Rogue Renault Dealer has ripped me off.

Dave · Jul 12, 2004

Have not given any names as I havent reached a conclusion in this matter yet.

On 26.04.04 I ordered (or so I thought) a Clio 182 with both Cup packs in arctic blue, with a Friends and Family discount due to a friend of mine working at a dealership. I got my order forms, he even gave me a part ex quote on my car (which I refused and have NOW SOLD!!!). Signed order forms and everything and took £250 deposit (£200 cash £50 card)

A few days later, the dealer called me and said Id actually been overcharged and could have 26% discount instead of 19%. GREAT I think.

I was told delivery estimate 1st July. Superb.

Getting close to the date I was told it would now be 24th July. Ok I think.

I then found out from my friend at the dealership that the salesman dealing with me was leaving. However he never bothered to let me know. Which brings me to today, the first Monday after the salesman had left. I called again asking for a delivery date and a reg to get insurance quotes with.

Spoke to the Sales Manager. I have now just got home from work and got a message taken by my Mum, and been told the Car was NEVER ORDERED. No file at the dealership exists with my name on and the deal is OFF.

Apparently as a "franchise" or summat like that they cant authorise the discount and Im not entitled to discount anyway as it has to be FAMILY not a FRIEND.

This dealer has done a totally non existent deal and left the company.

WHAT CAN I DO?

[Edited by hip_spasm on 12 July 2004 at 10:54pm]

BradRT · Jul 12, 2004

go round the dealers house and personally kick him in the balls!

Clart · Jul 12, 2004

hmmmm. tricky one. Discount is normally only for family tbh. Can u get ur mate to order it for you?

Speiro · Jul 12, 2004

Have you got a receipt fot the deposit?

Dave · Jul 12, 2004

I have a recipet for £50 of the deposit which is a card reciept. The deposit is mentioned on the order form and deducted.

badinvincible · Jul 12, 2004

were order forms not signed?

Clart · Jul 12, 2004

if u have a receipt they will surely have to supply the car?

Rousey · Jul 12, 2004

one for watchdog!

dk · Jul 12, 2004

surely if you have the order forms, they are the contract?

good luck on this one, I would be gutted, especially having sold my car, hope it all works out for you!

Dave · Jul 12, 2004

I will keep this post updated but for now, it has had 85 reads in 21 mins.

Thats excellent. If anyone has useful numbers for people at RUK etc, Id be very pleased to have them.

boyracer666 · Jul 12, 2004

Quote: Originally posted by Rousey on 12 July 2004

one for watchdog!

agreed

take ur documents to watchdog and let them get their teeth into this, renault will soon sort u out

Dave · Jul 12, 2004

So far I hae obtained numbers for Trading Standards, RUK, local newspapers in the area and also Watchdog. Any others appreciated.

boyracer666 · Jul 12, 2004

i wouldnt go running to the local papers

go to the big dogs-watchdog and trading standards

Jay

Dave · Jul 12, 2004

Local papers can affect a dealers trade a LOT wouldnt u think?

D-CUP · Jul 12, 2004

If youve got the order forms go to the dealer and wait outside for them to open. Theyre probably trying to get out of it rather than let you have the car that cheap.

Dave · Jul 12, 2004

Of course they wanna get out of it!!! Trouble is...can they?

cliosportcraig · Jul 12, 2004

Fookin hell ! That bloke needs a kick in the b****cks !

Deffo ring RUK and watchdog, youll get the car mate !!

daz182 · Jul 13, 2004

One Question:

Did you actually sign an order form of any kind?

GR7 · Jul 13, 2004

I think there is some sort of difference between franchised dealers and main dealers - maybe someone will know! Maybe this is part of the problem!

CocoPops · Jul 13, 2004

Mate, you have PM.
Give me a call, and Ill pass on some info that may be useful to you.

182_blue · Jul 13, 2004

as bloke says above have you got any evidence that you ordered the car, and is it signed.

Dave · Jul 13, 2004

Ive a signed order form.

Viv172 · Jul 13, 2004

Sounds like the salesman made a mistake and now the manager is just pretending that the car was never ordered, I wouldnt blame the salesman but the manager should honour your contract...its not your fault if the salesman made a mistake, its the managers for not training him properly and therefore owes you a car as agreed!!

If you DO get your car, I wouldnt go back to them for servicing etc... might even go as far as demanding the car is delivered via another dealer…..

Good luck, let us know how you go on.

DAVE_RSi · Jul 13, 2004

if its signed with discount written on it aswel and u have proof of all ur deposit i dont c how they can get out of it

u have a signed aggreement from the company so they r fuked aint they??

have u contacted any free legal representation?

whats happened to the other £200 then?

CocoPops · Jul 13, 2004

Also, the only thing not mentioned above about the F&F discount is whether you had the certificate?

ie all F&F deals have to be approved by Reno UK HQ, and they send you a certificate to present when ordering the car. Its down to them what discount you get etc, not the dealer.

As long as you have the order form basically, the car is yours. They have to honour that, and you would every right to sue them for breach of sales contract.

Have you spoken to the dealer principal? Is the dealer part of a group, or an independent dealer?

