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Features on a Ford Mondeo Vignale have been discontinued since I paid a deposit - am I at liberty to get my deposit back?

In September, I placed an order for a Ford Mondeo Vignale, leaving a £1000 deposit with the dealer. I particularly liked the model due to its chrome embellishments. The vehicle is due in December, but as far as I can ascertain, the chrome detailing has now been removed from the vehicle. Dark tarnish finished wheels are now featured in the brochures online. The dealer is currently trying to ascertain if the specification has changed. If the vehicle has now been changed so dramatically, am I at liberty to reject it and recover my deposit? I would rather order a Titanium X model if the chrome finishes have now been discontinued, as they were the very features that swayed me from the Titanium X model in the first instance.

Asked on 28 November 2017 by MartyF

Answered by Honest John
There was a County Court case about this in 2007 and the ruling was that the dealer was not responsible for a change of spec, so this was not grounds to cancel the order. The case was Johnson v HWM, Kingston County Court. However, this was only a County Court ruling so does not set a strong legal precedent. It could be overruled in the High Court.
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