On what grounds can I reject a new car?

Supersonos

In the next few weeks I'll be taking delivery of a new Land Rover - a brand not known for its reliability even when there isn't a pandemic.

I'm getting a little nervous that it's going to be a lemon and wanted to be prepared.  So on what grounds can I actually reject a vehicle?  I'm guessing something small like a dent or a rattle wouldn't be enough?  What is the time limit?

And is it reject and walk away?  Or can I reject it and ask them to build me another?

Grumpy_chap

Sounds like buyer's remorse already.

If you truly feel the product from this brand is so poor, why did you pay what will have been a not inconsiderable sum for this product when the choice of alternative products in which you have more faith would be wide?

FWIW, my brother has had two LR products in succession and no faults with either.  In any event, the reliability issues that are referenced by the motoring journalists are not the nature of issues I'd expect to give rise to a rejection on delivery.  Despite the reports by the motoring journalists, I would gladly buy a JLR product (if I could afford one).

JamoLew

If you reject it - they def won’t just rebuild you another.

Supersonos

JamoLew said:

If you reject it - they def won’t just rebuild you another.

So if the car is faulty and I reject it, they just return my money refuse my business?  How long does that ban last?

Supersonos

Grumpy_chap said:

Sounds like buyer's remorse already.

If you truly feel the product from this brand is so poor, why did you pay what will have been a not inconsiderable sum for this product when the choice of alternative products in which you have more faith would be wide?

FWIW, my brother has had two LR products in succession and no faults with either.  In any event, the reliability issues that are referenced by the motoring journalists are not the nature of issues I'd expect to give rise to a rejection on delivery.  Despite the reports by the motoring journalists, I would gladly buy a JLR product (if I could afford one).

I've owned several JLR vehicles, all from new.  The first Range Rover I bought was missing several things that I had specified (dealer error for not updating my order) and, at the time, I had already sold my car so just accepted the Range Rover and went on my way, but I was frustrated that it wasn't what I'd ordered.  It then went on to develop all sorts of faults (rattles, creaks etc.) so I always wished I'd just rejected it.

Every RR/LR since has been perfect, but I'm aware that this model is being built during a pandemic and at a new/different factory in Ukraine rather than the UK and that there are issues with the supply of parts, so want to know my rights before collecting.  

I don't see how that consitutes buyer's remorse.

AdrianC

Supersonos said:

JamoLew said:

If you reject it - they def won’t just rebuild you another.

So if the car is faulty and I reject it, they just return my money

Yes.
The car is returned, the money is returned. The deal is unwound.
If you PXd a car, and that's no longer available, then they return the monetary value of it, as agreed in the deal.

You cannot force them to simply provide another car. They may, of course, be willing to...
But that would fall under their choice to refund, repair, or exchange the faulty product for another, outside the 30-day outright right of refusal. And it would still fall under the original contract fulfilment - so the CRA clock would not restart at zero on the provision of that replacement vehicle.

Exchange would be far more likely if they had a similar car in stock than if it was a factory order to your spec.

...refuse my business?  How long does that ban last?

If they do, then as long as they want it to. No business is ever obliged to accept custom from any individual, so long as they do not discriminate on the Equality Act's protected characteristics. Think of a pub barring an undesirable customer - they can bar you (for life, if they wish) for being a loud-mouthed stroppy drunken idiot who threatened to throw a chair through a window, they cannot bar you for being transgender.

As far as what suitable grounds are, then it's down to agreement between you and the supplier... If they do not agree with you, then you return the goods and launch a claim for the money. Which, for a new LR car, is going to be over £10k, so not a small claim... If there's a regulated finance product involved, then the financier is no more nor less liable than the supplier - so you have a second route of leaning.

AdrianC

Supersonos said:
...I'm aware that this model is being built ... at a new/different factory in Ukraine rather than the UK

JLR do not have a factory in the Ukraine.

They have one in Slovakia... one of the EU's largest car-manufacturing countries, north of 1m cars/year. The Nitra factory started production nearly three years ago. With it still being in the EU, component provision from suppliers is likely to be less affected than the UK plants.

But, as I'm sure you're aware, production quality is nothing to do with the location of a factory, and everything to do with the processes of the operator.

So is it a Disco5 or a Defender (90 or 110?) that you're waiting for?

motorguy

A colleague of mine is on his third RR after rejecting the first two.  The first one came with a major electrical fault they couldnt get to the bottom of so he rejected it.  The offered him the use of a demo car until his replacement car was built.  Six months later it arrived - but was matt grey with a gloss black roof, not gloss grey with a gloss black roof.  So he refused to accept it (granted, not technically a rejection).  They built him another and allowed him to keep on driving one of the demo RRs until it was built.  I think the whole debacle lasted over a year.

Definitely check everything is as ordered and everything is working on the car before they hand it over to you - even if that means a pre delivery day inspection of the car.

Supersonos

motorguy said:

A colleague of mine is on his third RR after rejecting the first two.  The first one came with a major electrical fault they couldnt get to the bottom of so he rejected it.  The offered him the use of a demo car until his replacement car was built.  Six months later it arrived - but was matt grey with a gloss black roof, not gloss grey with a gloss black roof.  So he refused to accept it (granted, not technically a rejection).  They built him another and allowed him to keep on driving one of the demo RRs until it was built.  I think the whole debacle lasted over a year.

Definitely check everything is as ordered and everything is working on the car before they hand it over to you - even if that means a pre delivery day inspection of the car.

Thanks for this info - interesting.  But this goes directly against JamoLew's comment that they "def won’t just rebuild you another".

Was this all with the same dealer?  How did your friend get around the fact they won't build another car if you reject?

And after my first Range Rover (and the fact this one is built in the Ukraine rather than their normal factory) I'll definitely be checking it over before paying the balance.

daveyjp

 If you order a car and it gets rejected they have to offer a new one or a full refund to honour the deal.

No way I'd want another, but it won't happen with me.  I've heard too many stories from people who have owned LRs to know the reliability surveys don't lie.

Supersonos

daveyjp said:

 If you order a car and it gets rejected they have to offer a new one or a full refund to honour the deal.

No way I'd want another, but it won't happen with me.  I've heard too many stories from people who have owned LRs to know the reliability surveys don't lie.

I've stuck with Land Rover over the years for many reasons, but a big one is their reliability.  Other than the rattles and creaks of the first one, every one of the 8 or so Land Rovers I've owned have been flawless.

Surveys are important, but nothing beats personal experience.