Consumer advice Re fault on a used car

manamaga

Hi all, I am looking for any advice as to what I can do next. Here's a brief outline:

I bought a used car on the 8th July this year from a forecourt of an independent used car dealer. Indeed, within two months we have actually purchased 3 cars from the same dealer (mine, one for my wife and one for my mother in law). Within a few days of buying my car I noticed that one of the rear electric windows was not fully closed. After a little troubleshooting it transpired that all of the electrics (motor and runner etc) had been removed from inside the door and there was just a piece of wood holding the window up! I reported this to the dealer who appeared to be unaware and promised to put it right with no questions. He has actually put right two other faults on my car since, with no quibble. But more than 3 months down the line, he has still not fixed the window problem. I keep calling in when passing and I'm told that they have purchased the parts but they have either been faulty parts or the wrong parts. Despite giving them my contact details twice, I have had no calls to keep me informed and I have had to do all the chasing. They say that the parts will be second hand and not from the main Ford dealer as new parts will be too expensive!

Winter is fast approaching and I already get rain coming in the window. Soon I will have frost inside the car but above all, I'm surprised that someone has not tried to break into the car noticing the window is down a little! I would love to be able to get the work done at the main Ford dealership and then invoice the used car sales company, but I'm not sure that I will have the rights to do that. Please could anyone offer any advice as to how I can take this forward.

Richard53

Time for No More Mr Nice Guy, I think.

Write them a letter, keep a copy, send it registered post. In it, say:

• You bought the car on xx.xx.xx and notified them of the fault on xx.xx.xx, and they agreed to rectify
• They have now had 3 months, and have failed to carry out the agreed repair
• You expect them to come back to you within 48 hours with a firm date by which the car will be repaired, this date to be not more than two weeks from the date of the letter
• If they cannot accomplish this, you will take the car to a main dealer for rectification, and will seek recovery of the costs (plus any incidentals like courtesy car, taxi fares etc) from them through the small claims court.

Point out winter is approaching, etc etc if you like, but my advice would be to keep it simple and factual.

Keep it polite but firm, and if they don't respond in a satisfactory way, be prepared to follow through with it.

manamaga

WOW! Speedy reply, much appreciated. The last time I called in was three weeks ago now at which point the 'mechanic' told me that they had bought a second hand motor etc but it was the wrong one (again). At that point I did express my concern that I felt I was being 'fobbed off' but couldn't understand why because they were fantastic at putting right the two other problems.

I think I will take the route as you mentioned, but I wanted to be undoubtedly sure that I had the right to seek recovery of costs. I've been unsuccessful at getting through to the CAB on the phone, hence my post here. I just didn't want to be spending near £400 for the work doing and be unable to get it back.

Many thanks again, greatly appreciated!

Richard53

My thinking would be like this:

Any used car can have a problem, and if you point it out to the dealer and the dealer fixes it quickly, than that's fair and reasonable. Expecting you to wait for 3 months while they source various s/h parts that strangely don't seem to be the right ones (seems rather amateurish to me) is not fair and reasonable.

Any court would expect you to give the supplying dealer a reasonable opportunity to put things right, and you have done this. It has now gone beyond the reasonable period into taking the p*** territory, and you are justified in seeking to get the car repaired as a matter of urgency and recovering the costs from them, if they are unable to do it themselves. Those costs would include all the extra outlay resulting from taking it to another dealer. Not sure if you would definitely get those back, but there's no harm in trying.

I would not be surprised if, following your letter, the correct parts turned up and were fitted within a few days. Just by chance, of course.

I am not a lawyer, by the way.

manamaga

Your advice is most welcome, many thanks.

During my posting here I've actually managed to get through to the CAB, who were all busy but I have landed a callback within 1 working day, so once I have confirmation of this I'll post back and let you know the result.

Thanks again.

forgotmyname

Its a Ford and they cannot source parts? Do they walk around with white sticks and all have labrador's?

What car is it? model/year? I bet ebay will have some. Whether its the right price for them is not your problem.

A lesson for the future though. ALWAYS check every single electrical item in a car before you hand over the money.

Every window, sunroof, switch and light. Find out if the car has a sequence to enable all the dashboard lights to make sure they have not removed a few bulbs from the engine warning system etc.

manamaga

Lesson learnt. It's a 2003 Focus 1.8 TDi Ghia. I researched in terms of developing faults in used vehicles that were not apparent at the time of sale and that viewing was done as the layperson. It's really baffling because I had two other issues which were fixed straight away (starter motor and new brake pads). Lets hope that the CAB confirm what Richard53 said (and what I was thinking) and I can push forward with this. I will post back how things went for anyone who has a similar issue in the future.

vaio

and in the meantime, perhaps a slightly longer bit of wood would be in order?

forgotmyname

No shortage of window motors or mechanisms for a 2003 focus.

Buzby

They are trying to get them s/h from a scrapyard.

They will not be purchasing new. Give them 21 days to rectify, otherwise you take it to a main dealer, and send them the bill - or court, if they don't pay.

manamaga

Cheers all.

@vaio - I actually jammed a screwdriver under the wood to lift it that bit more, if for nothing but so I could wash the car without water coming in, but even that has worked loose now.

I've called my local Ford and they quoted me a ball park figure of £350 fitted for new new regulator (I called it a motor but regulator is the correct term apparently) but could be more if any other parts are needed. You know, I wouldn't have minded a regulator from another car but c'mon, they cant tell me that there's not a scrappers in the land with the same vehicle.

Anyway's, I have penned a letter ready to send after hearing back from the CAB, which I think will be tomorrow now. More to follow, cheers all!