Lookers

g8bdy

Several years ago I went to purchase a car from Lookers.
It wasnt until I was presented with the invoice that I noticed £95 had been added as an admin charge.
I was told this was for preparing the paperwork - I declined to pay and walked out
I now need to buy another car and I am wondering if Lookers still levy this charge
I used Twitter to ask their Head Office and they replied that I should contact my local dealer
That sounded a bit suspicious to me ?

Aylesbury_Duck

g8bdy wrote: »

Several years ago I went to purchase a car from Lookers.
It wasnt until I was presented with the invoice that I noticed £95 had been added as an admin charge.
I was told this was for preparing the paperwork - I declined to pay and walked out
I now need to buy another car and I am wondering if Lookers still levy this charge
I used Twitter to ask their Head Office and they replied that I should contact my local dealer
That sounded a bit suspicious to me ?

What's suspicious about it? If they do and you don't want to pay it, there are loads of other places to buy a car.

jimbo6977

Aylesbury_Duck wrote: »

What's suspicious about it? If they do and you don't want to pay it, there are loads of other places to buy a car.

It's suspicious that they won't give a straight answer.

DoaM

Legislation states that the final price must be presented to a consumer (including any taxes). If it is not possible to advise the final price then the means of calculating the final price must be presented (e.g. £100 per hour plus VAT at 20%, estimate of 10 hours).

If this £95 fee is compulsory then it must be presented (and declared up front) to the consumer. If they don't do this then it isn't compulsory and you can strike it out of any agreement; if they say no then you say no - simples.

EssexExile

Does it really matter what they call it? If the total price is right then buy, if isn't, don't.

g8bdy

Suspicious in the way they avoided an straight answer to a simple question !

Nearlyold

It's not compulsory, it would have to be included in the screen price if it was. Obviously they want you to pay it because it's a nice little boost on the bottom line for them - that's why they don't mind buyers thinking its not optional. Evans Halshaw do the same thing, if asked by officialdom they'll confirm it's optional, see

https://www.asa.org.uk/rulings/cd-bramall-dealerships-ltd-a13-236544.html#.Vxs9ec6cFPZ

ACG

Maybe Lookers are franchises and the fee will be down to the the individual franchisee?

Car_54

jimbo6977 wrote: »

It's suspicious that they won't give a straight answer.

But they did! Different dealerships, different franchises, different policies ....

loskie

they are not franchises

System

Quicks tried the same with me, tried to claim it was for doing checks to make sure the car wasn't stolen and indeminity insurance should it turn out it was as well as for doing a PDI to make sure everything was OK. I pointed out that it was their responsibility to ensure that it wasn't stolen before they put it up for sale and that it was fit for purpose if it turned out to be stolen or faulty then I'd be going after them. Refused to pay and they still sold me the car but they weren't happy about it. Car sales places tend not to like people who know their consumer rights.