Deposit on used car...and redundancy

jbrst

I put a deposit on a used car at the beginning of Feb (at a main dealership), and was made redundant about a week later, totally unexpectedly. Obviously I'm not in a position to be making any large purchases now!

At the time I put down the deposit the salesman agreed that if I decided I didn't want the car (there was a gash in it they were in the midst of repairing and weren't sure if it would be totally successful) that I could transfer the deposit to another car in the dealership, and he noted and signed the receipt accordingly. The repair wasn't great so I let the car go, not mentioning I'd been made redundant for obvious reasons.

Anyway with the job market the way it is it could be a few months before I'm in a position to buy a car. Does anyone know if they're obliged to honour the deposit (or if they are likely to be charitable and do so anyway?).

-Chris-

I'd say you'll never see that deposit again.

He was being charitible by allowing you to transfer it between cars if you didn't like the car you had chosen.

There may be more to the story, but based on that I'd say your chances are 50/50 at best!

Del2005

jbrst wrote: »

I put a deposit on a used car at the beginning of Feb (at a main dealership), and was made redundant about a week later, totally unexpectedly. Obviously I'm not in a position to be making any large purchases now!

At the time I put down the deposit the salesman agreed that if I decided I didn't want the car (there was a gash in it they were in the midst of repairing and weren't sure if it would be totally successful) that I could transfer the deposit to another car in the dealership, and he noted and signed the receipt accordingly. The repair wasn't great so I let the car go, not mentioning I'd been made redundant for obvious reasons.

Anyway with the job market the way it is it could be a few months before I'm in a position to buy a car. Does anyone know if they're obliged to honour the deposit (or if they are likely to be charitable and do so anyway?).

Sorry to hear about you loosing your job, but they have nothing to honour. They may let you away with not buying a car, but I'd say you'd be lucky to get your money back. Only way is to talk to the garage and tell the truth and they may be nice to you. But they can keep the money if they want.

unkel

Del2005 wrote: »

Only way is to talk to the garage and tell the truth and they may be nice to you. But they can keep the money if they want.

Agreed. They are under no obligation to give you back the deposit, but they might just "do the right thing" given your situation.

bladespin

AudiChris wrote: »

I'd say you'll never see that deposit again.

He was being charitible by allowing you to transfer it between cars if you didn't like the car you had chosen.

There may be more to the story, but based on that I'd say your chances are 50/50 at best!

Definately noy charitable if the repair was part of the agreement on which the deposit was made.

The dealer will have to honour the deposit (on another car) within an accepted timeframe, that would be between ye both to sort out, you couldn't expect them to wait around too long though. Deposits aren't refundable, depending on how wankerish the dealer is, some will refund as a matter of goodwill - future business etc. many won't.

-Chris-

bladespin wrote: »

Definately noy charitable if the repair was part of the agreement on which the deposit was made.

I don't getcha

PauloMN

Del2005 wrote: »

They may let you away with not buying a car

That's good of them.

Drummerboy08

This isnt aimed at you OP, but i get the sense that some people feel the dealer should give the OP's deposit back. I remember not too long ago, there was a thread about a dealer who pulled out of a deal.

He was called every name under the sun, and it was demanded by people in here that he follow up on the deal, regardless of the consequences. i didnt see anyone ask the OP in that thread to be "charitable" and not force the dealer to go thru with the deal.

If the OP has signed an order form, then the dealer is entitled to keep the deposit.

Its just interesting to note, how different it gets around here when the shoe is on the other foot.

Going by the advice that was given in the other thread, why isnt the OP here made to go thru with this deal, regardless of the consequences?

I dont know the full facts of each case, so this is just my own opinion.

Rant/

@ OP, i'd say you'll be lucky to get it back, but if the salesman is any good im sure he'll look after you.

mick.fr

You can surely get a deposit back on a potential car purchase you made at a garage stating the cancellation wish and your financial reasons by registered mail.
Since the potential purchase involved no work or fee advance from them there is absolutely no legal reason why they would keep it.

mick.fr

Drummerboy08 wrote: »

If the OP has signed an order form, then the dealer is entitled to keep the deposit.

It depends you can't say that. If it was a special order involving advancing fees etc then yes.
Here this is not the case at all.
He was potentially buying a car on spot.

BillyGoatGruff

If they are an in way decent dealer they will give you your deposit back. Especially since they did not have to order a car especially for you. Only reason I can think of as to why they wouldn't is if they had to take the car off the lot for you when you left the deposit thus not being able to sell it to anyone else. Just go in and ask them. They won't call out to or ring you looking to give it back that's for sure.

Drummerboy08

There would still be an order form from the garage to sign all the same. I dont know what way the retail lads do it - if you take a deposit on a car, do you get an order form signed?

Or do you wait until the car is collected to do that?

Is there a different form to sign when paying a deposit, or is it just a receipt?

