Lexus Bristol pre-owned RX450H ..........Dealers joining in rip off Britain?

[Connoisseur]

In their own words.......

"At Lexus Bristol we want to provide the ultimate buying experience which is why...................*ALL VEHICLES ARE SUBJECT TO A £139 MOTORLINE ADMINISTRATION FEE*"

So now a Lexus Main Dealer will charge you a fee additional to the price of the car for the pleasure of buying a Lexus from them!!

Have just started looking around for an RX450H, Lexus Bristol have a good looking example in Black, but early in the Autotrader ad the fee gets a prominent mention in capital letters.

It does make you wonder what these jokers are on. This 'fee' makes it certain I will never darken their glass palace doors. Am surprised that Lexus are not challenging main dealers who do this, surely fleecing customers so blatantly is not a good look for the brand, is it?

[malcolmw]

What does this fee cover?

[Hangie]

"the pleasure of buying a Lexus from them" ? 🙂

I never get around those fees. For me the marked price should be the final one for a car itself.

[Connoisseur]

7 minutes ago, malcolmw said:

What does this fee cover?

Apparently it covers 'administration' whatever that means.  In reality its just another way of bumping up the price. Some less savoury car supermarkets have been trying this on for years. But Lexus main dealers???

[royoftherovers]

6 minutes ago, Hangie said:

"the pleasure of buying a Lexus from them" ? 🙂

I never get around those fees. For me the marked price should be the final one for a car itself.

Sorry to disappoint you Krzy, but the law says that the marked price is "an invitation to treat "

Let`s organise a "Boycott Lexus Bristol" campaign ?

[Hangie]

2 minutes ago, royoftherovers said:

Sorry to disappoint you Krzy, but the law says that the marked price is "an invitation to treat "

Let`s organise a "Boycott Lexus Bristol" campaign ?

Next time when I'll be selling privately I'll put the marked price at 50% of what I want, to invite more customer 😉

BTW all this fees is brining us close to the restaurant business in the US. Marked price is just what the owner is charing for a product but then you need to add tax for government and tip for a service.

[noby76]

considering they have already employed the sales person who will be carrying out all admin duties in terms of paper work and registering your info into the computer. why then charge for this service. is this not meant not be factored into and split across the cost of the cars on the forecourt in the first place?..

its like going into a restaurant for a meal and the waiter turns around and says.. "ok besides the cost of the meals on the menu, we will have to charge you for the seating and use of the cutlery during the course of your meal this will be an extra £40"

[NemesisUK]

18 minutes ago, noby76 said:

its like going into a restaurant for a meal and the waiter turns around and says.. "ok besides the cost of the meals on the menu, we will have to charge you for the seating and use of the cutlery during the course of your meal this will be an extra £40"

Or "Service charge"?

[royoftherovers]

5 minutes ago, NemesisUK said:

Or "Service charge"?

It`s the Ryanair business model !

[Connoisseur]

12 minutes ago, royoftherovers said:

It`s the Ryanair business model !

Quite! Lexus should be guarding  their reputation for quality  better than Lexus Bristol's approach to customer care seems to suggest..... 

[Barry14UK]

Most Lexus Dealers seem to be part of a Group.  I wonder if that applies to Bristol and if so is applicable elsewhere?  I would just consider the price I could negotiate for a car bottom line however this was made up, because although Bristol include an 'admin fee' their price could still be less than from a dealer wanting a bigger profit margin but not including an admin fee in the price  When negotiating a figure for my car I mentioned that a similar spec model was available elsewhere and they agreed to beat the price of that one which was already discounted. 

[Illogan]

On 2/12/2020 at 6:00 PM, Barry14UK said:

Most Lexus Dealers seem to be part of a Group.  I wonder if that applies to Bristol and if so is applicable elsewhere?  I would just consider the price I could negotiate for a car bottom line however this was made up, because although Bristol include an 'admin fee' their price could still be less than from a dealer wanting a bigger profit margin but not including an admin fee in the price  When negotiating a figure for my car I mentioned that a similar spec model was available elsewhere and they agreed to beat the price of that one which was already discounted. 

Ah!   The Group Hug reigns supreme:

 

https://www.motorline.co.uk/lexus/dealerships/      

Bristol, Cardiff, Canterbury, Gatwick, Tunbridge Wells and at our newest centre in Maidstone

The company director names are listed on Companies House of course...https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/01848722/officers

 

 

[stringbender]

Lexus Cheltenham is not that far away from Bristol. Worth the drive.

[PRT68]

When looking on AutoTrader, or any other car sales adverts, and see that 'ADMIN SCAM' I immediately close the page and go on to the next. They're chancers, and even if the car is at a good price, I still wouldn't buy, even if they knocked it off. To me it smacks of being disreputable.

[stringbender]

I live near to Bristol and have had very good service from Lexus Bristol since 2005. 

Recently I noticed something had changed and that a lot of the staff I'd come to know had disappeared. Then I found out that they'd been taken over by Motorline. My most recent Lexus purchase was from the Cheltenham dealership.

