Name and shame dealer (or as good as?)
Discussion
A month ago I bought my Jeep from what seemed to be a main dealer for a well-known brand of car, a few miles down the A30 from here. They advertise on PH classifieds and have a forecourt full of RX8s.
They let me drive it home (in the dark) with almost no fuel and no road tax. As I couldn't tax it straight away with the documents I had, I drove back to them so they could tax it and gave them the £475 on my debit card.
They promised the warranty company would provide the relevant booklet but they didn't; the garage should have done. It took 3 phone calls and promises to get that sent and even then the pre-inspection space was blank.
The SatNav DVD was 2006 and wouldn't work as the firmware had been updated. After I spent money on a newer one they phoned to say they'd found the newer one so it was another trip there to collect it.
Then I had a letter from the DVLA through their Post Office agency threatening a fine unless I paid for the tax disc as the garage's payment had been refused. Their cheque had bounced due to a dodgy signature. So of course I phoned to pay up again then phoned the garage who admitted they'd had a cheque returned and promised to put a cheque in the post to me. That was the Saturday before last.
When I phoned to query its non-appearance this Saturday I was curtly told "they'd look into it"; no apology.
So I contacted the CEO of said multinational car manufacturer, only to learn they have no connection with this garage and are attempting to make it change its trading name.
I'm not saying every PHer who buys from them through our classifieds will suffer anything similar but don't think there'll be any comeback from the major company they are pretending to be part of.
Small claims court next?
How long should I give them?
Any other advice?
They let me drive it home (in the dark) with almost no fuel and no road tax. As I couldn't tax it straight away with the documents I had, I drove back to them so they could tax it and gave them the £475 on my debit card.
They promised the warranty company would provide the relevant booklet but they didn't; the garage should have done. It took 3 phone calls and promises to get that sent and even then the pre-inspection space was blank.
The SatNav DVD was 2006 and wouldn't work as the firmware had been updated. After I spent money on a newer one they phoned to say they'd found the newer one so it was another trip there to collect it.
Then I had a letter from the DVLA through their Post Office agency threatening a fine unless I paid for the tax disc as the garage's payment had been refused. Their cheque had bounced due to a dodgy signature. So of course I phoned to pay up again then phoned the garage who admitted they'd had a cheque returned and promised to put a cheque in the post to me. That was the Saturday before last.
When I phoned to query its non-appearance this Saturday I was curtly told "they'd look into it"; no apology.
So I contacted the CEO of said multinational car manufacturer, only to learn they have no connection with this garage and are attempting to make it change its trading name.
I'm not saying every PHer who buys from them through our classifieds will suffer anything similar but don't think there'll be any comeback from the major company they are pretending to be part of.
Small claims court next?
How long should I give them?
Any other advice?
Straight to Trading Standards to see if they are known to them. It will give you a better idea of how much TNT you will need to put under them to get the desired result.
Letter to the Dealer recorded delivery telling them of your dissatisfaction and what you expect them to do within 7 days - follow letter warning if they don't do what you want (assuming its legal and reasonable) that you will issue proceedings. - 7 days later a 7 day letter before action laying out your position and expectation once more - then small claims.
Edited for abysmal spelling - sorry was in a rush.
Letter to the Dealer recorded delivery telling them of your dissatisfaction and what you expect them to do within 7 days - follow letter warning if they don't do what you want (assuming its legal and reasonable) that you will issue proceedings. - 7 days later a 7 day letter before action laying out your position and expectation once more - then small claims.
Edited for abysmal spelling - sorry was in a rush.
Edited by Tyre Tread on Monday 10th December 23:22
driverrob said:
They let me drive it home (in the dark) with almost no fuel and no road tax.
I stopped reading here. They let you? You mean YOU drove home without road tax/checking if there was fuel in the car.Did you not notice it wasn't taxed? I pick up/deliver cars to dealerships a lot as part of my job, i always check to see if it has fuel, if it doesn't i ask them to fuel it for me, not one has said no so far.
head part of GGIt's winter: it gets dark early. I (wrongly) assumed they'd have told me if there was no tax and that corner of the windscreen was barely visible.
It's a car sales garage not a petrol station. So no option. Actually it wouldn't have been a problem if the petrol station in the nearby village hadn't run out of all fuel that afternoon.
Was I going to spend 10 minutes fiddling to get the SatNav DVD into its strange slot and test it to drive home 7 miles?
Every trip there uses about £5 in fuel. the phone is quicker and cheaper.
To those who've shown some sympathy, thank you.
To those who have simply trivialised my problems, I hope you don't find yourselves in a similar position.
It's a car sales garage not a petrol station. So no option. Actually it wouldn't have been a problem if the petrol station in the nearby village hadn't run out of all fuel that afternoon.
Was I going to spend 10 minutes fiddling to get the SatNav DVD into its strange slot and test it to drive home 7 miles?
Every trip there uses about £5 in fuel. the phone is quicker and cheaper.
To those who've shown some sympathy, thank you.
To those who have simply trivialised my problems, I hope you don't find yourselves in a similar position.
