Rejecting a crash damaged car..Help!

Rejecting a crash damaged car..Help!

Author
Discussion

davey68

Original Poster:

1,199 posts

252 months

Tuesday 23rd August 2011
quotequote all
I'll try to be brief and ofcourse not name any names, but i need some advice. I found a 1 year old civic type r at a honda main dealer some distance from me. Great spec, good trade in offer, right colour etc so put a deposit on and went to collect it last sunday. Overall the car was in good condition, paintwork was very swirly (its black) but i thought a good detail would sort that. So, my only niggle was that the front end bumper fit looked wrong. Unveven and too big gaps to headlamps and grille. I said to the salesman im not too happy with how that looks and he assured me it just needed properly clipping back in so i said id get it done at my local dealer as he had no staff in. So..today im told by my local dealer the car has had front end damage, enough to bend the steel bumper beam. So obviously the car has had front end repair hence the bumper fit. Also they pointed out some repainting on the bumper, missing clips/fixings. All in all im p***ed off to say the least. My local dealer said as its within 14 days of purchase i am within my rights to reject the car, is this correct (trading standards) should i get honda uk involved? if the dealer refunds me the money fair enough (although id now be car less). Anyone got any (helpful) advice?

davepoth

29,395 posts

214 months

Tuesday 23rd August 2011
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Do it quick, if they've offloaded your P/X it'll get messy.

pincher

9,393 posts

232 months

Tuesday 23rd August 2011
quotequote all
Did you get an HPI check done? Did you specifically ask the Dealer if it had any accident damage?

If there is a no-quibble 14 day money back scheme in place, make use of it if you aren't happy.

v46m4n

150 posts

167 months

Tuesday 23rd August 2011
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If youre not happy with the car go for a full refund.
Other option if you like the car , try to get a discount, at least enough to cover the cost of repair.
There arn't many cars about like this which havn't visited a bodyshop at some time in there life.
All depends on extent of damage

V6Alfisti

3,313 posts

242 months

Tuesday 23rd August 2011
quotequote all
Honda website says

* Rigorous checking and preparation
* Our Honda ‘Multipoint’ check, carried out by Honda trained technicians, ensures that your new car meets our high quality standards. Our multi-point includes lighting equipment and instruments, steering and suspension, brakes, and even body work. Your car will also undergo a detailed engine check and a thorough road test for your safety and satisfaction. Finally, your car goes through an in-depth valet and polish so that it’s fully prepared when you come to drive it away.

* Assured vehicle history
* Your Approved used Honda is comprehensively checked to confirm; previous ownership, any outstanding finance has been settled, has incurred no major accident damage, and any registration number change are noted. You will be provided with certification on delivery of your vehicle.

Think you had reasonable expectation that the car would not have had a front ender.

davey68

Original Poster:

1,199 posts

252 months

Tuesday 23rd August 2011
quotequote all
I did'nt HPI (first time i havent!) but as it was a honda dealer i thought i was safe on that score, as quoting hondas approved used site :-

"Assured vehicle history
Your Approved used Honda is comprehensively checked to confirm; previous ownership, any outstanding finance has been settled, has incurred no major accident damage, and any registration number change are noted. You will be provided with certification on delivery of your vehicle"

They also say the car has undergone a detailed check including bodywork. If i had been told it was crash repaired i would of run a mile. Main reason i chose to go to a main dealer was peace of mind!!

I'm hoping to get a full refund, my local dealer have been helpful and will back me up with their findings. I hope it doesnt get nasty and i have to get honda uk/trading standards involved. Id guess they will offer to repair the car but ive lost faith in it and dont want an accident repaired car full stop.

davey68

Original Poster:

1,199 posts

252 months

Tuesday 23rd August 2011
quotequote all
Thanks V6Alfisti, great minds there! Also, i get the comment about these cars visiting a body shop but its an approved used car not even 1 year old yet! plus bending the front bumper beam means more than a slight scrape

bigdods

7,175 posts

242 months

Tuesday 23rd August 2011
quotequote all
IME dealers will happily offload a badly damaged and bodge repaired car in their approved scheme and hope no one notices. A few years back I had a similar experience with a VW approved used car. It had been in a major crash and to my inexperienced eye was a write off (e.g. front right of the car 3 inches higher than front left, massive panel gaps on all o/s doors and tailgate was wonky to name a few the whole car looked twisted from the front).

Also had peeling paint, overspray etc.

Sales guy swore blind it had never been in an accident and when I showed him some of the big issues he told me it just needed a service and some 'adjustments' . He point blank denied it had ever been in an accident and I was eventually escorted off site when someone else started looking over the car and I began pointing out the problems.....


V6Alfisti

3,313 posts

242 months

Tuesday 23rd August 2011
quotequote all
bigdods said:
IME dealers will happily offload a badly damaged and bodge repaired car in their approved scheme and hope no one notices.
Totally agree, once went to a main dealer and looked at a car. Pointed out the wing wasn't fully aligned and I had no confidence in bodywork repairs.

They then showed me a car they had in stock that apparently had the side of the car ripped off, and was using it as an example of their workmanship, not realising they were basically showing me they buy ruined cars and then fix them up. Walked away.

rallycross

13,518 posts

252 months

Tuesday 23rd August 2011
quotequote all
Crash damaged?

More likely a small dint that's been repaired.

It's not a new car so it wont be perfect.

If you were not happy when you went to collect it you should have either left it to get re-done or got something in writing to say they'd pay your local Honda dealer to sort ( they'd never do this it would cost too much).

POORCARDEALER

8,597 posts

256 months

Tuesday 23rd August 2011
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Hpi.....will only show a car that has been subject to an insurance claim...


Trading standards will not be able to help unless the retailer has made untrue statements about the car never having had bodywork.

I would go see the supplying dealer in a non confrontational way and ask them to replace the car with a like for like....

V6Alfisti

3,313 posts

242 months

Tuesday 23rd August 2011
quotequote all
POORCARDEALER said:
Hpi.....will only show a car that has been subject to an insurance claim...


Trading standards will not be able to help unless the retailer has made untrue statements about the car never having had bodywork.

I would go see the supplying dealer in a non confrontational way and ask them to replace the car with a like for like....
I thought HPI only showed cars that were not repaired by the insurance co but submitted to a claim?

POORCARDEALER

8,597 posts

256 months

Tuesday 23rd August 2011
quotequote all
V6Alfisti said:
POORCARDEALER said:
Hpi.....will only show a car that has been subject to an insurance claim...


Trading standards will not be able to help unless the retailer has made untrue statements about the car never having had bodywork.

I would go see the supplying dealer in a non confrontational way and ask them to replace the car with a like for like....
I thought HPI only showed cars that were not repaired by the insurance co but submitted to a claim?
Yes, my post was unclear.....

thinfourth2

32,414 posts

219 months

Wednesday 24th August 2011
quotequote all
davey68 said:
I'll try to be brief and ofcourse not name any names, but i need some advice. I found a 1 year old civic type r at a honda main dealer some distance from me.
Did you see the car before this?

Distance selling regs might give you a get out


As to the honda checking for major accident damage, they do check for it but actually telling the customer is a completely different thing

v46m4n

150 posts

167 months

Wednesday 24th August 2011
quotequote all
By the sounds of it a bent bumper bar doesn't constitute a majpr accident
Has it pulled the chassis legs in? moved any wing gaps about?
Damaged anything beyond the bar?
If not i would call it a minor shunt.
I've seen bent bumper bars after a car has rolled into a wall at walking speed, not really major