[Closed] Additional charge after paying for (nearly) new car & towbar fitting

Business or private sale?

They're having a laugh, right? Tell them you made a mistake and want to pay £250 less for the car, see how that goes down.

Yeh that really.. Especially if you've already paid, the contract of sale is basically complete.

Or do they belive you're too emotionally invested in the purchase to get a refund and walk away?

Agree with the above ...and they invested in the towbar so they are the ones that will lose... best they can do is keep it depreciating until someone else wants one with a towbar.

They can't do the work and then bill you. If there was additional cost, they should've informed you beforehand and asked if you wanted to proceed. If it were me I'd tell them to remove it then, see how quickly they cave. Probably cheaper to have it fitted by a third party anyway.

I guess while you could just walk away you'd then have to spend time again to do another deal somewhere else and if the deal had worked out at £250 more would you still have signed up (as presumably it's a small additional percentage of the deal?).

In this case I'd be inclined to play the 'daft lad', but accept that I would go halves with them if it came down to it.

Whereas I'm genetically predisposed to standing on principle rather than having my pants pulled down.

You've bought the car, they're bound by contract (would be a different story if you hadn't yet paid, they'd be under no obligation to accept your offer). Tell them you won't be paying for their mistake.

What part of a tow bar can you forget that is £250 that isn't the whole towbar?

Price was agreed, contract signed and paid for...I wouldn't be paying any more as the issue isn't with you. The garage either messed up or are trying to stiff you.
The effort to find another car wouldn't cost me 250 quid so I'd also consider walking away.

"What part of a tow bar can you forget that is £250 that isn't the whole towbar?"... this

My conversation would be along the lines of one that Cougar is advocating: "Right, you've quoted me a price for the car plus towbar, which I agreed to and paid for, as a written contract of sale, and now you're telling me that, because of [i]your[/i] error, you want me to cough up an extra £250?
You either honour the deal that I've paid for, or you waste your time and money removing the equipment you've fitted, and I find someone else to fit one. I await your response"
I'm getting too old and cranky to be pissed around with because of someone else's cockup.

countzero +1

They haven't actually started to fit the towbar yet - so they aren't standing to lose anything I guess.

It's a sale from a Skoda main dealer - so I have no qualms about telling them to do one and while the car is exactly the one we were after I'm considering telling them to stick it if they insist on the additional fees.

Yes I like Flaperon's idea.

parkesie - Member
What part of a tow bar can you forget that is £250 that isn't the whole towbar?

I'm guessing the dragging a now defunct car down to the main dealer to connect diagnostics and wake the ecu to the fact it now has towing electrics?

As (most) others have said.

No way would I be paying any extra.

I would walk away before if part with anymore cash after the deal is done and sorted.

They will be left with a car that has a towbar fitted (that most people don't want)
Or have to take it off, and be left with a towbar they don't want.

[edit] just seen OP response.

Tell them you aren't paying any extra, and walk away if they don't agree.
Then go to the next nearest Skoda dealer and tell them the tale, give them the Reg no. They will transfer it in from group stock.
They will love to nick a deal from a rival dealership.

Not just no, but hell no.

Or, agree to pay it and then casually mention that your forgot to tell them that you're paying a grand less for the car itself

Skoda main dealer you say.. second name rhymes with shark?

Tell them to go do one, a towbar complete with electrics is about £100. They take an hour or two to fit depending on how they fit together. Even a posh detachable one would only be double or so.

Which car is it?
What sort of tow ball are you having fitted?
Have you had it priced up for fitting separately at a towbar fitting service place?
If not give one a ring so you know the market rate, you'll be in a much stronger position.

Ooh which Skoda dealer?

As ulysse said ^^, they're not as simple as bolt-on, scotchlock connector, job done...nearly new car, manufacturer's warranty, etc. I'd use a main dealer too

I'd be deeply unimpressed at being asked to pay extra though

The towbar for my A3 needed a new rear cross member, might be the same on Skodas.

I'd pay the £200 but ask for a £200 credit on next service.

They haven't actually started to fit the towbar yet - so they aren't standing to lose anything I guess.

So, get refunded for the bit of the tow bar you paid for but they haven't fitted (oh sweet irony if its £250), keep the car you want and go to a third party supplier.

Stuffed full of win

So, get refunded for the bit of the tow bar you paid for but they haven't fitted (oh sweet irony if its £250), keep the car you want and go to a third party supplier.

So they effectively add £250 to the price of the car?

No deal or original deal.

[i]Tell them to go do one, a towbar complete with electrics is about £100. They take an hour or two to fit depending on how they fit together. Even a posh detachable one would only be double or so. [/I]

Yeah, right...

