Awaiting code for govt. grant?

[mourneuk]

I bought a pre reg MG5 the day before the govt. grant was scrapped. The car arrived at the dealership last Monday and all last week they were "We'll try to let you have the car for the weekend". Friday came and went and the Saleman said I could have it Monday at 4pm. This morning he called to say he would let me know when the car was ready as they were waiting for a code for the grant. I've just spoken to him now and they're still waiting for the code before his admin team will release the car.

Has anyone else had this? I am beyond annoyed at the dealership. When I pressed him on when the code was applied for he said last week. Why wasn't it applied for as soon as we cleared finance 12 days ago. the day after the grant was scrapped?

From start to finish this has been the worst buying experience I've ever had. Every step of the way I've had to chase them, and this is for a car that actually existed and was in the country. I was slightly taken aback that it took 2 days to get a reply from the finance company. Every car I've bought before has had an instant answer.

This isn't a one man show either. It's Glyn Hopkins in Chelmsford. I doubt I'll ever use them again.

 

[Jomarkh]

I thought they applied for the grant when the order was taken.
I am not sure you can get the grant now it has been scrapped

 

[mourneuk]

I thought they applied for the grant when the order was taken.
I am not sure you can get the grant now it has been scrapped

I would assume there was a grace period within which they can apply so long as the order was place before the grant was scrapped. Didn't dealers have 2 weeks to apply when the grant was reduced in December? I seem to recall reading that on one of the threads.

I'm going to be incandescent if they now tell me they want a further £1500.

 

[weedavemac]

If it is a pre-reg are you not technically the 2nd registered keeper? That being the case the grant is of no relevance as it is applied when the car is first registered. Or am I missing something?

 

[mourneuk]

If it is a pre-reg are you not technically the 2nd registered keeper? That being the case the grant is of no relevance as it is applied when the car is first registered. Or am I missing something?

No idea, but if that's the case they're bound to the price they agreed with me at the time.

 

[weedavemac]

No idea, but if that's the case they're bound to the price they agreed with me at the time.

Is it definitely a pre-reg? I.e. you will be the 2nd keeper, with a dealer being the first keeper.

 

[Jomarkh]

I don't think a 'code for the grant' is going to turn up so the salesman is probably crunching the numbers to see how he can get out of the situation?

 

[mourneuk]

Is it definitely a pre-reg? I.e. you will be the 2nd keeper, with a dealer being the first keeper.

I was told after we had agreed a price and the finance application had been completed. It was the Sales Manager who told me. I wasn't bothered because I was getting a car, but I would expect the guy with oversight of the sales team to know whether the grant could be claimed.

 

[mourneuk]

I don't think a 'code for the grant' is going to turn up so the salesman is probably crunching the numbers to see how he can get out of the situation?

And now the week to "get the car ready" makes more sense. Unbelievable.

 

[BugEyed]

They had 48 hours from the date/time (7:00AM 14/6/22) the grant was ended to process claims in the pipeline - clearly they have missed the boat spectacularly.

 

[Dino]

My MG5 SR was pre registered as it was the demonstrator, the dealer applied the £2.5k grant to the starting price of the car. I guess they had applied for it when they got it as the first owner and passed on the saving to me

 

[Madgermusso]

Evening first time here! As others have said, if its pre reg, you're not the first owner so not eligible for the grant bud

 

[weedavemac]

Evening first time here! As others have said, if its pre reg, you're not the first owner so not eligible for the grant bud

But the car was presumably eligible when first registered... That's the part I don't understand.

 

[weedavemac]

In fact.... Do you know the date the car was first registered?

I'm wondering if the grant cannot be applied by dealers to pre-reg cars, but can still then be applied when the first 'proper' owner buys the car?

 

[mourneuk]

In fact.... Do you know the date the car was first registered?

I'm wondering if the grant cannot be applied by dealers to pre-reg cars, but can still then be applied when the first 'proper' owner buys the car?

I spoke to the guy this morning and they're still insisting they claimed the grant on the 13th, which was the day before the grant was pulled, so what you're suggesting seems to be in line with what they're doing. From what the Sales Manager was saying after we'd signed the paperwork the car wasn't a demonstrator but had been at another site and was being transferred to Chelmsford. He didn't know how many miles were on the car but it could be up to 100. That's all I know.

Tuesday is the sales guy's day off so I didn't want to press him too much today.

 

[Madgermusso]

But the car was presumably eligible when first registered... That's the part I don't understand.

Which the dealer benefits from, don't forget they also buy the car at a nominally reduced cost from the manufacturer, but a pre reg or demo also counts towards their target which may trigger additional bonuses from the manufacturer. You may find that the retailer may over inflate the price but so it still looks cheaper than a new one, then take the 'grant' off as a negotiatiin tool to secure a deal with the customer. After 40 years in the trade on both sides of the counter, I've seen it all

 

[Dino]

When I bought mine the sticker price in the window was the price of a new one minus the grant, we negotiated down from that. I presume they had already claimed the grant and passed it on to anyone who was going to buy it

 

[weedavemac]

To be fair to the dealer, at no point have they said the deal agreed with you no longer stands. I know that are taking their time, but hopefully you still get the car you want at the price agreed.

 

[mourneuk]

To be fair to the dealer, at no point have they said the deal agreed with you no longer stands. I know that are taking their time, but hopefully you still get the car you want at the price agreed.

Yeah I felt pretty bad this morning when the sales guy phoned me and said he was on his way in to work to see if there was movement, knowing it was his day off and knowing his wife has cancer (he'd mentioned during the test drive that he was off the next day and he would be at the hospital with his wife). He then dropped in that his wife has only weeks left to live, so I felt completely rotten at that point.

I've just been frustrated knowing the car has been at the dealer for the past 8 days and my mind goes into overdrive imagining loads of problems and I'm either not going to get the car or it's going to cost a lot more. They haven't said the deal no longer stands and I have been putting a lot of pressure on this poor guy at a time when he least needs it. So I'm going to try backing off and letting them get on with it. We'll see if that works. I definitely wouldn't have the patience of the people over on the ZS shipping thread all waiting 7 months + for their cars.

 

[smokie]

That's not an uncommon waiting time these days for new cars.

The differences here appear to be that the estimates are turning out a little inaccurate, and also that some have been able to walk into a showroom and drive out with a new car, which is harsh on those whose patience is being tried.