A garage sold my Mum a dangerously poor condition MGB GT maybe 5 or 6 years ago. The brakes failed completely 2 or 3 times, it turns out it had been in a few smashes, after one of which the steering column was never repaired. The alignment was so out because of the bent steering column that the insides of the tyres were on the steel bands whilst the outers had full tread. Oh and the feul pump had something go majorly wrong too, I think it ended up spraying petrol in all directions one day.
I really should have looked at it before she bought it, but was pissed off because she had asked me to find her a family car for £2k, completely ignored me and bought the absolute least practicle and most selfish type of vehicle possible. It wasnt a 2nd car, it was the only 2 seat death trap car in a 4 person household. Mental.
I really should have looked at it before she bought it, but was pissed off because she had asked me to find her a family car for £2k, completely ignored me and bought the absolute least practicle and most selfish type of vehicle possible. It wasnt a 2nd car, it was the only 2 seat death trap car in a 4 person household. Mental.
Edited by KM666 on Monday 10th December 22:43
Edited by Gaz. on Saturday 22 December 15:08
The bouncing cheque situation is a ball ache, and should be an embarrassment for the dealer. I'd like to think a big apology ensued for that one, certainly.
As for the lack of fuel and driving untaxed, I think that is your responsibility ultimately. It is to be assumed that any used car comes untaxed, therefore a conversation about taxing the vehicle should have taken place upon closing a sale. That's pretty standard stuff. They always come with a thimble full of fuel too, that has always been the case with used car forecourts. Blame Arthur Daley. I am however always courteous enough to point my customers in the direction of a petrol station
. Likewise with the out-of-date nav disc; I'd just consider it a bonus if there was one in the glove box at all.
You've obviously been lucky enough to have dealt with a dealer that has gone the all important extra mile in the past and impressed you. These guys are just a disappointment in comparison, but the service they've provided is nothing out of the ordinary, I'm afraid.
Are you enjoying the car though?
As for the lack of fuel and driving untaxed, I think that is your responsibility ultimately. It is to be assumed that any used car comes untaxed, therefore a conversation about taxing the vehicle should have taken place upon closing a sale. That's pretty standard stuff. They always come with a thimble full of fuel too, that has always been the case with used car forecourts. Blame Arthur Daley. I am however always courteous enough to point my customers in the direction of a petrol station
. Likewise with the out-of-date nav disc; I'd just consider it a bonus if there was one in the glove box at all.You've obviously been lucky enough to have dealt with a dealer that has gone the all important extra mile in the past and impressed you. These guys are just a disappointment in comparison, but the service they've provided is nothing out of the ordinary, I'm afraid.
Are you enjoying the car though?
The Crack Fox said:
driverrob said:
I haven't named the company.
I don't call £475 plus other out of pocket expenses plus hassle "trivial"
Thank you, Alan.
I don't think it's trivial either. Good luck with getting reimbursed.I don't call £475 plus other out of pocket expenses plus hassle "trivial"
Thank you, Alan.
I forgot Pistonheads is full of GT2RS owners who don't care about money, let alone have enough to think that £500 is a trivial amount to just hand someone after they've given you the runaround.
"just down the A30" towards Hook I assume?
if so; they've only been there about 5 minutes!
Go and sit in their shed, sorry I mean reception, and refuse to leave without your money.
Oh, and if we're talking about the petrol station in Pheonix Green, it's not had petrol since October as Texaco refuse to extend them a credit line!
if so; they've only been there about 5 minutes!
Go and sit in their shed, sorry I mean reception, and refuse to leave without your money.
Oh, and if we're talking about the petrol station in Pheonix Green, it's not had petrol since October as Texaco refuse to extend them a credit line!
Just a follow up to my earlier post; they've only been on that site since October this year; before which it was a (dodgy) hand car wash place for a few months. The previous (very very poor indeed) car dealership that was there went bust around this time last year.
I live three minutes away so know the place well.
I'd suggest your outstanding money isn't in the safest place in the world at the moment!
I live three minutes away so know the place well.
I'd suggest your outstanding money isn't in the safest place in the world at the moment!
Stedman said:
The Crack Fox said:
driverrob said:
I haven't named the company.
I don't call £475 plus other out of pocket expenses plus hassle "trivial"
Thank you, Alan.
I don't think it's trivial either. Good luck with getting reimbursed.I don't call £475 plus other out of pocket expenses plus hassle "trivial"
Thank you, Alan.
I forgot Pistonheads is full of GT2RS owners who don't care about money, let alone have enough to think that £500 is a trivial amount to just hand someone after they've given you the runaround.
Seriously if £500 is "trivial" would you like to send any unwanted cash to me.....it sure as hell wouldn't be trivial to me or the OP.
Appreciating that some posters of problems don't ever follow up, I can add that, after a third phone call and promise, a cheque did arrive. I paid it in immediately, of course.
The money appeared in my account on Tuesday and it's still there today. So I guess the matter is closed. Lessons learned.
The money appeared in my account on Tuesday and it's still there today. So I guess the matter is closed. Lessons learned.
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