Auto Trader Back Issue Information

devondumpling_2

Hi,
This site has been recommended to me as you are all so helpful - so please please can someone help me. I am desperately searching for a copy of an advert in the October 29th issue of AutoTrader for East Devon. I bought a green 5 door Vauxhall Frontera but need to check the advert to find out if the car was advertised as having any service history.
Thanks to everyone for reading this,
Happy New Year

TheChillPill

I would think your best bet would be to phone your local autotrader office - they may either have a copy available, or at the very least be able to provide you with a photocopy of the ad, or the ad content. I'm sure if you explain the reason you need it, they will try to assist.

devondumpling_2

Hi, thanks for repling. Tried this but they were very unhelpful - apparantly the only way I can see the advert is by driving to their office which is about 45 miles away. I might have to do this but it seems so ridiculous.
The story is that I bought a second hand car from a dealer which broke down three days later with myself and three young children in it. I called the AA and the car was taken to the local Vauxhall garage. We were quoted about £100 to repair it and decided to go ahead as we'd knocked the dealer down a couple of £100 anyway. Apparantly the problem was a faulty IAC valve which Vauxhall said they could clean.
Unfortunately there were other problems that then came to light including a very serious oil leak that had dispersed oil everywhere including onto the cam belt ( which had to be replaced) and because we'd started fixing it without informing the dealer it was too late to return it to give him the chance to repair it. the final bill came to over £500. I've tried to contact the dealer to ask him with help towards the bill but he will not answer my letters or phonecalls. We have only driven the car twice and it has now been off the road for a month because we can't afford to pay a further £200 for a new valve as cleaning it did not work!

vansboy

It sounds like you need to get in touch with the seller, whatever that takes.

Not having service history, or whether it was advertised as such, doesn't seem to make much difference.

The problems may not have been due to a task undertaken/not undertaken during service.

Do you have Legal Helplines/Cover with your home or car insurance - they would be handy.

If the seller isn't replying, you've not been offered, by him, oppertunity to get the problems resolved, other than at the garage you've gone to yourself.

Then you'd need to Small Claims Court him the costs you incur.

Worth a try.

VB

devondumpling_2

Thanks VB
The reason I need a copy of the advert is that I vaguely remember full service history being part of the advert but when we went back a week later to pay for the car after originally putting down a deposit there was no service history available. Trading Standards have told me that they can get involved if the car was advertised as having service history and then it was not supplied, as without it the value of the car would be less. I just don't have the advert to check.

Trading Standards recommended court but I just can't risk having to spend out any more money.

It's so annoying because if Vauxhall had originally told us the car was going to cost several hundred pounds to repair we obviously wouldn't have had any work done and would have immediately got back to the dealer.

vansboy

Ok - Try this, when you do get ready to chase the seller...

Get the court paers, fill them in with all the details, of who he is, plus enter the claim amount, THEN,.... send the dealer a copy, telling him you intend to lodge these with the court, after (say 10 days, or whatever you choose) maybe he'll repay you - or maybe not.

It's up to you if you actually procede, but it could just do the trick. All for the price of a stamp!

Dod you check the insurance cover, you might have??

VB

devondumpling_2

last letter we sent recorded delivery was returned unopened by royal mail with the box ticked 'not called for'. With Christmas and everything I haven't got round to checking what this means.
Good idea about legal cover with our insurance I'll dig the papers out in the morning.
I've tried to be reasonable and wasn't even asking him to pay for everything as a new cambelt was something that we'd have got done before very long anyway.
A court letter sounds good if I can do that without actually committing to anything - that's if he actually opens it! So far I've sent two recorded delivery letters, left a message on his answer phone, sent him an email and got through on his mobile although he hung up.