[aob9]

First of all I have never purchased a new car ( apart from my new Up!) but I think my dealer , a main VW dealer in Ireland may have pulled a fast one. I rang them today because I have yet to receive the registration cert for my car and am unable to tax it. During the conversation the issue arose of my car being pre-registered to which I honestly replied that I didn't know that. Now it should have been obvious as the plates were already on the car but as I say I'm not familiar with dealers methods of creating car sales.Having gone over the paperwork it appears the the ‚¬2,250 agreed for my old Mondeo trade-in turns out to be ‚¬750 after some type of "discount" of ‚¬1500 being applied. It's all a bit confusing but the simple maths indicate I got ‚¬2,250 off the FULL LIST PRICE of a brand new car, not a second hand, pre-registered one as it actually is.

I spoke to the sales agent again and he is trying to persuade me I got an ‚¬800 discount for a pre-registered car but if I did I simply can't see it and my maths are not all that bad.

At the end of the conversation he agreed to speak to his manager and get back to me. I feel I have fallen into a bit of a trap here, the car is financed through VW's own bank and I'm already tied into a 3 yr hire purchase deal. My insurance company have told me that should my car be written off I won't get the car replaced as I would if I were the first owner, as I genuinely believed I was. If they really want to dig in my signature is all over the paperwork so I may be stuck with this situation.

Can anyone offer some advice apart from not being so naive in the future?





Edited by: aob9

 

[luckyjimmy]

The guys in suits that inhabit 'reputable' dealerships can just be as shady as your Arthur Daley types. That's not to say the salesman in your case is pulling a fast one however.

He is probably only guilty of not explaining fully the details of the deal - he should have stated explicitly that the car is second hand and indicated the corresponding discount from the new car price etc. Being vague with customers, particularly where finances are concerned, is not professional in any way and leads to this exact situation.

At the end of the day, unless you think you have really been ripped off, all you can do is enjoy your car and body swerve this dealership the next time around. Perhaps, if you know someone who is good with figures, you could let them have a look at the paperwork before deciding on a course of action.

 

[Privatedoc]

All said and done, it is still now a two owner car so unless You were made explicitly aware it was a pre-reg then you have a right to reject, esp if you were charged full price (before discount).....are there trading standards offices / citizens advice bureaus in Ireland?

 

[3094]

Newbie,
Would this dealer happen to be in the Deansgrange area of Dublin?
If it is then I went through a similar experience, if not, then it looks like VW Ireland have sharp practices as a matter of course.
Three times the price/trade in/discount changed, if I had not been VERY insistent that the car was delivered within a week from stock held in the country then I'm sure the numbers would have changed again.
Overall the buying experience has soured the ownership if what is a very good small car. Like you I'm in for three years of a financial deal and will try to put the unpleasantness behind me, otherwise the resentment will be like a picked scab and never heal.
I will of course be unlikely to ever buy a VW again.

 

[Beevee]

Not knowing the full details it may be that you were offered more for the car you were trading in because you were buying a pre registered car. Quite often figures are changed on the invoice I once bought a car and the salesman showed a lower trade in price but a discount off the new car. Overall the figures were still correct. It's a lesson to learn but I am sure you will be very pleased with your new car. It should of course already be taxed. Edited by: Beevee

 

[luckyjimmy]

I should say that I have heard of cars for sale described as being 'new pre-registered' vehicles.

While this to my mind is misleading, a car dealer could (attempt) to wriggle free of any legal claim against them, stating that the buyer should have had a reasonable grasp of the terminology used in the trade.

I don't know in this case if you were deliberately misled - if 'pre-registered' (or any of the host of other terms used to describe such vehicles) ever came up during your conversation with the sales person, you are sunk. Did you get a bad deal though? Is, ultimately, the re-sale value three years down the line going to be important to you? Things to think about perhaps...

 

[aob9]

Thanks for all your replies. The VW dealer is not in Dublin and I am reluctant to name them TBH as I am giving them every chance to make some good of this. I rang back twice today and in the second conversation one of the office staff listened attentively to my story and promised somebody would get back to me later in the day. However, nobody did and that adds up to three calls not returned.

"Quite often figures are changed on the invoice I once bought a car and the salesman showed a lower trade in price but a discount off the new car".

This is exactly whatappearsto be on the invoice. However this leaves me with ‚¬750 trade-in value against the full "new" car price. This is a quite small given that on a previous visit I was offered ‚¬1000 against a 2 yr old Up!.

In any case whether I am a subject of sharp practices or not I certainly feel VW are having all their own way on this as the car hasn't been taxed either.

If I don't get a resolution the best I can do is give them a wide berth in future and they won't be getting any service or follow up work out of me either. I'll keep you up to date when I know more.

I don't know about other Countries but Ireland is fast becoming a cut throat place for the consumer. I'm certainly not the only one I know with issues of poor transparency where money is concerned.






Edited by: aob9

 

[Derkie54]

I don't think you will get anywhere with them once the deal is done it's done.
Pre registered cars are as good as new but the log book shows you as the second owner hence the discount.
You did get a discount only not as much as they were saying so if you like your car try and put it down to one of lifes experiences.We have all come across dodgy salesman and make sure not to give them any return business.
If we're honest a lot of us think we should have had a better deal !
Enjoy the car and put it behind you don't let it spoil your ownership of a good little car.Edited by: Derkie54

 

[Robbyrook]

There is a new model of Vauxhall Zafira out and as a result Vauxhall are offering certain pre-registered old models with a near £9,000 discount!!

<h1>
Pre Reg - 63 Plate Offer
</h1>



<table><t><tr><td>
<h1>
Now Only £9,991
</h1></td><td>
<h2>
Save £8,929
</h2></td><td>
<h2>
Was £18,920
</h2></td></tr></t></table>

 

[Goldfive]

I would ask for the agreed discount of ‚¬1500 but not trade your car, and sell it separately. When I was offered a trade in for a 3 yr Aygo on a fiesta I got large discount off list price but not good offer for trade in. Yes had committed to buy fiesta but not to trade in part. I doubt you've contracted yourself to a trade in. You'll get more selling separately too?