Mis Match

I purchased a new Volkswagen Golf 1.4TSI Match from a Volkswagen franchise on 24th November, 2010. I bought the car for £16,600.

On 27 November 2010 I received the V5C, however my name was spelled incorrectly wrong and the model was listed as an SE instead of a Match. The same day I spoke to the Sales Manager and pointed out the errors. He said the DVLA had got it wrong. He rang the DVLA while I was in attendance and the DVLA said he would need a letter from me and also a covering letter from VW HQ. DVLA said it will take about 4 weeks to change the V5C once in receipt of the VW letter. He typed my letter out, and then asked me to sign.

I signed the letter that highlighted the mistakes. He then agreed to keep my V5C and my letter and would send them off to the DVLA once he had the letter from VW HQ, so we were estimating that I would receive the new V5C about mid-January 2011. On 20 January I visited the franchise and spoke to a salesman and he told me that the sales manager had not written to VW HQ, and matter was now with a PA who was writing a letter to VW that week. When I returned to the franchise on 27 Jan 2011 they had no reply from VW. Please can you advise on my legal rights? The car now has approx. 250 miles on the clock.

Asked on 25 January 2010 by BC, Plymouth

Answered by Honest John
Take the car back to the dealer with all documents and keys and demand your money back immediately on the grounds that the car is not registered to you, that it is misdescribed on the V5 and that it is therefore "not of satisfactory quality". In fact the 'Match' model replaced the SE model in May 2010 and if you have been palmed off with an SE more than 6 months old instead of the Match you ordered then the car is incorrectly described and you are due your money back for that reason. If they refuse to give you your money back then demand the difference in value between a May 2010 SE and a January 2011 Match, which, assuming the car is a 1.4TSI, is the £16,600 you paid, minus the current trade value for a 10 registered 1.4TSI of £12,575, so £4,025.
Similar questions
I bought a car with delivery miles on it in July last year, I have tried trading it in and been told its an import, what are my rights?
With the recent controversy over Volkswagen Group vehicles, have owners been mis-sold these vehicles as many would have been swayed by claims of lower emissions than published?
I have just bought a 2007 Audi A4 TDI 170 which has been remapped, I bought it as a family car to go to work and take my son to and from nursery. I don't know a lot about cars and the trader I bought it...
Related models
Comfortable and quiet on the move, enjoyable to drive. Nicely trimmed with great attention to detail. 1.4 TSI sweeter to drive than a diesel.