MOTOR OMBUDSMAN is it worth it?

Alsgirl1970

bought a car in July 2023, the garage had it back a couple of times in 2023. In 2024 the garage had it for nearly 3 and half months due to waiting parts.  I made a complaint to the motor ombudsman in July last year, I have sent all the evidence through to them, they've said that the garage have not responded.  I have tried to call them during their working hours but the phone lines says they are closed. I have replied to the email thread to ask for updates. I hear nothing back.  I explained back to the assessor that was collecting the evidence that I'd lost faith in the car and didn't feel safe driving it. I paid top price for this car as well.  I don't know what else to do now.  People suggest contacting these ombudsman people but yet they never come back to you.

Mildly_Miffed

I'm not sure why delays in parts supply over a year ago mean the car is unsafe to drive now.

Where is it stored if you haven't been driving it for the last year?

Are the garage still in business?

DullGreyGuy

Alsgirl1970 said:

bought a car in July 2023, the garage had it back a couple of times in 2023. In 2024 the garage had it for nearly 3 and half months due to waiting parts.  I made a complaint to the motor ombudsman in July last year, I have sent all the evidence through to them, they've said that the garage have not responded.  I have tried to call them during their working hours but the phone lines says they are closed. I have replied to the email thread to ask for updates. I hear nothing back.  I explained back to the assessor that was collecting the evidence that I'd lost faith in the car and didn't feel safe driving it. I paid top price for this car as well.  I don't know what else to do now.  People suggest contacting these ombudsman people but yet they never come back to you.

Each ombudsman is different and a lot depends on whatever laws back them up or if they are discretionary. 

Personally found the Motor Ombudsman very helpful but at the end of the day all the ombudsman can do to a firm that doesnt play ball with them is to kick them out and thats a long winded process. 


Presumably this was a secondhand car? When was the complaint to the ombudsman made? You haven't said what the complaint actually was about as presumably it wasnt the 3 month wait in 2024 for parts (which typically would be outside of the control the garage)

Nobbie1967

Sounds like you should sell it or PX it for another car if you’ve lost faith in it. It’s unfortunate that parts weren’t available to fix the car, but that’s not the fault of the garage that sold it to you. Has it been fine since you got it back? Wha5 car is it?

Alsgirl1970

Mildly_Miffed said:

I'm not sure why delays in parts supply over a year ago mean the car is unsafe to drive now.

Where is it stored if you haven't been driving it for the last year?

Are the garage still in business?

Nobbie1967 said:

Sounds like you should sell it or PX it for another car if you’ve lost faith in it. It’s unfortunate that parts weren’t available to fix the car, but that’s not the fault of the garage that sold it to you. Has it been fine since you got it back? Wha5 car is it?

it's a DS5, the engine warning light came on so took it straight back to the garage, they put 10 litres of AdBlue in it and reset the computer, half way home the engine warning light came back on, they said that it needed a new AdBlue tank which would take about a month as it was coming from France, when it finally arrived it wouldn't talk to the onboard computer so it needed another new part, hench why waiting 3 and half months, i had to sorn while it was there.  I complained the the garage, the manager suggested if i wasn't happy to report it to the motor ombudsman, so that's what i did.  i had to buy a little run around while it was in the garage. when i spoke to the assessor i told her i wasn't happy with the car and asked should i get rid of it, she suggested i keep it until an adjudicator had been allocated to my case. 

paul_c123

Realistically, what do you want as an outcome?

Nobbie1967

Alsgirl1970 said:

Mildly_Miffed said:

I'm not sure why delays in parts supply over a year ago mean the car is unsafe to drive now.

Where is it stored if you haven't been driving it for the last year?

Are the garage still in business?

Nobbie1967 said:

Sounds like you should sell it or PX it for another car if you’ve lost faith in it. It’s unfortunate that parts weren’t available to fix the car, but that’s not the fault of the garage that sold it to you. Has it been fine since you got it back? Wha5 car is it?

it's a DS5, the engine warning light came on so took it straight back to the garage, they put 10 litres of AdBlue in it and reset the computer, half way home the engine warning light came back on, they said that it needed a new AdBlue tank which would take about a month as it was coming from France, when it finally arrived it wouldn't talk to the onboard computer so it needed another new part, hench why waiting 3 and half months, i had to sorn while it was there.  I complained the the garage, the manager suggested if i wasn't happy to report it to the motor ombudsman, so that's what i did.  i had to buy a little run around while it was in the garage. when i spoke to the assessor i told her i wasn't happy with the car and asked should i get rid of it, she suggested i keep it until an adjudicator had been allocated to my case. 

If that was their advice then no, it’s not worth involving the ombudsman. Just get rid of the car and move on.

Mildly_Miffed

So it's a car that was discontinued from the market in 2018, 7 years old at least.

My question was what's happening with this car that you don't feel is safe since the parts delay?

If you're driving it around, then you must be comfortable with the safety - although an AdBlue problem would not affect that. Has it had more AdBlue issues since the fault was resolved?

Alsgirl1970

Mildly_Miffed said:

So it's a car that was discontinued from the market in 2018, 7 years old at least.

My question was what's happening with this car that you don't feel is safe since the parts delay?

If you're driving it around, then you must be comfortable with the safety - although an AdBlue problem would not affect that. Has it had more AdBlue issues since the fault was resolved?

Drive it now and again to keep everything working. Yes had issues with adblue, there's no gauge or message when it's low, so I just put 5 litres in every few months. Think I will get rid of it now seeing as they've discontinued it. Thankyou for replying I appreciate it