New car payment upfront without viewing

[ross]

We have agreed purchase of an mg4 from a dealer 300 miles from us without viewing . It is a new pre - registration car in the colour of our choice and we paid a deposit by debit card . Collection is agreed for next week but we have been requested by dealer to pay in full now. Is this the normal ie without viewing the actual car ? Thanks in advance for others experiences of buying a car at distance .

 

[MG Clive]

No way, you've paid your deposit, the balance shouldn't be payable until you've seen the car and pick it up, is it from an MG Dealer?

 

[siteguru]

FWIW I would have paid the deposit by credit card ... that way you would have had Section 75 protection. Too late now though, unless you pay (part of) the balance using a CC, and the total purchase price is under £30k.

But no - no balance payment until the car has been inspected. (I'm guessing that they're concerned about the funds clearing prior to you driving away in the car. If that's the case I'd query the viability of the company).

 

[Bradmore]

I would agree no way. Don't trust anybody even a car dealer where money is concerned.
A dealership of repute, MG or otherwise for that matter I would expect to complete the deal on collection

 

[salty]

No way, you've paid your deposit, the balance shouldn't be payable until you've seen the car and pick it up, is it from an MG Dealer?

Agree to a certain extent. For example my Sister got a new, Suzuki Swift last week, with balance to pay, £18,000. Online banking (app) wouldn't let her pay that much in One go. She had to go to the Bank and they did it. So she actually payed for the car, before she picked it up.
I can imagine going to pick your car up, from the dealer. Trying to pay and, it wouldn't let you. Could be a problem, trying to get to the Bank. Also I paid for my X Power in full, before I picked it up.
So is it that unusual.

 

[5teep]

I had the same situation, car over 200 miles away so unable to check it. Dealer wanted payment through so they could include it in the previous months figures and I had no problem with that. Had to call the bank to get them to authorise the payment and went through about 10 minutes of "are you sure?" "are you under duress?" etc. before they would do it. The dealer I was buying from is an MG dealer, not a back street garage so I felt relatively safe doing it and in the end it was fine.

 

[Bradmore]

Agree to a certain extent. For example my Sister got a new, Suzuki Swift last week, with balance to pay, £18,000. Online banking (app) wouldn't let her pay that much in One go. She had to go to the Bank and they did it. So she actually payed for the car, before she picked it up.
I can imagine going to pick your car up, from the dealer. Trying to pay and, it wouldn't let you. Could be a problem, trying to get to the Bank. Also I paid for my X Power in full, before I picked it up.
So is it that unusual.

When I have paid a large balance on a car I have always notified the bank I would be making a payment of such an amount to XY garage on a certain date for a new car. Had no problem of then accepting the transaction. But I would agree with you banks are very reluctant these days to agree to large amounts in one go.

 

[MG Clive]

Agree to a certain extent. For example my Sister got a new, Suzuki Swift last week, with balance to pay, £18,000. Online banking (app) wouldn't let her pay that much in One go. She had to go to the Bank and they did it. So she actually payed for the car, before she picked it up.
I can imagine going to pick your car up, from the dealer. Trying to pay and, it wouldn't let you. Could be a problem, trying to get to the Bank. Also I paid for my X Power in full, before I picked it up.
So is it that unusual.

I think the difference here is that you, and your sister chose to pay beforehand, you weren't asked to do so by the selling garage.

 

[salty]

I think the difference here is that you, and your sister chose to pay beforehand, you weren't asked to do so by the selling garage.

Actually she was. To be fair she didn't have a problem with that. As It was a big Suzuki/MG/Jaecoo/Omoda dealer with about 6 dealerships. And I didn't have a problem paying in full for my X Power, in full for the same reason. It was the Bank had the problem, and s'pose these days, they can't be to careful. Although can be a pain sometimes. Anyway it all went smoothly at the pick up. And she loves her New Car.

 

[ross]

Hi , yes was rather taken aback by their message this morning saying that they cannot release car from their compound , get car ready for pick up next week etc until paid for in full. Its Stoneacre MG so not a back street outfit from my understanding and research. Payment will be by debit card.

