Brought a car without the correct fixings?

[Katie-Charlotte]

Hello

I purchased a secondhand Land Rover Freelander. It was sold as having a hard top and a soft top meaning the hard top could be taken off and switched for the soft top. When we brought it it had the hard top on and we asked the manager how its changed and he said he doesn't know, but he suggested it would be a two man job.

A few weeks after purchase my husband and my brother tried to change it, they got the hard top off and read through the instructions but in the bag the man gave us of the fittings needed for the soft top he had left out about 5 pieces. They showed the pieces needed in the manual and only a couple of those pieces where there. Therefore, the roof could not go on, we searched the interior of the car and couldn't find anything.

We spoke to a landrover specialist who gave us a quote for the pieces as we thought if they where cheap we may as well buy them ourselves. They where not cheap, at all. I phoned the garage today and spoke to the same man about an alarm fault with the car (alarm won't stop going off unless I key lock the door) he tried to tell me it was fine but I persisted and he said he would get me booked in to look at it. I then mentioned the soft top fixings and he bluntly said "what do you want me to do about it?" I asked if there was anyway he could contact who previously traded in the car and ask if they had them and he said he would try but if they didn't then there was nothing he could do about it.

The car was sold to me as having a soft top, I have the soft top in my garage that is essentially useless without the correct fittings and for the money I paid I assumed that I would be able to use this soft top. Is he legally required to replace the missing pieces?

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Just to mention, we have a 3 month warranty

[sean5302]

Re: Brought a car without the correct fixings?

Hello Katie-Charlotte and welcome to LB.
There's a well-known phrase when buying secondhand vehicles.
Caveat emptor, which means buyer beware.
Having said that, a dealer is expected to show a bit more knowledge than a private seller.
How much will it cost to get the parts?
Is the garage part of a big group?
Can you try and negotiate to get some of the cost from them?
We'll try and help you, but it may involve you issuing a county court claim. Much better to try and get a sensible deal from the garage.

[des8]

Re: Brought a car without the correct fixings?

Sean is right advising you try and sort out the problem with the dealer first.
However if they won't play ball, remind them the vehicle has to accord with its description, be fit for purpose and of satisfactory quality.
The soft top is not fit for purpose if only some of the necessary fittings are available.
Besides the option of County Court, if you used a credit card when purchasing the vehicle you may have a claim against the credit card issuer, as you would also against the finance house if you have purchased through them.