Dealer returned deposit!

[AMG19]

My friend went into Brooklands last weekend and thought she had bought a second hand car.

The car was being advertised by another dealer so the sales women at Brooklands emailed the manager at the other dealership and got confirmation the car was still for sale.

On Monday my friend was called and was told it was all go. She paid a deposit and was asked when she wanted the vehicle delivered.

24 hours later she was called and told that the car was actually sold on Friday(the day before she was in Brooklands!) They will now refund her deposit.

Does anyone else have experience with this? I would assume that they just got a better offer and fobbed my friend off?

 

[SamW]

It can happen, but very rarely... It's normally down the bad admin or someone thinking a car is still available when in fact it's sold.

You don't get gazumping in car sales... Not worth the agg.

Probably just a genuine mistake but I'm surprised they didn't try and offer an alternative first to try and keep the business.

 

[Paul/]

I'd assume that it was just lack of communication within the other dealership- perhaps it had been sold by someone who wasn't at work over the weekend and for whatever reason no-one else was aware of the sale. Perhaps I'm being naive but I wouldn't have thought they'd entertain better offers once a sale is agreed.

edit- written before I saw 1st response posted

 

[joecash]

As long as you got your money back = look for another = lifes to short to worry about it

 

[AMG19]

Thanks for the replies. The reason no alternative was offered is that simply there are no others available with that spec.

I just find it difficult to believe that a sales manager can not know when one of his cars have sold, and a deposit can be taken for a car that isn't even available!??

Maybe I am being overly suspicious but I can't believe MBs admin/sales processes can be this poor.

 

[mr tibbs]

Personally I would have thought that the sales software that processed the sale would prevent a deposit being taken twice for the same vehicle. I would also have thought that it would have flagged the "existing"sale as soon as the registration was entered.... Something fishy sounding to me...

Keith

 

[brucemillar]

Car was probably earmarked for somebody known to the dealership on a 1st refusal.

Still it is shabby treatment to allow you and yours to have the weekend of excitement before pulling the rug out. Fire a letter into Brooklands MD stating your upset caused by their lack of attention. If nothing else you may get to feel better.

 

[AMG19]

Is it Brooklands fault though? The more I think ab

 

[AMG19]

Out it the more I hold the dealership that had the vehicle accountable. Very naughty thing to do, she is now car less as she sold hers after she was told the deal was on for this one

 

[Deleted member 37751]

Trying not to be cynical, it simply sounds like a lack of communication.

Remember, they are they to sell cars, I doubt they'd gain much by selling to someone else.

 

[Paul/]

Out it the more I hold the dealership that had the vehicle accountable. Very naughty thing to do, she is now car less as she sold hers after she was told the deal was on for this one

The fault does appear to be with the other dealership- over which I assume Brooklands has no control- however, as the cockup has left you without any car, I suggest you contact MB UK Customer Services (phone number somewhere on the MB website) as, in my experience, they do have influence over dealerships and are interested in their customer satisfaction feedback.

 

[markjay]

My friend went into Brooklands last weekend and thought she had bought a second hand car.....

.
...she is now car less as she sold hers after she was told the deal was on for this one

What was her old car? Seems it sold real quick.

 

[jaymanek]

Happens im afraid. Communication! Even we find it difficult being a small business...

 

[High-Lo]

I have to say, I'm not impressed with Brooklands either. We went in there a couple of months ago to register our interest in the GL350 and they took down all our details and said they would give us a call for a test drive. We never got that call. I think its because we didn't put a deposit down there and then but I'm not going to buy a car without a test drive. We have ordered the GL from MB in Bromley instead. They couldn't have been more helpful so thumbs up to MB Bromley