OV9

I got this query from my folks. They've found a car they want to buy, but the exact one they want (manuel and the colour) is at the far end of the country. There's not a big dealer network so it can't be transferred to another closer franchise and the salesman has said they have to collect in person due to distance selling regulations. This means they also couldn't pay for their own transportation.

Is this just the law now or is there a way around it which everyone would be happy with given they know it's the car they want and aren't going to change their mind? Car has dealer warranty etc.

After test-driving locally, I then bought Mrs Mik's E-Tron from Sytners Reading in 2020 and built delivery into the negotiation.

Sounds like the dealership are trying to avoid this being categorised as a distance-sale? Hence they want them there in person?

Does sound exactly like that, as Mik says. If they take a deposit or full payment over the phone then it's a distance sale and they have to accept it back if your parents change their mind.

I have a mate in the trade who wont do distance sales as he's been caught a couple of times with cars being returned for no reason using these rules.

He mentioned that more and more dealers were refusing to transact this way so it sounds like their prerogative.

Ah ok.

Well that's a c*nt

Application of Distance Selling regs is determined by how the contract/payment is carried out. If they buy & pay remotely then collect in person, the regs apply. I noticed this with Screwfix & Toolstation click & collect. Screwfix get you to pay when you place the order - regs apply. Toolstation get you to pay on site when you collect - regs do not apply.

"they have to collect in person due to distance selling regulations" is BS. They could deliver it if they wanted to. They've maybe been stung before by agreeing to deliver a car only to get stiffed by the customer changing their mind and ending up out of pocket for cost of transport there and back.

Sundayjumper wrote: Tue Jun 03, 2025 1:52 pm ending up out of pocket for cost of transport there and back.

there only - I believe the customer has to cover the costs of returning the vehicle if they opt to do so.

Get your folks to offer to pay over the phone then collect in person. If they say no, pay on collection only then walk away

dinny_g wrote: Tue Jun 03, 2025 3:00 pm

Sundayjumper wrote: Tue Jun 03, 2025 1:52 pm ending up out of pocket for cost of transport there and back.

there only - I believe the customer has to cover the costs of returning the vehicle if they opt to do so.

Get your folks to offer to pay over the phone then collect in person. If they say no, pay on collection only then walk away

Not if they reject the car on delivery as they havent paid anything if the dealer is trying to avoid distance selling regulations.

Delivery and rejection would be totally the dealer risk.

Every day's a school day...

Thanks for all the info, I think @dinny_g has summed it up.

Yep, sounds like the dealer has been caught out before.

I’m pretty sure the distance selling regs mean you can change your mind for whatever reason. Doesn’t have to be faulty or not as described. You can decide you don’t like the colour in real life or the tyres are the wrong shade of mole black and reject it leaving the dealer to have to get it transported back and out of pocket.

Where is it? Surely a you can find a trusty ov9er to go there and kick the tyres / buy it on their behalf?

Plot twist.... They've found another one and that dealer is happy to deliver so long as they do so to the buyer's registered address.

Which makes it sound like the bigger concern is actually identity theft/fraud.