Used car purchase problems

TurboTommy

Hi all.

Apologies in advance for the length of this post (and if it’s not posted in the right place), but it is quite a unique set of issues and I’m struggling to find relevant advice about my next steps.

I purchased a BMW 3-Series from Evans Halshaw towards the end of last summer. I completed all of the relevant checks of the vehicle prior to making the purchase and, importantly, while the online listing didn’t specify it, I confirmed verbally with the salesman that the vehicle had a full service history - I was told that this was all stored electronically on the car computer (which is quite normal for these vehicles).

A month or so after purchasing, I arranged for an outstanding recall to be actioned by BMW and, while I was there, I asked for a print-out of the service history so I could see what work the vehicle had had done in its 50k miles. BMW advised me that the vehicle had never been in to them for any work and there was no service history. If the service history was to have been on the onboard computer, then there’s a very good chance that BMW will have completed the work. After weeks of battling with Evans Halshaw and having to raise a formal complaint with head office, which was forwarded to the dealer principal, they finally admitted that they had no service history for the vehicle and could not confirm whether it had any at all. After somewhat of a battile they agreed to exchange the vehicle to the full value of what I originally paid.

I was looking to get a refund, initially, but after extensive searching I could not find another similar 3-series within this price range. I had part-exchanged my old vehicle for the purchase of this one, and needing a car for work, I couldn’t be without one for very long. Against my better judgement, I decided to give them the benefit of the doubt that this was a honest mistake, and spent a further £3k on a similar, albeit much better, 5-series which they had in stock on the forecourt. Again, I completed all of the checks that I could; service history was present and receipts as proof.

I had purchased an extended warranty with the previous vehicle, which Evans Halshaw agreed to transfer across to my new car. I picked it up in November and within the first week began to notice issues. The washer jets weren’t working at all and the car had a severe judder under braking. I took it back to them and they agreed to fix the issues, replacing the washer jets and the front brake discs, as they said that they were warped. The issue was still there after this, so it went back again and had the wheel balancing/alignment done. This improved it a little, but the issue was still there.

Again, the car had an outstanding recall, so it went to BMW in January for this work. They completed a health check on the vehicle and advised me that I wouldn’t be able to take the vehicle off their forecourt as they have identified a crack in the front offside wheel and that both rear wheels are buckled. I had to sign a disclaimer to be able to take the vehicle back to Evans Halshaw with this inspection report. They agreed to complete the repairs, but when I picked it up, all they had done is replace the front wheel - they have completely ignored the fact that the two rear wheels are buckled.

Since November, I have been chasing up the extended warranty which should have been transferred, but apparently this isn’t possible and I was misadvised that it was. I have again had to escalate this to the dealer principal, as the salesman just kept responding to my emails telling me that it was being done, ‘by the end of the week’, to no avail.

I have now written an email to the dealer principal expressing my concerns regarding the extended warranty, requesting a copy of the inspection report that they should have completed on the vehicle prior to sale, and asking for all outstanding issues to be rectified. I have given 14 days for this to be completed and have advised that, if this is not upheld then I will look to return the vehicle for a full refund. I am angered that they have sold me a vehicle that would not pass an MOT and that they have potentially put mine and my family’s life in danger by supplying a vehicle with such severe defects.

I’d love to know your thoughts on this, and about my actions and any suggestions about what my next steps should be. I believe I have beenquite fair with them, giving them the chance to put things right, and I have certainly been more than patient with them.

Thanks in advance,
Tom

Aylesbury_Duck

TurboTommy wrote: »

Hi all.

Apologies in advance for the length of this post (and if it’s not posted in the right place), but it is quite a unique set of issues and I’m struggling to find relevant advice about my next steps.

I purchased a BMW 3-Series from Evans Halshaw towards the end of last summer. I completed all of the relevant checks of the vehicle prior to making the purchase and, importantly, while the online listing didn’t specify it, I confirmed verbally with the salesman that the vehicle had a full service history - I was told that this was all stored electronically on the car computer (which is quite normal for these vehicles).