BillyGoatGruff

Drummerboy08 wrote: »

This ...I remember not too long ago, there was a thread about a dealer who pulled out of a deal...

He was called every name under the sun, and it was demanded by people in here that he follow up on the deal, regardless of the consequences. i didnt see......... so this is just my own opinion.

Rant/

@ OP, i'd say you'll be lucky to get it back, but if the salesman is any good im sure he'll look after you.

Not anywhere close to being the same thing.

PauloMN

Drummerboy08 wrote: »

This isnt aimed at you OP, but i get the sense that some people feel the dealer should give the OP's deposit back. I remember not too long ago, there was a thread about a dealer who pulled out of a deal.

He was called every name under the sun, and it was demanded by people in here that he follow up on the deal, regardless of the consequences. i didnt see anyone ask the OP in that thread to be "charitable" and not force the dealer to go thru with the deal.

If the OP has signed an order form, then the dealer is entitled to keep the deposit.

Its just interesting to note, how different it gets around here when the shoe is on the other foot.

Going by the advice that was given in the other thread, why isnt the OP here made to go thru with this deal, regardless of the consequences?

I dont know the full facts of each case, so this is just my own opinion.

Rant/

@ OP, i'd say you'll be lucky to get it back, but if the salesman is any good im sure he'll look after you.

You can't compare the two though.

Personally I think the OP has left it too long and should have approached the dealer in person as soon as he was made redundant. I would hope that the dealer will evaluate the situation and give the deposit back, but I wouldn't be too surprised if he didn't.

But comparing an individual having to back out of a deal to a business doing same is unfair imo. A business will usually have the ability to cope with/write-off/absorb a deal that breaks down whereas an individual won't. I'm sure this stuff happens from time to time, and in my opinion a good dealer will give the deposit back unless he is in real financial trouble.

Maybe an agreement can be made to refund a portion of it if the full amount can't be returned. That would be the next compromise.

jbrst

Thanks for the replies. I probably wasn't as clear as I could have been in my first post: I don't want the dealer to give me the deposit back (it was my own bad luck I lost the job, and honestly I wouldn't even ask him), but I was wondering if it's likely they'll hang onto it until I'm in a position to actually buy a car from them, which will be a month or two at least.

Drummerboy08

BillyGoatGruff wrote: »

Not anywhere close to being the same thing.

Why isnt it the same thing? Its just the opposite of this case. Obviously we dont know why the dealer pulled out of that deal, nor do we know all the facts here.

Im not trying to cause an argument, but IMO, the dealer doesnt have to return the deposit. Now, the OP may be lucky and the dealer might be nice about it and return it. But i dont think he does HAVE to.

Snakeblood

jbrst wrote: »

Thanks for the replies. I probably wasn't as clear as I could have been in my first post: I don't want the dealer to give me the deposit back (it was my own bad luck I lost the job, and honestly I wouldn't even ask him), but I was wondering if it's likely they'll hang onto it until I'm in a position to actually buy a car from them, which will be a month or two at least.

Unless the dealer is totally boned in their own, it'd make sense for him to put it on the long finger. They wouldn't alienate you, they haven't got any cars 'tied up' by your deposit, and they don't have to give you your money back if you never come back. If I were a dealer who was doing alright (in the current climate) I'd let it slide a month or two.

Drummerboy08

Snakeblood wrote: »

If I were a dealer who was doing alright (in the current climate) I'd let it slide a month or two.

+1.

The only risk is, if the dealer goes bust in the meantime, your left without your deposit, and without a car.

Snakeblood

Drummerboy08 wrote: »

+1.

The only risk is, if the dealer goes bust in the meantime, your left without your deposit, and without a car.

Cheers, but that's no risk at all, because whatever happens, the dealer is under no obligation to give the cash back. The best the punter can hope is that the cash is pointed towards a new car, which is what the dealer most likely wants too.

mick.fr

jbrst wrote: »

Thanks for the replies. I probably wasn't as clear as I could have been in my first post: I don't want the dealer to give me the deposit back (it was my own bad luck I lost the job, and honestly I wouldn't even ask him), but I was wondering if it's likely they'll hang onto it until I'm in a position to actually buy a car from them, which will be a month or two at least.

Let's be serious this is your money. You lost your job, and so what, you are far to be the only one. Money is money. Just a write a letter of cancellation and say you have been made redundant and you can no longer commit to any purchase and ask for your deposit back.
End of story.

Anan1

Drummerboy08 wrote: »

There would still be an order form from the garage to sign all the same. I dont know what way the retail lads do it - if you take a deposit on a car, do you get an order form signed?

Or do you wait until the car is collected to do that?

Is there a different form to sign when paying a deposit, or is it just a receipt?

I've been out of the business a good while, but I would always have completed an order form and given the customer a copy along with a receipt for the deposit.