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Car Delivery Charge
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Posted May 21, 2011 at 8:08AM
This is not in Consumerwatch because it’s a rant, not a recommendation.
I’ve just taken delivery of a new car and, like so many others, have had to pay the iniquitous “delivery charge”, £500 in this case.
Why are dealers still allowed to get away with this?
No other retailer adds a compulsory delivery charge to the advertised price, and I’m quite sure they would fall foul of consumer law if they did.
Do other countries permit this? I have bought two new cars on the mainland, but didn’t have to pay any such charge.
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Posted May 21, 2011 at 9:10AM
Old habits die hard don't they? It all part of making a product cheaper than its real cost at point of delivery.
Mail order firms also quote 'packing and delivery' at way above actual cost to mask a higher product price.
Having worked in the Auto industry I can quote other 'sharp practices'
How about -metallic paint 'extra'- you try ordering a plain solid colour, ditto alloy wheels or other 'extras' that are built inn the model you want with out the option- its is all a game to make a basic price look keen- but a basic product is not available.
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Posted May 21, 2011 at 9:21AM
That's them getting back some of the hard discount that you drove them down to as per your other thread!
Six and three twos come to mind.
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Posted May 21, 2011 at 9:26AM
At the end of the day when delivery charges and any additions are added its the bottom figure you pay for the car that is important if delivery charge was not added it would be added elsewhere in the price. I tend to use car brokers these days and see if the local dealership can get near the price if they can they get the business if not I buy from the broker you find that the local dealers can get very near or match the price
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Posted May 21, 2011 at 9:32AM
Cars are not cheap things to deliver. The transporters are hideously expensive, and the insurance for the journey doesn't come cheap either.
If you really want a stiff delivery charge try this for size
A couple of days ago I sold five 8-metre anti-ram camera columns. They cost £850 each, but the total delivery charge was £1,150 for a journey just under 200 miles.
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Posted May 21, 2011 at 9:36AM
At the end of the day it's the on the road price that matters, not the sum of its parts. The manufacturers, not the dealers, apply this charge and there's no getting away from it. SparkyJack illustrates the point well but I don't agree with the sharp practice comment.
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Posted May 21, 2011 at 1:11PM
I bought a new car a few months ago and it had a delivery charge. But when I bought it the price I was interested in was the "on the road" price, the trade-in value and what else the dealer was prepared to throw in. In my case 3 years free servicing. But with hindsight I may have paid for that by through a slightly lower trade-in value. I'm still happy with the deal.
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Posted May 21, 2011 at 2:23PM
Buy a nearly new one, it might have 5k on the clock but that's nothing in terms of use.
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Posted May 21, 2011 at 5:08PM
It's not just the plain old delivery charge, though, is it?
Every retailer passes on their own delivery charge charge to the customer, it's included in the price. If, however, you go to somewhere like Comet and ask for your washing machine to be delivered you will be quoted a price.
If you don't want to pay this you can make your own arrangements. If you do pay it the machine will be delivered to your door.
Not with cars though. Even if you pick up at the factory you will still pay a delivery charge.
Having taken the delivery charge the dealer still doesn't deliver though.
I had to make 100 mile round trip tp pick up a car I'd paid a £500 delivery charge on!
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Posted May 21, 2011 at 6:33PM
No other retailer adds a compulsory delivery charge to the advertised price
Yes, they do - hundreds of them do it. You'll pay a delivery charge if you buy a book from Amazon, or a computer from Dell,or any one of a million different items from all kinds of company.
Adding a delivery charge at the point of sale is common practice, it enables retailers to quote a net price when competing for business. Some add a small amount, some a big one, but add it they do - at least most of them do.
That said, I agree with you that £500 for the delivery of a car does seem a little on the high side, but - as has already been pointed out - it forms part of the price of a new car, and something to be taken into account when making a purchase decision.
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Posted May 21, 2011 at 7:59PM
You've missed the point.
With nearly all retailers a delivery charge is optional, and you can collect if you wish without paying for delivery.
With nearly all retailers once you pay a delivery charge the goods are delivered - a car isn't.
You have to collect it, but if you offer to collect from the factory you will still be charged.
A car dealer is charging you the cost of delivery to their premises, not yours. Very few other retailers do this, well, of course, they do it, but include the charge in the advertised price. A car dealer quotes it separately.
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