Can I return my car

Jimflo

Hi, first post so please be kind.

I purchased a used peugeot 3008 car (£14.5k) from a suzuki main dealer mid January and have had nothing but issues. When I collected the car (two weeks after agreeing the sale) the agreed work (a cambelt change) hadn't been completed as promised. Prior to driving away, an engine light came on, the sales person said it had been checked by the service team and it was due to it being "icy" (It was a radar monitoring fault), needless to say I drove home (45 mile trip) and the light didn't go off. I emailed the dealership straightaway and confirmed this and they said they'd look into it when I returned the car two weeks later (to get the cambelt finally changed). At the time, I also confirmed that the start/stop function had also not worked either. Again, they agreed to look at it when I bought it back.

Dealer also agreed to retuning the vehicle back to me following repairs/work (expected to take no more than a week) Two and half weeks later, car is completed, however dealership couldn't return due to "staffing issues". Dealer also made claim against my included 12 month RAC warranty for radar fault without my knowledge (only found out as I had a text from RAC confirming claim made). When I queried, the dealer principal emailed back saying if they didn't claim, they'd be made to foot the £1600 bill?!? 

Dealer Principal agreed to arrange "compensation" for everything which had happened to date but then went to ground for two weeks and wouldn't return emails / calls. In the meantime the stop/start still hadn't kicked in, and the oil light came on (after 1,500 miles) as well as the bluetooth stopped working on the infotainment system, which also kept rebooting. 

Said I wanted to reject the car as under consumer goods, I'd given them a change to repair the fault (namely the stops/start) but they hadn't.... it was also confirmed by local peugeot dealer the battery was below the required limit and depleating. I am also not happy about the fraudulent claim on my included warranty as the radar issue was in place prior to driving the vehicle (I have agreement that this was the case via emails), the fact a few more issues (oil and infotainment) have also reared since purchase and the car has done less than 2,500 miles in total now. 

The issue is its now 2.5 months since purchase. For record, £179 deposit was paid on CC and rest via bank transfer. The car was supposed to be part of a 100 point check prior to purchase which includes checked to ensure the ignition works as intended as well as no engine lights on it and the warranty only covers up to the value of the vehicle (so I'm already £1,600 reduced as a result of the fraudulent claim).

I've heard of a "betterman deal" but want to understand what the typical reduction would look like as I don't want to be massively out of pocket. 

Any advice

phey708

Hi is this the 1.2 petrol engine by any chance? If the oil isn't 0w20 and changed at least 10k every year the belts deteriate and block up the oil pickup starving the engine of its oil. Ideally the car should have FSH with evidence of the correct oil changed at least a year apart with no gaps. Given that you are getting both an engine fault light and oil warning light it sounds like this is the cuplrit, and if not stopped driving already, I would strongly advise against driving any more.

From experience a radar monitoring fault is very unlikely to cause an engine management light. It will usually show a different warning message on your screen when turning on cruise control for example or using the parking sensors.

Even after a belt change, and if the sump isn't removed and checked for debris (including the oil pickup), driving this any more will damange the engine and require replacement. My advice would be to get this towed if possible to the garage you purchased from and send a letter to them stating you are rejecting the vehicle. If you have financed this vehicle send a letter to the finance company as well explaining your intention to reject due to above issues as the finance company. If within 30 days (which isn't likely now as you said 2.5 months) you have a strong argument to reject the car and refuse a repair or replacement. Given that its taken them so long to try and resolve the issues I think you have exhausted the repairs avenue, and given the dealers bad advice, I wouldn't be accepting a replacement either.

Allow them some time to come back with a resolution, say 14-21 days, before sending a final response before county court claim. County court claim is last resort to chase the dealer for your money back so ideally stick to your guns with the dealer and demand nothing less than your money back. I had to to this before with a car that had issues and had to be be really stubbun and strict but it worked.

ontheroad1970

The battery is probably the reason for the stop/start not working.  Also if running demisters, and heated screens, stop/start will not function.  Battery is usually excluded from warranties etc because they are a consumable.

jimjames

ontheroad1970 said:

The battery is probably the reason for the stop/start not working.  Also if running demisters, and heated screens, stop/start will not function.  Battery is usually excluded from warranties etc because they are a consumable.

Yes, had exactly the same issue with my car (not Peugeot) and battery caused all sorts of errors including stopping steering working. Once replaced everything was working fine including the stop/start function. However from above it seems like the stop/start is the least of the issues here.

sheslookinhot

Drop the car off at the dealer, using an transporter, and give the sales manager a confirmation letter, referring to your previous intent to reject the car. 

Ask when you will be refunded. Tell them you assume 7-14 days.

Jimflo

Update - The dealership initially offered me £12,000 under Betterment. Told them where to go, they then offered £13k and have not come back with final offer of £13.5k (so effectively £679) less than originally paid. Should I accept this or go back for full refund?

phey708

I think given that you have had the car for 2.5 months they will probably deduct some for fair usage. I would probably look to accept that and move on and shake this off as a bad expeierence. You could probably look to get more but you would need some legal advice on next steps.

They will likely just stick on a new belt, change oil pump and oil strainer and flog on to someone else.

DE_612183

Jimflo said:

Update - The dealership initially offered me £12,000 under Betterment. Told them where to go, they then offered £13k and have not come back with final offer of £13.5k (so effectively £679) less than originally paid. Should I accept this or go back for full refund?

Hi, sorry - I thought you paid £14.5k - so doesn't that leave you £1000 out of pocket?

Jimflo

DE_612183 said:

Jimflo said:

Update - The dealership initially offered me £12,000 under Betterment. Told them where to go, they then offered £13k and have not come back with final offer of £13.5k (so effectively £679) less than originally paid. Should I accept this or go back for full refund?

Hi, sorry - I thought you paid £14.5k - so doesn't that leave you £1000 out of pocket?

Sorry, I paid £14,179 but couldn't amend the post once I submitted (well spotted though)