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Hi all
This is my first post, Morgs suggested that I post my issues on here. I've documented the probs in a letter to Trading Standards, so its probably easier to post the details from that on here then reinvent the wheel as it were:
Problems with Saab 9-5 Y903 UBF purchased from Cleveland Car Sales, Stockton Road, Middlesbrough TS5 4AQ
I would be grateful for your advise with the following issues I have had with a car I recently purchased, as above:
1. Car test driven 27/06/11. £200 deposit taken to hold car. Climate control not working – agreed to pay £40 in addition to £1000 asking price to pay for air conditioning to be re-gassed.
2. Purchased 30/06/2011. On date of purchase air conditioning was still not functioning despite receiving a text from the salesman Darren earlier in the day that the car was fully working with all issues fixed. On collecting the car, my partner Marc was advised by Darren that the air conditioning condenser needed replacing and that the garage would order the part and resolve this issue at no extra cost but that we would need to return the car the following week for this work to be carried out.
3. On date of purchase, after approximately 5 miles of driving, Marc noticed the oil warning light came on the dash and warning alarm sounded. He also noticed that the engine was making a wheezing/hissing noise with an apparent knocking sound with some feedback through the steering column and gear stick. At this point Marc called me at work and I had to leave work approximately 3 hours early to try to resolve this. We immediately returned the car to the dealer to ask them to resolve the problem. Darren test drove the car and then topped the car up with some oil. He said his colleague should have done this before the car was handed over. He did not have enough oil for the car and said that we should go to buy some. When we asked whether this was appropriate given that we had just purchased the car, and suggested that in fact, it was the dealer’s responsibility to ensure the car was in a fit state to be sold, he was rather rude and swore at us. After some discussion we unhappily took the car away without enough oil in it. At this time, the engine management light came on the dashboard, and we had to immediately return the car back to the garage. At this point Darren got back in the car and drove it away. He was gone for over 20 minutes. We were unaware of what was happening at this point. When he did return, it was in a different car, and our car was nowhere to be seen. He told us not to worry and that he had taken our car into a garage for a repair. At this point we had no means of transport to get home and collect our daughter from childcare. Darren then went to see someone who gave us a lift home.
4. On the afternoon of 01/07/11 Darren called to say the car was repaired and told me that it was “running perfectly”, and would be safe to drive to our trip to Alton Towers in Staffordshire that weekend. I left work approximately 4 hours early in order to collect the car again and ensure that it was as Darren described.
5. On 02/07/11 we drove to Staffordshire. The car developed the oil light problem and warning alarm on the journey there, and was problematic intermittently over the course of the weekend. I advised Darren at the dealership via text message on 03/07/11.
6. On 04/07/11 we received a text from Darren to say we could take the car back on 06/07/11 for further investigation
7. On 05/07/11 Marc drove the car briefly and the car’s engine became much noisier and the warning light and alarm also came on again. I contacted the garage and Darren and his colleague agreed to collect the car for repair. Again I had to leave work early in order to be home for them to collect the car. I asked them to keep me informed as to what was happening.
8. On 06/07/11 without any further communication since collecting the car, Darren’s colleague arrived at our house with the car. He said that they had driven the car around and had not found any fault with the car and no further repairs had been carried out. He did not mention at this point when the climate control on the car would be fixed. However on driving the car myself, the oil light and warning alarm fault is still apparent, intermittently.
9. On 07/07/11 the car’s engine still sounded “rough” and the oil light and warning alarm are still present intermittently. I text and called the garage to advise them of this but did not receive a response.
10. On 08/07/11 I called the garage again, to advise them again of the faults and also to ask when the air conditioning in the car would be fixed. I was advised that they did not have part for the air conditioning to be fixed, despite them saying initially we could take the car in on 07/07/11 for this to be done. That evening, I got in the car to go grocery shopping only to find I was totally unable to get the car into reverse gear, despite pumping the clutch, turning the engine off and on again. It made a loud grinding noise but would not go into reverse gear.