Nobody likes paying "booking fees" or whatever they call them and I'm sure that if Motorline noticed a decline in sales then they'd soon drop the notion - especially if car sales are hard to come by as we're told they are.

Let's see if "power to the people" has any effect ?

[Spottedlaurel]

My RX came from a Motorline Lexus dealer. I eventually ended up with the right car for me, but I wouldn't say it was a very pleasurable experience and next time I shall be more patient and buy from my local dealer who aren't part of that particular group....

[Deathstar]

I cannot stand these fees. I have noticed that Motorline do it, it just feels a bit underhand. My local Cardiff dealership does it and it honestly puts me off buying a car from them.

[jumbojake]

I'm sure if you agreed a deal for the car, but refused to pay that they would waive it...get them on the ropes first  (but make it the last piece of the negotiation, after any extras you want first)..

[Lager shandy]

If you don't get to drink champagne while having your shoulders massaged by a hot buxom wench while browsing there stock list being arse licked by the slimed salesman fresh over from car phone warehouse I would tell them to lump it . Or am I setting the bar to hi for your fee for a ultimate buying experience .you could try ford and admire there chav staff and dirty carpets and lumpy sofas while being sold a pup 🤑

[Britprius]

18 hours ago, jumbojake said:

I'm sure if you agreed a deal for the car, but refused to pay that they would waive it...get them on the ropes first  (but make it the last piece of the negotiation, after any extras you want first)..

I totally agree. There is no way I would buy a car with that sort of conditions attached. It's like going into a supermarket, and filling your trolley with items then going to the checkout for them to add the costs up. Then being tolled that will be £50 pounds for the paperwork. I would leave the trolley at the checkout, and say I have changed my mind. 

As a matter of interest I was leaving a shop recently, and as I neared the door I was asked to show my receipt. I politely declined stating the goods in the bags were mine as was the receipt, and they had no right to search my property. If they thought or had proof I was shop lifting to call the police. The shop manager was called, and after a short discussion about my writes the manager apologised, and I went on my way.

John.

[Barry14UK]

 

1 hour ago, Britprius said:

 

As a matter of interest I was leaving a shop recently, and as I neared the door I was asked to show my receipt. I politely declined stating the goods in the bags were mine as was the receipt, and they had no right to search my property. If they thought or had proof I was shop lifting to call the police. The shop manager was called, and after a short discussion about my writes the manager apologised, and I went on my way.

John.

Rather a different issue to that raised by the OP because there is so much shop lifting taking place.  I take it that you have not shopped in COSTCO then, as they invariably check our the contents of trolleys against receipt as you leave and they are not the only store to do this.  MACRO used to do this too but I have not used them for a few years due to distance so am unaware whether this is the case. I am in favour of spot checks if it deters shop lifting, the cost of which has to be borne by honest customers and stores.

[Britprius]

9 minutes ago, Barry14UK said:

 

Rather a different issue to that raised by the OP because there is so much shop lifting taking place.  I take it that you have not shopped in COSTCO then, as they invariably check our the contents of trolleys against receipt as you leave and they are not the only store to do this.  MACRO used to do this too but I have not used them for a few years due to distance so am unaware whether this is the case. I am in favour of spot checks if it deters shop lifting, the cost of which has to be borne by honest customers and stores.

I did not intend to hijack this post so any further post will be in another area, but what about the cost of employing someone to carry out what amounts to an  illegal search. Shop owners can ask to see receipts, but cannot demand to see them. Once paid for the goods are your property even if your still in the shop.

John.

[royoftherovers]

12 minutes ago, Britprius said:

I did not intend to hijack this post so any further post will be in another area, but what about the cost of employing someone to carry out what amounts to an  illegal search. Shop owners can ask to see receipts, but cannot demand to see them. Once paid for the goods are your property even if your still in the shop.

John.

How can one prove ownership without the receipt John ?

[Connoisseur]

21 minutes ago, royoftherovers said:

How can one prove ownership without the receipt John ?

you don’t heed to prove ownership, the retailer needs to prove you don’t have ownership. Invite them to prove it, they cannot, unless you didn’t pay, then your stuffed👀🤣

[Britprius]

1 minute ago, royoftherovers said:

How can one prove ownership without the receipt John ?

In law you are innocent until proven guilty. It is not up to you to prove innocents or ownership. It is up to the shop keeper to prove guilt. If a shop keeper believes you have stolen goods he has the right to detain you, and call the police. However the shop keeper does not have the right search you or your goods. If he or she detains you without evidence of a crime they open themselves up to kidnap, and or unlawful detainment. 
Once you have paid for any goods you own them just as much as any item you have at home. Further if your still in the shop with goods not paid for no crime has been committed until you leave or attempt leave the shop. The receipt is your property for such things as guarantee or faulty goods returns. The shop keeper should have a copy of this on his or here own system, and should be able to verify purchases. It is possible to return goods without a receipt if you pay by card just by giving the date of purchase by witch the shop can trace the transaction.

John.