Cancelling my order...

[Mark V GTD]

I am talking about the real world not 'contract law theory'. No VW dealer keeps a deposit for an early cancelled order - they just dont do it. The order just gets changed to the specs for the next Golf order (which probably comes in the next day) and you get your deposit back.

[monkeyhanger]

I am talking about the real world not 'contract law theory'. No VW dealer keeps a deposit for an early cancelled order - they just dont do it. The order just gets changed to the specs for the next Golf order (which probably comes in the next day) and you get your deposit back.

Maybe they're playing to rule (absolute terms of the letter of the law) because money is tight right now.

On pick-up of my R from Pulman yesterday, they were essentially operating from a very large gazebo as the dealership is undergoing a £500k refit on VW's orders. He said that all the dealerships worldwide were having to do this and pay for it themselves and 32 dealerships in the country have stopped being VW dealers because they haven't got the volume to cover that kind of expense.

Benfield Silverlink (where GeordieSPG had placed his deposit) have just finished their refit  - perhaps they're clawing back every penny they can as a result of it?

I've always found Silverlink very tight when negotiating. When I was a Benfield customer, I got far better discounts and p/x values at their Scotswood road branch.

[Golf-Ball]

I am talking about the real world not 'contract law theory'. No VW dealer keeps a deposit for an early cancelled order - they just dont do it. The order just gets changed to the specs for the next Golf order (which probably comes in the next day) and you get your deposit back.

The whole point of this thread has always been whether or not the OP is entitled to a refund. This is entirely dependent on the contents of the contract and contract law in general (there's no such thing as contract law theory). As I and others have said the dealership does of course have the discretion to issue a refund.

I'm also not quite sure how you can say 'No VW dealer keeps a deposit for an early cancelled order'. The OP's dealer has. Hence this thread.

[Adam]

I'll be at the dealers discretion. 

[GeordieSPG]

Had final confirmation today that Benfield Silverlink refused a refund. This was handled through VW UK who couldn't convince them that it was the "decent" thing to do. Nevermind. Lesson learned!

[mcmaddy]

The lesson is done ever go back and tell anyone who will listen how crap they are. I'd be on Twitter shaming them as it's not really a good way to do business.

[Mark V GTD]

Nothing less than robbery 

[gazmondo35]

I bet the deposit ended up in the managers back pocket.

[GeordieSPG]

I wasn't told when they took the deposit from my card that it was non-refundable. It may be in the contract (to be honest, I haven't read it).

I do feel robbed, but also feel partially responsible. I DID change my mind due to my circumstances.

It's a terrible way to do business though. They have zero chance of any business in the future (across any of their brand lines).

[Hawaii-Five-O]

Feel for ya mate. And it's very, very short sighted of that particular dealership. Is it really worth robbing and p*ssing a customer off that badly, and risk all that negative publicity (I hope you shame them on social media), just to pocket a few hundred quid. Is it heck! I hate to hear of such poor business practices. It could all have been so easily avoided. Sounds to me like the manager dug his heels in out of principle and to hell with the consequences. Even if you did miss the small print it's still shocking.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing. Better luck next time.