Hi.
I bought a second hand car from a small dealer just over 2 months ago on finance. I've had quite a few problems with the car over these 2 months and i'm needing some advice. I'll explain the best i can.......
About 4 days after getting the car, which is just over 5 years old, done 50,000 miles and had one previous owner, i noticed it lacked power. I contacted the selling dealer who told me to bring it up, leave it for 4 days and they would check it. The dealer is 65 miles away from me and when i asked about a courtesy car all i got was umms and aahs.
I was working for almost 2 weeks straight so got it checked at a local independant who told me the EGR valve was faulty. I paid £240 to get it replaced and claimed £170 from the warranty that came with the car. After the repair i got back in touch with the dealer and spoke to one of the salesman who said that if i had brought the car back to them they would have fixed it free of charge and supplied me with a courtesy car. Anyway, i was happy it was fixed and got some of the money back.
About a week later the back brakes started grinding terribly and of course these things are down to wear and tear - but i found out there was nothing left and they were infact the originals!!!! 5 year old brakes with below minimum use managed to pass an MOT just 2 weeks before.............
Shortly after that i was driving along a dual carriageway and i heard a bang, which i found to be a snapped coil spring which was sticking out from the strut and close to the tyre. I had to get both replaced as the other was showing signs of stress and wouldn't have lasted much longer. This repair cost £220, and when the mechanic tried to claim on the warranty he was told that as i had already claimed before (for the EGR valve) i couldn't claim again and had to go to the selling dealer............
Then about 3 weeks later when i started the car the Engine Management Light appeared on the dash, indicating a problem. The car drove fine for a few hours until the Alternator light appeared. Shortly after this the Power Steering, ABS, Airbags, Lights, Heaters, Radio all died and with the car being an Auto it wouldn't shift out of 1st gear........... I had to get the car towed home at 2am as the alternator was knackered.
I contacted the dealer at the first opportunity who told me they would fix it free of charge if i got it to them - which meant i had to pay £130 to get it towed from my house to them. I spoke to the guy who sold me the car who said "a cars a car, these things happen" and when i asked about a courtesy car he said "we don't do them", yet i had been told by another salesman that they would have given me one!!!!!!!!
The car was with them for almost a week when i got a call saying it was ready. They had repaird the alternator rather than replacing it - and i had to pay almost £30 to travel to collect the car. As soon as i started it i was presented with the EML again and the boss mechanic said "you'll have to go to vauxhall, we can't diagnose it and it's not covered under warranty" and he walked away.
I drove it home and had it checked the next day. Turns out it needs a whole new inlet manifold and they quoted me £600 in total.
I called the dealer who told me these parts aren't covered under warranty and i would have to pay.......... surely not after only having the car 8 weeks???? The guy at Vauxhall said all the faults including the manifold would have been there when i bought the car...........
Anyway i've contacted the Finance Company, and they have sent me a complaint form which i filled in and sent to them, as well as Consumer Direct, but im looking for some advice on what to expect the Finance Company to do, seeing as the garage aren't willing to repair the car for me - and also what to do if i don't get anywhere with the Finance Company.
Thanks, Tam
I bought a second hand car from a small dealer just over 2 months ago on finance. I've had quite a few problems with the car over these 2 months and i'm needing some advice. I'll explain the best i can.......
About 4 days after getting the car, which is just over 5 years old, done 50,000 miles and had one previous owner, i noticed it lacked power. I contacted the selling dealer who told me to bring it up, leave it for 4 days and they would check it. The dealer is 65 miles away from me and when i asked about a courtesy car all i got was umms and aahs.
I was working for almost 2 weeks straight so got it checked at a local independant who told me the EGR valve was faulty. I paid £240 to get it replaced and claimed £170 from the warranty that came with the car. After the repair i got back in touch with the dealer and spoke to one of the salesman who said that if i had brought the car back to them they would have fixed it free of charge and supplied me with a courtesy car. Anyway, i was happy it was fixed and got some of the money back.
About a week later the back brakes started grinding terribly and of course these things are down to wear and tear - but i found out there was nothing left and they were infact the originals!!!! 5 year old brakes with below minimum use managed to pass an MOT just 2 weeks before.............
Shortly after that i was driving along a dual carriageway and i heard a bang, which i found to be a snapped coil spring which was sticking out from the strut and close to the tyre. I had to get both replaced as the other was showing signs of stress and wouldn't have lasted much longer. This repair cost £220, and when the mechanic tried to claim on the warranty he was told that as i had already claimed before (for the EGR valve) i couldn't claim again and had to go to the selling dealer............
Then about 3 weeks later when i started the car the Engine Management Light appeared on the dash, indicating a problem. The car drove fine for a few hours until the Alternator light appeared. Shortly after this the Power Steering, ABS, Airbags, Lights, Heaters, Radio all died and with the car being an Auto it wouldn't shift out of 1st gear........... I had to get the car towed home at 2am as the alternator was knackered.
I contacted the dealer at the first opportunity who told me they would fix it free of charge if i got it to them - which meant i had to pay £130 to get it towed from my house to them. I spoke to the guy who sold me the car who said "a cars a car, these things happen" and when i asked about a courtesy car he said "we don't do them", yet i had been told by another salesman that they would have given me one!!!!!!!!
The car was with them for almost a week when i got a call saying it was ready. They had repaird the alternator rather than replacing it - and i had to pay almost £30 to travel to collect the car. As soon as i started it i was presented with the EML again and the boss mechanic said "you'll have to go to vauxhall, we can't diagnose it and it's not covered under warranty" and he walked away.
I drove it home and had it checked the next day. Turns out it needs a whole new inlet manifold and they quoted me £600 in total.
I called the dealer who told me these parts aren't covered under warranty and i would have to pay.......... surely not after only having the car 8 weeks???? The guy at Vauxhall said all the faults including the manifold would have been there when i bought the car...........
Anyway i've contacted the Finance Company, and they have sent me a complaint form which i filled in and sent to them, as well as Consumer Direct, but im looking for some advice on what to expect the Finance Company to do, seeing as the garage aren't willing to repair the car for me - and also what to do if i don't get anywhere with the Finance Company.
Thanks, Tam