Sorry to say this, but you bought a car with no MOT, knowing that was the case, even if not knowing the details of what was wrong with it. The car was sold as 'unroadworthy', and if you did not raise major issues with this at the time, then only you can be blamed for that.

As such, the dealer can point to this fact, and claim that you were aware that the car had problems, and you were therefore a 'sophisticated buyer' - and your comment about the car losing it's resale value as summer rolls on seem to support that, and seem to suggest you might even be a trader to some extent (after all, that would not be an issue to a real private buyer, as the value would climb again next spring).

As such, I'd be minded to recommend you accept the £500 deduction, and get shot of it. A court case could well take months, and, based on what you have said, I don't think the outcome would be at all certain.

As always, we are only getting one side of the story here. The garage might have a completely different story to tell.

Edited by Vgeoghegan on 08/07/2016 at 14:11

Following an 'offensive' report by the OP's father, I have edited / deleted some posts so that there is no mention of a crime. It's best not to accuse someone of a criminal offence on a public forum.

Nobody 'forced' anyone to do anything. Your father - or YOU - could easily have said "No, not buying this, or test driving it, until it's got a valid MOT from an independent garage". That would have been so easy to do. But, for whatever reason, (price, I'm guessing) you tried being clever, and it's turned around and bitten you hard.

I, and others, have given you some advice on what we think. You don't like that advice, then that's fine.

I posted earlier that I'd recommend taking the £500 hit and getting shot of the car. Because legally it would take months and months to get the full amount out of the dealer. Yes, you're going to take that £500 hit. But you're (hopefully) going to learn a hell of a lot from it. And those sorts of lessons usually come at a price.

Alternatively, you try rejecting the car under CRA. Assuming he accepts the rejection, you then get your money back in full.

Doesn't sound like that's likely though.

So he refuses your rejection, and then you have to go through all the grief and time (and not having the use of a car, as you've rejected it in law, and not having your money either) for several months until the hearing. You've still got to keep it secure and insure it until the court hearing too.

Then, assuming you win, you've got to enforce the ruling. Lots of these dealers go through companies like a bullock on fresh clover. So the company has no money, gets closed down, he starts with another company, and you don't get your money. You're now into next year, and have a car that's worthless, a judgement that can't be enforced, and no money.

Alternatively, you take it back, get most of your money back, and learn a valuable lesson. All in the next week.

Your choice. YOU have to decide which way to jump

Edited by Avant on 08/07/2016 at 19:11