Car on finance from dealership - faulty within 6months, my rights?

[Viki61]

In April my husband puchased a Ford car from a dealership on finance.

It started to make a knocking sound from the steering after approx 5 weeks (mid May), we took it to a garage who had a look over the car and advised that the sterring rack was at fault and there was an oil leak. We called the dealership who advised us to call the warranty company, who reccomended a garage of their choice to look over the car, we asked if we could take it to Ford (we had all the work on our last car done here and as it was Ford car this was our preference) the warranty agreed and it went off to to Ford and no faults were found with the steering rack, only a slight oil leak and 2 washers fixed this.

Moving forward to last week and the knocking sound returns and steering to the right became increasingly difficult almost impossible. The warrantyexpired July 2014 (we've already paid out repairs for new hoses, 3 days out of warranty) so off we go to the garage to be told the steering rack is broken and needs replacing at a cost of £790- the car was undrivable so we had to have the repairs done.

I wish to complain to someone but am confused who I take my grevience up with, do I go to the dealer, ford, the warranty company or even the finance company as I understand they maybe liable in some way?

I know things happen but after having a report from a garage with the reccomendation and Ford not finding anything I am cross that this part did require replacing and was obviously at fault.

Any advice would be much appreicated, thank you in advance.
Viki61

[Wombats]

Re: Car on finance from dealership - faulty within 6months, my rights?

Have a look here - it's not as user friiendly as the old version, but has loads of info on the Sale of Goods Act, your rights and those of the business.

http://www.businesscompanion.info/en/in-depth-guides

[des8]

Re: Car on finance from dealership - faulty within 6months, my rights?

Initially return to the dealers.
Don't get concerned with the warranty, you have rights under the Sale of Goods Act 1979
At the time of sale the goods must be of satisfactory quality.
If the fault appears within the first six months the onus is on the dealer to prove the vehicle was of satisfactory quality.
With a fault such as this I would expect the dealer to repair the vehicle.
As you bought the car in April, and it is now 1st October you are probably within the six months time limit, so contact dealer and ask for repair.
If you do it over the phone in the first instance do confirm by letter, sent signed for.

You might find this site a useful read:http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/englan..._is_faulty.htm http://

[Viki61]

Re: Car on finance from dealership - faulty within 6months, my rights?

[QUOTE=des8;476167]Initially return to the dealers.
Don't get concerned with the warranty, you have rights under the Sale of Goods Act 1979
At the time of sale the goods must be of satisfactory quality.
If the fault appears within the first six months the onus is on the dealer to prove the vehicle was of satisfactory quality.
With a fault such as this I would expect the dealer to repair the vehicle.
As you bought the car in April, and it is now 1st October you are probably within the six months time limit, so contact dealer and ask for repair.
If you do it over the phone in the first instance do confirm by letter, sent signed for.

You might find this site a useful read:http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/englan..._is_faulty.htm http://[/QUOTE

the dealer is over 170 miles away the car couldn't be driven and needed fixing so I have already had the repair carried out before realising my consumer rights. I assumed out of warranty = tough!

[Wombats]

Re: Car on finance from dealership - faulty within 6months, my rights?

Yep, as stated in the link I provided http://www.businesscompanion.info/en/quick-guides/goods :

When you have to offer a refund, repair or replacement

If you are in dispute with the consumer about whether or not the goods are faulty and the consumer wants a refund, it's down to him to prove that the goods are faulty.
However, if the consumer wants a replacement or repair in the first instance, there is a six-month period after sale when you must prove that the goods 'conformed to the contract' - that is, they were not faulty - when you supplied them.

[des8]

Re: Car on finance from dealership - faulty within 6months, my rights?

I think a section 75 claim against the finance company can only be made if you are rejecting the vehicle (but others here will know better.

Unfortunately by having the work done and not giving the dealership the opportunity I think you have lost your rights.
All I can suggest is a letter advising the dealership that the steering failed again, and as the vehicle must have been of unsatisfactory quality you would appreciate a contribution to the cost of repair. Because of the distance involved you had it repaired locally. (Of course some dealers travel all over the country collecting and delivering cars so 170 miles might not be considered far)

I'm a bit surprised that the initial knocking in the steering system was cured by the replacement of a couple of washers (?seals).
Knocking is indicative of loose, worn or broken parts
When it finally broke did the garage say what exactly had broken. To say "it Broke" is almost meaningless.
Just wondering if original examination and repair was satisfactory.