks are open".

I've never had this with a garage before when buying a car so am immediately suspicious. Although I've never come across it, is this normal?

Secondly, the HPI check shows the car as in a 4 month finance arrangement with Lombard Special Schemes. The garage warned us in advance that this would show up. Is this just to do with the way that the car will have been purchased by the garage when someone traded it in?

Would really appreciate any information on whether the above 2 points are cause for concern or not. I've no reason to doubt that this is a legit garage, but I'm just naturally cautious

Many thanks.

motorguy

Fairly typical that its been financed by the dealer so not a worry there if they're a big dealer group.

Also, not unusual for them asking for payment in advance - they will want to check the money is in their account before releasing the car. If they do that on a sunday they may not have the ability to do that and / or the finance admin person may not be there to log on and check.

I paid the £15,000 balance for my Passat before picking it up from a local main dealer.

boots_babe

Thanks for replying motorguy.

So let's say I did pay them in full in advance, what comeback do I have if:

1. I turn up and they don't know anything about it or
2. I turn up and the car is not as described (I think very unlikely as they've sent me a video so am confident this shouldn't happen)

It just feels wrong paying so much up front to someone I've never even met!

They've just emailed me further documents, which are all headed with the dealer's logos etc, with prices for all the usual extras and insurances that they try to flog (which I'll not be taking). Plus a letterheaded order form confirming full price and balance remaining to pay. So again, all SEEMS legit, but I know that most good scams do......

motorguy

boots_babe wrote: »

Thanks for replying motorguy.

So let's say I did pay them in full in advance, what comeback do I have if:

1. I turn up and they don't know anything about it or
2. I turn up and the car is not as described (I think very unlikely as they've sent me a video so am confident this shouldn't happen)

It just feels wrong paying so much up front to someone I've never even met!

They've just emailed me further documents, which are all headed with the dealer's logos etc, with prices for all the usual extras and insurances that they try to flog (which I'll not be taking). Plus a letterheaded order form confirming full price and balance remaining to pay. So again, all SEEMS legit, but I know that most good scams do......

Whos the dealer group in question and where are they?

You could ask for confirmation by email that if the car is not as described, they will email you in full.

You could ask for confirmation that the monies have been received.

Is there scope to have the car moved to a closer dealership?

Who do you bank with? Most large banks offer almost instant transfer, but some take several days...

boots_babe

I bank with First Direct. Although I've mostly bought from dealers previously, my last car I actually bought privately. I did a CHAPS transfer which I was told could take up to 2 hours, the seller was fine with this. We planned to just wait with seller (and car!) until they could confirm it was cleared into their account - which ended up only taking 20 mins.

That's why I dont understand why we can't do that, with the dealer.

The dealer is Nissan in Perth, part of the John Clark Motor Group. We've been told the only way we can get the car is to collect in person, as they once got stung by someone who collected from elsewhere, as it was classed as a transaction under the Distance Selling Regs and got into a dispute over scratches that apparently weren't there when it left the dealership.

McKneff

Tell the dealer that you want to pay £5 on a credit card, you will be protected then re section 75

k3lvc

Is this a Nissan Cared4 car - a potentially extra level of safety ?

Alternatively if the financial bit worries you then renegotiate and offer to take their finance and whatever incentive they offer for that. You can then pay it off at your leisure within first few days at limited (or no) cost

If I had confidence in both the above I'd be asking them to deliver it to me rather than trying to do business on a Sunday and the risk of an 8hr drive for nothing

sheramber

boots_babe wrote: »

I bank with First Direct. Although I've mostly bought from dealers previously, my last car I actually bought privately. I did a CHAPS transfer which I was told could take up to 2 hours, the seller was fine with this. We planned to just wait with seller (and car!) until they could confirm it was cleared into their account - which ended up only taking 20 mins.

That's why I dont understand why we can't do that, with the dealer.

The dealer is Nissan in Perth, part of the John Clark Motor Group. We've been told the only way we can get the car is to collect in person, as they once got stung by someone who collected from elsewhere, as it was classed as a transaction under the Distance Selling Regs and got into a dispute over scratches that apparently weren't there when it left the dealership.

Was it on Sunday?

I think that will be the problem. They will not be able to confirm the payment has been received on a Sunday.

motorguy

boots_babe wrote: »

I bank with First Direct. Although I've mostly bought from dealers previously, my last car I actually bought privately. I did a CHAPS transfer which I was told could take up to 2 hours, the seller was fine with this. We planned to just wait with seller (and car!) until they could confirm it was cleared into their account - which ended up only taking 20 mins.

That's why I dont understand why we can't do that, with the dealer.

The dealer is Nissan in Perth, part of the John Clark Motor Group. We've been told the only way we can get the car is to collect in person, as they once got stung by someone who collected from elsewhere, as it was classed as a transaction under the Distance Selling Regs and got into a dispute over scratches that apparently weren't there when it left the dealership.

i would imagine the finance admin people wont be there on a sunday to log on and confirm payment.

motorguy

k3lvc wrote: »

Is this a Nissan Cared4 car - a potentially extra level of safety ?

Alternatively if the financial bit worries you then renegotiate and offer to take their finance and whatever incentive they offer for that. You can then pay it off at your leisure within first few days at limited (or no) cost

If I had confidence in both the above I'd be asking them to deliver it to me rather than trying to do business on a Sunday and the risk of an 8hr drive for nothing

Did you read the bit about distance selling above?

motorguy

McKneff wrote: »

Tell the dealer that you want to pay £5 on a credit card, you will be protected then re section 75

+1

Pay a deposit by credit card.