5 Year Old Car (bought new), Low Mileage Car Needs Expensive repair.

retep53

.......after getting it off my chest.
My main questions are:
1) how do I find-out whether the dealership name change was just a re-brand with the same parent company or not? (even if the parent company may have changed name at the same time - is that allowed?). (The people there seem to be largely the same as before.)
2) if the original company was sold as a going concern to a different company, how does that affect my rights?
3) if the original company became bankrupt, and a new company took over the site(s), as they took on the original dealer records (for servicing invitations etc), do they have any obligations to the former company's customers by taking over? I suspect not, but I do not know company law.
After I got to the bottom of these questions I will be able to make a better informed judgement whether to push for more or accept what I have been offered (although I would still feel cheated by the system).

System

retep53 wrote: »

.......after getting it off my chest.
My main questions are:
1) how do I find-out whether the dealership name change was just a re-brand with the same parent company or not? (even if the parent company may have changed name at the same time - is that allowed?). (The people there seem to be largely the same as before.)

Companies House webcheck?

2) if the original company was sold as a going concern to a different company, how does that affect my rights?

It depends on what obligations the new company decided to take on as part of the purchase

3) if the original company became bankrupt, and a new company took over the site(s), as they took on the original dealer records (for servicing invitations etc), do they have any obligations to the former company's customers by taking over? I suspect not, but I do not know company law.

Absolutely no obligations whatsoever unless they choose to take them on

After I got to the bottom of these questions I will be able to make a better informed judgement whether to push for more or accept what I have been offered (although I would still feel cheated by the system).

See responses in red

wealdroam

retep53 wrote: »

I'm not sure how we could prove this, apart from the fact that the tyre wear is even and the tracking has never been altered.

Well one way would be to commission an independent report which would hopefully state something along the lines of "the gears were made of por quality steel that has lead to the premature failure of the component"... or whatever the reason for the failure is.

Of course if the report says that the failure is due to fair wear and tear or misuse, then you are also down by the cost of the report.
And having a report that says that may lead to the withdrawal of any offers currently on the table.

Accept the current offer.

retep53

!!!!!!:
Thanks for your replies. But it leads me to the further question is there any way I can find out whether they would have agreed any obligations (unlikely in Q3, but possible in Q2?).
I will try to get the answer to Q1 from companies house website.


wealdroam:
I was considering getting an independent assessment but it will probably be a waste of time if the dealership doesn't have any obligation.


Thanks to you both for forcing a bit of realism into me. I'm still angry though.

System

I have no idea whether you can get that info. It would be in the sale documents but whether you would be able to view those is another question

Retrogamer

I would take the 40% if i was you.

It's possible the steering rack has been damaged from a pothole, kerb or similar. The tracking and tyre wear being ok now isn't evidence the steering rack has never been damaged by a pothole or similar.

Only an engineers report detailing how the failure has resulted from premature wear, rather than damage will suffice to enforce your SOGA rights.

bris

You have to also remember that under SOGA even if you were successful the fact is they can deduct for the 5 years use you have had, this could very well be 60% or more so no matter what happens you are contributing to the bill.