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Main site > Forums > Household & Travel > Motoring > Won’t sell me car as I don’t want finance
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      EmmaH337
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    • EmmaH337
    • By EmmaH337 19th Oct 19, 10:33 PM
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      What's this?

    EmmaH337
    Won’t sell me car as I don’t want finance
    • #1
    • 19th Oct 19, 10:33 PM
    Won’t sell me car as I don’t want finance 19th Oct 19 at 10:33 PM
    Hi MSE,

    I hope this is in the right place...

    So I am in the market for a used car. I went to see the car I hoped to buy on Thursday this week. All good, slept on it and decided I’d go back to the dealer yesterday (Friday) to buy the car for just over 20k

    I rang the dealer first thing Friday morning as it is an hour+ drive and just wanted to make sure the car was definitely still available, on the extreme off chance it was sold between 17:30-20:00 on Thursday night after I left. A different salesman answered and I explained the situation. He kept talking about finance which I had to keep telling him I did not need and I also did not need any ‘extras’ as my family own a car garage, I simply wanted to come pay the 20k and drive away today. I was told the salesman I was dealing with would call me back when he got in.

    I received a call at 13:30 to tell me the car had been sold....on Thursday night after I left.

    Being a financial fraud investigator for the past 15 years I couldn’t help but feel suspicious. I felt like it was because I didn’t want finance or extras.

    I just so happen to have a good work colleague who lives very close to the dealership. He called in to see if the car was still available...and guess what, it is. This was confirmed with the salesman. It is still listed on Autotrader and their website.

    This is a large and UK wide dealership by the way.

    Has anything illegal occurred here?

    Thank you

    Sorry!

    There are currently no thanks for this post.

Page 1
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      BoGoF
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    • BoGoF
    • By BoGoF 19th Oct 19, 10:40 PM
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      What's this?

    BoGoF
    • #2
    • 19th Oct 19, 10:40 PM
    • #2
    • 19th Oct 19, 10:40 PM
    What on earth would be illegal?

    If they will only sell on finance thats up to them.

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      Aylesbury Duck
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    • Aylesbury Duck
    • By Aylesbury Duck 19th Oct 19, 10:46 PM
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      What's this?

    Aylesbury Duck
    • #3
    • 19th Oct 19, 10:46 PM
    • #3
    • 19th Oct 19, 10:46 PM
    Nothing illegal. They are at liberty not to sell to you or to insist on what payment method is acceptable.

    Look elsewhere.

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      Voyager2002
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    • Voyager2002
    • By Voyager2002 19th Oct 19, 10:48 PM
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      What's this?

    Voyager2002
    • #4
    • 19th Oct 19, 10:48 PM
    • #4
    • 19th Oct 19, 10:48 PM
    “
    Hi MSE,
    Has anything illegal occurred here?
    Originally posted by EmmaH337 ”

    No.

    The dealer is entitled to sell or not sell to anyone, for any or no reason, apart from discrimination on grounds of race, gender or any other protected categories.

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      Supersonos
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    • Supersonos
    • By Supersonos 19th Oct 19, 11:13 PM
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      What's this?

    Supersonos
    • #5
    • 19th Oct 19, 11:13 PM
    • #5
    • 19th Oct 19, 11:13 PM
    “

    Being a financial fraud investigator for the past 15 years I couldn’t help but feel suspicious.
    Originally posted by EmmaH337 ”
    Because someone who wasn't a financial fraud investigator would not have seen anything suspicious at all.

    Have you actually read the terms on the finance? Maybe you can take-out the finance and then immdiately pay it off.
    Last edited by Supersonos; 19-10-2019 at 11:15 PM.

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      motorguy
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    • motorguy
    • By motorguy 19th Oct 19, 11:30 PM
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      What's this?

    motorguy
    • #6
    • 19th Oct 19, 11:30 PM
    • #6
    • 19th Oct 19, 11:30 PM
    “
    Hi MSE,

    I hope this is in the right place...

    So I am in the market for a used car. I went to see the car I hoped to buy on Thursday this week. All good, slept on it and decided I’d go back to the dealer yesterday (Friday) to buy the car for just over 20k

    I rang the dealer first thing Friday morning as it is an hour+ drive and just wanted to make sure the car was definitely still available, on the extreme off chance it was sold between 17:30-20:00 on Thursday night after I left. A different salesman answered and I explained the situation. He kept talking about finance which I had to keep telling him I did not need and I also did not need any ‘extras’ as my family own a car garage, I simply wanted to come pay the 20k and drive away today. I was told the salesman I was dealing with would call me back when he got in.

    I received a call at 13:30 to tell me the car had been sold....on Thursday night after I left.

    Being a financial fraud investigator for the past 15 years I couldn’t help but feel suspicious. I felt like it was because I didn’t want finance or extras.

