Dealer making it difficult for me to get car fixed

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Mon 27 Apr 2020 22:30
Dealer making it difficult for me to get car fixed - Simon Bottle

Hi All,

I'm looking for the collective wisdom of the forum!

I bought a 2nd hand Mini from a used car dealer that is 2 hours drive from where I live.

In month 2 the main engine fault light came on.

Dealer agreed for me to get this investigated by my local VAT registered garage. I also made clear that this would be under the Consumer Rights Act period/terms - i.e. dealer is on the hook for the fix not me.

Local garage said that their diagnostics show a problem but it is of a particular type where to isolate the fault requires a Mini specialist with the relevant more specific diagnostics. They also confirmed that there is a clear Consumer Rights Act situation.

I offered to connect the dealer with my local garage for a call to give the technical explanation on what is required and why.

However the dealer is now saying I have to get the car to them for the fix. They do not have their own workshop - they are a dealer only. I have checked with the garage the dealer wanted to use locally to them, and they are not Mini specialists and don't have the specific diagnostics.

When I pointed this out, and said I needed to organise the diagnosis and a quote to fix with a local Mini specialist, the dealer then changed his tune to become "we have other contacts near us that just work on Minis" and that they "would be able to get 'trade' rates on parts and labour."

I have little confidence in the outcome of the dealer's changing suggestions based on the scenario.

And in current lockdown situation, even if I were happy with this suggestion, it's impossible to get the car to a garage 2 hours away, when it would be diagnosed but not fixed same day.

Can the dealer in this type of situation stipulate which garage is used even if it is not themselves doing the work?

What if someone had bought a car from a dealer in Inverness and then driven it home to Truro?!

Cheers,

SB

Edited by Simon Bottle on 27/04/2020 at 22:37

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Tue 28 Apr 2020 06:30
Dealer making it difficult for me to get car fixed - Falkirk Bairn

Buying a car 2nd hand you have to let the supplying garage the chance to fix it or get their agreement for a 3rd party to fix.

If they will not agree to a 3rd party local to you then you have to go to them.

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Tue 28 Apr 2020 15:46
Dealer making it difficult for me to get car fixed - galileo

Buying a car 2nd hand you have to let the supplying garage the chance to fix it or get their agreement for a 3rd party to fix.

If they will not agree to a 3rd party local to you then you have to go to them.

This is why I have never bought a car (used or new) from a dealer (or private seller) more than 10 miles from home.

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Tue 28 Apr 2020 16:05
Dealer making it difficult for me to get car fixed - thunderbird

Buying a car 2nd hand you have to let the supplying garage the chance to fix it or get their agreement for a 3rd party to fix.

If they will not agree to a 3rd party local to you then you have to go to them.

This is why I have never bought a car (used or new) from a dealer (or private seller) more than 10 miles from home.

I certainly would only buy used close to home, the Fabia dealer is less than 5 miles away.

But buying new is simply not an issue since work required under the Manufacturers warranty can be carried out by any official dealer.

We have bought several cars from dealers up to 50 miles away but have never needed to get work done. But we did buy a Focus in 1998 from a supermarket that was pre-reg from a German dealer to full UK spec. Work colleagues told me I would be unable to get it serviced and that the warranty would be worthless plus the car would be unsalable when we wanted to change it. On the first 2 points I knew they were wrong, on the 3rd I was not too bothered since I intended to keep it 10 years at least.

In the first 12 months we only had one issue which was the boot release, could still get in the boot so did not bother with it until the first service. Phoned local Ford emporium and told them the car was an import and that it needed a serice and the boot lock sorting. I also told them the service book was all in German. Went to collect it, car serviced at the menu price on the wall, boot lock sorted and German service book replaced with English one. Never had a problem with subsequent services at the main dealer of Ford indy.

When we came to change cars 10 years later I was honest with the dealers and none seemed bothered at all, one went so far as saying he would take anything except a Renault. Sold it privately and again the buyers did not seem at all bothered other than the car was in excellent condition with a full history

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Tue 23 Jun 2020 21:51
Dealer making it difficult for me to get car fixed - Zippy123

one went so far as saying he would take anything except a Renault.

