Fowlers Finance Pickle!

jonesMUFCforever

JLR35 wrote: »

We stupidly bought a car from them couple of years ago, had many a problem with it and refused to pay the monthly "in house" finance until they fixed it. Eventually, they fixed it and we said to them to carry on the monthly payments, which they didn't do. So we haven't been paying but they haven't been chasing us, which made me wonder why. I did a check on our car and found that the car still has unpaid finance from black horse and also their "in house" finance to us. Problem is, I don't know what to do as the car has no problems but I don't want it any more and feel ripped off by them as I feel we have now paid what the car is worth but know that we owe more. I can't sell it too because it has two lots of outstanding finance on it which I'm sure is not legal. Im willing to pay what I'm contracted to pay but it's damn principle! They prey on those desperate and in need.

You have no choice - if you want to sell you have to clear the finance.

JLR35

You have no choice - if you want to sell you have to clear the finance.

I completely understand that in order to sell the car I need to clear the finance, I'm more than happy to do that. What I'm trying to find out though is what can I do about the outstanding finance from Blackhorse that was on there when Fowlers sold it to me?

jonesMUFCforever

JLR35 wrote: »

I completely understand that in order to sell the car I need to clear the finance, I'm more than happy to do that. What I'm trying to find out though is what can I do about the outstanding finance from Blackhorse that was on there when Fowlers sold it to me?

You seem to have been done up like a kipper - if there is any value in the car pay the finance off - otherwise consider scrapping it.

ted7781

Im sorry that is not the case. It is about treating the customer fairly. Making sure that you can afford the car. They need to verify all aspects of what you have told them. If your bank statements show that you have to many out goings the it would be irresponsible of the lender to give you money. Especially when we are in a compensation culture.

roger_uk

Waw! A very similar story, right from the beginning, the same story.
They lie when to invite you in, lie about the models they have and don't have in.
Then when you come to pick up the car they fob you off saying we did not have time to clean, but we have taken a look at the mechanicals, it's a lie.
Then almost force you to take the warranty, which is from them.
Then the car start to show problems, you contact them and they make it very awkward to fix it for you. More lies.

Then they fix but you don't know what type of parts they are going to fit in, I had a situation that due to being far from them mechanics, I had used a local, they said to the local garage to place a second-hand part, a used part to solve the issue. More lies and certainly trouble on the horizon.

Now I have spent time off work, I'm self-employed, so no gain on the days to solve the issues with the car.
Have spend money as there were moments, multiple times, that I had to still spend money on parts.

Now the last time they made my car hostage and kept the car with them for almost two weeks.

While it was getting a fix, there was a problem with the hydraulics, the pipe that takes the oil has bursten, they have offered to replace the two front wheel tires, I agreed, the price was ok. But they have not done the balancing, drive at 50 miles an hour and it shakes the whole car.

They have promised since I bought the car, fix the scratches and small parking bumps on the sides, they said they were going to fix and they did not.

It is a big lier company ever existing on the planet.

Now tell me, how come this company still open?
Why no one do anything about them?
There are hundreds of people online, now that I'm searching and trying to find the complaints contact and the trade standards contact and they still operating.

It's the biggest legally scammers of all Britain.

roger_uk

Watch the #bbc #watchdog and see if my story has any similarities, or perhaps you got a similar story.

So I won't bore you to death, I have broken down into parts as I have multiple issues with them. Still going on today 27th of September 2016.

This is what I wrote to #ombudsman to help me return the car back and help me end the hire purchase agreement.

Searched for the finance

I have searched for companies who finance for poor credit history. My credit history wasn’t the best and also I have recently become self-employed working as a consultant through my recent opened limited company.

I expected to pay a higher interest but of a roadworthy second hand not too old car. To get me through the first year and help rebuild my credit.

Found the finance

Found Fowlersfinance.com via the Google Adwords on the search term of finance for bad credit history.

Filled in the web form and got a call from the sales representative.

The nearest place for me to go was in Sheffield, which is away from Leeds, after talking with the sales rep we arranged a day to go and have a look in a car but asked if it is likely to actually get the finance as I did not want to go down there and lose a day of work as being self-employed if I don’t work I don’t get paid.

