Hire Purchase Problems....Help

Sammy2509

Absolutely appalling. A company supplied finance on a 4 year old car I got 7 months ago. It's mileage is 44000 and I'm currently expected to pay for the next 3 half years on a car thats engine has completely gone. I am going to lose my job, im in a complete mess because nobody is helping me, the car is currently at the dealership (Vauxhall) who are apparently known for premature failure on these engines! The car finance company want ME to pay for a report that shows this problem was there when I got the car! I have a report from a mechanic that states this should not happen until the car has done 100,000 miles or is over 6 years old. The whole situation is disgusting I clearly did not take out finance on a car that would have major engine failure within 7 months - this company say because it's happened out of my 6 month warranty they are not liable unless I PROVE the fault was there! I have had to involve the financial ombudsman now as I haven't got thousands of pounds to repair the car and I will not take responsibility for paying for a car I cannot even use. I was sold a completely unreliable car and am expected to pay £12000 for it that's lasted me 7 months!! I'm already £3500 out of pocket!! I'm disgusted....... And will fight this all the way... I'm petrified I'm going to be in debt for years because of this... Any advice please

soolin

I will leave this to the experts to deal with but basically you need to seperate the finance agreement from the car purchase. The finance company did not sell you the car so you cannot hold them responsible, and ultimately you will need to repay that finance. If you don't repay the finance then you will end up with all sorts of problems.

As I said though I am no expert so wait for others to log in and advise.

Sammy2509

That's what I'm concerned about.. In debt for years for something I cannot use, I'm at a total loss really arnt I.. Thanks for your advise.

bigjl

Did you service it correctly with Vauxhall?

As often you can get a goodwill repair when you may only pay a small amount of the repair cost.

But why would you be left with a car you can't use?

Just fix it.

Speak to the HP Company as they sometimes loan you the money to do the repair properly, it's in their interest as its their car.

How much did this 4 yr old Corsa cost for it to add up to £12000? (I assume your figure includes interest)

Cars breakdown all the time. Complete failure of a Corsa engine is not that common, some have camchain issues but that is usually a gradual issue where they get noisier and noisier, but would take a long time to actually fail.

How many miles have you done since purchase?

When was the last service?

Was the car bought from Vauxhall?

Did you get it from a place that specialises in getting finance for hose with little or no credit history?

motorguy

Sammy2509 wrote: »

Absolutely appalling. A company supplied finance on a 4 year old car I got 7 months ago. It's mileage is 44000 and I'm currently expected to pay for the next 3 half years on a car thats engine has completely gone. I am going to lose my job, im in a complete mess because nobody is helping me, the car is currently at the dealership (Vauxhall) who are apparently known for premature failure on these engines! The car finance company want ME to pay for a report that shows this problem was there when I got the car! I have a report from a mechanic that states this should not happen until the car has done 100,000 miles or is over 6 years old. The whole situation is disgusting I clearly did not take out finance on a car that would have major engine failure within 7 months - this company say because it's happened out of my 6 month warranty they are not liable unless I PROVE the fault was there! I have had to involve the financial ombudsman now as I haven't got thousands of pounds to repair the car and I will not take responsibility for paying for a car I cannot even use. I was sold a completely unreliable car and am expected to pay £12000 for it that's lasted me 7 months!! I'm already £3500 out of pocket!! I'm disgusted....... And will fight this all the way... I'm petrified I'm going to be in debt for years because of this... Any advice please

What was the failure cause? Timing chain / belt break?

I'd stick a second hand engine in it. Should cost several hundred to buy and several hundred to fit.

maddogb

Sad but it is very likely you are going to take a major hit on this.


Section 75 of the CCA will apply if the relationship between the Car purchase and the finance is apparent.
To clarify that two things need to have happened.
1. The finance company need to have paid for some of the car direct to the dealers.
2. An independent expert witness needs to successfully demonstrate the fault was inherent (there when you bought the car)


If you are successful in demonstrating these two to the dealers they may make it easy for you, if not then court is the only option, the ombudsman will be no use even if they could be.


What you have said about the dealers comments is true under the SOGA the onus to prove faults transfers at 6 months.
Do not let them confuse you with talks of warranties, the warranty and your statutory rights under various acts such as SOGA and CCA are two different things, you can go with one or the other it is up to you.


Good luck.

