Car broke down. Got returned and fixed. Now have to go pick it up. Is this right? Read more...

Diego_Francis

I traded in my previous car for another second hand car a just over a week ago.

Four days ago the car broke down. Part of the trade included 12months breakdown cover.

RAC came and picked up my car and returned it to the dealer I got it from. 

They've rang today to say the problem was fixed, under warranty, and now I have to go collect it. 

The dealership is over 50miles away.

I've had no problems with the afersales team. Everyone has been great with me. 

I'm just concerned because I have to travel there with no other vehicle available but need my car by the end of the week for work. 

Is this right? I just feel inconvenienced first for having the car breakdown on me and now I have to find a way to get there to collect it before I go to work

I should be able to get a lift off a work colleague but that isn't the point.

Just wondering what the general consensus is here. 

Am I expecting too much here? 

Could I negotiate getting part of my journey paid for such as showing train ticket receipts? Or is that again expecting too much? 

Just a bit annoyed but don't know what my rights are in this situation. Any insight would be very helpful thanks. 

facade

Unfortunately, it isn't the dealers fault that you live 50 miles away, and so they don't have to pay your travel costs.

(Assuming you collected it from them when you bought it. If they delivered it originally, there may be a case for them to either deliver it back again, or pay the cheapest train fare)

BEBELUCA2017

There is no duty whatsoever on the dealer to deliver the car back to you.  The consensus on an Internet forum has no bearing on the legal position.

Car_54

Too late now, but the usual advice is not to buy a car far from home.

ontheroad1970

You can ask...

MEM62

Diego_Francis said:

Just wondering what the general consensus is here. 

The opinion from me is that you do not buy a car from a dealer 50 miles away.  In the event of any issues you know that the distance will be a problem and you cannot make the fact that you live so far away the dealer's problem.      

Scot_39

Was it a dealer specific warranty - or a generic one or tail end of manufacturers.  Guess dealer specific if you had to take it back 50 miles away.

They might consider a good will payment - e.g. to cover 2nd class cheapest rail fare etc - via sales management team if like a main dealer - but no obligation I suspect.

Dave_5150

ontheroad1970 said:

You can ask...

And they can say no ,,,,

Diego_Francis

Thanks all. Yes it's a no brainer to buy locally but when you can save humdreds for similar it's a worthy gamble to buy further away. 

Unfortunately a breakdown has occurred costing me essentially £10 in fuel, managed to get a lift there and back from a friend.

Glad I posted here and took time to reflect on the matter. The dealership have been great with me and didn't want to sour matters over some trivial expense. 

gbhxu

TBH I'd have expected a courtesy car while mine was repaired

Goudy

Diego_Francis said:

The dealership have been great with me and didn't want to sour matters over some trivial expense. 

It's understandable that you might be miffed by having to collect the car, but I think you have hit the nail on the head here.
Plenty buy secondhand cars which have faults and struggle to get the dealer to look at them, let alone fix them.

Ok, it's been inconvenient and cost you a few quid but the outcome could have been far worse.
Your car is fixed, it's only really cost you a bit of time and a few quid in travel, some similar posters on here would bite your hand off for that!