Returning a New Car. Where do I Stand?

WEZZA

Hi

I'm hoping for some advice on returning a brand new car that I have purchased. I'm not sure where I stand legally.

I purchased a Kia Sportage just over a week ago. It was paid for from a loan that I got from my bank. Within a day or so of driving the vehicle I started to feel dizzy and quite nauseous. This would develop into headaches. I went to my doctor who went through a series of questions to try and pinpoint what might be causing the dizziness. Finally, he asked me if I'd bought a new car in the past few weeks. He then proceeded to inform me about the level of VCOs in the interior of a new car that when excessive can lead to the symptoms I'd been experiencing. After researching the subject on the internet it turns out that KIA are one of the worst manufacturers for this issue.

I phoned the dealership and was told somebody would get back to me. Nobody did. I phoned again and explained I wanted to return the car as I was unable to drive it. I was told the manager would return my call. He did not. This went on for two or three days. Eventually I was put through to the dealership's resolution centre who told me they would deal with the problem. They didn't. I had to phone them today after they failed to phone me back and was told it would be the Area Manager who would decide on the issue and that he would phone me. He didn't. I had to phone him. Quite bluntly and rudely he told me it wasn't their problem, they had done nothing wrong. He had never heard of the VCO problem. I'm really annoyed that I have spent four or five days trying to resolve the issue with the dealership to be treated in this manner. I think it's time I started to put things in writing. Any advice would be much appreciated.

It's that noxious that I am just unable to drive the car. My has experienced a similar reaction but not as severe.

forgotmyname

Virgin Coconut Oil is making you ill?

Or is it the Voltage Controlled Oscillator?

WEZZA

Thanks. I meant VOCs.

I hadn't heard of them until the doctor mentioned them.

Marktheshark

If you open the Glovebox, inside is a silver hat made from tin foil.
This helps with the symptoms described.

WEZZA

Helpful reply. Thanks.

k3lvc

You stand outside the dealership - they have your car and your money and you have a pair of feet.

Good luck with the rejection and please keep us updated

macman

Try driving it around for a few days with the aircon on and the windows open..it is midsummer.

forgotmyname

Open the windows and use the aircon and blower until the smell dissipates?

AdrianC

So what's the actual fault with the car that renders it unfit for purpose?
Have the dealer tried - and failed repeatedly - to resolve it?

VOCs - volatile organic compounds - are not something new - in fact, they've been being reduced in all sorts of materials drastically over the last decade or two. Look at any tin of paint, and it'll tell you whether it's high, medium, low VOC content. The VOCs being given out by the plastics in a 2015 new car will be FAR lower than those from a new car of a decade ago.

Money_maker

Interesting. My DH was never asked by the doctor if he had bought a new car when he had headaches/dizzyness. I cannot imagine any scenario where a doctor would ask this.

WEZZA

Thanks for the replies. Perhaps it's more common than you think. I never linked the new car with the dizziness and the headaches, though it's a really pungent smell. I've tried running the heating, leaving the windows and sunroof open, even left a open bag of charcoal in the car as it's meant to dissipate the smell, but it's had no effect. It's a great car. It's what I wanted. I even got it at a knockdown price from the dealership because they were trying to meet their quotas for the end of the month. But I can't drive it. I don't know what to do.