A manufacturer is currently advertising an attractive package very heavily in the national press and indeed on this very website. So off we all go to local dealer and their response, is they only had 3 each of the cars/package in question and the deal is now off. So why the heavy ad. campaign says I? They shrug their shoulders and say nothing other than the campaign will run in to March. But of course they can still sell the very same car to us under a different deal. I point out that will cost £400 more than the ad. states.
Surely this is not strictly legal? To be enticed somewhere and told that it does not exist anymore? Me personally I did not care, I was more than happy to walk away but my 21 year old daughter was virtually throwing her hard earned cash at them. Fortunately I managed to get her out without signing up but I am now the bad guy!
Why is it that what should be one of lifes more pleasurable experiences always seems to turn in to a grubby wrangle over a few hundred quid?
|
|
Try a word with local trading standards?
|
|
People lie to gain advantage. Nobody likes being lied to, but most do it to others with sad regularity. Husbands lie to wives, wives to husband, children to parents and vice versa and those are supposed to be the very people they care about. So why do we get surprised and outraged when businesses bend the truth to get our attention? It's a technique that pre-dates history. Merchants have always overstated the benefits of you giving them your business. It's the human condition, appeal to someones "avarice gland" with a seemingly attractive deal and draw them in, and once you are talking to them they are a lot closer to becoming a customer than they were before. No amount of legislation or protest is ever going to prevent the marketeer from using a version of this method.....it's the oldest and most effective trick in the book. We may not like it but we just have to be savvy to the fact that no one actually cares much about other people in our culture, they just find it socially convenient to pretend they do. It's the oil which allows society to rub along.
|
Good for you Dave for walking away, and i hope daughter soon gets over it and become's just like her dad.
I dislike being conned intensely too, and if twer me i would never darken that manufacturers doorstep again.
Salesmen and politicians, can't stand 'em.
|
|
I was in an identical situation to the OP nearly 4 years ago when VW enticed me with their advertising for a Polo E for UK£7995. They even took my deposit before calling me back a week later to say that there were no such cars at that spec in the country and I'd have to pay more!! I freaked and got my cash back pronto.
|
|
|
|
I agree with you GB. However, I would add the caveat that "some" salesmen and "some" politicians are worthy of derision. Some are very honest and good at their jobs. We just have to accept that we will all encounter both types during the normal course of events.
Edited by shoespy on 17/02/2008 at 15:10
|
|
Point taken shoespy, not so sure about the ''some'' politicians though.
|
|
what is the manufacturer and the deal? Perhaps others could confirm the lack of a deal.
|
If the "deal" is still being advertised (til march?) but is not actually available then it is not a twist of the truth; it is far worse.
Trading standards would be very interested. Just ignoring it will not stop it happening and others falling for it.
Get them stopped! Or at least do your bit towards it?
|
|
|
|
Point taken shoespy not so sure about the ''some'' politicians though.
Try the one for Wyre Forest....
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
If a car manufacturer decides to make a special offer, on a limited amount of cars, once they have gone, the dealer no longer has the additional bonus to offer. Whats the big drama?
|
>>Whats the big drama?
Because they only had a few cars at that price and are still advertising the deal after they have been sold..
|
Look on this as an opportunity. You have been saved from throwing your money at a dealer.
If you go to a broker you will probably find that they can source a car for you from somewhere else and at A LOWER PRICE!
Tell us the car make and model and somebody will find you a better deal.
|
|
PMH - I suspect that this is the deal that I did a coupe of weeks ago (mine has apparently now been built and is on its way to me). I couldn't get anywhere near it at a broker.
|
|
Isn't this practice a variant on the 'loss leader' practised by supermarkets?
|
Isn't this practice a variant on the 'loss leader' practised by supermarkets?
>
Or by DFS who say they "only have two sales per year" - January 1st - 30th June, then 1st July to December 31st.
Never believe sales hype - even the "20% off" in Tesco is a con - just watch them put the price up the week before! Ond of their latest deals was on tea bags - buy one get one free - only if you looked carefully, the two bags together cos only 10p less than buying the two separately the week before.
And how many people have ever tried (and actually been successful) to buy the "£1 each way ticket from xxx to yyy" with easyjet/ryanair? Or the special Newcastle to London on the train for £2.
|
|
|
|
