What is life like with your car? Let us know and win £500 in John Lewis vouchers | No thanks
BMW X1 veering to the left
In late June 2012 I purchased a new BMW X1 from a local BMW dealer. Right from day one I noticed a slight pulling to the left and just thought it must be the road surface. As the weeks went by the problem got worse.
The first alignment was in April 2013. As the problem persisted I went back to the dealership where I purchased the car and they charged me £250 for an alignment a week later. As there was no improvement, the head office suggested I go to another local BMW dealer which I did and the chief engineer there changed the back wheels to the front and managed to straighten the steering. I was very happy thinking the fault was finally fixed but unfortunately two weeks later the car started veering to the left again.
I went back to the original dealership and they did more test drives and alignments before finally telling me there is nothing wrong with the car. This is not true as one of the BMW X1 they let me drive to compare with my car was normal and the steering was straight.
I got fed up and paid £300+ for an RAC report on the condition of my car. The report found:
-The steering to be heavy and not centralizing
-Where the tyres are concerned, there are cracks in the tread outer groove and the tyres are uneven on the outer ledge with uneven tyre wear
Even being presented with this report, the original BMW dealership is refusing to acknowledge or make any comment on it and still claiming there is nothing wrong with the car. Two years on, and as there is nothing more they can do for the car, I have requested a refund or a replacement car. They said I am not entitled to anything as there is nothing wrong with my car. What should I do?
The first alignment was in April 2013. As the problem persisted I went back to the dealership where I purchased the car and they charged me £250 for an alignment a week later. As there was no improvement, the head office suggested I go to another local BMW dealer which I did and the chief engineer there changed the back wheels to the front and managed to straighten the steering. I was very happy thinking the fault was finally fixed but unfortunately two weeks later the car started veering to the left again.
I went back to the original dealership and they did more test drives and alignments before finally telling me there is nothing wrong with the car. This is not true as one of the BMW X1 they let me drive to compare with my car was normal and the steering was straight.
I got fed up and paid £300+ for an RAC report on the condition of my car. The report found:
-The steering to be heavy and not centralizing
-Where the tyres are concerned, there are cracks in the tread outer groove and the tyres are uneven on the outer ledge with uneven tyre wear
Even being presented with this report, the original BMW dealership is refusing to acknowledge or make any comment on it and still claiming there is nothing wrong with the car. Two years on, and as there is nothing more they can do for the car, I have requested a refund or a replacement car. They said I am not entitled to anything as there is nothing wrong with my car. What should I do?
Asked on 17 October 2014 by charliechan99
Answered by
Honest John
All you can do is take the matter to court. But this will mean full County Court because the amount of money involved is more than £10,000: www.honestjohn.co.uk/faq/consumer-rights/ Unfortunately, this could cost you a fortune in legal and court fees, and you might not win then get landed with the dealers legal fees as well.
Similar questions
I bought a used approved R-Class from a big Mercedes-Benz dealer around 16 months ago. The car has had a history of problems from the time I purchased it i.e. steering wheel issues and suspension problems....
I just purchased a used Honda CR-V from a Honda dealer. After picking it up, I felt it had stiff steering and was concerned about safety. I have since found out that this is a characteristic of CR-V However,...
I purchased a brand new Peugeot Boxer from a main dealer in May 2016. In June, it started to have a slight hesitation which has now worsened and makes me feel as if it might come to a complete stop at...
Related models
Compact off-roader available with two or four-wheel drive. Car-like to drive. Economical diesel engine with various power outputs. Usefully large boot.