Fowlers Finance Pickle!

Something_Cool

As someone who has worked for Fowlers, I can honestly comment on both sides of the coin.

Yes, the aftersales was poor when I left, and to some extent affected my decision to leave as I worked on the front line. But not every car put out was a horror story. The company put out over 80 cars per week over the 4 sites and there aren't 80 complaints per week arising, possibly about 5?

The problem was the company operated on a shoe string budget and a culture of 'it'll do' when coming to prepping cars. This made the job of selling them more difficult, especially when some managements attitude was 'no-one else will give you credit, take it or leave it'. The cars were priced a little over average, but that was because the finance companies were willing to pay it. And on the guaranteed finance scheme, the deposit had to be relative to the value of the car, and your credit file.

They have recently lost 2 finance contracts due to the state of the cars going out and the number of complaints, so you hope someone might do something soon, yes?

FowlersFinance_2

Nicknnat wrote: »

Well where can I start about fowlers finance. I got a email stating that I could get finance from these so I rang them and went through some details. They said I needed to send in mine and my partners bank statements via iPhone so I did that then they said they wanted mine and my partners driving licences so I did. And then he emailed me saying we need ALL of your bank statements from ALL of your accounts so like a gullible person I sent them thinking this was normal. And then got a email saying he wanted pictures of all of mine and my partners bank cards front and back which i smelt a rat and sent a email back saying that I've never seen them and I think it's wrong what I'm sending and I would like to stop the application which is reply was ok. Am I in danger of being scammed can somebody please reply and reassure me please.

Hi there,

The lender you are referring to requesting that information would be a company called Credit 4 Cars. They underwrite and make a decision based on your affordability, which is why unlike other finance companies they need bank statements and a licence before an approval/decline is made.

They require statements for ALL accounts and a licence. If the statements you sent had no link to account to prove the account was yours, such as a name, then proof of that would be required. This can be either the summary of a bank statement with your name and matching account number on, or a copy of your card which also has that information.

I can assure you there will have been no chance of you getting scammed as both ourselves as the dealer and Credit 4 Cars as the finance company abide by the Data Protection Act. Credit 4 Cars deal with many nationwide dealers as well as ourselves and the requirement is the same everywhere.

I hope this clears things up for you.

FowlersFinance_2

mrpatr1ck wrote: »

Hi Guys,


and here I was thinking I was the only one having issues with Fowlers Finance..


May 31st I took finance out on a Vauxhall Astra 55 plate at the Hemel Hempstead branch. Went to pick up the car and they advised they'd only just got the vehicle that morning as it had to be checked over.


Filled out the paperwork and drove it home only to find the engine management AND oil light turn on 15minutes into the drive home. Not only that but the horn didn't seem to be working?! Got the car home and lifted up the bonnet to find there was no oil in the tank whatsoever.


I called up the Hemel Hempstead Fowlers branch the next day who advised the car is under 6 months warranty and that the aftersales department will cover the repairs. So after 2 days of calling non stop I finally spoke to an 'Andrea' who advised that as long as I provide an invoice or quote for the necessary work from an independent garage a cheque can be sent out for the work. So although it sounded a little fishy I went to my local garage and they provided me with a quote on headed paper which Andrea advised her manager would authorise and then send a cheque for. To this date I still have not seen this cheque. Since then I've called and emailed my heart out to these people. After a long irate email back to Andrea she advised her manager had authorised and SENT the cheque directly to the garage for the repair work. A week later the garage haven't received any cheque and even agreed that the entire process sounds odd and abnormal.


After reading this forum I've accepted that I'm not going to see any cheques from Fowlers anytime soon, but moving forward what options do I have? I've already had to spend money on this vehicle and I've only had it for 2 months. Would it be best to make a complaint to Financial Ombudsman and move from there?


Thanks Guys

Hi there,

I understand I have seen this post late, and hopefully the issues have been sorted and resolved. If however you are still having trouble, please e-mail me on dan.n@fowlersfinance.com and we can move forward.

Thank you.

System

Dan, I think you need permission from MSE to post as a company representative, and if you've got permission you need to say so in your signature.

mrpatr1ck

FowlersFinance wrote: »

Hi there,

I understand I have seen this post late, and hopefully the issues have been sorted and resolved. If however you are still having trouble, please e-mail me on dan.n@fowlersfinance.com and we can move forward.

Thank you.

Dear Dan,

The answer is no. No this has not been sorted or resolved.

I would of loved to have received a message like this 3 months ago, before I wasted hundreds of pounds trying to fix a vehicle that was not road worthy. Or before I was forced to pack in my job because the purchased vehicle could not get me to work.

My question to you is: how would you suggest we move 'forward'? I am now financially responsible for a vehicle that was NEVER road worthy and that does not even run. Would I like for the vehicle to be repaired? No thank you. Would I settle for a replacement? No chance. So again I ask: how would you suggest we move forward?

jessiescuttie86

My mother in law has had so many problems. I think it's about time fowlers knew they can not treat people this way and news to be bought down a peg or 2!!! Let's get them investigated. Contact me at jessscutt86@gmail.com. let's sort this.

j60_2

Lucky Escape
I was going to have a VW Touran from Fowlers-I travelled to Bristol to view it. I had paid no money signed no papers when I got there they where busy, gave me the keys and said have a look at it. What a load of junk, it was not fit to be on the road, it looked like it had been kept in a field.
I had been dealing with someone called Donald Garner. I made contact, but as soon as I asked for travelling expenses for wasting my time the contact ended. I pursued It for a couple of weeks but gave up in the end.

CHR15

j60 wrote: »

but as soon as I asked for travelling expenses for wasting my time the contact ended. I pursued It for a couple of weeks but gave up in the end.

Do you also ask for your bus fare back from a shop if you go shopping but don't buy anything?

staffsboy

stay away from these sharks I bought a 51 plate bmw convertible of them a couple of years ago the had a £100 commitment fee of me for then to go and buy the car also had £1000 deposit of me used there own finance for the car after a few weeks of getting the car it developed a oil problem using a full can every week contacted fowlers they told me to get it into a local garage to find out what was wrong the discoverd the the piston rings had blown £1500 to repair told fowlers the outcome said they would get back to me still no joy even after ringin them a few times they eventully said they would possibley replace the car with something similar I ended up getting a solicitor to write them a letter even after 28 days still no joy gave the car back fowlers are crooks do not buy anything from them cars are just a pile of junk they need shutting "DOWN"

chanz4

You all need to contact trading standards and watchdog