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Hi All
I am hoping someone can help. I purchased a car in July 2019. Several months later I spoke to the salesman who sold me the car on his personal phone (he had since left the business) and was told that the vehicle had been involved in an accident whilst at the dealership and had a lot of front end damage. I challenged the dealership and they said that it had been in a minor accident and it was cosmetic. I asked for photos and a parts list. This was outside the 30 day return window and they offered to buy the car back at £10K less than I paid for it. In the meantime I had decided I no longer wanted the car because of the accident damage I sold the vehicle at a loss of £10k elsewhere as I had no faith in the original dealer. At a later date I received the parts list and photos and the vehicle had far more than cosmetic damage, the dealer had spent about 40% of the value of the car in repairs. I believed ultimately that the car was road worth after the repairs however I wouldn't have purchased if I had known about it. Additionally as well as withholding the accident damage at the point of sale, the salesman had confirmed to me that the vehicle hadn't been in any road accidents or had any work done. Both of these statements were untrue.
I have been through a claims process with the Motor Ombudsman and they concluded that information had been withheld but I couldn't prove that I had been lied to as I had no written evidence. I was awarded an apology by the dealership. So onto my questions is this worth pursuing through the small claims court? Do I have any legal grounds? I am looking to recover around £9000. Would I be able to represent myself?
Thanks in advance.
I am hoping someone can help. I purchased a car in July 2019. Several months later I spoke to the salesman who sold me the car on his personal phone (he had since left the business) and was told that the vehicle had been involved in an accident whilst at the dealership and had a lot of front end damage. I challenged the dealership and they said that it had been in a minor accident and it was cosmetic. I asked for photos and a parts list. This was outside the 30 day return window and they offered to buy the car back at £10K less than I paid for it. In the meantime I had decided I no longer wanted the car because of the accident damage I sold the vehicle at a loss of £10k elsewhere as I had no faith in the original dealer. At a later date I received the parts list and photos and the vehicle had far more than cosmetic damage, the dealer had spent about 40% of the value of the car in repairs. I believed ultimately that the car was road worth after the repairs however I wouldn't have purchased if I had known about it. Additionally as well as withholding the accident damage at the point of sale, the salesman had confirmed to me that the vehicle hadn't been in any road accidents or had any work done. Both of these statements were untrue.
I have been through a claims process with the Motor Ombudsman and they concluded that information had been withheld but I couldn't prove that I had been lied to as I had no written evidence. I was awarded an apology by the dealership. So onto my questions is this worth pursuing through the small claims court? Do I have any legal grounds? I am looking to recover around £9000. Would I be able to represent myself?
Thanks in advance.
