Brand New Car Damaged by Dealer! Rights?

andyrobbocop

Hi all,
Long time reader - first time poster so Hi :-)

I'm interested in people's views or any resident experts on consumer rights that could offer some words of advice given the circumstances please?

I purchased a new car at the end of March 2019. Everything has been fine since then, until I was gifted a personalised number plate. When I unscrewed the rear numberplate, I found that the dealer had stuck it on with tape and then drilled 2 holes into the metal, rather than using the mountings already provided by the manufacturer!

To add insult to injury, the holes have rusted! I emailed the dealer immediately and received no reply. I complained to the manufacturer customer services and they have forced the dealer into engaging.

Their proposed solution is for me to take my 6 month old car to an approved bodyshop and they will pay for the holes to be filled/painted. They have apologised and said that they have now changed their policy of fixing numberplates during pre-delivery checks to be templated to match the manufacturer mountings (as they should have done in the first place)

However, I don't consider their proposed course of action reasonable. Not only was I ignored by a franchised dealer when I approached them directly that it required the manufacturer to force action, there has been no offer of compensation for any of this mess.

I also have also 'fell out of love' with the car as I know that it has rusted and will be purely a patch job. Had I not changed my numberplates, this would never have become apparent. Also, I wonder how many other customer's cars are secretly rusting under their numberplates as a result of this 'policy' that they have now changed?

Things in my favour:
1) I financed it through the manufacturer finance company
2) I paid my deposit using my Mastercard (£1000)

What would be a reasonable expectation for this to be resolved? I personally don't want the car anymore and the many hours of emailing and taking the car to the nearest body shop haven't even been compensated for. Would I be within my rights to reject the car or force the issue through small claims court for them to replace it like for like?

I tried to upload a photo to give everyone some idea, but as a new user it won't let me

Thoughts and advice very welcome and thanks in advance,
Andy

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head

andyrobbocop wrote: »

What would be a reasonable expectation for this to be resolved?

Assuming 6 months is how long you've had the car (i.e it was delivered to you 6 months ago rather than ordered) they are entitled to offer a repair.

If you suffer any reasonable loses they should cover this, mainly that would be your fuel for travelling to the workshop for the repair, given the situation you could press them for a few extra quid as goodwill.

It's very unlikely they'll agree to replace or refund and you only have this avenue if the repair fails.

If it has now been longer than 6 months they can reduce a refund to account for usage which on a car might be more painful than a couple of holes under the number plate!

bigisi

Compo for buyer's remorse. We see it time and again on here.

Doesn't want car because of two small repaired holes nobody will ever see? Pull the other one.

neilmcl

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head wrote: »

Assuming 6 months is how long you've had the car (i.e it was delivered to you 6 months ago rather than ordered) they are entitled to offer a repair.

If you suffer any reasonable loses they should cover this, mainly that would be your fuel for travelling to the workshop for the repair, given the situation you could press them for a few extra quid as goodwill.

It's very unlikely they'll agree to replace or refund and you only have this avenue if the repair fails.

If it has now been longer than 6 months they can reduce a refund to account for usage which on a car might be more painful than a couple of holes under the number plate!

This rule doesn't apply to vehicles, they can deduct an amount for usage from any time after the initial short term right to reject.

neilmcl

andyrobbocop wrote: »

I also have also 'fell out of love' with the car as I know that it has rusted and will be purely a patch job. Had I not changed my numberplates, this would never have become apparent. Also, I wonder how many other customer's cars are secretly rusting under their numberplates as a result of this 'policy' that they have now changed?

Things in my favour:
1) I financed it through the manufacturer finance company
2) I paid my deposit using my Mastercard (£1000)

What would be a reasonable expectation for this to be resolved? I personally don't want the car anymore and the many hours of emailing and taking the car to the nearest body shop haven't even been compensated for. Would I be within my rights to reject the car or force the issue through small claims court for them to replace it like for like?

I tried to upload a photo to give everyone some idea, but as a new user it won't let me

Thoughts and advice very welcome and thanks in advance,
Andy

Why do posters always come up with this for totally minor issues. It won't be a "patch up job', it will be professionally rectified. At the end of the day it's 2 small holes that no-one will ever see and will have zero affect on the day to day running of the car.

The dealer are well withing their rights to repair the car, you're not entitled to reject it at this stage.

If you want to upload the pics then post the links without the https in front.

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head

neilmcl wrote: »

This rule doesn't apply to vehicles, they can deduct an amount for usage from any time after the initial short term right to reject.

Thank you for the clarification, wasn't aware of that, makes perfect sense.

Jumblebumble

andyrobbocop wrote: »

Hi all,
Long time reader - first time poster so Hi :-)

I'm interested in people's views or any resident experts on consumer rights that could offer some words of advice given the circumstances please?

I purchased a new car at the end of March 2019. Everything has been fine since then, until I was gifted a personalised number plate. When I unscrewed the rear numberplate, I found that the dealer had stuck it on with tape and then drilled 2 holes into the metal, rather than using the mountings already provided by the manufacturer!

To add insult to injury, the holes have rusted! I emailed the dealer immediately and received no reply. I complained to the manufacturer customer services and they have forced the dealer into engaging.

Their proposed solution is for me to take my 6 month old car to an approved bodyshop and they will pay for the holes to be filled/painted. They have apologised and said that they have now changed their policy of fixing numberplates during pre-delivery checks to be templated to match the manufacturer mountings (as they should have done in the first place)

However, I don't consider their proposed course of action reasonable. Not only was I ignored by a franchised dealer when I approached them directly that it required the manufacturer to force action, there has been no offer of compensation for any of this mess.

I also have also 'fell out of love' with the car as I know that it has rusted and will be purely a patch job. Had I not changed my numberplates, this would never have become apparent. Also, I wonder how many other customer's cars are secretly rusting under their numberplates as a result of this 'policy' that they have now changed?

Things in my favour:
1) I financed it through the manufacturer finance company
2) I paid my deposit using my Mastercard (£1000)

What would be a reasonable expectation for this to be resolved? I personally don't want the car anymore and the many hours of emailing and taking the car to the nearest body shop haven't even been compensated for. Would I be within my rights to reject the car or force the issue through small claims court for them to replace it like for like?

I tried to upload a photo to give everyone some idea, but as a new user it won't let me

Thoughts and advice very welcome and thanks in advance,
Andy

A lot of brand new cars have had rework
A good bodyshop will do a job that will outlast the car
We have a car that had the tailgate sprayed by a vauxhalll dealer in 2004 and you simply cannot tell
If you go and tell the dealer you want to reject the car because of this frankly first world issue they will fall about laughing.and you will be the talk of their canteen
My serious advice is to accept their offer and move on

photome

OP when did you fall out of love with the car.


surely not when you found out there were 2 small holes that will be filled and painted and no one will ever know about other than yourself.


how much has the travel cost you to fix it, thats what you should be asking for and maybe a free service if you really feel let down

marlot

Quite a few cars get damaged on their journey from manufacturer to customer - and that's brand new ones!

Think yourself lucky that you've not had a much more serious repair. Something behind the number plate won't even be seen.

Rejecting a car can get very expensive. Google Egan v Motor Services (Bath)

Paul_DNAP

Had you not seen these holes, the car would have been absolutely fine for its entire lifetime, and as such I don't think putting the number plate on in a very lazy way makes it "unfit for purpose" or even damaged.

Aylesbury_Duck

Possibly the most extreme case of buyer’s remorse I’ve seen on here. Utterly ridiculous.