Bought a 2012 RRS from a LR main dealer two weeks ago. When I viewed the car the previous week, it didn't have a towball and when they told me the price for towball and electrics I declined and said I'd make other arrangements. A few days before collecting the car they called me and offered me a detachable towball and electrics fitted for just the price of the towball. OK I said.

After a week of ownership, I find an old towball key stuck into the foam boot tray. So I think, it probably did have a towball before and hence electrics were almost certainly already fitted. I didn't take off the plastic panel when I viewed the car so didn't see the 13-pin socket.

Yesterday, the new V5 came in the post and by luck, I managed to locate the previous owner and send him a message on facebook. He was v helpful and confirmed that the car did indeed have a towball and electrics when he owned it and he had left the towball in the stowage tray.

I contacted the dealer and told them I had been misled and wanted my money back. Surprisingly, they agreed but they've asked for the new towball back.

I'm not going to mention who the dealer was as they've agreed to refund me but I am pi**ed off that they tried it on.

I've asked them to give me the towball that the previous owner had left in the car but I'm not hopeful.

Biffo 2016 L494 SDV8 AB
2014 Nissan Leaf Tekna
1989 Toyota MR2 MK1b

shocking behaviour but unfortunately there are some dealers that will try it on, no harm in naming and shaming on here as even though they have agreed to refund your money, it may stop other people on here getting ripped off by the same dealer!

Welcome to the forum and Enjoy your new car  2003 BMW M5 - 5 Litres of V8 Optimax Slurping Goodness in Carbon Black

2013 SDV6 HSE Black Edition- Orkney Grey with Ebony & Ivory. LR Facelift RAI, Genuine G4 Expedition Rack, 4x Warn SBD-160 Spotlights, Warn 9.5XPS Winch, Mantec Underbody Protection and Sump Guard, Full Easy Lift Suspension Module, LR Light Guards, Light Force HTX230 Hybrid spotlights, 18” Compomotive PD1881 on 265/65/18 BF Goodrich KO2, ARB fridge, TuffTrek awning 😎

Can't believe they would try that for a few extra bucks! Dear oh dear! Hope you have other dealers around to choose your servicing with.  2015 RRS AB SDV6, Fuji White, Ivory
2012 RRS HSE SDV6, Sumatra Black and Ivory
Audi A5, 3.0 TDI, Gone
Audi TT, 3.2 V6, Gone
BMW 5 series tourer, Gone

They have actually committed a criminal offence i.e. Obtaining money by deception.

If they refuse to provide you with the old tow bar tell them you will be going to the Police. I would definitely let my local Trading Standards dept know what had happened just to protect anyone in the future.

Jim

Agreed Jim that's shocking  2015 RRS AB SDV6, Fuji White, Ivory
2012 RRS HSE SDV6, Sumatra Black and Ivory
Audi A5, 3.0 TDI, Gone
Audi TT, 3.2 V6, Gone
BMW 5 series tourer, Gone

jim4244 wrote:

They have actually committed a criminal offence i.e. Obtaining money by deception.

If they refuse to provide you with the old tow bar tell them you will be going to the Police. I would definitely let my local Trading Standards dept know what had happened just to protect anyone in the future.

Jim

Imho
What would you have thought if they didn't know if had satnav then when they did, then tried to charge you extra for it?
Arguably if they apologised and said sorry, it's actually got extra kit with didn't know about so we need to ask more for the car then that might be ok. Although not great. But that's not the way they did it as I understand.  2015 RRS AB SDV6, Fuji White, Ivory
2012 RRS HSE SDV6, Sumatra Black and Ivory
Audi A5, 3.0 TDI, Gone
Audi TT, 3.2 V6, Gone
BMW 5 series tourer, Gone

Because the dealer has tried to deceive you, I would expect them out of common courtesy to refund any payments for the tow ball and tell you to keep the new one. This is the least they could do.

Btw
Did you try the old key in the 'new' towbar? Assume it was the same towbar the previous owner had, repackaged as a new one? Unless I understood this wrong?
 2015 RRS AB SDV6, Fuji White, Ivory
2012 RRS HSE SDV6, Sumatra Black and Ivory
Audi A5, 3.0 TDI, Gone
Audi TT, 3.2 V6, Gone
BMW 5 series tourer, Gone

Yep, tried it, old key didn't fit new towball. New one has no signs of use so looks fairly certain it isn't the original. 2016 L494 SDV8 AB
2014 Nissan Leaf Tekna
1989 Toyota MR2 MK1b

Biffo, they told you that they would fit the electrics for you. When you checked with the previous owner he confirmed to you that electrics were already fitted when he sold the car!

Jim

It's not often I defend a dealer but reading BiffoBear post I think I know what's happened here

The car came from another dealer and I reckon the towbar disappeared there and as you say it wasn't mentioned on the details so nobody knew until it was being prepared for you. The selling dealer then realized it had tow electrics so offered you a new towbar but should of explained it already had electrics - maybe down to lack of communication between staff at dealer

At the end of the day they have offered to refund the towbar and this could of been a genuine mistake so I would give the dealer the benefit of the doubt. I've seen a lot worse

Oh - and welcome  Wanted a Series 2 LR since childhood but previously owned MY16 Disco Sport HSE TD4 Auto, MY13 RR Sport Black Edition TDV6 Auto, MY10 RR Sport HSE TDV6 Auto, 2007 Freelander 1 Freestyle TD4 Soft Top, 2009 Freelander 2 GS TD4 Auto, 2007 Freelander 2 GS TD4, 2004 Disco 2 Metropolis Auto, 2002 Disco 2 GS, 2000 Freelander 1 SE TD4 SW

Still hoping for a S2 one day!

Buckster wrote:

shocking behaviour but unfortunately there are some dealers that will try it on, no harm in naming and shaming on here as even though they have agreed to refund your money, it may stop other people on here getting ripped off by the same dealer!

Welcome to the forum and Enjoy your new car