New to the forum and already p*ssed off

MarkT · Post by **MarkT** » Wed Apr 10, 2002 1:42 am

I know it's not a good way to start off but I'm already p*ssed off and I haven't had the car delivered yet. I ordered my imported CC through Euro Car Consultants who today sent me a letter saying that my car is at the dealers and that I will have to fork out another Â£456 as a Right Hand Drive surcharge. It's already been delayed two months and now they dump this on me.

Mark

Robbie · Post by **Robbie** » Wed Apr 10, 2002 2:09 am

MarkT, forgive me, but its not clear from your post who is making the surcharge. If its Peugeot making this surcharge, were you told about it in advance when you signed the contract and is it mentioned within?

I'm no legal expert, but if its not, I'd query it.

Notwithstanding the above, I would expect an import company, at the very least, to have a moral duty to inform customers of all the costs of importing the car.

I can understand your pÂ£Â£Â£Â£d.

Maybe other members who have imported cars can help with their experiences.

MarkT · Post by **MarkT** » Wed Apr 10, 2002 9:39 am

Peugeot are making the surcharge. I was given no warning on the increase.

gmjones · Post by **gmjones** » Wed Apr 10, 2002 12:01 pm

Mark when did you order the car? What was the estimated delivery time? What country is it coming from? How much did you pay? The reason I ask is I have also imported a car from Euro Car Consultants. It is due next month. Who is your contact at Euro Car?

EuroCar Consultants are a big company one of WhatCars sponsers so they aint no cowboy company.

Robbie · Post by **Robbie** » Wed Apr 10, 2002 1:57 pm

Wel then Mark, if it was me, I'd refuse point blanc to pay the surchrage if it wasn't part of the original contract.

Go on, apply the pressure on them.

Robbie

rob · Post by **rob** » Thu Apr 11, 2002 12:09 am

I agree

If not you could buy my CC with 231 miles on the clock

MarkT · Post by **MarkT** » Thu Apr 11, 2002 12:56 am

Order placed on the 12/11/01. Estimated delivery time was 16-20 weeks, I then had a letter from them at the beginning of December telling me that the car will be delayed by 3-4 weeks. I have not been told where it's coming from. My quoted price was Â£14,311 for Black paint & Black/Red leather (They are now quoting around Â£13,700). So you can see why I'm a bit miffed. I phoned my contact Paul Butler but he's on holiday. I have been told that the Sales Manager will get in touch with me when he's available.

Robbie · Post by **Robbie** » Thu Apr 11, 2002 2:12 am

Mark, assuming you signed a binding contract at the lower quote, have you checked the small print for exclusion clauses that may allow the company an avenue to change the goal posts financially speaking in such a manner as you described.

If you have already checked and your still satisfied that there are no such allowances for additional surcharges, then if I were you, I would stick to your guns and insist that the original binding contract be honoured.

Robbie.

gmjones · Post by **gmjones** » Thu Apr 11, 2002 10:03 am

Mark I ordered mine at the end of january and as far as I am concerned the car will be arriving next month (14-16) weeks. I know in november/december there was a long waiting list for the cc not just on import. I went to one dealer who told me 6 months at that stage, at the moment it is 10Weeks. Mark when did you hear that your car was at the dealer abroad and when did you get the Vin number etc...

As for the surcharge that seems a bit strange. I would have thought all that would have been included in the price. I would query it m8.

will · Post by **will** » Thu Apr 11, 2002 2:06 pm

When I was importing an SLK mercedes decided to charge a right hand drive conversion fee, Â£770 for an A class and Â£2880 for the SLK, a way of imhibiting people from importing and this was charged on all unbuilt cars, i.e, those waiting for a car (which was being delayed every month). I could find no sure way that I would not have to pay this new added charge and so sold the car back to the company importing it, (luckily for a good profit) to someone who was prepared to take the risk of this charge or indeed fight it, to jump the cue by 15 months, the time I had waited for. The EU were useless at supporting the brits who had imported the vehicles and were now being charged this extra fee. But when has the EU done anything to help the Brits.
Good luck and I hope you have success.
Will

Robbie · Post by **Robbie** » Thu Apr 11, 2002 3:00 pm

That's interesting Will. I've heard about allegations that these right hand drive surcharges have been introduced in order to dissuade UK imports.

It just doesn't seem right that some customers become only aware of these extra charges after being strung along for some months while waiting, thereby increasing the pressure to accept such erroneous costs.

I would hope that import companies would either have priced them into the original contract or at least taken responsibility to provide unwary customers a prior warning that this would be an additional cost. Sadly, this seems not the case with Mark.

If it were me in Marks case, I would refuse to pay the late notification of a surcharge and request compensation if this ultimately leads to cancellation.

Perhaps a half hour consultation with solicitors (usually free) and a short letter from them may help (shouldn't cost more than Â£15-20). Julie_b's solicitor seemed to help get things moving for her.

After all, there seems nothing to loose in the circumstances and everything to gain.

Robbie.

gmjones · Post by **gmjones** » Thu Apr 11, 2002 7:37 pm

Mark forgot to add where you from in South Wales?

MarkT · Post by **MarkT** » Fri Apr 12, 2002 12:34 am

Thanks all for the advice. I'll try to speak to their Sales Manager and see if they'll drop the surcharge from my quote.
GMJones just for reference how much have you been quoted and have they mentioned the surcharge to you. I had a letter on Monday confirming that my car was at the dealers and they also gave me my Vin number. They have asked me to make arrangements to pay 50% of my outstanding balance so that the car can be imported into the UK.

MarkT · Post by **MarkT** » Fri Apr 12, 2002 12:36 am

Ooops! Forgot to mention I'm currently living in Llanelli.

Robbie · Post by **Robbie** » Fri Apr 12, 2002 1:15 am

Mark, just a suggestion, if it was me, I wouldn't part with another penny, let alone 50% until you have resolved the surcharge problem to your satisfaction. If the worst comes to it you may have to look around elsewhere.

Once they have your money, your in their pockets! After all, you've got what they want, the money! At the moment you have the advantage of negotiating from a position of strength. I would not be inclined to loose it so cheaply if it seems they had been the first party to breach your original contract.

Robbie.

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Robbie on 2002-04-12 00:20 ]</font>