Leasing Experience from HELL

Bish25

Hi everyone,

I’m looking for some advice regarding my Jaguar I-Pace, which I lease through my business.

The car was fine for the first six months, but then a battery cell died and needed replacing. Since that error appeared, I’ve been limited to a 70% charge—around 130 miles—which isn’t practical for work.

I had to wait five months for the replacement part to arrive. During that time, I was given a Volvo replacement vehicle, but this caused me to pay more in Benefit-In-Kind tax due to the length of the lease period with the replacement car.

Once the battery was replaced, the car was fine for only two months before the same fault occurred again. This issue has now happened four times in a year and a half. The latest fault appeared on 29/05/25, but Jaguar can’t book a diagnostic appointment until 08/07/25—and that’s just for a diagnosis, not a repair.

I’ve tried to discuss this with Arval, but they aren’t willing to help. I’m stuck with a car that doesn’t deliver the promised battery range.

Where should I go from here?

Thanks in advance for any advice.

DullGreyGuy

Bish25 said:

I’m looking for some advice regarding my Jaguar I-Pace, which I lease through my business.

The car was fine for the first six months, but then a battery cell died and needed replacing. Since that error appeared, I’ve been limited to a 70% charge—around 130 miles—which isn’t practical for work.

I had to wait five months for the replacement part to arrive. During that time, I was given a Volvo replacement vehicle, but this caused me to pay more in Benefit-In-Kind tax due to the length of the lease period with the replacement car.

Once the battery was replaced, the car was fine for only two months before the same fault occurred again. This issue has now happened four times in a year and a half. The latest fault appeared on 29/05/25, but Jaguar can’t book a diagnostic appointment until 08/07/25—and that’s just for a diagnosis, not a repair.

I’ve tried to discuss this with Arval, but they aren’t willing to help. I’m stuck with a car that doesn’t deliver the promised battery range.

Where should I go from here?

Thanks in advance for any advice.

You say business, I assume you mean limited company given the mention of BIK?

Have you spoken to your accountant about the BIK? I wouldnt have thought if the company has arranged for you to have X but its in for repair and so the garage has given you a Y courtesy car that you would change the BIK to the courtesy car rather than the car leased. 

Given it's a company purchase it won't have consumer rights and so you need to read the lease agreement about what rights the company has in terms of a defective vehicle. 

Bish25

DullGreyGuy said:

Bish25 said:

I’m looking for some advice regarding my Jaguar I-Pace, which I lease through my business.

The car was fine for the first six months, but then a battery cell died and needed replacing. Since that error appeared, I’ve been limited to a 70% charge—around 130 miles—which isn’t practical for work.

I had to wait five months for the replacement part to arrive. During that time, I was given a Volvo replacement vehicle, but this caused me to pay more in Benefit-In-Kind tax due to the length of the lease period with the replacement car.

Once the battery was replaced, the car was fine for only two months before the same fault occurred again. This issue has now happened four times in a year and a half. The latest fault appeared on 29/05/25, but Jaguar can’t book a diagnostic appointment until 08/07/25—and that’s just for a diagnosis, not a repair.

I’ve tried to discuss this with Arval, but they aren’t willing to help. I’m stuck with a car that doesn’t deliver the promised battery range.

Where should I go from here?

Thanks in advance for any advice.

You say business, I assume you mean limited company given the mention of BIK?

Have you spoken to your accountant about the BIK? I wouldnt have thought if the company has arranged for you to have X but its in for repair and so the garage has given you a Y courtesy car that you would change the BIK to the courtesy car rather than the car leased. 

Given it's a company purchase it won't have consumer rights and so you need to read the lease agreement about what rights the company has in terms of a defective vehicle. 

Hi, Yes i am a Limited company. 

Yeah was the accountant that set it all up, reason was the time frame i had the car, was longer than 3 months i think he mentioned.

Yeah thought i was in trouble as i don't have consumer rights, will check the contract. It is just a nightmare for work being limited and electric charging. Just not providing the service i signed up for. 

Stateofart

EVs...great deals especially on BIK...downside is it's very new tech.  There's a reason why they're trying to make it so attractive...they can't shift them privately.  

WellKnownSid

Stateofart said:

EVs...great deals especially on BIK...downside is it's very new tech.  There's a reason why they're trying to make it so attractive...they can't shift them privately.  

Our EV is a 13 year old design, brilliant car.

Not sure if the 'can't shift them privately' thing is accurate though - there were 400,000 EVs in private ownership as far back in 2023.

I think the OP's issue is that it's a JLR car which isn't synonymous for reliability and the I-Pace won an award for being the most unreliable Electric SUV in 2023 I believe.

born_again

Stateofart said:

EVs...great deals especially on BIK...downside is it's very new tech.  There's a reason why they're trying to make it so attractive...they can't shift them privately.  

How many are on PCP or lease?
As they are in reality a private sale at the end of the day.

Only difference is a company has bought them, & charging a customer for the privilege of using the car.

ontheroad1970

Of course they are a private sale if purchased as a consumer, regardless of credit line.

Mildly_Miffed

Bish25 said:

Hi, Yes i am a Limited company. 

You are not a limited company, you are a person.

You may well be the director and shareholder of the limited company that employs you, and which leases the car.

You then use a car that your employer provides you, and hence pay BiK tax on it.

Because this is a business transaction, not a consumer one, the Consumer Rights Act 2015 does not apply.

The company's gripe here is not against the financier, but against the Jaguar dealer with whom you are dealing.