When was the last time you had one fitted to a modern car, especially if you want the proper electrics (which you probably do).

http://www.towsure.com/skoda-octavia-iii-hatch-saloon-5e-2013-detachable-towbar

£500 with universal and £700 with manufacturers.

I just had a fixed towbar fitted to a vehicle which was £250, but some places wanted the same again on top for extra electrics and reprogramming the ECU so stuff like stability control works etc (the car knows it's towing something). Worth doing if you are towing big trailers and caravans etc and it's still under warranty. Sounds like they forgot to add this, but that's their problem to bear.

Ring another Skoda dealer and ask for a quote for fitting a tow bar to the same model of car. Might help the decision making?

They haven't actually started to fit the towbar yet - so they aren't standing to lose anything I guess.

It's a sale from a Skoda main dealer - so I have no qualms about telling them to do one and while the car is exactly the one we were after I'm considering telling them to stick it if they insist on the additional fees.

As Neilglover say's ....
Another main dealer will get the same car transferred.

Whatever price you're paying is just a number they make enough money on.
The towbar is really irrelevant ... like floor mats etc. ...

Your already paying above the odds for a main dealer ... the reason presumably because you want peace of mind, simplicity and someone you can trust not to rip you off.

They are failing on the someone you can trust part from my perspective.

When was the last time you had one fitted to a modern car, especially if you want the proper electrics (which you probably do).

FWIW I've had a couple of tow bars fitted to cars by a local fitter.

He does sub contract work for the main dealers - you can get the same fitter, fitting the same tow bar for a couple of hundred quid less if you go direct.

Main dealers like this kind of activity - £200 profit for doing nothing!

+countzero

original deal, or no deal

in fact after that pisstake I would probably tell them to do one on principle.

who is the dealer, just so as I can avoid them?

I just had a fixed towbar fitted to a vehicle which was £250

Personally, I'm with Cougar and would act on principle, that principle being I prefer not to deal with dishonest people, which they seem to be.

He does sub contract work for the main dealers - you can get the same fitter, fitting the same tow bar for a couple of hundred quid less if you go direct.

Main dealers like this kind of activity - £200 profit for doing nothing!

A main dealer should have all these costs already price-listed and ready to quote if asked. to suddenly add another 250 quid on after they've quoted you really is taking the P.

I'd ask them to prove where the error was made before telling them they're incompetent and I wasn't paying it.

To be fair, I'd never directly accuse the dealer of being dishonest. They might just be incompetent. If their name rhymes with an old park, I would suspect both though.

In either case, your best approach is get the money knocked off for the towbar and pay someone else to fit one. Unless you maybe now don't trust them on something else.

probably true, but if the car is in warranty and you have an[y] electrical problem the dealer could deny responsibility if the towbar had been fitted by a 3rd party.
So it depends on the car to some extent.

Which has been well done and dusted in consumer law in recent years.

The dealer would have to prove that the failure was a result of the third party work. The days when they can say "ah but you got it serviced somewhere else so it's not our fault" and so on are well past.

but some places wanted the same again on top for extra electrics and reprogramming the ECU so stuff like stability control works etc (the car knows it's towing something). Worth doing if you are towing big trailers and caravans etc and it's still under warranty.

How does this work if I was towing a massive caravan one day, and then a towbar mount bike carrier with one bike on it the next day?

How does this work if I was towing a massive caravan one day, and then a towbar mount bike carrier with one bike on it the next day?

[img] [/img]

I'm particularly enjoying the addition of the Competition Pro there.

I think what flaperon said originally is the right answer.

I really need a resolution to this.. 😉

Honour deal or do one would be my response. There is a contract there if the order form has been signed with towbar on it and deposit paid.

And a call to Skoda UK customer service to tidy up.

nealgover - I was told that big heavy stuff could affect the vehicles stability programme and braking so when the tow electrics are plugged in the vehicle ecu knows this and adjusts, whereas a diddy bike rack attached to towbar probably won't affect this overall balance. Also something to do with reversing sensors, fog and reversing lights being switched off or something with big things but not needed on attachements like a rack. At least that's what I think the bloke fitting told me.

I have 'dodgy' clip on electrics, not fully integrated.

Also something to do with reversing sensors, fog and reversing lights being switched off or something with big things but not needed on attachements like a rack.

So far the downsides are having to press one switch when reversing. Cost difference on the Touran for this (I don't know the figures for the Galaxy) was nearly £1k.... 😯

some of the big costs on towbars are due to additional cooling componants that are fitted as well - no issue with a bike rack but big caravans may be an issue.

also modern canbus systems may detect your new towbar lights as a blown bulb on what ever circuit your bodged your scotchlock work of the devil clips into.

id run a mile if a professional tried to attack my car with scotchlocks.

