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Hi there
I bought a used Citroen DS3 from an independent dealership on 4th Sept for £5500.
When we viewed and test drove the vehicle, it was already warm and we didn't identify any issues.
However within the first couple of weeks of owning the vehicle we spotted a noticeable rattle from the engine when cold, and also a turbo noise when the engine was warm.
I finally managed to get the car to my local mechanic on the 1st for him to have a look, and he advised me that it looked like a timing chain rattle and a turbo noise, but he'd need to book it back in for a more in depth investigation. However he suggested that the repairs would probably run into thousands of pounds.
At this point, I phoned the dealership and advised them of the potential faults and that rhe vehicle was booked in for further diagnostics the following week.
They advised to call back once I'd had the diagnostics done and we'd go from there.
As far as I'm concerned, this is me notifying then within 30 days of a fault with the car.
Once I had the car diagnosed on the 7th Oct and got the confirmation that there were actually 3 faults on the car, I decided to take the car back to the dealership as they weren't answering the phone.
Upon explaining the faults, they advised that they would need to get the car inspected by their mechanic, but with it being a Friday it would probably be the following Mon or Tues before they could get it inspected. I made no objections, as this was a 2nd vehicle so we could manage without it for a few days.
After multiple chases on the Mon, Tues and Weds ofntyenfoloowitn week they finally advised on the Thurs that their mechanic agreed with the assesment. However due to the size and complexity of the repairs, they weren't willing and/or able to do it. The dealer did also mentioned fair wear and tear as a consideration, but I wouldn't expect either items to need replacing on a 13 plate car with 60k miles.
At this point, it was requested that I get a formal quote from my garage, and once that was received we can agree next steps.
The final quote came back at just under £2200, which is almost half the purchase price. I forwarded this quote over to the dealership along with the option of returning the car to them for a full refund, and awaited their response.
After lots of chasing, they finally got back to me with an offer of a £1600 contribution to the repairs. They advised that the car was returned to them for inspection outside of the 30 day return window, however as above I clearly made them aware within the 30 day window.
Whilst this has been happening, my wife has lost all faith in the car and doesn't want it even if repaired. So we've been looking at purchasing a new/nearly new vehicle over the past few days. As part of this we would ideally look to px the DS3. However it's valuing out at only £2700 with the faults. So with the £1600 contribution that still leaves us with a £1200 loss.
We've also read some additional reviews about the dealership where people have a had similar issue and had to resort to issuing small claims proceedings in order to get a refund.
So my question is should I go back and push harder to get a refund, given that we reported the issues within the 30 days?
Or should I just take the money and run. Whilst a £1200 loss is a bit of a bitter pill to swallow, we're not dependant on that money for anything else.
Any suggestions?
Thanks
Gavin
I bought a used Citroen DS3 from an independent dealership on 4th Sept for £5500.
When we viewed and test drove the vehicle, it was already warm and we didn't identify any issues.
However within the first couple of weeks of owning the vehicle we spotted a noticeable rattle from the engine when cold, and also a turbo noise when the engine was warm.
I finally managed to get the car to my local mechanic on the 1st for him to have a look, and he advised me that it looked like a timing chain rattle and a turbo noise, but he'd need to book it back in for a more in depth investigation. However he suggested that the repairs would probably run into thousands of pounds.
At this point, I phoned the dealership and advised them of the potential faults and that rhe vehicle was booked in for further diagnostics the following week.
They advised to call back once I'd had the diagnostics done and we'd go from there.
As far as I'm concerned, this is me notifying then within 30 days of a fault with the car.
Once I had the car diagnosed on the 7th Oct and got the confirmation that there were actually 3 faults on the car, I decided to take the car back to the dealership as they weren't answering the phone.
Upon explaining the faults, they advised that they would need to get the car inspected by their mechanic, but with it being a Friday it would probably be the following Mon or Tues before they could get it inspected. I made no objections, as this was a 2nd vehicle so we could manage without it for a few days.
After multiple chases on the Mon, Tues and Weds ofntyenfoloowitn week they finally advised on the Thurs that their mechanic agreed with the assesment. However due to the size and complexity of the repairs, they weren't willing and/or able to do it. The dealer did also mentioned fair wear and tear as a consideration, but I wouldn't expect either items to need replacing on a 13 plate car with 60k miles.
At this point, it was requested that I get a formal quote from my garage, and once that was received we can agree next steps.
The final quote came back at just under £2200, which is almost half the purchase price. I forwarded this quote over to the dealership along with the option of returning the car to them for a full refund, and awaited their response.
After lots of chasing, they finally got back to me with an offer of a £1600 contribution to the repairs. They advised that the car was returned to them for inspection outside of the 30 day return window, however as above I clearly made them aware within the 30 day window.
Whilst this has been happening, my wife has lost all faith in the car and doesn't want it even if repaired. So we've been looking at purchasing a new/nearly new vehicle over the past few days. As part of this we would ideally look to px the DS3. However it's valuing out at only £2700 with the faults. So with the £1600 contribution that still leaves us with a £1200 loss.
We've also read some additional reviews about the dealership where people have a had similar issue and had to resort to issuing small claims proceedings in order to get a refund.
So my question is should I go back and push harder to get a refund, given that we reported the issues within the 30 days?
Or should I just take the money and run. Whilst a £1200 loss is a bit of a bitter pill to swallow, we're not dependant on that money for anything else.
Any suggestions?
Thanks
Gavin
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