Secondhand car dealer in Glos. - Failure to refund as promised

hedgebets

Anyone help?

Bought a secondhand car from dealer in Glos. who advised over the phone that the car included a six-cd-changer but on inspection, it didn't include one. However, the dealer promised to source one and noted this on the receipt. Purchased car and contacted them some days later to check progress... eventually (after failing to return calls) they said they had the cd system so we arranged to stop by on Weds 30th Dec. When we got there, no cd player just lots of excuses. Eventually after much bleating and a feeble attempt from the other salesman to bully us out of the office, the original salesman said he would sort out a refund within the hour - apparently he needed to wait for the owner who would turn up later (never seen or spoken to this person).

We had to leave as we live a couple of hours away so rang back an hour later. Sure enough, the promised refund was apparently processed by a third person - we didn't get to speak to the original salesman this time... Just checked bank account and the refund given is £50 and not the agreed £200 even though the person processing this payment specifically said it was £200.

What next? Very keen to get remaining money owed and also complain about the atrocious service (advertised on ebay as second to none aftersales care!). :mad:

hartcjhart

what was the partial refund for ? a car or a cd system?

rev_henry

If they've said they'll fit a CD player, well, written it down as you say is even better, then I'd get a quote from a local car audio place (maybe get a couple of quotes) for one (fitted), then write a strongly worded letter to the dealership saying you want it sorted within, say 2 weeks, otherwise you'll sue them for the amount of the quote - £50 + court fees. Then do so if they don't sort it. Maybe contact trading standards as well, and tell the dealership so.

hedgebets

Thanks guys. Will start penning letter; plan to phone trading standards tomorrow. Just worried that will phone them and they will start avoiding us or trying to wriggle out of it AGAIN.

(Hart - It was refund for cd player)

hedgebets

Btw, is suing an option? Does it cost loads of money to instigate legal proceedings?

Last time we had a second hand car, the dealer was AMAZING. This has been a totally different experience. Sigh.

rev_henry

No its really easy to take them to court. Google 'MoneyClaim online'. You can do it all over the internet now, most of the time doesn't actually have to go to a 'real' courtroom and will cost, for the amount in question, around £30 initially (but of course you'll get that back from the dealer if you win).

hartcjhart

just trying to get this straight,
you bought a car that was supposed to have a multi cd player.

it did not,

so was the refund for £200 a form of compo for not supplying

or did you pay them £200 to get one and they did not so have only partially refunded you

hedgebets

Thanks rev that is really useful and reassuring.

Hart - bought car without stated cd player (salesman made a mistake when describing on phone) so they agreed to source one to post or fit afterwardes - this was noted on the receipt. Then after various toing and froing and general bad service and procrastination on their part, we said we wanted a refund to the approx amount of a cd player which (for this car, a BMW 3 series) is actually about £250 but £200 is fine. They agreed and then when processing the refund over the phone said the amount was £200 but only £50 showing in our account. They are really poor and, well, lie.

rev_henry

Similar thing happened to my dad a few years ago when buying an MX-5. My dad spoke to someone on the phone at the dealer who basically talked a load of rubbish for some reason and said it had a CD changer and a cloth roof. Not dishonestly just misinformed. When he went to buy it the salesman who actually knew his stuff apologised for the person on the phone and sent us to a local car audio place a week or so later to have a changer fitted at their expense, which was pretty good I thought.

hedgebets

I just wish we hadn't been in a hurry to change the car and so take the dealer's word at face value. I also feel like I ought to warn people about such poor service - it's not just the mechanics of the matter (excuse pun) but the second salesman was SO rude to us asking us to leave the office, threatening to phone the police... we were not being threatening in any way - I'm 5'2" and 6 months pregnant, how threatening is that?!?

Glad your dad got sorted though. (Reminiscing back to our MX-5, nice little motor)

rev_henry

Do feel free to name and shame the company involved btw! Good luck to them with getting the police. Good joke that a pregnant woman is threatening and a car salesman isn't. Not to mean that you couldn't be threatening, but you see what I mean.