(almost every electrical issue i had with my landy back on the old loom was due to someone modifying the loom with scotchlocks)

How does this work if I was towing a massive caravan one day, and then a towbar mount bike carrier with one bike on it the next day?

If you have an auto, the update sometimes changes the gearbox so having a bike rack might make the shifts different to normal driving. That's probably the only downside. Most modern autos are fairly intelligent so should adapt to whatever your load is.

In terms of disabling reversing sensors, etc, then that applies whether you have a bike rack or trailer.

Stability programmes only apply to trailers, but that is really using sensors to detect snaking and the like so although the programme gets enabled it should never really do anything with a bike rack.

I asked the main dealer to fit a tow bar to the transporter when we bought it. He refused to even give a price. His advice was get it done elsewhere.

Only issue is it still beeps with the caravan on in reverse but as stated above I press the mute button.

if they completely refuse to budge I'd tell them to go ahead and do the work..

then when it comes time for me to pick it up I'd tell em to F off...

The days when they can say "ah but you got it serviced somewhere else so it's not our fault" and so on are well past.

If you have an auto, the update sometimes changes the gearbox so having a bike rack might make the shifts different to normal driving. That's probably the only downside. Most modern autos are fairly intelligent so should adapt to whatever your load is.

My VW one doens't change the shift points with a bike rack on. There's a map in the gearbox that sets the shift point based on throttle position and engine speed I think. So the more pedal you give it, the longer it waits to shift. With a heavy trailer, you are going to be giving it more pedal.

br I'm talking here about the costs of the tow bar,

Similar towbar to the one you linked to are available from eBay for £174.

I'd then expect to be paying two hours labour for fitting as they are the most simple things in the world generally to put together, (big mecanno) the electrics if you purchase the correct fitting kit are just plug in and then need a little programming on a computer system.

They are a licence to make an easy buck for a garage.

[i]Reversing sensors do not like it when I pop car in reverse when I have the rack on. No problem, I have this 'Off' Switch I use when it beeps up in objection.[/I]

Ok, but if like our Land Rover you've front sensors too you'll be switching those off as well.

I've been shifting loads of stuff over the last few days and had to do lots on manoeuvring with a trailer, having the front ones working must've stopped me clipping the front more than once plus the rears are still intelligent enough that they sense something near (that's not the trailer).

Anyway, this is what our next one will have - 'auto' reversing 🙂

http://www.landrover.co.uk/explore-land-rover/one-life/technology/all-new-discovery-towing.html

[i]Similar towbar to the one you linked to are available from eBay for £174.

I'd then expect to be paying two hours labour for fitting as they are the most simple things in the world generally to put together, (big mecanno) the electrics if you purchase the correct fitting kit are just plug in and then need a little programming on a computer system.

They are a licence to make an easy buck for a garage. [/I]

Ok, but £174 plus 2 hours at a main dealer is still upwards of £400.

They are a licence to make an easy buck for a garage

Go on Bba reman and spout that shite and see how long before an industry standard trained tech rips you a new one!

The point surely isn't whether it costs a million dollars or ten bob to fit a tow bar, but rather that stealthily adding on £250 to a completed sale contract is somewhere between immoral and illegal. No?

Told them to honour the original contract of sale - but not heard any response. Unfortunately I'm out of the country and haven't been able to get in touch via phone to have a proper 'discussion'

https://m.facebook.com/Cartmell-Transmissions-1511295479093598/?ref=page_internal&mt_nav=1

This.
To my mind, the salesman has seriously underestimated the cost, and has tried to shuffle the costs so as not to impact his commission.

It's the cost of the electrics which push it up, I paid £275 for mine fitted 3rd party, Citroen dealer wanted that for just the electrics then another £325 for the tow bar, it's not cheap. I checked my last car the dealer ripped the old tow bar off before reselling it.

My next car will be trying to get it all in one price.

Copied this from a previous post on C4 Grand Picasso

On our third C4 Grand Picasso since 2007, never had a problem with the first two, the last which is now two years old had a electrical problem which took ages to be sorted out, turns out that it was a problem with the aftermarket towbar wiring which was interfering with the cars electrics. Local dealer and Citroen UK were first class in getting it sorted.

The tow bar and electrics were fitted by a reputable local company who we have used for every car towbar we have had since 1990.
The work was done the day after we bought the new car so as not to interfere with biking duties.
It was a regular problem in that the car would not start, the engine would not turn over, and the only way to start it was to disconnect and reconnect the battery
The problem persisted for 18 months with the car been in and out of the garage for weeks and been loaned cars and vans whilst it was been sorted.
As it seemed to be a problem from new it wasnt until the towbar electrics were disconnected for a few weeks that the problem went away.
The towbar electrics were replaced by Citroen and the car has been fine since.

Just for an update/closure the garage are doing the work for the agreed price.

Result!