    I just so happen to have a good work colleague who lives very close to the dealership. He called in to see if the car was still available...and guess what, it is. This was confirmed with the salesman. It is still listed on Autotrader and their website.

    This is a large and UK wide dealership by the way.

    Has anything illegal occurred here?

    Thank you
    Originally posted by EmmaH337 ”
    Their car, their business, their deals, their choices. They dont have to sell a car to you if they dont want to.

    I'm surprised a fraud investigator would have to ask if it was fraudulent or illegal by the way.
    Life has never given me lemons.

    It has given me anger issues, anxiety, a love for alcohol and a serious dislike for stupid people, but not lemons.

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      konark
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    • konark
    • By konark 20th Oct 19, 2:00 AM
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      What's this?

    konark
    • #7
    • 20th Oct 19, 2:00 AM
    • #7
    • 20th Oct 19, 2:00 AM
    Perhaps the manufacturer of this car made others identical to it which you could purchase from more closely-located outlets that actually want to shift metal rather than extract commission.

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      EmmaH337
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    • EmmaH337
    • By EmmaH337 20th Oct 19, 3:28 AM
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      What's this?

    EmmaH337
    • #8
    • 20th Oct 19, 3:28 AM
    • #8
    • 20th Oct 19, 3:28 AM
    Thanks for the speedy replies all.

    BoGoF, Aylesbury, Voyager - Yes of course. That was never the issue.

    Supersons - The best they could offer was a reduction from 10.9% or 11.9% down to 7.9% over 36 months minimum. Way too high when I am lucky enough to have the cash in bank.

    Motorguy - as above, yes of course. That was not an issue.

    Konark - Of course...
    I’ve been looking for a particular car for a little while now, it’s quite rare; nothing on the big sites like Autotrader, motorpoint etc aside from this one. I’ve saved up for a long time and now I’m ready to buy I was actually really happy it was only 70 miles away!

    Apologies - judging by the replies, I’ve not made the salient points at all clear.

    A car clearly advertised as for sale with a cash price is actually only available on a high rate of finance.
    I’d assume that would be contravening some regulation and that’s why the dealer has told me it had been sold once they found I wasn’t interested in taking their finance.

    Of course I’m annoyed that I’ve been lied to, I’ll get over that, but it can’t be right what they’ve done and are still doing.

    Sorry!

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      waamo
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    • waamo
    • By waamo 20th Oct 19, 3:37 AM
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      What's this?

    waamo
    • #9
    • 20th Oct 19, 3:37 AM
    • #9
    • 20th Oct 19, 3:37 AM
    Can you not purchase it with finance then cancel the finance (and pay it off with your savings) within the cooling off period?
    This space for hire.

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      tealady
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    • tealady
    • By tealady 20th Oct 19, 5:43 AM
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      What's this?

    tealady
    “

    A car clearly advertised as for sale with a cash price is actually only available on a high rate of finance.
    I’d assume that would be contravening some regulation and that’s why the dealer has told me it had been sold once they found I wasn’t interested in taking their finance.

    Of course I’m annoyed that I’ve been lied to, I’ll get over that, but it can’t be right what they’ve done and are still doing.
    Originally posted by EmmaH337 ”
    It could be that it had been sold to someone who was going to buy on finance, then didn't complete on the sale. Also one salesperson may have been dealing with you and hasdn't told their colleagues.
    So, possibly they lied, possibly they didn't.
    Proud to be an MSE nerd
    Judge people by their achievements, not by their mistakes

    Sorry!

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      loskie
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    • loskie
    • By loskie 20th Oct 19, 7:13 AM
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      What's this?

    loskie
    all salesmen(people) lie, they just have to open their mouth.

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      AdrianC
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    • AdrianC
    • By AdrianC 20th Oct 19, 8:53 AM
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      What's this?

    AdrianC
    “
    Can you not purchase it with finance then cancel the finance (and pay it off with your savings) within the cooling off period?
    Originally posted by waamo ”
    ^ This.

    End of.

    Sorry!

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      jimbo6977
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    • jimbo6977
    • By jimbo6977 20th Oct 19, 9:32 AM
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      What's this?

    jimbo6977
    There are people who simply do not want credit, however short term, for religious or ideological reasons. Is there not a Human Rights case to be argued?

    Even if the dealer is behaving legally, it would be reasonable and polite for them to advertise the car as "finance sale only". Not that car dealers ever cared about reason and politeness!

    Sorry!

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      unforeseen
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    • By unforeseen 20th Oct 19, 9:43 AM
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      What's this?

    unforeseen
    “
    There are people who simply do not want credit, however short term, for religious or ideological reasons. Is there not a Human Rights case to be argued?

    Even if the dealer is behaving legally, it would be reasonable and polite for them to advertise the car as "finance sale only". Not that car dealers ever cared about reason and politeness!
    Originally posted by jimbo6977 ”
    But wouldn't that discriminate against those with bad credit rating but have the cash?

