Used car from main dealership missold 27 January at 1:31PM in Consumer rights 50 replies 2.7K views

peacetrustlove

I've just purchased a used car (just 1500 miles) from a main dealer near me at a good discounted price. They sent me a brochure that says that it has an optional extra - special light assist system. After a day of using the car, I found out that the car is missing that optional extra. So I took it back to them and asked them about it. They said, sorry, we made a mistake, we can take the car back for the entire money you paid or offer you a little compensation. I said to them, why don't you fit the system for me instead? I'm sure they can do it, but it must be a lot of hassle doing it, so they are trying to shoo me away with as little headache as possible. I also think the money they are offering me is a little less than the cost of the actual system. 

Has anyone been through such a situation? It's not like I'm seeing this as an opportunity to make money. I like the car and would have really liked the missing feature on it. 

Some experience would be handy.

Thanks

HillStreetBlues

They are being fair
They have offered full refund it's all they have to do.
Or compensation on an "good discounted price"

You can't make them fit the system.

peacetrustlove

HillStreetBlues said:

They are being fair
They have offered full refund it's all they have to do.
Or compensation on an "good discounted price"

You can't make them fit the system.

That's absolutely true mate and I do not even have any intentions of making any money from this blunder they made. I'm just trying to see if there have been any other folks in the same boat and how they dealt with it. 

macman

It may be a factory-fitted option that they are not able to install, or it might breach your warranty if they did.

DullGreyGuy

If they fit it now its also something you have to declare for insurance purposes forever more as a post prod change... may not cost you anything more but had some changes create unexpected loadings because of the way mods are bucketed together.

They are entitled to refund, repair, discount or replace, you can express a preference but they are entitled to refuse your preference if its disproportionately costly -v- another remedy.  If you are happy to keep the car without the lights then its just a negotiation. I dont think, personally, the compensation should be based on the cost to fit such lights to a car whilst its being built but much more on the difference in value of a secondhand car with and without them which is going to be a lot less 

diystarter7

Hi
As no ne has asked, what is this special light thing? What car is it, what exact model etc.

Have you considered the basics, IE that its not turned off?

Took me a few months on one of our brand-new cars to work out it had auto-folding mirrors, lol. Up until the at times when required i did thing via pushing a button

The other time and I'm not sure why this option was built into it - Merces laond me a almost brand new high spec E class. As i resversed out of the parking bay I thought, WTH, no cam, WTH. Got home and as we were going to the midlands the next day for a funeral I decided to have a quick look - low and behold it had an option to turn off the reversing cam

I still feel it could be something like that as not everyone has good knwodlge at any dealer but when you give me the deatials, I will know more.

I hope it is something like above but I'm here to help if you give me more details as per my request

Your choice - good luck

Aylesbury_Duck

I would imagine that anyone else in a similar situation would have made the choice between the compensation and returning the car for a refund.   I suspect it will be more expensive for the dealer to retrospectively fit it, so they aren't offering that.  You could try negotiating a bit more of a discount but if that doesn't work, you'll have to make the decision whether or not to keep the car.

peacetrustlove

It is a Porsche Cayenne. The car was sold with PDLS+ lights but only has PDLS. Basically no auto high beam, in short. I had matrix led on my previous car, it's a very nice feature. I guess I'll make a decision over the weekend. 

SaverRate

peacetrustlove said:

It is a Porsche Cayenne. The car was sold with PDLS+ lights but only has PDLS. Basically no auto high beam, in short. I had matrix led on my previous car, it's a very nice feature. I guess I'll make a decision over the weekend. 

By refunding they are putting you in a position you were in had you not brought the car.

Or compensating you for the inconvenience of having to put up of not having the feature. 

If its an essential thing you need on your car hand it back for a refund or take the compensation and sell it (depending on resale price). 

or keep it and keep the compensation. 

diystarter7

peacetrustlove said:

It is a Porsche Cayenne. The car was sold with PDLS+ lights but only has PDLS. Basically no auto high beam, in short. I had matrix led on my previous car, it's a very nice feature. I guess I'll make a decision over the weekend. 

I rarely drive at night and even more rarely on the motorway and my car has it and I've not noted it. What I find better and would have returned the car is LED light lights . But each to their own.

Feel free to disagree but IMO the dealer is being fair, actually really fair to you. 

What is your exact goal now, is it compo for the upset, inconvenience etc?

How old is the car as I am a bit surpised that a car of this calibre does not have that.

Thanks

Alderbank

Porsche have had supply problems with the electronics of PDLS+ and as a result some cars which should have had PDLS+ were supplied with PDLS instead. Manufacturers usually have a get-out clause in their T&Cs allowing them to substitute when components are no longer available.

This is a known problem in the motor trade generally, the factory where those components were made might now be a smoking ruin in Ukraine 

If so, the dealership would be unable to source the parts needed to upgrade your car.

That situation will change. Porsche are continuously tweaking their headlights, both because of newly emerging technology and because their buyers like fancy headlight effects. Those matrix lights where the car computer switches individual LEDs on and off, eg where the headlights can illuminate the number plate of car in front but not shine into the rear window, are impressive.