New EV, off the road longer than on it
New EV, off the road longer than on it
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ThisInJapanese

Original Poster:

11,352 posts

249 months

Just before Christmas I took delivery of an EV on salary sacrifice. My man maths said that I would save £5k over the two year lease. So I sold up, ordered the EV and bought a Porsche.

Well done me.

However. I had the EV for 40 days. It's since been off the road for 41.

Fast forward to day 40 of having the EV. I'm 3 hours from home using a public charger. Something went pop in the car. 10 hours later I'm dropped off at home by the AA after seeing 72 faults on the car and nothing works. No drive. Nothing.

Took about 5 days to finally get the car to the dealer, at one point nobody knew where it was. They were convinced they knew the problem. Took longer than expected to fix it. Didn't fix it. Weren't able to fix it. So they have said it's going to have to go to a place that deals with this sort of thing. They had 3 cars waiting for this service and the 2nd in the queue doesn't have a date yet. So it's "not going to be days, it's going to be weeks"

That was 3 weeks ago. I rang them two weeks ago for an update. They ignored both calls.

So I raise a complaint with the lease company. A week later they call back. They say expect a response in 24 / 48 hours.

That was a week ago.

Add to this, the same lease company have tried 4 times to install the charger I've paid for and failed. They can't seem to work out from the photos, emails and two surveys they have done that the charger isn't connected to the house so a trench needs to be dug.

The 3rd person to visit told me that I had to dig my own hole. They would inspect it and get me booked in 5 weeks later. So I would have to have a 15m trench left across a main path left open. Even though I have paid for the fact its away from the house.

So I'm mobile still as I have a loan car, but I'm now having to spend £200 a month on fuel whilst paying for a car I don't have. And having paid for a charger that I don't have.

Do I have a right to complain as I'm totally in the dark and increasingly out of pocket. Do I have any rights to reject the car?

What can I do to bring this to a close as I've paid and I'm continuing to pay for something I don't have and it's also leaving me out of pocket.

Thoughts are welcome.


andrewpandrew

2,214 posts

12 months

You are allowed to tell us what EV it is…

FarmerJim

764 posts

182 months

The car and surrounding 'service' are not fit for purpose. Reject it all immediately.

ThisInJapanese

Original Poster:

11,352 posts

249 months

andrewpandrew said:
You are allowed to tell us what EV it is
Am I? It's a Skoda Elroq. The 2nd Skoda I've had that's failed.

ThisInJapanese

Original Poster:

11,352 posts

249 months

FarmerJim said:
The car and surrounding 'service' are not fit for purpose. Reject it all immediately.
Is that I right I have? I thought it was within 30 days?

I've been told that I need to write an email that includes the phrase "I'm formally rejecting the car" and that'll kick processes in to gear that means they are on the clock to respond.

C69

1,074 posts

35 months

There are two deadlines, 30 days and six months.

This article should be useful for you: https://www.leasefetcher.co.uk/guides/car-leasing-...

One thing to remember is that the leasing company owns the car, so it should be involved.

Catnip64

186 posts

122 months

ThisInJapanese said:
So I sold up, ordered the EV and bought a Porsche.
How's the Porsche doing?

paul_c123

1,816 posts

16 months

Salary sacrifice - this ISN'T a consumer issue. The car is leased by the employer and provided to the employee for (perhaps business and) personal use.

ThisInJapanese

Original Poster:

11,352 posts

249 months

paul_c123 said:
Salary sacrifice - this ISN'T a consumer issue. The car is leased by the employer and provided to the employee for (perhaps business and) personal use.
So who should I take the issue up with? Is it with my HR department or the lease company?

ThisInJapanese

Original Poster:

11,352 posts

249 months

Catnip64 said:
ThisInJapanese said:
So I sold up, ordered the EV and bought a Porsche.
How's the Porsche doing?
Great, but it's rained almost everyday since I've had it!

paul_c123

1,816 posts

16 months

ThisInJapanese said:
So who should I take the issue up with? Is it with my HR department or the lease company?
I don't know your structure at work. But possibly HR, possibly line manager, maybe they expect you to directly liase with the lease company.

ThisInJapanese

Original Poster:

11,352 posts

249 months

paul_c123 said:
ThisInJapanese said:
So who should I take the issue up with? Is it with my HR department or the lease company?
I don't know your structure at work. But possibly HR, possibly line manager, maybe they expect you to directly liase with the lease company.
It'll be HR in this case, and maybe directly. I've asked for the account manager to be informed at the lease company and I've told my direct contact at the lease firm as well.