My local Vauxhall Main Dealer recommended me to buy a 2007/57 reg Meriva Design 1.4 saying it had been one of their fleet cars. The logbook did not show them as owners. My car proved to have a difficult gearbox. Engaging first or second gear was not as easy as it should have been. I first suspected a ham-fisted driver had used it, but following the Daily Telegraph’s Headline 14th September 2009 I did an on-line search for the original owners “PCVR” of Birmingham. I found out the car was ex-rental, being first registered 4th December 2007 by Practical Car & Van Rental of 21/23, Little Broom Street, Camp Hill, Birmingham. B12 0EU. I wrote to the supplier 22nd September 2009. Again on 20th November 2009 and yet again on 13th January 2010. I eventually received an offer to change the car when they had found one of similar age and mileage. The first car offered was a much older Zafira, which I rejected. They then offered me an ex-Motability Meriva also older. Their view was that it was in excellent order. I agreed to exchange but on the day of the swap they reneged on the deal and refused to complete, despite my temporarily contributing £200 to the cost of transporting the Motability car to Mansfield for inspection; also arranging insurance certificate to be sent to the Salesman so that the Motability car could be taxed and registered in my name. Subsequently they offered £250 then £500 to settle my claim but I rejected both these sums as I could not have a new gearbox fitted at that price and furthermore the price I paid was in my view inflated based on it being a one owner carefully used Meriva Design 1.4 with no rental history. I have now issued County Court proceedings and would appreciate what your view is of the true value of an ex rental 2008/57 Registered Meriva at the time of purchase as if that value is much less than a “one careful owner car” then I will claim 8% interest on the difference as well as all the other expenses I have incurred due to their being less than honest car traders. I would much appreciate your view of the true value of this rental car at the time of purchase July 2008 compared with a one careful owner car.