JillyB · Jul 13, 2004

Dont do anything rash! Get all your paperwork together and put all the events with dates down in writing.

Then book an appointment with the manager to discuss it.

If you dont get what you want you can then pursue other avenues (Watchdog, RUK) knowing that you gave the dealer manager the option to sort it out amicably first.

blink172 · Jul 13, 2004

nail them to the wall if you have a signed contract. They might try and claim that the salesman wasnt acting on behalf of the company, and as such the contract is null and void.

dangermouse_se · Jul 13, 2004

If you signed the F&F discount and RUK havent approved it then the car wont be sold at that price but thats the Dealers problem, they will have to absorb the loss.

Stick with it. Have a look in your local Yellow pages and contact Citizens Advice. Also see if there is free Legal clinic in your area. They wont take legal action as such but they will tell you your rights and will send a solicitors letter for you.

Dave · Jul 13, 2004

Right, an update.

Today I spoke to the Sales Manager (who has only been there a month). Apparently, the salesman who did the deal with me has actually done this before, as last week just before he left a customer turned up demanding to know where his Renault Espace had got to, which, the same as mine, was never actually ordered.

Now my understanding of F&F now stands at this. If an employee works at a Renault MAIN dealer like Renault Ilford for instance, they get 5 cars per year for Friends and Family. At a Franchise dealer, for arguments sake lets say Waters, they only get discount on cars for IMMEDIATE family. So on that point i am not elligible for discount as it turns out.

HOWEVER, I explained to the Sales Manager that I had a signed order form and that as far as I am concerned they have to supply me with a car for that price. I mentioned that I had sold my car, saved and got the money together ready to go, and I wasn;t going to accept not getting a car. I mentioned I had numbers for Trading Standards, Watchdog and RUK, an that basically they would be my next call if he couldnt do anything for me.

So, he said hed "make some calls".

To that point I asked him if he would like a couple of hours "grace" to make these calls and get back to me before I lodged complaints with RUK etc.

He then said that if I start making noises at RUK etc then I would definitely not get my car as they would just say that I was not entitled to discount. I argued that Im sure they would be interested, but that I wasnt going to debate that point until I had to.

Then this afternoon I got a call from the Sales Manager, letting me know that he MAY be able to do something and that hed call me tomorrow morning.

SO thats where Im at, at the moment. However he did state that I would DEFINTELY not be able to get the 26% discount, which is fair enough as I have no actual order form with that price on, just the 22% as it turned out.

Lee · Jul 13, 2004

Quote: Originally posted by dangermouse_se on 13 July 2004

If you signed the F&F discount and RUK havent approved it then the car wont be sold at that price but thats the Dealers problem, they will have to absorb the loss.

Stick with it. Have a look in your local Yellow pages and contact Citizens Advice. Also see if there is free Legal clinic in your area. They wont take legal action as such but they will tell you your rights and will send a solicitors letter for you.

It doesnt work like that. In the initial stages it all runs on trust. You tell the sales guy you know someone at Renault and he places the order under the premise that you do. Once your Friend has filled in the forms you hand them over to the dealer, then your friend receives a signed off form from Renault UK to confirm they have accepted it, only then are you sure you can get the full discount. That form is then given to the dealer from who you are purchasing the car.

I was lucky, my mate works for a none franchise dealer so I got 30%.

Good luck mate, whatever happens even at full price you still placed a deposite on a new 182 with them.

[Edited by Lee M on 13 July 2004 at 10:18pm]

CocoPops · Jul 13, 2004

Most dealers will not place the order until they have the certificate.

I would be asking for the following:-

182 as ordered (22% discount)
A courtesy car until the 182 is delivered

Any less than that and I would be involving solicitors to sue them for breach of contract.

Dave · Jul 13, 2004

I considered this point but in the long run I think it would be faster and less consuming if I can get a deal thrashed out. If he comes back to me tomorrow with a big fat nothing, then I will get nasty.

CocoPops · Jul 13, 2004

If you want the lower price, ie discounted. It has to be a "new build" therefore he cant bring one in off the forecourt and use the F&F discount.

Hence the courtesy car, because if he ordered one today, you are looking at 1st September (known date, a guy on another forum ordered yesterday).

Lee · Jul 13, 2004

A gave my dealer the certificate the day I collected the car.

Dave · Jul 13, 2004

I figured it would be September. However if I push for the courtesy car, I wont get the deal, and will then have to fight through Trading Standards which will result in long draw out procedure. I can manage until 1st Septemeber without a car, which lets face it is likely to be the earliest possible date now ANYWAY due to the RS factory closing

Cant give more details at the moment....

CocoPops · Jul 14, 2004

Good luck today, keep us informed.

Dave · Jul 14, 2004

Right, at the end of today I have been told that I can have a car at 22%.

I wont hold my breath until I see and order form and paperwork, but it looks promising at the very least.

dk · Jul 14, 2004

not a bad result really, you are back to square 1, although you will have to wait ages for one to be built now.

hendry · Jul 15, 2004

so what about the courtesy car n when will u get the order form

Dave · Jul 15, 2004

Had another call from sales manager today reassuring me. sending me paper work through post. Mid September I have to wait til now. But hey, when do regs start?

Rogue Renault Dealer has ripped me off.

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