 

[Anon70]

You still have the 14 day cool off protection afforded by the distance selling regs. So not such an issue to pay up front, unless the dealer closes down within the 14 days before you get your money back

 

[siteguru]

You still have the 14 day cool off protection afforded by the distance selling regs. So not such an issue to pay up front, unless the dealer closes down within the 14 days before you get your money back

Yes, there is that ... if payment is made in full before "delivery" (collection) then this almost certainly makes this a Distance Transaction so covered by CCR 2013.

Payment will be by debit card.

I would still recommend paying even a part of the balance via Credit card ... only £1 would suffice, but I'd suggest £100+ so as to avoid the CC company getting antsy in the event you needed to make a S75 claim. (S75 covers purchases from £100 to £30k ... what matters is the value of the purchase, not how much was paid using credit. But many credit providers pretend not to know the full S75 rules so try their best to reject claims for spurious reasons, one of which being that the amount paid using credit was outwith the S75 requirements).

 

[Ian Key]

Hi , yes was rather taken aback by their message this morning saying that they cannot release car from their compound , get car ready for pick up next week etc until paid for in full. Its Stoneacre MG so not a back street outfit from my understanding and research. Payment will be by debit card.

I bought my pre-registered MGS5 from Stoneacre in Derby and had to pay the balance between the trade-in value of my MG4 and the purchase price of the "new" car in full a couple of days before I collected it.

 

[OriginalBigAl]

We had to pay up front ( a week ) , for the funds to clear , but at least we could view/ inspect but not drive the car beforehand. We also had to show valid insurance specific to the vehicle which was a little awkward as the insurance covered our old trade in up to 12 noon then changed to the MG and the dealer only gave us the registration details three days previous.

 

[Bradmore]

I bought my MG HS Hybrid+ new from Sandicliffe Nottingham. Part exchanged and paid balance on collection. They did not ask for a deposit and released the car from PDI compound, prepared and valeted all ready for collection.. Still waiting for the car mats though from China.
Seems garages all have their own payment terms, or maybe I have an honest face. It pays to ask what payment terms they require before committing to the car.
I cannot recall paying for a car new or used before I collected it.

 

[salty]

We also had to show valid insurance specific to the vehicle which was a little awkward as the insurance covered our old trade in up to 12 noon then changed to the MG and the dealer only gave us the registration details three days previous.

He did ask her, if she had insurance details, and she did on her phone. But only to tick another little box, on his tick sheet. She could still have taken it without, as she paid cash. Apparently you only need to prove you've insured it, to the dealer, if you got it on credit.

 

[salty]

On a bit of a side note, to her getting her New Car. When she picked it up, I obviously checked it over thoroughly, as you do. And it was fine. But only a few days later, looked in the boot, knew it doesn't come with a spare. But there was no tyre inflator and Gunk. There was a Polystyrene mould thingy in the tyre well,
with what looked like spaces for the inflator, gunk and warning triangle. All that was there was a tow hook. So nipped to the dealer today. Was told they don't come with the inflator and Gunk, even though it's got no spare tyre. Said to him, that can't be right. So he looked in 2 more
Brand new Swifts, and no inflator in those either. WOW now that is penny pinching
Although he did say he would try and get her one for free.

 

[ross]

No charging cables, no spare wheel , no repair kit ! What next , only a drivers seat with others as a chargeable option ? Starting to feel we have made the wrong choice ... Sorry sir , it only comes with 2 wheels but the bricks propping up the other corners are free !

 

[ross]

May find dealers get a pallet of pumps and sealant gunk delivered and they should ensure they put them into each car during the probably non existent PDI....

 

[OriginalBigAl]

On a bit of a side note, to her getting her New Car. When she picked it up, I obviously checked it over thoroughly, as you do. And it was fine. But only a few days later, looked in the boot, knew it doesn't come with a spare. But there was no tyre inflator and Gunk. There was a Polystyrene mould thingy in the tyre well,
with what looked like spaces for the inflator, gunk and warning triangle. All that was there was a tow hook. So nipped to the dealer today. Was told they don't come with the inflator and Gunk, even though it's got no spare tyye. Said to him, that can't be right. So he looked in 2 more
Brand new Swifts, and no inflator in those either. WOW now that is penny pinching
Although he did say he would try and get her one for free.

Free ? AA or RAC cover included ??? and renewed with every service ? ( up to 7 years )
Nice car , there are few around here, never seen one with a puncture so it should be fine .