Used dealership refusing rejection within 30 days.

Michelle2007

I purchased a used car on the 28th last month, 8 years old with 77k miles for £3900.
on the 18th (almost 3 weeks after purchase) the car engine light appeared, I took it to have it checked and two error codes appeared, I called the dealer and he agreed a repair, the dealer took the car for 5 days, spark plugs and coils replaced as both very old.
2 days after collecting the car back the car would not start after picking my children up from nursery, I managed to jump the car and emailed the dealer, the next day the car would not start again, it had also been making belt slipping noises since returning and whining when turning corners since purchase. I also discovered one of the error codes that had been present when going in to be fixed was still present.

I called the dealer and informed I wanted a refund and rejected the car due to 1. The car not starting 2. The error code still present and 3. The noises being made suggesting further issues may arise soon, they tried to practically bully me into telling them the cars location so they could come out and replace the battery as that is apparently the issue, I stood my ground and said I didn’t want a repair again, and that I wanted my money back as the car is not satisfactory or fit for purpose and I have lost faith in the dealer as these issues should have surely been checked and serviced prior to selling, the dealer even commented how old the spark plugs were and the battery upon jumping was caked in grease and dirt!

Anyway, they have point blank refused a refund saying they’ve offered a repair and that is all they need to do and now will not respond to any emails I am sending,

I have stopped driving the car as it won’t start anyway and plan to have a mechanic I know look it over so I have written proof of faults,
i am just not sure what I do if I continue to be ignored? My plan is to send a formal letter Monday recorded delivery, I was just wondering any other channels I can go through before resulting to court, they’re not a motoring ombudsman member,

I have managed to secured a new car Through finance as I live rurally, I have a 4 and 3 year old who go to nursery 25 minutes away and a 5 month old who is due surgery next month which is over an hour drive, so a car is crucial and I have no large sum available to hire a car in the interim. Obviously without the refund the interest cost is higher also so I’d just like some way to try resolve this as soon as possible or be informed what timeframe I could be looking at if it has to go to court?

many thanks!

DUTR

Michelle, most of us have children, it is nothing to do with other aspects in your post.
Me reading it, it seems the author is pretty knowledgeable with cars knowing about the codes, but more so to buy an 8yr old car from a dealer, yet expect Rolls Royce customer service, managing to secure another car perhaps suggests to me you didn't really need the one you are fussing about.
Buying any car at anytime requires much analysis and investigation, it's not like buying a loaf of bread from the supermarket and the dealership is not there to present the euphoric customer experience, certainly not a mass produced used car.

a.turner

Don't send the letter signed for send it with proof of postage that way it'll be harder for them to refuse it.

How long will court take to resolve it? How long is a piece of string? There are many variables.

Will you win.
If you win will they pay.
If you start enforcement action have they got the means to pay.

Michelle2007

“Didn’t need the one I’m fussing about”

I paid almost £4K for this car, I chose to buy the car to avoid finance as finance is going to impact my monthly money quite significantly, which if as you say “most people have children” is understandable that outlaying hundreds a month on a car is not something I wanted to do with three children, whether I had the means or not.

Yes I am knowledgeable on cars but YouTube and google helped too, legally within 30 days of purchase I’m entitled to a refund, I allowed them to fix it once as I wanted to keep the car but this is the second issue in less than 30 days, surely anyone would not want to continue with a car after this?
And saying I expect Rolls Royce service, it’s just customer service i expect, not to be bullied and ignored,, any other irrelevant rude digs you’d like to make?

forgotmyname

Weak battery on an 8 year old car... Mine was barely 5 years old and I stuck a new battery on. I do short journeys and it does not get used every day so made sense to me.

You cannot really expect a dealer to fit lots of brand new parts on an 8 year old car (just in case).

Historic codes and not a current fault?

Further issues may arise, well yes its a car they all do that. They all require servicing and often require repairs. A battery at 8 years old is to be expected and is service items like plugs and leads and coils or coil packs at 8 years is not out of the question also.

motorguy

Michelle2007 wrote: »

I purchased a used car on the 28th last month, 8 years old with 77k miles for £3900.
on the 18th (almost 3 weeks after purchase) the car engine light appeared, I took it to have it checked and two error codes appeared, I called the dealer and he agreed a repair, the dealer took the car for 5 days, spark plugs and coils replaced as both very old.
2 days after collecting the car back the car would not start after picking my children up from nursery, I managed to jump the car and emailed the dealer, the next day the car would not start again, it had also been making belt slipping noises since returning and whining when turning corners since purchase. I also discovered one of the error codes that had been present when going in to be fixed was still present.

I called the dealer and informed I wanted a refund and rejected the car due to 1. The car not starting 2. The error code still present and 3. The noises being made suggesting further issues may arise soon, they tried to practically bully me into telling them the cars location so they could come out and replace the battery as that is apparently the issue, I stood my ground and said I didn’t want a repair again, and that I wanted my money back as the car is not satisfactory or fit for purpose and I have lost faith in the dealer as these issues should have surely been checked and serviced prior to selling, the dealer even commented how old the spark plugs were and the battery upon jumping was caked in grease and dirt!

