Problems with a purchased car

[Shirley Temple]

Hi all,
I'm looking for a bit of advice,
My husband and I purchased a 3 year old car back in May, we brought it using finance from a garage,
Since May we have had the car back in the garage no less than 5 times for faults, Now it's coming up to 6 months since we got it and it has another problem, it went back in last week and they said it was the glow plugs and that they were not covered under warranty so I told them we should get them replaced under the sales of goods act,
The lady was surprised by this but they agreed to sort it out, they had the car over night Weds and I picked it up last Thursday, all sorted so I thought, the car still seemed a little juddery when cold so I was going to call them this afternoon when I got home from work, but on the way the warning light came back on,
I called the garage and spoke to the lady who informed me that they only replaced the one plug that the computer was saying was gone/faulty and that maybe another one has now gone, to which I replied that I thought you were replacing them all, and she said no only the one that was faulty,

I have to take it back in again next week for them to take another look at it,
My husband is really annoyed about the trouble we have had since we got the car and keeps saying he wants to give it them back as we have had noting but hassle with it,
My questions are: Where do I go from here? Can we hand it back? Or can we swap it for another car from them that's in the same price range?

Im not sure what to do as I do need the car and obviously cannot afford to keep taking it back to them,

TIA

[ostell]

Re: Problems with a purchased car

You can tell the garage that you are rejecting the car and you want your money back. You may have to drop the car back with them and make other arrangements.

What sort of money are you talking about, in case it needs to go to court?

[des8]

Re: Problems with a purchased car

When you reject the vehicle confirm it IN WRITING.

Here's a template you can use:
[Your address]
[Manager/ Owner]
[Dealership address]
Dear Sir/ Madam
Ref: [registration number of vehicle]
On [date] I purchased, and took delivery of, the above vehicle [make and model] from you. On [date] I discovered that it was not of satisfactory quality: [describe the problem].
Section 14 of the Sale of Goods Act 1979 requires dealers to supply goods of satisfactory quality. However, the vehicle is clearly unroadworthy. You are therefore in breach of contract.
I am legally entitled to reject the vehicle and to be reimbursed for its full purchase price of [£xx]. I look forward to receiving your cheque for this sum within 14 days. If you fail to reimburse me I shall have no alternative but to issue a claim against you in the county court for recovery of the money without further reference to you.
Yours faithfully,

Send it recorded and keep the PO receipt

They may offer to repair it yet again, but you do not have to accept the offer.
If an agreement can be reached, you could accept a replacement vehicle, but again it is your choice to accept. You do not have to accept a replacement vehicle.

[Shirley Temple]

Re: Problems with a purchased car

Thanks,
I am a bit unsure on rejecting the car as I have put quite a few miles on it since I got the car from them,
cash price was just over 9 grand but we have brought the car on finance and the final price is close to 15 grand, I'm concerned that if we reject the car we would be left owing and having to pay money for a car we no longer have ie to pay all the interest and added extras we got with it including the extended warranty,

They did replace A glow plug but no longer had I got the car home than a few days later the warning came back on again and the car is still juddering when cold which is still a problem with the glow plugs, I called the garage up and again the lady was surprised and gave me some bull story about "we replaced the plug that was needed, but maybe now another one wants replacing as it could have been working extra hard with one already gone".

Should I demand that ALL the plugs be replaced and also put it in writing that I have had several problems with the car and if anymore arise in a few months then I shall be looking at rejecting the car or can I not do this, The 6 months was up on the 12th of this month however this problem was reported to them before this but due to my circumstances and the garage not having a courtesy car it could not go to them before next week,

Any other help is appreciated

TIA xxx

[stevemLS]

Re: Problems with a purchased car

Rejecting a car is not straightforward and I think six months is far too late.

[des8]

Re: Problems with a purchased car

After the six month mark is passed the onus to prove "unfit for purpose" or "unsatisfactory quality" passes to the purchaser.
This might not be too difficult in this case as you have been back and forth to the dealer.
However if you succeed in rejecting the vehicle you most probably will not recoup the whole purchase price.
By your own admission you have "put quite a few miles on it" and the use you have had will be deducted from the purchase price.(recision). I have read of instances where the deduction was 50p +VAT per mile.
Also as it was purchased on finance you would have to do it through the finance house.
If you used a credit card for part of the purchase you might be able to use Section 75.
As Steve says, far from straightforward.

If you are really unhappy with the vehicle have you considered obtaining a report from a main dealer (assuming the supply garage was not)?

