Hi, new to forum.

Just about to purchase my new Octavia 3.

Went to the dealership after seeing 2 cars on Skoda website, stating they were at my local dealership. The dealership stated they did not own the cars and they were Ghost cars direct from SkodaUK and I could not buy at the stated price, as the dealership would not make any profit!!!

Eventually the salesman produced a list of a further 8 Ghost cars, with prices ranging from £12.5k and 15K (All 2014 registered) but with varying mileage. I eventually agreed to reserve 1 car, an 1.4SE, registered May 2014, in Gun Metal Grey, with 11k miles, which was listed at £12.6K, but the dealership want £13K and my 12 year old Seat Toledo in Part Exchange (£500 for Toledo).

My question being, is this right regarding Ghost cars and the dealership profit? And are Ghost cars going to be trustworthy. It just doesn't quite sit right with me and wanted some expert opinions?

Many thanks

 

Sorry, managed to post this 3 times in error - not sure how to delete the other 2 topics. Doh!!

Sorry, managed to post this 3 times in error - not sure how to delete the other 2 topics. Doh!!

 

I've sorted them for you!

Many thanks. 

I've not heard of this and I'd be most irate if I'd travelled specifically to see one. Not sure how it stands legally but morally and ethically it certainly stinks. I'd probably make a call to trading standards to see if they are interested or not.

£12.5k for a 2014 model shows how quickly they devalue.

Thanks for the reply.

Fortunately the dealership is only 10 minutes away!!

Below is a disclaimer written at the bottom of the advert on the Skoda website, for one of the cars I originally wanted to look at:

 

"This vehicle can be supplied direct from ŠKODA UK and subject to availability can be purchased by your nearest retailer as displayed here, or any retailer of your choice. This vehicle is not currently an Approved Used Car and will only be supplied to you by your chosen retailer when all the Approved Used Cars standards are met. Skoda UK has carried out checks to verify the vehicle specification. The recorded mileage has not been verified. A full vehicle mileage check will be instigated by your chosen retailer before it is certified for sale as an Approved Used Car. The named Skoda Retailer has independently determined the price of the vehicle and prices may vary."

 

I do appreciate the dealership have to make some profit and assume there will be costs to ensure the car is ready to be sold, but why advertise at the price specified? Unfortunately these days I'm not as trusting as I once was.

My assumption on Ghost car, is that these cars are possibly ex company cars, where the company has had a contract direct with Skoda and not a dealership, but only guessing.

Make a call to Skoda UK Customer Services and tell them your story.

Ask what the cars are, Demonstrators, Management Cars !!, Fleet Media or what ever.

Is Skoda UK the First Registered Keeper, or just some Finance Director at some Skoda Dealership?

Take a quick look in the 'Buying, Dealers and Servicing' thread (can't link, on my phone). There's an answer in there that is linked with these cars - it should help.

These cars are usually on list of 'Skoda cars' that dealers can pick from. These cars are most likely to be ex lease or ex rental etc. I doubt if the dealers don't make a profit on them or why bother selling them.

Don't be put off too much if they've been ex rental, just check the car over and remember you will have Skoda warranty for another two years or 60k miles, plus breakdown cover up to when the car is three years old.

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/349556-central-used-stock

Don't pay any extra. I know dealers have a job to do and a profit to make but the customer must be made to feel that they are being treated fairly.

When I bought my MkII VRS it had been advertised on the net at a very competitive price. It was 9 months old supplied by Skoda UK direct to the dealer. I drove 80 miles to test it and agreed to buy it. The salesman said that the advertised price was not correct and they wouldn't sell at the net price. I simply said forget it and prepared to leave and strangely the net price was back on offer. They then offered an insulting P/X, I left, bought a meal and waited...the phone rang and a decent proper P/X was agreed and the deal done. About 2 yrs ago when I went to buy a FL MkII VRS from JCT600, the sales guy was so rude and bullish when we sat down to agree the purchase that I got up and left without buying despite it being a good car at a very good price. It was the principle of being ignored and talked down to which stuck in my throat. Glad I waited to get the MKIII instead. Moral of the story, it's your money, you're the customer.

Many thanks for the replies

I am waiting for the car to be delivered from SkodaUK, and have only agreed a reserve. Still got to test drive it and a mechanic friend is going to give it the once over before I part with any cash, or agree a final deal, but some very interesting points raised, which I am going to have to give very careful consideration.

Looking at the guide prices (Parkers, etc), even at £13K, it does still seem a good deal - hence why I needed some other opinions. 'Too good to be true'comes to mind.

As a Skoda Approved Used Car, 

it still has to go into the Workshop, have the Full Condition Check done,

any Warranty Work or Service Campaign Field Actions should be carried out., in many cases it is not Carried out.

 

No matter what a Salesperson says about Tight Margins.

If they want to sell 'Skoda Approved Used Cars', as a Franchised Skoda Dealership, they need to meet the 'Pledge'.

 

http://skoda.co.uk/used-cars/advantages-of-skoda-used-cars

 

Remember the car has not necessarily had a 'Service', if say it is on Variable Servicing, not Fixed,

or even in Fixed Servicing, so the car might still require servicing very soon after you take delivery.

*It is only a 'Multipoint Inspection Check' they say they will do.*

 

So be sure of the Servicing already carried out, when the next service is due,

& was any Service Campaign work done or still outstanding, because if due, they can do it now.

Edited 10 April, 201511 yr by goneoffSKi

When I bought my 1.4 TSI Elegance back in November I first noticed it on the Skoda website.  I spoke to my dealer, who I've know for about 14 years and consider as trustworthy as anybody in the motor trade. He agreed to honour the price on the website and offered a reasonable P/X on my old car but he made a point of telling me several times that he would make next to nothing on the deal.  I had already test-driven a 1.4 so I didn't need to do anything other than buy a spare wheel and wait for the car to be delivered.  Overall I'm perfectly happy with the deal but if the dealer hadn't honoured the price on the website I would have walked away and Skoda would probably have lost me permanently.  If SUK are pricing cars at a level below which dealers are willing to sell them there is something far wrong but it's not (or shouldn't be) the customer's problem.

My dealer made a loss selling me my new car. But don't weep for the dealership, the sales volume bonuses make up for it! Don't pay more than advertised!

I would have thought advertising a car (or any product) at one price, but then not honouring it and offering at a higher price is illegal?

I would have thought advertising a car (or any product) at one price, but then not honouring it and offering at a higher price is illegal?

No its not

No its not

Really? It is here in Finland, and I assumed it would be an EU wide law...

I have no idea about Finland , luckily it seems one of the few things the EU has yet to get involved with

 

In UK law its referred to as "Invitation to treat" http://www.findlaw.co.uk/law/small_business/business_contracts/500564.html

 

Extract

 

The classic example of an invitation to treat is when a shop owner puts a very low price on a product in the shop window. If you take the item to the counter the shopkeeper does not have to sell it to you. In strict legal terms it is you that makes the offer by offering to buy the product with your money.

It may not be illegal but it's certainly unethical.

Snet with speeling mistkaes from my phoen

Apparently (document in Finnish) it's a Nordic view that it's the shop owner that makes the offer by advertising but it's been suggested that the EU should implement it in the future. Consumer protection laws are an important corner stone of nordic legislation.

 Consumer protection laws are an important corner stone of nordic legislation.

 

The ability to Mislead and rip off consumers is a corner stone of English legislation!

 

Yes, of course you can advertise something at a specific price whilst having no intention whatsoever to actually sell it for that price. Bonkers. Total madness.