I ordered a new factory built B Max in late November and was advised that it should arrive about the third week in January. I have agreed the finance to get the discount and will pay it off after one month. No deposit asked for and none given.
I have just been called to say the car is 'on its way' and been asked to go in and sign the finance docs tomorrow. I asked exactly where it was and the rep was not too sure (this is the same one that thought they were built in Belgium and didn't know about the Romanian factory shut downs before Xmas until I told him).
The are asking for payment before delivery and are claiming that Ford are insisting that the car be registered before the 1st Feb as 'Fords have a new- higher- pricing structure coming in then'. I have pointed out that, as the car will not be ready until February, I would effectively lose a month's tax if I went along with this. They have offered to put extra petrol in to compensate for this (1 month's tax is only about £ 10).
They are also asking for full payment tomorrow. I said that I don't pay for goods 'sight unseen' and they are insisting that this is the way all garages work now. I am sure that this is all to do with quotas rather than anything else but it is b****y annoying and unprofessional. More to the point, if I do pay, I lose any leverage over them if there are further delays in delivery. The supplier is actually a Ford Retail subsidiary, so I am not really that worried about the security of the payment.
Would just like to know if this is indeed the 'norm' for the industry?
Anyone with similar experiences?
I have just been called to say the car is 'on its way' and been asked to go in and sign the finance docs tomorrow. I asked exactly where it was and the rep was not too sure (this is the same one that thought they were built in Belgium and didn't know about the Romanian factory shut downs before Xmas until I told him).
The are asking for payment before delivery and are claiming that Ford are insisting that the car be registered before the 1st Feb as 'Fords have a new- higher- pricing structure coming in then'. I have pointed out that, as the car will not be ready until February, I would effectively lose a month's tax if I went along with this. They have offered to put extra petrol in to compensate for this (1 month's tax is only about £ 10).
They are also asking for full payment tomorrow. I said that I don't pay for goods 'sight unseen' and they are insisting that this is the way all garages work now. I am sure that this is all to do with quotas rather than anything else but it is b****y annoying and unprofessional. More to the point, if I do pay, I lose any leverage over them if there are further delays in delivery. The supplier is actually a Ford Retail subsidiary, so I am not really that worried about the security of the payment.
Would just like to know if this is indeed the 'norm' for the industry?
Anyone with similar experiences?