South London motoraad

[davegs]

On a recent visit to this dealer I was somewhat supprised by the note displayed at the spares counter that any sale paid for by credit card over £500 would be subject to a 2% surcharge!. This would seem to be a complete rip off as it is not difficult to make up a purchase of this amount is
this the latest charge by BMW?.

 

[Paul Newman]

It's not a charge by BMW, but it is what the dealer is charged by your credit card company for the transaction. I think there is no charge for taking payment on a debit card which is why the 2% charge only applies to credit cards.

 

[Account removed]

It's not a charge by BMW, but it is what the dealer is charged by your credit card company for the transaction. I think there is no charge for taking payment on a debit card which is why the 2% charge only applies to credit cards.

Thats true but why should we have to pay it ? But it is SLM !!

 

[davegs]

Credit cards

Exactly why? some company's make a charge for under £10 purchases but over £500! I havent paid it nor would I just go elsewhere but why is this necessary they can't be hard up for customers. (at the moment!)

 

[Account removed]

Exactly why? some company's make a charge for under £10 purchases but over £500! I havent paid it nor would I just go elsewhere but why is this necessary they can't be hard up for customers. (at the moment!)

Stealth tax !! they even tried to charge me for a loan bike when it was in for warranty work (like i wanted to take the day off to get a £13k bike repaired)

Never mind Alaric will be along soon with the offer of a free coffee, which in his eyes puts everything right. Check his posts, it's always the last line.

A great shame it was a good dealer, some will say it still is but not for me.

 

[talonfs]

I cannot be certain, but I think that when you sign your contract (as a vendor) with the Credit card companies you also sign that you will not charge card holders any extra above what a cash biuyer would pay.

I know this was the case with my company and we would be in breach of contract if we charges the 2% to our customers.

 

[shready]

I mentioned the CC surcharge to Alaric when I bought my twat suit and he said it would be waived and it was.

I think the guys there are doing a good job TBH, they get my vote.

 

[Account removed]

I mentioned the CC surcharge to Alaric when I bought my twat suit and he said it would be waived and it was.

I think the guys there are doing a good job TBH, they get my vote.

And if you did not ask !!

 

[shready]

And if you did not ask !!

I would not have got

Bit like life in general really

 

[Account removed]

I would not have got

Bit like life in general really

I think you miss the point, you should not be paying it in the first place.

so anyone one that has should now be asking for money back.

 

[judge]

A dealer of a premium brand with the margins involved should not be seeking to increase those margins by expecting the customer to pay their fees, save that sort of behaviour for the corner shop

 

[shready]

I think you miss the point, you should not be paying it in the first place.

so anyone one that has should now be asking for money back.

Yes I agree, it took me by surprise that they charge the fee.

 

[Wapping]

A dealer of a premium brand with the margins involved should not be seeking to increase those margins by expecting the customer to pay their fees, save that sort of behaviour for the corner shop

Porsche do the same.

But there again, so do Honda, the government's bods who lob out the road fund licence and assorted ticket agencies (except they call it a handling fee). So the implied quality of the brand seems to have little or nothing to do with it.

I suspect that many more shops do it than we realise, simply grossing the 'true' price up by 2%. Much as many gross assorted prices up when they expect punters to haggle downwards.

 

[stolzy]

I cannot be certain, but I think that when you sign your contract (as a vendor) with the Credit card companies you also sign that you will not charge card holders any extra above what a cash biuyer would pay.

Not so unfortunatly, I've complained to CC companies a few times about this and they say it is entirely normal.

Just go somewhere else, places that apply stealth charges like this don't deserve the business.

 

[judge]

Porsche do the same.

But there again, so do Honda, the government's bods who lob out the road fund licence and assorted ticket agencies (except they call it a handling fee). So the implied quality of the brand seems to have little or nothing to do with it.

I suspect that many more shops do it than we realise, simply grossing the 'true' price up by 2%. Much as many gross assorted prices up when they expect punters to haggle downwards.

OK so its nothing to do with the 'brand' and everything to do with setting out your stall like Easyjet and Ryanair and it sucks, what's wrong with listing the shelf price inclusive of all charges and let the punter haggle for a cash deal

 

[Beemerman59]

If the BBC got it right (has to be questioned) the typical fee paid to the credit card companies for each transaction is between 10p and 50p.

So 2% of £500 being £10, the dealer is making £9.50 pure profit as a minimun for doing nothing!!!!! Thats on top of the margins of whatever cost over £500.


Nice work if you can get it.

 

[Decster]

Dont pay anything...steal from the fúckers....

 

[ajerider]

OK, time to enter the fray me thinks !!!

There are various rules relating to credit card fees, and what vendors can and cannot charge. Our view has always been to not charge customers more for a credit card transaction than we are charged by the card company, so the 2% charge we make on purchases over £500 reflects the charges we have to pay to the credit card companies. We DO NOT seek to make any profit on this, but I do appreciate the views expressed.

This charge was actually introduced when allot of customers started to pay for their new /used bikes with credit cards, and with the margins on these being low, we were seeing our costs going through the roof, and any profit to the credit card companies.

So from the 21st July we will remove the credit card charge for all purchases over £500 other than for bikes.

No free coffee however !!!

 

[davegs]

SLM

Yes!!!, a result if you don't ask you don't get!.
Dave GS.

 

[ChasMill]

And a top response from SLM.

I wonder how many dealers would be happy to accept payment for a bike in cash in return for a price reduction - i.e. charge extra for the use of a card must mean there is a discount for cash?



Cue: "This bloke won't haggle" sketch