Car Finance Question - URGENT RESPONSE HELP!

t0mbop

Hi guys; sorry but I need urgent advice and this is the best forum in the past for helping me out so please if you can again that would be great.

The situation is a VEEERY long story but I won't bore you. Here's the details in brief, dates are accurate.

July 18th 2009: Used Car picked up from Renault Dealership, Full MOT and Service History & 12m Warranty.
October 10th 2009: Car returned to dealership - Knocking/noise/pulling from steering. Car returned, noise disappeared but no faults found according to Renault Mechanic, basically they don't know. Noise quickly re-appears (1-2 days)
December 4th 2009: Car returned to dealership: Knocking/noise/pulling from steering. Again, car returned, noise gone but no explanation, "One of those things". Noise again quickly re-appears within 1-2 days.
January 5th 2010: Car returned to dealership: Knocking/noise/pulling from steering. Car returned, noise gone, no faults found again. Noise returns within the week.
March 12th 2010: Car returned to dealership: Worse pulling and noise from steering, steering now won't self correct easily. Renault report excessive wear and tear to both stub axles and bearings, cost of £565 per side to repair, car is "dangerous" to drive.

... So you see my problem. The cost to repair obviously isn't under warranty as it's excessive wear and tear. That (in principal and out of context) I accept. Not when it was in ~60 days earlier, having covered only just over 1000 miles in that time, where it was fine. Not to mention the previous 2 visits.

When looking through my documentation more thoroughly I find that despite the car passing an MOT, it had an advisory issued. This wasn't given to me at time of signing for the car. I phoned Renault UK who have been relatively helpful, however since 23rd March they have contacted me once, leaving a half-hearted phone message (they have my mobile but didn't even try) saying that they've sent my advisory in the post and will be in contact within the next few days regarding how they intend to resolve it. They have done neither. RUK appear unhappy when I told them this and immediately contacted the dealer on April 14th (almost a month after the complaint was initiated) and the dealer said they would definitely contact me before the weekend, i.e. last Friday 16th. They didn't do this.

I looked on the Citizens Advice forum and apparently, by law, if a problem is reported within the first 6 months of ownership, it is considered to have been sold with that fault and it is the dealers responsibility to repair it and prove that it was in fact sold without any issues. Again, they have done neither. I'm now signed up to this car for 4 years. The advisory certificate (I can view it online I found out!) states the following points:

• Engine covers in place preventing view of testable components
• Engine undertray in place preventing view of testable components

The car is 100% standard, no modifications at all, previous MOT's don't highlight this problem. I propose the car was sold with faults and they're trying to cover it up, the fact they haven't contacted me or RUK in a satisfactory time span surely only compounds this.

My Aim: To return the car, terminate the agreement (without any adverse credit affects) and receive a full refund of the monies paid for repairs. Ideally also for the finance paid for the last 9 months, but that's unlikely.

How realistic is this? I want to get out of this agreement as I feel completely let down and frankly screwed by the dealership who according to RUK, "acknowledge I have a point and will be contacting you to discuss their actions" again haven't done so. I will be phoning them this morning and demanding the 'next step' is established today whatever that might be. But my aim is to hand back the car. RUK asked if I was to receive a full refund would I consider keeping the car, to which I said possibly, however that was in March and I am becoming less and less amicable as time goes on being ignored.

Your thoughts on this would be great please! I want to contact them today and need to know where I stand, I've had lots of conflicting opinions from friends and family but I know you guys know your stuff about cars and finance etc.

Cheers.

Common_Sense_2

I'd speak to trading standards as teh dealer should have informed you of the advisory note on the MOT.

How many miles had teh car done when you bought it and how many has it done now?

t0mbop

It had done 58k when bought, it's now done 65k.

I'm waiting for a phonecall back from them however I'm going to phone them today and start proceedings, this has gone on long enough.

Do I have grounds to terminate on the basis that the goods were sold not fit for purpose?