Reserving a car by phone....WTF?

H

Havard

Senior member
 Wigan
Finally found a Z4M that ticked all my boxes this weekend. Car only came up for sale Saturday, pictures included yesterday. Dealer closed till this morning.

Rang up at 8.45 this morning and found that someone else had rang the dealer last night and left a £200 deposit over the phone... :o Where is the catch? Well there isn't one. The punter is free to examine the car and ultimately refuse the purchase for whatever reason and get his deposit back.

Therefore people like me who have the cash and were willing to travel today (day off work) aren't even allowed to make an offer/purchase the car.

It's a tactic I will use in future for sure. Just rang the dealer and the guy who left the deposit has gone AWOL. Therefore 4 interested parties are now just sat on their hands.

Frustrated is not the word. Surely it should be first come, first served to arrive at the dealership with the readies?? :x
 
I'm with you fella, that does sound a bit pants. It's like saying "I'll take the car - if I get there" - I thought garages liked selling for cash in person? I've certainly been gazumped (car-wise) by a cash buyer race-to-the-garage before and I can't blame the gazumper in those cases. But a phone reservation whilst they're closed WTF?!
Shame. Keep looking. You won't be disappointed.
HTH
Stevo
 
Sorry, meant to also say £200 is ridiculous in the context of the probable price...
 
While it's annoying ,you can't blame the punter for being savy.It could save a wasted journey to look at a car that could be sold while your on route to view.
 
That's what I did when I bought mine from BMW Park Lane I rang on the Sat morning agreed a price over the phone (subject to inspection ) paid a small deposit and then viewed the car the following Saturday as it had only just came in
 
I put a 500 deposit on mine to secure it when all I'd seen was a walk-round video. It is the way it works unfortunately when there are so few of them around.
 
I still think it is a bit naughty. Although I have just made an offer of leaving a deposit on a car I have never seen then I can have first dibbs.

If that's the way it needs to be, I'll play the game.
 
This has happened to me before. I think its all nonsense there should be no way to "reserve" a car. You want it, go get it.
 
It shows intent on both sides. No way I would have driven 5 hours for mine only to get there and the dealer say, sorry mate it's gone.
 
don't see the issue I've done it plenty of times, saves you making arrangements to make a trip and then having it sold.. I've travelled 6 hours for a car, there's no way in hell I wouldn've done so without some assurance that I've got first reserve until I get there - and they were happy to 'secure' a sale.. if you're willing to put down a couple of hundred without seeing it, chances are you're pretty serious about buying
 
I had a similar experience with BMW Sytner. The Z4 had a deposit on it but the chap pulled out within a few hours. They called me so I put a deposit on it. Gives you peace of mind when, as others have said, you live a long way from the garage. It's a clear statement of intent when you pay a deposit.
 
I have done the same, £500 deposit before making 5,1\2 hour journey :) I had missed others and didn't want to loose low mileage one owner example. Makes sense to me! I would have lost the car with six people interested and waiting in the background, one day later when I arived there. :)
 
Yep, when I I purchased mine, I had effectively purchased one, and had a deposit on another. Both were £1000 deposits.

I basically rang up one I wanted, but it had sold the same day as advertised! So I found another one that looked nice a week later! Travelled up to Kings Lynn from Lymington and the car was nice, so made an offer subject to a few things being sorted and said I will have it. Left £1000 deposit and went home!

Woke up the next day and the first garage I rang with the car I wanted rang me to say the guy who purchased the car I wanted probably couldn't get finance, so was I interested. I said I can't because I have said yes to another and didn't want to lose my deposit. The BMW dealer said don't worry, they have to give your deposit back!

So next day, another £100 train up to Soper in Lincoln and purchased my car. So effectively had purchased two. Rang up the first garage and said I had a change of heart and they refunded me.

Basically the moral is get your deposits down, and don't be afraid to travel!
 
Yeah not many around just now so need to get in there quickly, had the dealer send photos to my phone of the extra details I wanted to check, spoke to the mechanic putting it through the inspection and prep and then put down £500 over the phone before driving 1200 mile round trip to pick it up the next weekend. Good that there is the demand out there and it is pushing up prices :)
 
Seems the norm in my experience.

Have reserved the last 2 cars I have brought with refundable deposits subject to inspection.

First one I was working away from home and BMW held the car for four days (It had been up for sale for a while)

Second one I put the deposit down to block another potential buyer who was going to see it, in the dealer's words "whoever puts their hand in their pocket first, has first refusal"

I brought both cars on the day I went to see them.
 
I bought my Z4 over the phone without seeing it, or even driving a 3.0. Liked the pics.. agreed a price including a px of my car, put a deposit down and then drove 70-100 miles to pick it up the following week. I wouldnt dream of driving 100 miles to buy a car from a dealer with atleast securing it... if it isnt as described get your deposit back!
 
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