Car finance signed - still don't have the car

ryry92

Hi there,

I posted this in the wrong forum a couple of days ago so I'm reposting it here to hopefully get a bit more advice!

I was hoping for some advice on where I stand in regards to taking out car finance and still not actually been able to collect the vehicle.

I applied for finance for a used vehicle coming up to a month ago now, as I wasn't sure I would be accepted and was just testing the water.

The garage got in touch and confirmed that they had found a company that would offer me finance, and everything should of gone through within 2 - 3 days and I would be able to collect my car.

I verbally accepted the finance, and as the car was at a reasonable price and everything looked in perfect order to quote the dealer 'there is nothing that will put you off buying this car once you see it'. Now as I live 50+ miles away from the dealership, (foolishly) I agreed to go ahead with the finance without seeing it given that the car sounded to be mint.

I received all of my documents through the post on the 18th of Feb, spoke to the garage and they told me to sign, scan and email them everything so they could get the ball rolling with the finance company - I was reluctant as I hadn't seen the car and thought the signing of documents would be done at the garage, but excitement got the better of me and I sent back completed documents on the 19th Feb.

Around a couple of days later the car was apparently ready for collection but the wipers had an intermittent fault so the car had been taken to an auto electrician for it sorting and there would be a delay of a few days. Fair enough. But it is now 14th March, I am chasing both the garage and auto electrician almost daily and everytime I ring there is a different excuse as to why the car isn't ready for collection.

My question is do I have the right to take back the finance and go to another dealer and put it down on a different vehicle as the funds have already been deposited to the garage, or am I stuck waiting indefinitely until this car is eventually ready? I am obviously now out of the 14 day right to withdraw period.

I spoke to the auto electrician yesterday who explained that they have had 6 new parts to fix the wiper fault, got the diagrams from Renault and consulted with a Renault main dealer and it is still not working. To quote him 'I'll have on more go tomorrow and then speak to the garage as I've already gone way over the budget they set to repair it.' I have called today and not been able to speak to anyone.

Someone on the last post suggested to quote the sales of goods act, and enforce the fact that the car was signed for off trade premises?

Any kind of advice would be greatly appreciated - also apologies for the length of this post!

bigjl

No you can't take the finance back.

It is secured on the car.

When you pay all the payments then you own the car. Not before.

You are not the first person to do something similar.

Any issues contact the finance company.

A dealer is more concerned with upsetting the finance company that funds his sales than you or trading standards.

As far as signing the finance documents off of the traders premises that is something i have only done once.

The area representative for the the finance company i bought my Jag from came to my/wifes office to sign the finance paperwork.

First port of call is the finance company

Only issue you are likely to get on recent Renaults will be electrical so if this car already has issues it might be an idea to knock it back.

I did buy a car from a dealer back in 95. After three months of issues i spoke to the finance company and dealer and an exchange with another car in stock was sorted out.

Both cars were the same price.

ryry92

Thanks for the reply.

I spoke to the finance company yesterday and they spoke to the dealer who had told them that they had offered me a different car to borrow whilst the work was getting done, which I rejected as I was told the job would be done in a couple of days (3 weeks ago) and also that the dealer had offered to pay for my first instalment as a good will gesture. I accept that this is good of them but I don't see how I'm benefitting when it has been going on for almost a month (1st payment due on 1st April)

As you say I'm even more weary now with the faulty electrics, but I can't knock it back if I'm stuck with it by the sounds of it

ryry92

Just thought I'd update for anyone else in a similar position - I contacted the finance company and they contacted the garage, who initially refused to unwind the deal. I persevered, put everything that had happened in writing to the finance company - I got a reply two days later agreeing to cancel the entire finance agreement. I have since been able to go to a 'proper' main dealer and get finance on a newer car with less than half the APR that these jokers had offered! Success!