11. On 09/07/11 I drove the car to the garage. I was advised that Darren was on holiday but I spoke to his colleague and advised him of the ongoing issues as well as the new issue with the reverse gear. He told me to come back on Monday so that he could have a look at it. I expressed my concerns at driving the car with the amount of issues it had and for any further damage that might happen to the engine without the fault being identified and fixed. I refused to take the car and asked for a full refund, as I felt I had given the garage sufficient opportunity to resolve all the above issues and I was within my rights to ask for my money back. I was told that I would not be able to get my money back, that this was “just not possible”. Despite my stating my consumer rights, I was not offered a refund. I was told to leave my car so that they could look at it on Monday and that he would speak to Darren regarding a refund. He said that I bought the car “for nowt” so a refund was unlikely.
So, Cleveland Car Centre now have my £1000 which I paid for the car, plus £40 to have the air conditioning fixed, as well as the £143 for 6 months road tax. As yet I have not driven the car on a single journey without there being an issue, and feel that I should be entitled for a refund of all of the above money. I would be grateful for your advice regarding this matter.
Trading Standards advised us to write a letter and send recorded delivery, using 1 of their templates, detailing briefly the issues, and telling the garage that we reject the car as its not fit for purpose etc. Did this and got a reply in writing from the garage refuting all the claims and saying that they discounted the car so its pretty much tough luck.
We collected the car last Thurs and the oil pressure light etc has been resolved, and we had a mechanic check the car over at the weekend and he said he can see the sump has been off and that does seem to be done. However the gear box was almost completely empty of oil, and he said this will have caused damage to the gear box. We are really struggling to get the car into reverse and have noticed 1st and 2nd gear are difficult at times and changing down from 5th to 4th gear can be problematic.
Went back to the garage with the car today and took the letters from me and them - told them there were several issue in my letter that they hadn't addressed and was told in no uncertain terms that they were not prepared to do any further work on the car, and that I can take them to court. Tried to reason with them, wasn't even able to get my words out as they kept talking over the top of me.
This is such a nightmare - just wanted a decent car to start my nurse training in Sept!
Thanks
Jane
This is my first post, Morgs suggested that I post my issues on here. I've documented the probs in a letter to Trading Standards, so its probably easier to post the details from that on here then reinvent the wheel as it were:
Problems with Saab 9-5 Y903 UBF purchased from Cleveland Car Sales, Stockton Road, Middlesbrough TS5 4AQ
I would be grateful for your advise with the following issues I have had with a car I recently purchased, as above:
1. Car test driven 27/06/11. £200 deposit taken to hold car. Climate control not working – agreed to pay £40 in addition to £1000 asking price to pay for air conditioning to be re-gassed.
2. Purchased 30/06/2011. On date of purchase air conditioning was still not functioning despite receiving a text from the salesman Darren earlier in the day that the car was fully working with all issues fixed. On collecting the car, my partner Marc was advised by Darren that the air conditioning condenser needed replacing and that the garage would order the part and resolve this issue at no extra cost but that we would need to return the car the following week for this work to be carried out.
3. On date of purchase, after approximately 5 miles of driving, Marc noticed the oil warning light came on the dash and warning alarm sounded. He also noticed that the engine was making a wheezing/hissing noise with an apparent knocking sound with some feedback through the steering column and gear stick. At this point Marc called me at work and I had to leave work approximately 3 hours early to try to resolve this. We immediately returned the car to the dealer to ask them to resolve the problem. Darren test drove the car and then topped the car up with some oil. He said his colleague should have done this before the car was handed over. He did not have enough oil for the car and said that we should go to buy some. When we asked whether this was appropriate given that we had just purchased the car, and suggested that in fact, it was the dealer’s responsibility to ensure the car was in a fit state to be sold, he was rather rude and swore at us. After some discussion we unhappily took the car away without enough oil in it. At this time, the engine management light came on the dashboard, and we had to immediately return the car back to the garage. At this point Darren got back in the car and drove it away. He was gone for over 20 minutes. We were unaware of what was happening at this point. When he did return, it was in a different car, and our car was nowhere to be seen. He told us not to worry and that he had taken our car into a garage for a repair. At this point we had no means of transport to get home and collect our daughter from childcare. Darren then went to see someone who gave us a lift home.