Sammy2509

It's a Vauxhall Astra 2.0 I brought it for 7999, paid 2000 deposit and took finance for 5999.. Overall price over 48 months is 12000.
It was financed by a company that does give to people with bad credit, although I have never had a late payment or missed a payment sometimes these agreements are the only way to have a decent car, or so I thought at the time. I have service history 3 stamps.. Last being July 2015 and thanks to the mechanic who originally had the car recovered to him has helped me immensely, he took the car to Vauxhall where it currently is and am now awaiting to see if they will fix the problem under the 'good will gesture'. Since this happened I have researched Astra can belts and water pump failure and see it's very common, which was also told by the staff at Vauxhall themselves!
I am not in a position to pay out for a new engine, nobody knows at the moment weather the pistons are also damaged which ultimately will result in a bigger bill.
I have drove 2000 miles in the car since I got it, it's used to drive to work and back home, if only I had used the car more this would have happened sooner and I would not be responsible to prove it was a problem that was there when I brought the car! It just can't get any worse really.

bigjl

Sammy2509 wrote: »

It's a Vauxhall Astra 2.0 I brought it for 7999, paid 2000 deposit and took finance for 5999.. Overall price over 48 months is 12000.
It was financed by a company that does give to people with bad credit, although I have never had a late payment or missed a payment sometimes these agreements are the only way to have a decent car, or so I thought at the time. I have service history 3 stamps.. Last being July 2015 and thanks to the mechanic who originally had the car recovered to him has helped me immensely, he took the car to Vauxhall where it currently is and am now awaiting to see if they will fix the problem under the 'good will gesture'. Since this happened I have researched Astra can belts and water pump failure and see it's very common, which was also told by the staff at Vauxhall themselves!
I am not in a position to pay out for a new engine, nobody knows at the moment weather the pistons are also damaged which ultimately will result in a bigger bill.
I have drove 2000 miles in the car since I got it, it's used to drive to work and back home, if only I had used the car more this would have happened sooner and I would not be responsible to prove it was a problem that was there when I brought the car! It just can't get any worse really.

£7999 and you bought from a dealer specialising in bad credit, which means the car is likely priced at the higher end of the price range.

How old is the car?

Cambelts need to be replaced on time aswell as miles.

And are you sure you read about Vauxhall CAMBELT problems and not Vauxhall CAMCHAIN problems?

Are you sure it's a 2.0? Is it a VXR? Don't have much to do with Astras to be fair. At least not the mk6. Most people I know that had a mk5 either had a diesel or a 1.8 or 1.6 petrol engine.

Or do I have the wrong end of the stick and it's a diesel?

Without proper details on the age and model it is difficult to ensure any advice is correct.

Cambelts also need done based on time, not just mileage.

After rereading your first 1 paragraph post. It seems the car is indeed under 6years old. So within the time element and also the mileage element (unless the car has been clocked which can easily be done and the Service Book stamped as required)

It is your responsibility to ensure that car had the fault when you bought it.

That is why you have been asked to get a report done.

Though how can you be losing your job due to a car breakdown when you have only done 2000miles in 7 months?

Doesn't seem that you do a particularly high mileage.

Could you not take the bus:train or cycle for a few weeks.

And get the car out of Vauxhall, they are not interested in rebuilding your engine, they want to sell you a new one.

There are loads of Vauxhall specialists around, use one of them.

Join the Vauxhall Owners Forum and get recommendations of somebody local.

As Motorguy said, start thinking about a good used engine rather than a repair at Vauxhall.

The dealer isn't "Vauxhall", they never sold you the car and have no loyalty to you, you are simply a customer.

The only reliable way to get a Goodwill Contribution is by having a full main dealer service history, if it has been serviced elsewhere then you are unlikely to have much of a chance.

And unless the car is 3 years old I suspect it should have had more than 3 stamps in the book, especially as one of those stamps could well be the PDi.

Sammy2509

The car is 4 1/2 years old. I have been told it's a common problem with this car although Vauxhall know about it they will only address the issue when it happens and they're not being recalled, the cam belt is shredded, I had no noises or knocks I was literally on my way to work when it just lost power and died on me. It is a 2.0 cdti eco flex .. I'm just unlucky obviously and am now going to regret ever getting the car.. Lesson learned the hard way!!

bigjl

If it has full Vauxhall History you might have a chance.

Your experience is why I don't like having Car Finance on a vehicle that is outside of Manufacturers Warranty cover.

To be honest I am surprised you are not posting up with DPF problems on a low mileage diesel that you have done 2000miles on in 7 months.

Who convinced you a modern diesel with a DPF was a good idea?

Sammy2509

I'm really am just stupid.... I thought a diesel was better than petrol.... Obviously I didn't have a clue what I was buying! Still don't deserve to be in this mess.... ��