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      motorguy
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    • motorguy
    • By motorguy 20th Oct 19, 10:03 AM
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      What's this?

    motorguy
    “
    Perhaps the manufacturer of this car made others identical to it which you could purchase from more closely-located outlets that actually want to shift metal rather than extract commission.
    Originally posted by konark ”
    Shifting metal doesnt pay the bills.

    Profit does.

    Profit these days on a car sale can be miniscule, therefore they look for profit in add ons, finance and trade in resale.
    Life has never given me lemons.

    It has given me anger issues, anxiety, a love for alcohol and a serious dislike for stupid people, but not lemons.

    Sorry!

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      motorguy
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    • motorguy
    • By motorguy 20th Oct 19, 10:06 AM
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      What's this?

    motorguy
    “

    A car clearly advertised as for sale with a cash price is actually only available on a high rate of finance.
    I’d assume that would be contravening some regulation and that’s why the dealer has told me it had been sold once they found I wasn’t interested in taking their finance.
    Originally posted by EmmaH337 ”
    A dealer doesnt have to do a deal that isnt in their interest.

    Have they directly told you that they wont sell you the car because you wont take the finance?

    If not, why not ring, ask to speak to the sales manager and explain whats been happening. It may be simple miscommunication in a large dealership.
    Life has never given me lemons.

    It has given me anger issues, anxiety, a love for alcohol and a serious dislike for stupid people, but not lemons.

    Sorry!

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      Car 54
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    • By Car 54 20th Oct 19, 10:09 AM
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      What's this?

    Car 54
    “
    But wouldn't that discriminate against those with bad credit rating but have the cash?
    Originally posted by unforeseen ”
    Yes. And there is nothing wrong with that in law.

    Sorry!

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    • User avatar
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      motorguy
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    • motorguy
    • By motorguy 20th Oct 19, 10:09 AM
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      What's this?

    motorguy
    “
    There are people who simply do not want credit, however short term, for religious or ideological reasons. Is there not a Human Rights case to be argued?

    Even if the dealer is behaving legally, it would be reasonable and polite for them to advertise the car as "finance sale only". Not that car dealers ever cared about reason and politeness!
    Originally posted by jimbo6977 ”
    Has the O/P been told they cant buy the car unless its via finance?

    Has the O/P's human rights been violated? ie, are they a member of a group with protected rights?
    Life has never given me lemons.

    It has given me anger issues, anxiety, a love for alcohol and a serious dislike for stupid people, but not lemons.

    Sorry!

    There are currently no thanks for this post.

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      AdrianC
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    • AdrianC
    • By AdrianC 20th Oct 19, 10:18 AM
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      What's this?

    AdrianC
    “
    Has the O/P's human rights been violated? ie, are they a member of a group with protected rights?
    Originally posted by motorguy ”
    If the OP can prove that they have genuinely-held religious convictions that would preclude them taking finance, then there might be an outside chance of something sticking on the grounds of religious discrimination. But unless the mere threat of it made the supplier give way, you'd be looking at a very long, expensive and risky legal process.

    Islam does have that - but there are many sharia-compatible finance packages on the market, so trying to claim that would be a non-starter so long as there was one available.

    Sorry!

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      DUTR
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    • DUTR
    • By DUTR 20th Oct 19, 10:24 AM
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      What's this?

    DUTR
    “
    Hi MSE,

    I hope this is in the right place...

    So I am in the market for a used car. I went to see the car I hoped to buy on Thursday this week. All good, slept on it and decided I’d go back to the dealer yesterday (Friday) to buy the car for just over 20k

    I rang the dealer first thing Friday morning as it is an hour+ drive and just wanted to make sure the car was definitely still available, on the extreme off chance it was sold between 17:30-20:00 on Thursday night after I left. A different salesman answered and I explained the situation. He kept talking about finance which I had to keep telling him I did not need and I also did not need any ‘extras’ as my family own a car garage, I simply wanted to come pay the 20k and drive away today. I was told the salesman I was dealing with would call me back when he got in.

    I received a call at 13:30 to tell me the car had been sold....on Thursday night after I left.

    Being a financial fraud investigator for the past 15 years I couldn’t help but feel suspicious. I felt like it was because I didn’t want finance or extras.

    I just so happen to have a good work colleague who lives very close to the dealership. He called in to see if the car was still available...and guess what, it is. This was confirmed with the salesman. It is still listed on Autotrader and their website.

    This is a large and UK wide dealership by the way.

    Has anything illegal occurred here?

    Thank you
    Originally posted by EmmaH337 ”
    Perhaps not, but perhaps the dealer is protecting themselves from a possible money laundering incident.
    Whatever vehicle you looked at , I'm sure there are many examples available.

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