Anyway, they have point blank refused a refund saying they’ve offered a repair and that is all they need to do and now will not respond to any emails I am sending,

I have stopped driving the car as it won’t start anyway and plan to have a mechanic I know look it over so I have written proof of faults,
i am just not sure what I do if I continue to be ignored? My plan is to send a formal letter Monday recorded delivery, I was just wondering any other channels I can go through before resulting to court, they’re not a motoring ombudsman member,

I have managed to secured a new car Through finance as I live rurally, I have a 4 and 3 year old who go to nursery 25 minutes away and a 5 month old who is due surgery next month which is over an hour drive, so a car is crucial and I have no large sum available to hire a car in the interim. Obviously without the refund the interest cost is higher also so I’d just like some way to try resolve this as soon as possible or be informed what timeframe I could be looking at if it has to go to court?

many thanks!

I think you run the very real risk now of when this gets to court the dealer says "the lady brought this car back to us to fix, which we were happy to to and we believed we had done and we were more than happy to help by replacing the battery but she became abusive and refused to let us. Its an 8 year old car so some faults are inevitable and we were of course happy to address those, but she wouldnt let us".

So i wouldnt assume it will automatically go in your favour, particularly if the dealer decides to lie like a weasel on the day or says they've been trying to help you fix it but you were obstructive.

And if you do win, you then have to hope they pay up, or you're in to more money pursuing them for the money.

Personally, i'd have let them repair it, rather than go to the great expense of financing another car and trying to pursue them through the courts.

Michelle2007

I’m not sure it is just the battery though forgotmyname, I do 1,000 a 1,500 miles a month so it’s not due to it not being charged, I drove it home after jumping it and the moment I got home and stopped the car it would not restart, so more likely something is stopping it from charging, as I said I am having it looked, and the codes were reset else there would be both faults still, it’s a 02 sensor issue.
I don’t expect lots of new parts, but even a recall on the car had not been completed when I purchased so I do not believe they completed the necessary checks considering everything that has happened, either way even if used I shouldn’t be dealing with so many issue less than 30 days after buying it

motorguy

Michelle2007 wrote: »

I’m not sure it is just the battery though forgotmyname, I do 1,000 a 1,500 miles a month so it’s not due to it not being charged, I drove it home after jumping it and the moment I got home and stopped the car it would not restart, so more likely something is stopping it from charging, as I said I am having it looked, and the codes were reset else there would be both faults still, it’s a 02 sensor issue.
I don’t expect lots of new parts, but even a recall on the car had not been completed when I purchased so I do not believe they completed the necessary checks considering everything that has happened, either way even if used I shouldn’t be dealing with so many issue less than 30 days after buying it

An old battery wont hold charge, and one journey may not be enough to get charge in to it, particularly if you were using radio, aircon, lights or wipers at that time. Even if you were using none of those things, a battery thats at end of life would exhibit those very symptoms - will jump start, will drive, but doesnt hold charge to enable a restart.

TBH it sounds very like a battery issue to me.

o2 sensor is a very very minor thing, and a common failure on most cars. Simple, cheap and easy to fix.

Michelle2007

Motor guy,

Under the consumer act I don’t have to accept a repair at all,
I accepted the first because I thought it was a good car, but after this second breakdown it’s just not reliable, if I accept it to be fixed I’ll go out of my 30 days and lose the right to reject, and my gut tells me this car has more issues than what has come up,
I’ll know more once I’ve had it checked, but why should they get away with breeching my consumer rights and selling me a car that is not fit for purpose and definitely not worth what I pod for it?

If anything me allowing the repair the first time shows I was willing to allow an issue to be resolved but 2 possibly 3 in 30 days is silly

loskie

if you are hearing a belt squeal maybe the alternator is not charging the battery.

motorguy

Michelle2007 wrote: »

Motor guy,

Under the consumer act I don’t have to accept a repair at all,
I accepted the first because I thought it was a good car, but after this second breakdown it’s just not reliable, if I accept it to be fixed I’ll go out of my 30 days and lose the right to reject, and my gut tells me this car has more issues than what has come up,
I’ll know more once I’ve had it checked, but why should they get away with breeching my consumer rights and selling me a car that is not fit for purpose and definitely not worth what I pod for it?

If anything me allowing the repair the first time shows I was willing to allow an issue to be resolved but 2 possibly 3 in 30 days is silly

Thats fine and is your prerogative, but its now going to cost you a lot of time, hassle and money to see this through, over what might end up being an old battery that the dealer was happy to replace anyway.

Even IF you get a full refund, you've now the expense of a financed car that you didnt have originally.

They offered to fix it which sounds like this would have been the cheapest, quickest, solution for all involved.