[Shirley Temple]

Re: Problems with a purchased car

Just a little update,
My car went back in again last week as it was still juddering and the warning light came back on, they had the car for 2 days and when I went to collect it, it now turns out they are saying it's the "Intake Manifold", They have informed me that this can be replaced under the Vauxhall warrenty but the car has to go to their main Vauxhall dealers which is around 222 miles round trip from me, they said they would cover the cost of the fuel but it will add more miles to my car,

Should they really be driving my car and be adding that many miles to it?

Plus how much more of this should I take before I should/can make a complaint to the head of Stoneacre?

I have paid a lot of money (Finance) for this car and it has done nothing but been in and out of the garage since we got it (May)

TIA xxx

[Tools]

Re: Problems with a purchased car

Ask for them to collect it, if the car is undriveable they should have it collected by a car transporter/recovery vehicle.

[des8]

Re: Problems with a purchased car

I would already have complained and even left a complaint on their Facebook page!
Have you contacted the Finance House?
Is that Vauxhall Main Dealer a Stoneacre dealership? Are there any Vauxhall main dealers nearer you?
Search here: http://www.vauxhall.co.uk/tools/vaux...te-dealer.html
If there is a nearer dealership, IMO that's where you should be headed.

[Shirley Temple]

Re: Problems with a purchased car

Ask for them to collect it, if the car is undriveable they should have it collected by a car transporter/recovery vehicle.

It can be driven, it's just the extra mirage that I am thinking about xxx

[Shirley Temple]

Re: Problems with a purchased car

I would already have complained and even left a complaint on their Facebook page!
Have you contacted the Finance House?
Is that Vauxhall Main Dealer a Stoneacre dealership? Are there any Vauxhall main dealers nearer you?
Search here: http://www.vauxhall.co.uk/tools/vaux...te-dealer.html
If there is a nearer dealership, IMO that's where you should be headed.

Hi yes I'm presuming it's a stoneacre dealership that deals with Vauxhalls as the Stoneacre I use deal in Fiat,
Why would I contact the finance house? Sorry I'm blonde,
My hubby did complain to the dealership but they just fibbed him off with "all cars develop problems, we could not have foreseen this"
I don't know if there is a Vauxhall dealership near me I've not looked into it as I have a life time warranty with Stoneacre and if I take it somewhere else I will probs have to pay for it,

TIA xxx

[des8]

Re: Problems with a purchased car

I hoped the warranty may have been the Vauxhall Lifetime Warranty (http://www.vauxhall.co.uk/owners_ser..._warranty.html)
Check the wording of your warranty to see if it specifies only using Stoneacre.

The reason for contacting the finance house (if purchasing on HP) is that they are the owners of the vehicle, and legally responsible to you as hirer. This affects your rights of rejection.

[Shirley Temple]

Re: Problems with a purchased car

Hi,
it's me AGAIN lol, just looking for some advice yet again,
I got the car back from stoneacre after they had taken it down to Grantham to have the intake manifold replaced, I got it back just under two weeks ago, then this afternoon the light came on saying there was a problem and it's gone into limp mode, I called the AA and they are towing the car from my home to stoneacre in the morning and they took me to get a courtesy car, what do you guys suggest I do, because me and my husband are at the end of our teachers with this car now, Stoneacre are just taking the p@€s,
should I threaten to take the car to a Vauxhall dealers for them to sort the car out and send them the bill? What if stoneacre refuse to sort/pay to solve the problem,

Bear in mind that I have had this car for just over the 6 month mark but it has been back and forth to stoa acre ever since I got the car (approx more than 10 times).

I just don't know what to do and where I stand legally so any help is appreciated.

TIA

[des8]

Re: Problems with a purchased car

Have you been in contact with the finance company?
Other than continuing to take the vehicle back to Stoneacre, if you want to reject it you have to go through the finance company.

Or you could try a complaint to their CEO: Shaun.Foweather@stoneacre.co.uk detailing the problems you have had.
If that doesn't produce a result there is their Facebook page............

[Shirley Temple]

Re: Problems with a purchased car

Have you been in contact with the finance company?
Other than continuing to take the vehicle back to Stoneacre, if you want to reject it you have to go through the finance company.

Or you could try a complaint to their CEO: Shaun.Foweather@stoneacre.co.uk detailing the problems you have had.
If that doesn't produce a result there is their Facebook page............

I am going to call the finance company tomorrow n explain the situation to them and see what advice they can offer,
The only thing that stops me from rejecting it is the amount of mileage we have put on the car since we got it, we've put about 8000 on it since May ( my family live around 200 miles away) this was the reason we brought a fairly new car because we travel a lot and I also travel on my own so we wanted a reliable car.
I will get in touch with the CEO and see what he has to say about it all,

I'm at the end of my teather with it and just not sure which way to go, if I could afford it I would see a solicitor and get some legal advice,

TIA x