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Car dealer tells cash buyer to enter into instalment sale

A Toyota dealership in Eldorado Park has agreed to refund a taxi operator his full purchase amount afterConsumer Line stepped in.

A Toyota dealership in Eldorado Park has agreed to refund a taxi operator his full purchase amount afterConsumer Line stepped in.

Attie Allies of Orlando, Soweto, said he paid a full purchase amount for a Toyota Siyaya Hi-Ace at Foster Toyota in December.

To his shock last week he was told he had to purchase the vehicle in terms of an instalment agreement.

"I don't want to incur unnecessary finance charges or pay my debt over 60 months when I can do so at once."

Allies says when he went to take delivery of his new wheels last week he was told he would have to enter into an instalment sale before he could take the vehicle.

"Their sales person told me they had changed their buying policy early this year and that affected me, though I paid cash for the vehicle last year," he said.

Allies said he was never told about the changes in the buying policy until he went to take delivery of the vehicle. He says if he had been told this, he would have taken his business elsewhere.

"I feel this is an unfair business practice," he said.

Gasant Lawrence, a sales manager at Foster Toyota, told Consumer Line that they did not talk to the media.

"My director is dealing directly with the customer. George Foster is handling it and he too will not respond to your inquiry," said Lawrence.

Foster has indeed contacted Allies and offered to refund him, plus the accrued interest.

"I will take my money to a dealer that will accept my terms of payment," said a happy Allies.

It takes three to four months for a purchased vehicle to be delivered to the buyer. Allies said he did not mind the wait. Other Toyota dealerships Consumer Line spoke to said they were not aware of the changes in buying patterns.

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