Another 2nd Hand Car Dealer

I would like to warn anyone who is buying a car from dealer HILLSIDE CARS from North Somerset. They also trade as Hillside Garage.

My friend was interested in a sports car from this dealer after seeing their advert in AutoTrader. He decided to buy a car from a dealer, rather than buy privately in order to get the security of a warranty. He negotiated a lower price for the car as it was rather overpriced for the general condition. Hillside cars promised him he would get a 3-month warranty with the car when he placed his deposit on the telephone.

When the car was delivered, there seemed to be a serious problem with starting it due to the fact that the battery was duff (and other problems). He telephoned Hillside Cars who were not really helpful in solving the problem. On checking the paperwork with the car, he noticed that Hillside Cars had made an inconspicuous note that there was now no warranty with the car due to the change in price of the car! He was extremely shocked and disgusted. He had made sure when he placed my deposit on the telephone that there was going to be a warranty. He wouldn’t have bothered buying a car from a dealer if there was going to be no warranty.

He telephoned Hillside Cars immediately to ask them to rectify this issue. They told him that he needed to speak to someone who wasn’t in the office and that he should ring back at a later date. He ended up calling them several times and received the same excuses to waste his time. He decided to put my complaint into writing, but found that several letters later, they were still trying to ignore him. They managed to keep this up until the warranty had expired. By this time it was clear to me that he had purchased his car from a rogue trader. It was too late for him and after paying a fortune to sort the car out the problems still have not been solved. That is how bad the car was that Hillside Cars sold was. And they did the MOT on it! How can these people sleep at night! I don’t think I would trust their cars or their garage. I did not think that car traders like this still existed but clearly they do and I would like to warn people not to deal with them. They are the type of rogues who refuse to keep any of their promises once they have your money in their hand. To me it looks like after-sales service are not words that they are familiar with at Hillside Cars. I advise people not to make the same mistake as him and avoid this cowboy company.

I told him that he could take them to court and he is thinking about it. He has all the evidence ready including garage reports and other witnesses and all the dates and times and has consulted a legal friend who has told him he is protected by consumer rights and that Hillside cars have done a number of things wrong.


Hillside Cars - 203 Clevedon Road, Tickenham, North Somerset, BS21 6RX - T: 01275 858757 F: 01275 859142 hillsidegarage.co.uk

Yes he should take them to court under the sale of goods act 1979 as revised. I had a very similar problem except that the car had a large amount of problems. It took a year and a half but i won the case. Obviously i don't know the full extent of what has happened in your friends case, but as a mother of two who was missold a vehicle that was not fit for myself or my children to use I would urge him to follow it to court. Unless people stand up to these dealers then they will continue to rip us off. I am awaiting the final installment of my repayment which should be this week and then i will be naming and shaming them -

KAZZIE76 said:

Yes he should take them to court under the sale of goods act 1979 as revised. I had a very similar problem except that the car had a large amount of problems. It took a year and a half but i won the case. Obviously i don't know the full extent of what has happened in your friends case, but as a mother of two who was missold a vehicle that was not fit for myself or my children to use I would urge him to follow it to court. Unless people stand up to these dealers then they will continue to rip us off. I am awaiting the final installment of my repayment which should be this week and then i will be naming and shaming them -

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Well done many people just give up and write off the loss