Rejecting a used car - checking that I’ve done everything right so far

Fumpage

On the 9th of July I bought a new car on Halifax car finance. Later that the engine fault light came on. Reported it to the dealer immediately by email and phone. They seemed slow to deal with it, telling me I would need an appointment to bring it in to their garage but not actually giving me an appointment, telling me the person handling the claim would be in touch to arrange one and not doing that.

Eventually after daily phone calls and emails and after I reported the issues to the finance company (I suspect this is what prompted them) they booked me in on the 18th. Diagnosed it and found a couple of faulty sensors.

On the 21st they agreed to provide a courtesy car while waiting for the parts to be delivered and fitted.

Repairs were completed on the 25th (shortly before the garage closed for the weekend) so I collected it on the 28th and returned the courtesy car. Just before I got home the engine light came on. I have advised the dealer and finance company that I want to return the car, cancel the finance and get my deposit back. I don’t want to spend the next few years of driving waiting for the light to come back on. I’m within the 30 day consumer rights deadline. Dealer wants me to bring the car in so they can diagnose it again and report it to their refusals department which I have agreed to do.

Anyway, reason for posting - is there anything I’ve missed? Are Halifax likely to push back on returning the car? (as per the terms, it’s their decision to make) Should I be doing anything in the meantime while waiting for a decision?

born_again

Is this a brand new car or a 2nd hand one?

Fumpage

Used, from a big car supermarket type place

paul_c123

Empty all your personal possessions, take both keys, all documentation including the V5 and leave that with the car. Then tell them when you're bringing the car in, its for a refund, not repair. They still have the right to diagnose it, if they don't find anything wrong (you have a photo of the dash with the EML on, right?) then they can refuse it, but if the light's on, it should be all the evidence you need. They get one chance to fix it and they've tried already.

Fumpage

paul_c123 said:

Empty all your personal possessions, take both keys, all documentation including the V5 and leave that with the car. Then tell them when you're bringing the car in, its for a refund, not repair. They still have the right to diagnose it, if they don't find anything wrong (you have a photo of the dash with the EML on, right?) then they can refuse it, but if the light's on, it should be all the evidence you need. They get one chance to fix it and they've tried already.

That’s what I assumed/hoped, just wondered if they might try and claim that it was the faulty sensors that caused the light to come on the first time and this is a different issue so they get another chance to repair this one

Myci85

Within 30 days, I don't believe you have to give them a chance to fix it do you? I thought that was if it was within 6 months but longer than first 30 days?

(I could be muddled as a few months have passed now, but I read up on it all earlier in the year when helping my son reject a car within 30 days).

Fumpage

Myci85 said:

Within 30 days, I don't believe you have to give them a chance to fix it do you? I thought that was if it was within 6 months but longer than first 30 days?

(I could be muddled as a few months have passed now, but I read up on it all earlier in the year when helping my son reject a car within 30 days).

I’ve read conflicting advice, but I gave them their chance to fix it because I really like the car, the combination of age, mileage and spec made it seem so much better than anything else in my budget. But I should have remembered the old saying about when something seems too good to be true…