Refund of new car deposit

Thomas

Hi Guys,

I ordered a new car a few weeks ago and at the time paid a €500 deposit. Now in work I've been offered a job that comes with a company car(I can't keep my own and claim mileage). I want to cancel my new car(it's due to arrive in about 4 weeks). Am I entitled to my deposit back or is it lost? A friend told me that he was sure I must be given a refund. Anybody familiar with this area of law?

Thanks,

Tom

$Leon$

It all probably depends on the car. If the car is relativley standard and easy enought to sell for the dealer they might refund it.
If on the other hand you ordered a lot of extras and the car is some unusual colour they might find it hard to shift and keep the deposit.
Legally speaking I doubt they have to return it. Your the one breaking the contract.
Whats the car?

Thomas

It's a Golf, I did get a few extras e.g. climate control and DSG gearbox but nothing too unusual. What do you reckon?

drdre

Thomas wrote:

It's a Golf, I did get a few extras e.g. climate control and DSG gearbox but nothing too unusual. What do you reckon?

In my opinion i donot think they will return it.Just go in and speak to the salesman as soon as possible and see what he/she says

$Leon$

Thomas wrote:

It's a Golf, I did get a few extras e.g. climate control and DSG gearbox but nothing too unusual. What do you reckon?

What engine?
DSG prob wouldn't be that hard to shift in a GTI or 2.0 TDI.
I'd say it all depends on the dealer, but i'd guess not.

bazz26

I would go into the dealership and talk to the salesperson, explain the situation to him/her. You may get the whole deposit back, some of it back or none at. It really depends on how easy the car you ordered is to sell to someone else quickly and the dealership in question.

RobAMerc

Can I ask what the point of a deposit is if it can be refunded ?

I dont mean to be cruel but....

Anan1

RobAMerc wrote:

Can I ask what the point of a deposit is if it can be refunded ?

I dont mean to be cruel but....

To be fair, some deposits are refundable (booking deposit on a house, for example). That said, i'd have to agree that the OP is not entitled to his deposit back. If the car is not built yet and if the specification can still be changed then the garage may look more favourably on returning all or part of it as a goodwill gesture.

copacetic

Anan1 wrote:

To be fair, some deposits are refundable (booking deposit on a house, for example). That said, i'd have to agree that the OP is not entitled to his deposit back. If the car is not built yet and if the specification can still be changed then the garage may look more favourably on returning all or part of it as a goodwill gesture.

but not generally cars as the are built to order. If the car is due in 4 weeks then it would normally be too late to change the spec.
Relying on good will of sales guy here..

Anan1

daveym wrote:

but not generally cars as the are built to order.

That's what I said.;)

daveym wrote:

If the car is due in 4 weeks then it would normally be too late to change the spec.

4 weeks is getting to borderline, but still quite possibly doable. It's certainly worth asking ASAP. If I were the OP, i'd ask whether the spec is still changeable before cancelling the order.

Thomas

Like the other poster said - what's the point in the deposit in the first place if they're refundable apart from showing you were serious in the first place.

I'll try drop in tomorrow then and see what he can do. I understand that it's fair if I don't get it back and I was feeling bad about cancelling in the first place but after being told it was the law that he had to give it back then I thought I might as well try at least - I've searched the web and found nothing legally entitling me to it back all the same.

copacetic

Anan1 wrote:

That's what I said.;)


4 weeks is getting to borderline, but still quite possibly doable. It's certainly worth asking ASAP. If I were the OP, i'd ask whether the spec is still changeable before cancelling the order.

with VAg in general I think it takes 3 weeks for cars to get to dealer from factory, so 4 weeks would usually mean the car is being built at the moment?

JoeA3

if its actually due at the dealers in 4 weeks, it is already in production I would imagine.