Lazy Salespeople

[Ivor Windybottom]

Every car I've ever bought has been on that basis, apart from a few 'classics' that weren't in a driveable condition.

I'm genuinely staggered though at the number of people who buy cars online from sites like Cinch without any test drive at all, just look at a few pictures, click a button and it's yours, seems weird to me.

Cinch lets you return it if you're not happy with it, no arguments. It's actually better - effectively you get as long a test drive as you like, with no risk.

I agree with many above though, the salesman has decided the OP is a time (and petrol) waster and would rather sell it to someone else. Someone fussy enough to need two test drives is probably going to be the customer who keeps coming back with stupid complaints.

 

[Ihavenojob]

Cinch lets you return it if you're not happy with it, no arguments. It's actually better - effectively you get as long a test drive as you like, with no risk.

Distance selling regs, if I'm not mistaken. Old trick some sales reps used was the "sign this form, oops, I've got it in the car, come to my car and sign it".

 

[conny]

Problem with Cinch, Cazoo etc are, they will find fault when you try to send it back. Claim that there are scratches/dents where there wasn't before, upholstery is dirty etc, just to claim some money off you.
I've never read the small print of these places but wouldn't be surprised to see a mileage restriction during the 14 days trial.

 

[motorbiking]

Not too bad, but not really a 14 day free test drive

terms-and-conditions - cinch

We're the faff-free car service that puts you in the driving seat. We help you find and buy used cars – quickly and easily. Buy online with free home delivery or from an approved dealer.

www.cinch.co.uk

 

[Ivor Windybottom]

Not too bad, but not really a 14 day free test drive

terms-and-conditions - cinch

We're the faff-free car service that puts you in the driving seat. We help you find and buy used cars – quickly and easily. Buy online with free home delivery or from an approved dealer.

www.cinch.co.uk

From my quick skim-read, their terms seem pretty good.

You can drive up to 250 miles, beyond this you can still return but they'll charge per mile.

They keep back some money until they can check the V5's been sent off.

I'm pretty sure you could have free car hire for 14 days if you really wanted it.

They're selling online, so they have to obey the same rules as Amazon, ebay and all other online retailers. It doesn't matter what the goods are, if they're new or second hand or whether it's a t-shirt or a monster truck, they are breaking the law if they don't refund you for a change of mind return.

 

[Dork Lard]

I'm pretty sure you could have free car hire for 14 days if you really wanted it.

I'm just guessing here, but I reckon they have ways of sniffing out a wrong 'un.

 

[Ivor Windybottom]

Anyone who retails online knows that people try it on all the time but there's nothing you can do about it. Shops have to put up with shoplifters, online retailers have to put up with dodgy returns. People buy wedding dresses, get married then return them, the human race has no lower limits!

If they tried to resist refunding they'd end up in court or shut down for breaking the law.

 

[motorbiking]

Buying a dress for a party and then sending it back is a little different to a car.

 

[gas112]

Every car I've ever bought has been on that basis, apart from a few 'classics' that weren't in a driveable condition.

I'm genuinely staggered though at the number of people who buy cars online from sites like Cinch without any test drive at all, just look at a few pictures, click a button and it's yours, seems weird to me.

Yep but you have around two weeks to get all your money back if you decide its not for you .

 

[gas112]

Have bought one car from cinch and one for carzam both came exactly as described pointing out the minor blemishes or stone chips . Excellent communication etc and took minutes to do the sale with none of the reassure to buy the add ons such as extended warranties and other extras

 

[Mottie]

People ask me why I took 6 years to marry Mrs Mottie. I tell them you wouldn’t buy a car based on one test drive and I made sure I gave her a damn good thrashing before committing.

 

[Ivor Windybottom]

Buying a dress for a party and then sending it back is a little different to a car.

It's an identical situation according to the law.

If a retailer sells anything at distance, i.e. without the buyer seeing the goods via phone/internet, then they have statutory rights that cannot be removed by the retailer.

Accepting returns and giving refunds: the law

When you do and do not have to offer a refund, repair or replacement, unconditional refunds for online purchases, and penalties for deceiving customers

www.gov.uk

Online, mail and telephone order customers have the right to cancel their order for a limited time even if the goods are not faulty. Sales of this kind are known as ‘distance selling’.

You must offer a refund to customers if they’ve told you within 14 days of receiving their goods that they want to cancel. They have another 14 days to return the goods once they’ve told you.

You must refund the customer within 14 days of receiving the goods back. They do not have to provide a reason.

 

[motorbiking]

Firstly the distance selling regs have all been repealed, but I get the gist of the argument. The argument that you can use the vehicle during this time is wrong. A dress is hard to prove a car has a log of use etc etc. The seller has the right to deduct loss of value due to consumer handling.

The Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013

These Regulations implement most provisions of Directive 2011/83/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 October 2011 on consumer rights, amending Council Directive 93/13/EEC and Directive 1999/44/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council and repealing Council Directive...

www.legislation.gov.uk

 

[Ivor Windybottom]

You're entitled to use it, in place of the test drive you'd have if buying in person. The whole concept of the laws is to give people buying online the same understanding of the product as they'd get if buying in a shop, e.g. looking at it, handling it, trying it out etc.

There are also strict limits on deductions, companies are not allowed to deduct any delivery costs from the refund. This is sometimes unfair on the retailer and many big brands have been caught breaking the law in this regard. This is to prevent companies sneakily charging £1 +£9 delivery then deducting the £9 from the refund. They don't have to pay the cost of return delivery, but many choose to offer this as a goodwill thing to encourage sales - it looks like Cinch also do this too.

They definitely can't tell you to go away just because it has some miles on it. Their terms cover all this, no deductions if under 250 miles, some deduction above this, all seems fair and within the law.

You could actually buy a car, have a nice weekend break, commute to work for a bit then return it for a full refund. Whether you'd bother with the hassle is another matter, I doubt that many do this but it's possible.

 

[motorbiking]

Sec 34 (9-12) say otherwise, but it’s up to a seller if they want to go above and beyond.