Problems with Fiat

StevenCrosby

Right


Last year I bought a used fiat punto from one of their dealerships on finance. It was explained to be a 5 year agreement, with the usual 2 1/2 year get out clause if I wasn't too happy with the car, so I could give the car back after half the term.

Its coming up to that time next year so I rang the finance company I have the agreement with to see what the deal was. I then found out that its not actually a finance agreement at all, it was a bank loan so there is no halfway get out clause.

So now im stuck with a car im not happy with at all due to being very unreliable. Trading standards have been contacted about it, the same 'deal' was sold to a friend as well. They have said they will look into it but theres not too much they can do. The salesman's speil to sell us the car would be very hard to prove unless they used the same tactic on one of their officers.

Now im stuck with a few not very appealing options..

1. Keep the car for another 4 years of oversized payments then have a car that won't be worth very much at all by then but i will own it

2. Sell the car privately, buy a better car with the money then continue to pay the payments but feel like the payments are justified to a better car.

3. Sell the car privately, use the money to pay off majority of the loan, have no car and have to buy another one for cheap.

4. Take the car to a dealer, part ex it for a newer/new car but seems like im getting back into the same cycle


I would appreciate any ideas of what other options I could have regarding this matter.

Thankyou

Steven

flyingscotno1

What does your signed paperwork say?

I guess being a Punto it is a series on niggly faults- certainly the most unreliable car in Fiat's range in my opinion. If it is 2 and a half years old, it will be still in warranty so might get a better price with that than out of warranty.

standupguy

What probably happened was that the salesman believed you would have a hp agreement which was standard at the time.

However because of the amount of vt's and losses to the Finance companies they were changing their tactics and putting agreements with low deposits and or 5 year terms on to a loan document which does not have a right to return the car.

The dealer salesman should have pointed this out when you signed the agreement but equally you should have read and understood the agreement before signing.

You could try going back to the dealership and speaking to the owner/dealer principal who may be willing to help you a little with anew deal rather than face loss of reputation within the community and the prospect of you taking further with the Finance company and Financial Ombudsman?

If you did want to take it further your first point of call is a letter to the Finance company detailing your complaint and stressing that the Dealer was acting as their agent under the consumer credit act. If a solution cannot be reached you can then take the matter to FOS.