Choose the car

The first trip was a waste of time. No car was available.

I asked for an estate car.

He pushed for Vauxhall Insignia.

Finance was accepted.

Collected the car

Collected the car on 12th of April.
Car collected with dents, scratches and marks on both driver and passenger's sides. Promised have it repaired.

Since I had limited option I accepted, had the collection date arranged and when I got there car was dirt and back tires was way off the legal limits, straight away he offered to replace, I accepted, he replaced with second-hand tires but in better shape and within the legal range.

Over the phone, only verbally he said the car had Bluetooth and sat nav, but since I have not got this in writing I can not argue about that, but it adds up to how they handle the sales further down the story.

First Breakdown - Battery

12 days later, after the collection of the car on 24th of April car would not start.
Asked breakdown to help start the engine. It was the batteries.

Contacted Lee Lawson, the sales rep and he wasn’t available. Spoke with Karen who advised to go and purchase a new battery, send an email with the receipt and a full refund would be given.

Send an email to confirm and to have a trail. Advised sales rep that I have contacted him earlier and what Karen has said and he has confirmed to do what she has advised me.

Then, after purchased the battery and it had it fitted, a test was carried out and found that the alternator is faulty as well. And it is advisable to change as soon as possible.

Knowing that sales rep wasn’t available I called the after sales/warranty and was advised to go and get a quote from a local garage as the nearest warranty was too far away.

Was advised not to use Halfords for the battery, but at this point, since two people have advised me to buy and have not specified from where to and not to buy I did not think it was such a big deal.

Aftersales refuses to refund/pay for the battery.
3 days without using the car.

Second Breakdown - Alternator

They have however agreed to fix the alternator.

I took the car to a local garage and after so much discussion as Fowler's advised the garage to fix with a second-hand part and not a new part.

I was told if I wanted I had two options, Fowlers would pick up the car and take down to their garage and fix the car. But judging for what fowlers has proposed to the garage guys I did not think it would be such of a good idea.

Alternatively, they asked me to add £60 to the bill and they would pay for the fix using a new part instead from my local garage.

I have agreed as I thought it was better this way since I would not know what part they would replace when they have the car with them.

In the meantime tried several times to arrange to have the scratches and dents fixed. Could not get an agreed date.

7 days without using the car.

Third Breakdown - Steering Wheel Hydraulics

6th of June I contacted fowlers finance again due to a noise in the steering wheel.
Steering wheel pipe that carries the oil has bursten and all the oil has been drained.

Claimed to be fixed but still making noises.

Unable to get a good alignment on front wheels.

A flapping noise coming from the front wheels. As if something was stuck to the wheel but not visible enough to find out what it is.

I have had it aligned two times in two weeks, spent another £50, but drive shakes at 65 Mh.

Got a quote from a local garage. After Sales/Warranty refuses to accept the work. Offered to collect the car and take down to their own mechanics.

At this point, I asked to get it collected as I wished them to carry out the body work promised since I bought the car.

I asked to send me a courtesy car. Fowlers refused to send me a courtesy car. I had to rent a car for this period.

After proved the promise of the body work they agreed to carry out both works, mechanic and body work.

Car returned without the body work done.

Claimed the steering wheel was fixed, but still making noises.

I have taken the car to the Vauxhall services and asked for a full report. I had to pay for the diagnosis a total of £108

The car still presenting the steering wheel rack issue, plus radiator is leaking. Spent £100
Took the car to Evan Hal Shawn to get the body work quote. Fowlers refused to approve the quote.

Still scratches and dents not fixed. I have got a quote, again advised by fowlers and I had to pay for the quote a total value of £48

I agreed on the collection and had to pay £50 for the garage diagnosis.

21 days without the car.


Fourth Breakdown - Re-fixing Steering Wheel Hydraulics
Opened a case in Ombudsman.
Aftersales then offered collection and a courtesy car to fix all the issues and put things right.
After 4 weeks, they have replaced the steering wheel rack and claimed that carried out a full check with Vauxhall and both believes there is no problem with the car.

Car returned, still making a rust noise when steering is operated, all the times. The flapping noise still persisting, they claim that it does not exist, and they could not find what the issue is, but still making the noise.

