Trade Centre.....Again

IzzyBizzy6677

Hello Everyone,

I purchased a used car from Trade Centre Wales and while traveling back home in the car a number of warning lights came up on the dashboard. 

I contacted Trade Center immediately and the next day a AA van arrived. They done a quick diagnostic and after him speaking to Trade Center they agreed to recover the car back their Coventry branch. This was on the 11th of November 2023.

They updated me a few days later and said the car would not be going into their garage until the 27th of January 2024. At this point I contacted the finance company and informed them of the situation. I explained to Trade Centre that due to family commitments and work a car is vital to me.

They were not able to provide any sort of replacement vehicle until the 13th of December. I traveled to Coventry at my own expense to pick up the car. Thankfully the finance company arranged a hire car at their own expense. Although this was not done for two weeks after Trade Centre took the new car back so for two weeks it was taxis and friends/family which I covered the cost of.

Since January the Trade Centre have been ringing with regular updates to their credit. So far the car/engine has been striped and rebuilt twice as each time it was rebuilt a new fault was found.

Today the 27th of March trade center called again to say the engine has been rebuilt and a road test was done yesterday and yet another new fault was found this time with the traction control.

At wits end now.

The finance company have said they are happy cancel the finance to send the car back to Trade Centre but my concern is that we paid a large deposit for this car and would we be able to get the deposit back and also the monthly payments I have made since December and also the money i have paid out for traveling to and from Coventry.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Ectophile

If you cancel the whole deal because the car is not fit for purpose, then the entire credit deal should be unwound.  Which means giving you all your money back.  You hadn't even had it long enough for them to deduct a bit for the use you got out of the car.

IzzyBizzy6677

Ectophile said:

If you cancel the whole deal because the car is not fit for purpose, then the entire credit deal should be unwound.  Which means giving you all your money back.  You hadn't even had it long enough for them to deduct a bit for the use you got out of the car.

Thanks for the advice, finance company calling tomorrow and I will be getting the ball rolling.

Thanks again.

luci

This should make it clearer what your rights are:

https://www.which.co.uk/consumer-rights/advice/the-car-i-bought-has-a-problem-what-are-my-rights-aAnMC5b0ZzJb

Personally, I would reject the car and look for another one. I would be concerned that it may develop further faults in the future. I believe you are legally entitled to a full refund, including the deposit. I have never used finance, so don't know how that works.

As for compensation for your additional expenses, I believe you would have to claim that separately, possibly through the Small Claims Court / Money Claims Online. Further information here:

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/reclaim/small-claims-court/
https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/law-and-courts/legal-system/small-claims/making-a-small-claim/