When was that and why?

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Wed 24 Jun 2020 08:37
Dealer making it difficult for me to get car fixed - SLO76

one went so far as saying he would take anything except a Renault.

When was that and why?

Renault went through a very bad phase in the naughties where many dealers wouldn’t touch any of them over 5yrs old. I wouldn’t take a Mk II Megane or Laguna in at all when I was dealing and only the nicest and most basic Clios would hold my interest. It’s a shame as the cars they built in the 90’s were generally excellent.
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Wed 24 Jun 2020 10:06
Dealer making it difficult for me to get car fixed - thunderbird

one went so far as saying he would take anything except a Renault.

When was that and why?

As I said in my original post I bought the Focus in 1998 and kept it approx 10 years.

No idea other than he probably thought Renaults of this period were a pile of tat and not worth the hassle of taking in PX.

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Tue 23 Jun 2020 21:53
Dealer making it difficult for me to get car fixed - Zippy123

one went so far as saying he would take anything except a Renault.

When was that and why?

Renault give a 5 year warranty suggesting that they trust their cars more than BMW, Ford, Mercedes Benz, Fiat, Peugeot, Nissan, Mini trust their cars!

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Wed 24 Jun 2020 07:38
Dealer making it difficult for me to get car fixed - RT

one went so far as saying he would take anything except a Renault.

When was that and why?

Renault give a 5 year warranty suggesting that they trust their cars more than BMW, Ford, Mercedes Benz, Fiat, Peugeot, Nissan, Mini trust their cars!

Warranty length is about instilling confidence in the product - some brands with long warranties simply build the cost into the price - nothing to do with their own beliefs.

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Wed 24 Jun 2020 10:09
Dealer making it difficult for me to get car fixed - thunderbird

one went so far as saying he would take anything except a Renault.

When was that and why?

Renault give a 5 year warranty suggesting that they trust their cars more than BMW, Ford, Mercedes Benz, Fiat, Peugeot, Nissan, Mini trust their cars!

They may have done for a period a few years ago but they withdrew it a few years ago.

But considering my original post was about part exchanging a car in 2008 there is no way a Renault would have had a warranty especially after 10 years.

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Tue 28 Apr 2020 15:56
Dealer making it difficult for me to get car fixed - galileo

Duplicate post

Edited by galileo on 28/04/2020 at 15:57

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Tue 23 Jun 2020 16:21
Dealer making it difficult for me to get car fixed - Lrac

I have no legal experience but surely if there is a fault then you can not be expected to drive the car and may possibly invalidate your insurance ? Did it become law that a car cannot pass an MOT with a fault light on? I know it was suggested at some point.. Does this not put the ball back in their court?

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Wed 24 Jun 2020 15:39
Dealer making it difficult for me to get car fixed - joegrundy

This is from s.23, Consumer Rights Act 2015:

"23Right to repair or replacement

(1)This section applies if the consumer has the right to repair or replacement (see section 19(3) and (4)).

(2)If the consumer requires the trader to repair or replace the goods, the trader must—

(a)do so within a reasonable time and without significant inconvenience to the consumer, and

(b)bear any necessary costs incurred in doing so (including in particular the cost of any labour, materials or postage)."

This implies that the seller (if bought on HP/PCP that's the finance company, not the supplying dealer) would have to collect, repair, and return the car, and supply a courtesy car. It's for the seller to decide whether the costs of that outweigh the costs of arranging a repair local to the buyer or collecting the car and giving a refund.

It could be harsh on sellers, but there's been plenty of publicity about this, including publications sent out to them, so they should be aware of the risks.

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Thu 25 Jun 2020 20:35
Dealer making it difficult for me to get car fixed - Lrac

I seem to remember years ago when I brought a car there was what turned out to be a clerical error with the details. I was told that I could tell the garage to come and collect the car and this would be at their expense.

I was given a personal assurance in writing from Peugeot and a free service. I was very pleased with both this outcome and the car . I felt a bit guilty getting legal advice straight away but it certainly got things sorted quickly.

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