The body work, they claim that due to the time frame imposed by ombudsman they could not get the body work done and they asked me if I can get a quote in a local body work dealer and they will pay for it. I regrettably accepted as it was 4 weeks without the car but I have done it before, spend money getting the quote and they refused to pay for it. Not sure if they will do it this time.

I don’t believe they have carried out any other fixes or perhaps they have only covered the basics to earn more time or to simply see if I would let it go, but the truth is, I won’t.

The car still making noises in the steering wheel.
The car still making the flapping noise.
Not sure if the radiator is fixed as there’s no acknowledgement of it, completely ignored.
The car still not getting balance. It shakes over 65 miles an hour.

28 days without the car.


Fifth Breakdown - EGR Valve

By then, my wife is 39 weeks pregnant and I’m worried I will have a transportation at my disposal when I’m paying for it. I know I could get a taxi, get a friend to give us a lift if we need but since I’m paying, a lot of money, for a car, I would expect it would be fit for purpose.

The steering wheel still making noises.

I took the car to carry out the standard services, since is my duty to get it done, such as change oil, air filter, oil filter, have it check for any other potential issue, being proactive really. Soon as I got the car, I got this done.

I thought, I’m ready to complete the final tasks on the weekend and wait for the due date, but on the first trip, the car stops working in the middle of the main busy road with my pregnant wife and my mother who came over to stay with us and help us with the baby.

I called breakdown services and they tailed me to my local garage.

Obviously, the issue has nothing to do with the services.

Dropped the car on Saturday 17/09/2016.

Local garage investigated.

Gave the quote. EGR valve was broken. £300 to fix.

Monday spoke with the aftersales and asked them to help me getting this fixed as soon as possible as I need the car.

Waited until last Saturday 24/09/2016.

On Saturday after sending emails and getting no response, I phoned multiple numbers, it rings, a lot, but I after insisting I managed to get through to the after sales Mark Fullwood who advised that I would have to wait until Monday to get someone to pay the invoice so I could pick up the car from the garage. I felt that I had already waited for too long and since I need the car due to my wife is giving birth at any moment I said I wanted the car on that day and I was walking towards the garage.

Marke then advised the only option would be that I pay for the invoice and on Monday 26th of September 2016, I would get the refund for the invoice paid.

I asked to send me an email as historically I would not trust just his words, I wanted in writing, waited, he wrote the email. I have then paid the invoice and sent a screenshot of the invoice and I have not received any acknowledgement neither from him or the other contacts involved in the conversation, Leigh-ann Rutter and Andrea Jones. I have not had anything refunded on Monday neither on Tuesday, today’s date (27th of September 2016).
7 days without the car.

I got the car, and I can confirm that the car is shaking when you get on near 70 miles an hour.

The rusty noise when steering, well, all the times.

I have not had any acknowledgement of the radiator since I have had the report from Vauxhall.

What are my conclusions?

This company is not reliable and considering all the multiple issues, the awkwardness to get things done and being lied about fixes that have not been fixed. From the beginning, I feel that I have been pushed to the side to accept the circumstance when all I wanted is to be able to have a mean of transportation.

I understand my credit is not in perfect conditions and I expected to pay a higher APR for it and not have a broken unreliable car.

I feel that I have to be given something not fit for purpose and paying a very high price for it.

How do I wish things to put right?

I want to return the car and have the hire purchase ended as soon as possible without any penalties or fees of any kind so I can get on with my life as far away as possible from any involvement with this company as I don’t feel I have been treated in fairness besides paying a very high price for a useless good.

Reputation

Just do a simple search online for the company, its owner and watch the watchdog video available online to see what sort of deal they do make. It is trued in every way as I am the true proof of being dealt with the unfair manner in which is part of their culture among all the employees, from the top head leader all the way down to everyone that I had contact with.

What next?

I hope I get your help to lease between myself, Fowlers and the sister company The car finance company who I have the hire agreement within my favour as I am the only one losing out with a useless car.

From here I will only escalate until I get the result that I believe is what I deserve for being mistreated.

They have got away with this for far too long.

jonesMUFCforever

War and peace was shorter than that.