4. On the afternoon of 01/07/11 Darren called to say the car was repaired and told me that it was “running perfectly”, and would be safe to drive to our trip to Alton Towers in Staffordshire that weekend. I left work approximately 4 hours early in order to collect the car again and ensure that it was as Darren described.
5. On 02/07/11 we drove to Staffordshire. The car developed the oil light problem and warning alarm on the journey there, and was problematic intermittently over the course of the weekend. I advised Darren at the dealership via text message on 03/07/11.
6. On 04/07/11 we received a text from Darren to say we could take the car back on 06/07/11 for further investigation
7. On 05/07/11 Marc drove the car briefly and the car’s engine became much noisier and the warning light and alarm also came on again. I contacted the garage and Darren and his colleague agreed to collect the car for repair. Again I had to leave work early in order to be home for them to collect the car. I asked them to keep me informed as to what was happening.
8. On 06/07/11 without any further communication since collecting the car, Darren’s colleague arrived at our house with the car. He said that they had driven the car around and had not found any fault with the car and no further repairs had been carried out. He did not mention at this point when the climate control on the car would be fixed. However on driving the car myself, the oil light and warning alarm fault is still apparent, intermittently.
9. On 07/07/11 the car’s engine still sounded “rough” and the oil light and warning alarm are still present intermittently. I text and called the garage to advise them of this but did not receive a response.
10. On 08/07/11 I called the garage again, to advise them again of the faults and also to ask when the air conditioning in the car would be fixed. I was advised that they did not have part for the air conditioning to be fixed, despite them saying initially we could take the car in on 07/07/11 for this to be done. That evening, I got in the car to go grocery shopping only to find I was totally unable to get the car into reverse gear, despite pumping the clutch, turning the engine off and on again. It made a loud grinding noise but would not go into reverse gear.
11. On 09/07/11 I drove the car to the garage. I was advised that Darren was on holiday but I spoke to his colleague and advised him of the ongoing issues as well as the new issue with the reverse gear. He told me to come back on Monday so that he could have a look at it. I expressed my concerns at driving the car with the amount of issues it had and for any further damage that might happen to the engine without the fault being identified and fixed. I refused to take the car and asked for a full refund, as I felt I had given the garage sufficient opportunity to resolve all the above issues and I was within my rights to ask for my money back. I was told that I would not be able to get my money back, that this was “just not possible”. Despite my stating my consumer rights, I was not offered a refund. I was told to leave my car so that they could look at it on Monday and that he would speak to Darren regarding a refund. He said that I bought the car “for nowt” so a refund was unlikely.
So, Cleveland Car Centre now have my £1000 which I paid for the car, plus £40 to have the air conditioning fixed, as well as the £143 for 6 months road tax. As yet I have not driven the car on a single journey without there being an issue, and feel that I should be entitled for a refund of all of the above money. I would be grateful for your advice regarding this matter.
Trading Standards advised us to write a letter and send recorded delivery, using 1 of their templates, detailing briefly the issues, and telling the garage that we reject the car as its not fit for purpose etc. Did this and got a reply in writing from the garage refuting all the claims and saying that they discounted the car so its pretty much tough luck.
We collected the car last Thurs and the oil pressure light etc has been resolved, and we had a mechanic check the car over at the weekend and he said he can see the sump has been off and that does seem to be done. However the gear box was almost completely empty of oil, and he said this will have caused damage to the gear box. We are really struggling to get the car into reverse and have noticed 1st and 2nd gear are difficult at times and changing down from 5th to 4th gear can be problematic.
Went back to the garage with the car today and took the letters from me and them - told them there were several issue in my letter that they hadn't addressed and was told in no uncertain terms that they were not prepared to do any further work on the car, and that I can take them to court. Tried to reason with them, wasn't even able to get my words out as they kept talking over the top of me.
This is such a nightmare - just wanted a decent car to start my nurse training in Sept!
Thanks
Jane
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