Car Sales & Trade Descriptions Act - Help!

[Miss Muffet]

HEELLPPP!!! Saga Alert!!!:soapbox:
Hubby and I put down a £100 deposit/booking fee on a 2 month-old Fiat Grande Punto 4 days ago. We haven't seen it yet (fools) as it's at another showroom. We were told it was an ex-demonstrator, which we were fine with, it wouldn't be available for a little while as it has to be used for so long before being sold, again ok, but the sales person was going to get the car transferred so he could keep an eye on it and get it released early for us. Today - hubby rings the other showroom to get the mileage checked and gets asked if he wants to buy the car!! He replies "I'm under the impression I already have!" only to be told it's still available. Not only that but it's not a demo car, it's a courtesy car that's currently out on loan for an unspecified length of time and will not be released for sale until 31st August at the very earliest!!!!:bomb: So I ring the showroom where we 'purchased' said vehicle.....demand the manager......who promptly denies everything, says the car is ours, but maybe it is a courtesy car!! He also badmouths the other showroom badly! We want our deposit back, he's sidestepping. We feel we've been mis-sold a car, he's sidestepping! GGGRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!:talktothe So I said I wouldn't talk to him today, we'll reconvene tomorrow at my convenience and he'd better have some real answers. I promptly rang the other showroom back to find out for myself what was going on and spoke to their manager who was as sweet as pie! Not once did he badmouth our showroom, he explained everything to me, rechecked all the paperwork and took our number so he could check we were happy with the outcome! Why wasn't the other manager like him?? We've actually made the decision to stump up the extra (and it's a lot extra!) to buy a Grande brand-spanking new because of this (at least we'll get our colour choice as well!), just so we have more confidence in the car's history - but then we get the teething problems! I think we'll also go to the other showroom too!

Does anyone know where we stand legally on this issue?? Basically all that seems to be true is the colour and reg of the car! Who governs car salesmen? Dick Turpin? OOHHHH I'm so mad!! If I get hold of that salesman I won't need a car where I'll be going!!!!

If you can help - Thank you
If you can't help - Thanks for listening!

[Ruthierhyme]

:muted: umm !!

Sounds like you had a 'real' salesman .. .did you happen to have a secret microphone & recorder tucked anywhere .. actually don't answer that lol

I should stick with the new Salesroom though - at least they don't succumb to ' casting verbal shadows over malpractising partner branches ' !!

[Miss Muffet]

What did I say Ruth - fate an' all that? We weren't 100% happy anyway, then Lee got rear-ended............Was it all for a good reason??? I wonder! *doodoodoodoo, doodoodoodoo* (twilightzone music)

[joshie]

when u paid £100 deposit - di u get a receipt??:crossfing

if u did then u should b able 2 get back u're deposit - NO SIDESTEPPING

if they play silly beggers u couldtry threatening with fake calling of solicitor (naughty i no!) but anythings worth a try

[Miss Muffet]

Hi Joshie

Yes, I paid by card and always keep receipts! I threatened them with Trading Standards and wow, all of a sudden their attitude changed. We seem to have gotten somewhere now, it's all "Yes Mrs Mallaby, No Mrs Mallaby, 3 bags full Mrs Mallaby!" I know I'm in a good negotiation position and they know it too, so, without being rude or shouty, I'm firmly telling them what we want, when we want it and also how high they can jump!!! I've been promised 'the deal of the year!' , so we'll see what Wednesday evening brings!

[Miss Muffet]

Well, I thought I'd better bring you up to speed (thanks Joshie for the PM! ). We did get our deposit back and managed to get a great deal on a brand new Fiat Grande Punto, in the beautiful shade of 'New Orleans Blue' - that's metallic royal blue to you and me, with 1 year's tax, a full tank of petrol and a week's free insurance - all for almost £1000 under the book price!!! To say we're chuffed with her is an understatement, okay, so we haven't driven her over 60mph yet (we're breaking her in!) but the potential for speed and 'nippy' power is definitely there. There were a few niggles in getting a delivery date and the salesman was so slimy he'd turn a worm off! He actually put an 'x' in front of Lee's name so that the registration documents came back wrong - the lad at the DVLA told me that this is a common thing that salespeople do when they don't like a client!!! How childish!!!:muted: I will NEVER use the showroom in question EVER again, and neither will anyone I know (or don't) while there is still breath in my body! :gnasher: :crazy:

So thank you for your support and I am once again a happy motorist!