The good old car salesman trick

daveyjp

Classic sales technique of selling a finance package and not a car. 

"If you can afford x amount per month for 2 years, which will get you this £10k car, why not pay the same per month for 4.5 years and get a much better car?".

HampshireH

Is he devestated or did he get home, get told it was a mistake and then worry about it all.

He is 22 years old. He is an adult and he seemingly knew how much he had to spend. If he wasnt capable of making big financial decisions you would have gone with him.

Does he regret it because it's been impressed on him it's a mistake?

Flight3287462

Hope he got something cool and not £17k Astra or similar.

Ditzy_Mitzy

Blimey.  At his age I was driving a mark one Mondeo that I'd bought outright for less than a grand; the good old days, eh*.  Anyway, 22 is still young and the last thing the son wants to be shackled by is obligations to service a debt on a car.  Presumably he is working now, but what if he wants to retrain?  Go to or back to university?  Travel the world?  Spend three years in the Himalayas becoming one with creation?  Well he can't if he's still paying for a car.  Argument with the boss, unreasonable requests for work, whatever, stay in this particular job for the next four years because he has to pay for a car.  It's silly. 

My advice would be to sell the car while it's still worth something and pick up an old banger that owes him nothing, drive it till it dies and then get another one.  Your twenties are for living, for taking everything life offers and doing your best to experience some of the world's riches.  They are for having fun, not worrying about hire-purchase agreements.  He'll regret this when he's older and looks back on holidays missed, nights out not been on and friends not made.  

*I have various friends and acquaintances who did the same as the OP's son and got shiny cars on the never never whilst in their late teens and early twenties.  Where did those cars go?  In the crusher with my late, hardly lamented Mondeo.  Where did the money go?  Mine went on clothes, jewellery, drink, fags, perfume and having fun.  The rest was wasted on a property deposit and savings.  Where did my friends' money go?  Nowhere that useful...

Gavin83

Most I’ve ever spent on a car was £9k which is my current vehicle. However I’m 37, earn a good salary and the cost was split with my wife who also earns a good salary. Paid in cash too, I’ve never taken out credit to buy a car. I had a number of friends who did though.

In terms of the thread I agree with the majority. Your son is an adult and has the ability to say no. In all honesty if he considers it a problem he should be posting here himself. I too wonder whether he considers this a problem as much as you do.

User_101122

Jammychips said:

You've heard it all before, I know!  But when it happens to you it's devastating. My son (22years, gullible and easily led) walked to Carshop to look at cars.  He wanted to spend budget about £10,000.  He had £5,000 to put down as the deposit.  He drove away 3 hours later (after closing time) with a £17,000 car, and a finance deal of 4.5 years (less £4,500 deposit and £500 on gold standard insurance extras).  He wouldn't even come home after coming out driving the car.  He's devastated that he's bought the car, and taken out 4.5years of finance.  I'll give them their due, the sales people are amazing at their job - but really, I can't quite believe that this can still go on in this day and age (obvs I'm also naive!).  We've tried to appeal to their better nature, but CarShop will not take back the car unless it's faulty and just kept saying that they didn't force him to buy the car.  Where can we go from here?  Anywhere?

I think I am missing the "trick" why do you think the salesman wouldn't attempt to upsell your son a more expensive car and spread the cost over a longer period of time that's his job.

I'm not sure who is more gullible, naive or easily led out of you and your son.  On the bright side think of all the chicks he'll be able to pull in his shiny new motor.

On a serious note...
You could always cancel the finance and insurances and obtain cheaper finance elsewhere within the cooling off period.  Then sell the car for as much as possible and pay a lump sum off the new finance before paying the rest off as quick as possible.  It will probably leave him in debt by a few thousand £ but at least once it's paid off he will be able to enjoy his youth without this financial millstone round his neck.

mattyprice4004

If he’s 22 and has mental capacity it’s very much a ‘him’ problem - he has no right to return the car. 

Someone who is easily led and a car dealership isn’t a great combo - this kind of thing happens.
Ultimately though, there’s no comeback - he bought a product, paid for the product and now regrets the purchase. He can sell it or suck it up and keep it.