A month or so after purchasing, I arranged for an outstanding recall to be actioned by BMW and, while I was there, I asked for a print-out of the service history so I could see what work the vehicle had had done in its 50k miles. BMW advised me that the vehicle had never been in to them for any work and there was no service history. If the service history was to have been on the onboard computer, then there’s a very good chance that BMW will have completed the work. After weeks of battling with Evans Halshaw and having to raise a formal complaint with head office, which was forwarded to the dealer principal, they finally admitted that they had no service history for the vehicle and could not confirm whether it had any at all. After somewhat of a battile they agreed to exchange the vehicle to the full value of what I originally paid.

I was looking to get a refund, initially, but after extensive searching I could not find another similar 3-series within this price range. I had part-exchanged my old vehicle for the purchase of this one, and needing a car for work, I couldn’t be without one for very long. Against my better judgement, I decided to give them the benefit of the doubt that this was a honest mistake, and spent a further £3k on a similar, albeit much better, 5-series which they had in stock on the forecourt. Again, I completed all of the checks that I could; service history was present and receipts as proof.

I had purchased an extended warranty with the previous vehicle, which Evans Halshaw agreed to transfer across to my new car. I picked it up in November and within the first week began to notice issues. The washer jets weren’t working at all and the car had a severe judder under braking. I took it back to them and they agreed to fix the issues, replacing the washer jets and the front brake discs, as they said that they were warped. The issue was still there after this, so it went back again and had the wheel balancing/alignment done. This improved it a little, but the issue was still there.

Again, the car had an outstanding recall, so it went to BMW in January for this work. They completed a health check on the vehicle and advised me that I wouldn’t be able to take the vehicle off their forecourt as they have identified a crack in the front offside wheel and that both rear wheels are buckled. I had to sign a disclaimer to be able to take the vehicle back to Evans Halshaw with this inspection report. They agreed to complete the repairs, but when I picked it up, all they had done is replace the front wheel - they have completely ignored the fact that the two rear wheels are buckled.

Since November, I have been chasing up the extended warranty which should have been transferred, but apparently this isn’t possible and I was misadvised that it was. I have again had to escalate this to the dealer principal, as the salesman just kept responding to my emails telling me that it was being done, ‘by the end of the week’, to no avail.

I have now written an email to the dealer principal expressing my concerns regarding the extended warranty, requesting a copy of the inspection report that they should have completed on the vehicle prior to sale, and asking for all outstanding issues to be rectified. I have given 14 days for this to be completed and have advised that, if this is not upheld then I will look to return the vehicle for a full refund. I am angered that they have sold me a vehicle that would not pass an MOT and that they have potentially put mine and my family’s life in danger by supplying a vehicle with such severe defects.

I’d love to know your thoughts on this, and about my actions and any suggestions about what my next steps should be. I believe I have beenquite fair with them, giving them the chance to put things right, and I have certainly been more than patient with them.

Thanks in advance,
Tom

If you're going to formally reject the car, you need to put it out of use and return it to them, not continue to enjoy the convenience of it whilst it's under dispute. Leave out the emotive nonsense about putting your family's life in danger, it doesn't add any weight to your case. In fact, if you have been using the car since the buckled wheels were diagnosed, you're willingly taking the risk.

TurboTommy

Aylesbury_Duck wrote: »

If you're going to formally reject the car, you need to put it out of use and return it to them, not continue to enjoy the convenience of it whilst it's under dispute. Leave out the emotive nonsense about putting your family's life in danger, it doesn't add any weight to your case. In fact, if you have been using the car since the buckled wheels were diagnosed, you're willingly taking the risk.

I have put the car out of use. It’s currently sat outside of my house as I am on annual leave and fortunately haven’t had the need to travel.

I don’t believe that being supplied an unroadworthy vehicle which would fail an MOT is ‘emotive nonsense’, but purely fact - having worked on the motorways for 12 years I’m fully aware of the dangers that a cracked wheel can pose, if it splits at those kinds of speeds! I’ve dealt with it first-hand and seen the devastation.

I also didn’t include this in my email to the dealer principal; just explaining my thoughts and feelings for the purpose of this post. I kept it purely factual.

Aylesbury_Duck

Good, then all you can really do is wait and see how they respond.