About to buy a new car - noticed specs incorrect on price list.....what would you do?

BritishBeef

I've been checking out the Citroen C4 Picasso for the last couple of weeks and visited a local Citroen showroom to look closer at it. I really like it and took a test drive today and have decided to buy one. I have haggled hard with the salesman and got the price reduced to £13065 from the list price of £16755.

I was given a price list which has all the specifications and models on it.
I was looking online at the car on the Citroen site and noticed a few discrepencies with the standard specification for the model I am interested in (1.8 petrol 5 seat VTR+).

According to the pricelist's specification guide, the car comes with as standard, a PARKING PACK (parking sensors etc.), a BOOT PACK (cargo nets and opening tailgate window) and finally a SECURITY PACK (upgraded alarm, glass etc.).

The website disagrees with this and says they are optional extras.
Upon rechecking the printed specification list where the options and standard specs are shown in a chart with the usaul black dot representing the option as standard and optional as a circle etc. it would seem that for the model I want (VTR+) they must have printed the standard spec 'black dots' in the wrong places. It looks like all the dots need to move along the chart a couple of spaces to make the specs match those on the website. This is confirmed because the prices for the options are in the wrong column.

The thing is, that I was under the impression whilst haggling and spending more than 6 hours in total at 2 different showrooms haggling and waiting for their HO to say yes or no to the discounts that I would be getting all those extras as standard for my money. Suddenly it looks like I would get half the spec as shown on the specs sheet due to an error in the layout of the chart.

I've arrange to meet with the salesman tomorrow to finish the deal we struck but I want to say that I want those extras which were misleadingly printed but just know that they will decline to give them stating that they have already discounted the car a fair bit and that it's a printing error.

The specs sheet doesn't have an errors and omissions excepted statement, it just says that specifications could change to IMPROVE the cars specs or for safety reasons.

Can I argue that as it says on the sheet the extras are included that they should include them?

What would you do?

photome

IMO you can ask, but you havent signed a contract and if they say no, then there is nothing you can do, if they say yes you have a bargain

plane_boy2000

Dont think you have got much chance, and am surprised that this hasnt come to light before.

Looked around at the broker pricing, and if you really are getting that model (new first registered keeper) for 13K then I wouldnt argue to much - broker pricing is around 14.5K so a really good deal

Inactive

But it is a Citroen, they cannot give them away.;)

DealDrivers_company_representative

Parking pack, boot pack and security pack are all optional costed extras on the VTR model of the current 5 seater C4 Picasso.

So, this vehicle is either an already-registered and ordered car which had those items added and it is being sold as such, with however many months since it was registered as your 'lost warranty' period, or their showroom admin' person needs shooting!

That price is unachieveable from the dealers standard margin - during February Citroen are offering no extra bonus on 1.8 VTR's - so there's only the dealer's own margin which maxes out at around 10% ...so to achieve another apparent £1200 or so discount and 'free' extras worth around £1650 at list price, the car has to already be registered, or there'll suddenly be a £1650 increase on your purchase price..let us know how you get on!

BritishBeef

DealDrivers, This wasn't an actual car we were looking at. It was just a missprint in the specs brochure which stated that they were standard in the VTR+.

Anyway, I went back today and pointed out the error in the literature and the salesman was very suprised. He obviously said that I couldn't have the packs thrown in for free as they discounted the car so much. I said that I wanted the Parking Pack as that one was most important to me. The salesman went away and spoke with management and came back offering me the parking sensors retro fitted at the showroom after delivery on their own (ie. not the pack which includes folding door mirrors). Also they wouldn't be colour-coded and it would cost me an extra £200 as opposed to the £350 Parking pack cost.
I told him that wasn't any good and that I wanted the full Parking Park as fitted at the factory. He went away again and I spoke with my wife and we decided that if they could discount the Parking pack by £200 then we would be happy. He came back and offered £100 off the pack and I declined. He then offered £200 off and I accepted.

So, I signed the deal. I got the Citroen C4 Picasso 1.8 VTR+ for £12965 + £150 for Parking Pack. I'm happy with that!

zeon999

Yeah though a mistake on their part and determination on your part you have come away with a great deal so yeah you should be happy mate good stuff.