Ethics issue with a VW dealership

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N1sh

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Hi everyone, would just like to hear your views on my case and whether you think what happened is correct or not.

So last year just before the New Year and price increase, I went to a particular VW dealership (will name them later on if appropriate) to purchase a vehicle. So after the usual shopping around and bargaining with sales people I found a car on the ship coming from Germany that I wanted.

After settling on a price for it with the sales person (which was a tiny bit above the limit I had budgeted for a new car), signing the offer to purchase with the agreed price and paying a holding deposit for the car of R3000. We went about getting finance approved and ussual processes.

A few weeks pass and the sales man calls me and says that his sales manager will not release the car as they are apparently making a "loss" on the sale due to the new price increase and I have to pay R8600 more. Highly confused I asked to speak with the sales manager who appologised and said the sales person made a mistake and will be repremanded and that theres nothing she can do as one of the terms and conditions in the sales agreement says that they can change the price of the vehicle from the time of signing the document till I take delivery of the vechile :wtf:. I found this highly unfair and it really did not seem right legally.

So I escalate this matter to the dealer principal who is also the owner of the franchise. He point blank refused anything even myself offering to go half and half with the R8600. He only gave me two options of paying the money or backing out of the deal and getting my holding deposit back. After the fruitless meeting with him I decided to call VW SA who where of little to no help at all.

So after taking a day to call other Vw franchises and other vehicles I considered to reaccess my options as per matter of principal I found myself having to pay much more than last years prices. I feel like the dealership has cheated me and backed me into a corner and forced me to pay this extra money unethically.

Please tell me your opinions on this matter and any input is most welcome. And you can ask any questions too.
 
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But you signed the contract under your own free will. Did that specific clause not bother you or didn't you read the contract at all? I fail to see what they did wrong here other than sticking to the terms of the contract you both agreed to.
 
Declare a blood feud.

Joking...just get your deposit back and walk away...no point in dealing with people that operate like that
 
Grubscrew said:
But you signed the contract under your own free will. Did that specific clause not bother you or didn't you read the contract at all? I fail to see what they did wrong here other than sticking to the terms of the contract you both agreed to.
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T's & C's had became an issue, and has to be fixed in short.
 
Grubscrew said:
But you signed the contract under your own free will. Did that specific clause not bother you or didn't you read the contract at all? I fail to see what they did wrong here other than sticking to the terms of the contract you both agreed to.
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T's & C's had became an issue, and has to be fixed in short.
 
There is no chance this was Claremont VW? Had a friend experience exceptionally shady dealings there.
 
I think it's pizzpoor that they change the prices after a deposit is made.
Sure it's a contract and it stands but still pizzpoor of them or anyone for that matter.
OP get your money back and walk away.
 
N1sh said:
So I escalate this matter to the dealer principal who is also the owner of the franchise. He point blank refused anything even myself offering to go half and half with the R8600. He only gave me two options of paying the money or backing out of the deal and getting my holding deposit back. After the fruitless meeting with him I decided to call VW SA who where of little to no help at all.

So after taking a day to call other Vw franchises and other vehicles I considered to reaccess my options as per matter of principal I found myself having to pay much more than last years prices. I feel like the dealership has cheated me and backed me into a corner and forced me to pay this extra money unethically.

Please tell me your opinions on this matter and any input is most welcome. And you can ask any questions too.
Click to expand...

So you didn't take them up on the offer to give the deposit back and have paid the extra money?
 
Grubscrew said:
But you signed the contract under your own free will. Did that specific clause not bother you or didn't you read the contract at all? I fail to see what they did wrong here other than sticking to the terms of the contract you both agreed to.
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+1

It's on the OTP. Or at least, the last time I read one.

Same to what Merc did when the previous A-class was introduced. Long waiting list, limited supply, import and then eventually when it landed, it was a lot more expensive.
 
even if they went back to original price , I would walk away from them. Why give them your money ?
 
What's the point of an OTP if they have a clause that they can change the pricing etc?

'Sir, I don't care what you signed ... I'm changing the terms'
 
I know you probably have your heart set on that car and are very excited to take delivery, but from my personal experience, I've had a car salesman try to bully me into buying a car where the trade in offer was really sub par, and it was his attitude in the end that made me walk away, I just can't justify handing money over to people like that. I hope you get it sorted.
 
Dolby said:
What's the point of an OTP if they have a clause that they can change the pricing etc?

'Sir, I don't care what you signed ... I'm changing the terms'
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OTP's are generally quite clear on pricing and changes. For ordered cars the saleman/lady usually make the point clear on price increases and should discuss which months manufacturer's usually increase their prices, they use this as a sales tactic and tell you not to delay your order. But the OP is free to walk away if he feels the dealer is scaly and did not make this point prominently enough. At the end of the day through, if the OTP is signed (without duress, which looks like in OP's case) and has a price increase term, and there is a legitimate price increase from the manufacturer which the have evidence of, then its either take it or leave it. To alleviate all this though, buy straight from the showroom floor, or in stock models, or better still buy a demo and save some cash.
 
N1sh said:
Yes I lose both ways in this senario, have decided to just pay the extra basically lose less money.
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How are you losing anything?
They've offered to return your deposit - you can walk away completely square.
 
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