How to Deal With a Dodgy Dealer
Discussion
Apologies for the somewhat clickbaity title.
Purchased a car last week from a place that sees themselves as an upmarket car supermarket (if such a thing exists). Distance around 150 miles from me.
Viewed the vehicle before buying, test drive was ok, put down a deposit and then returned to collect and pay balance.
On the way home the parking sensors and blind spot warning systems threw up an issue saying both were unavailable - service required. Car was sold with a 3 month "complimentary" warranty.
Told the dealer about this the same day and was told I would get an email back with what to do next. Asked to book into for my local Halfords for a diagnostic due to how far away I am. Phoned Halfords who said they don't get involved with parking sensors or blind spot monitoring and would not book me in for a diagnostic because of this. Also tried a different branch in case one was just being difficult and was told the same.
Fed this back to the dealer via email and was told I would get an email with next steps. That was on Friday, haven't heard anything since. Trying to call them is pointless, I have tried on a few occassions and always get told no one is available, they will call back. They don't.
Just wondering what my options are here, to be clear I like the car and don't want to reject it. I just want it fixed either with them telling me where to take it to have it fixed or me getting it fixed and them paying for it. Any advice on what I should be doing next as I feel like I am being met with a wall of silence trying to get a resolution.
Purchased a car last week from a place that sees themselves as an upmarket car supermarket (if such a thing exists). Distance around 150 miles from me.
Viewed the vehicle before buying, test drive was ok, put down a deposit and then returned to collect and pay balance.
On the way home the parking sensors and blind spot warning systems threw up an issue saying both were unavailable - service required. Car was sold with a 3 month "complimentary" warranty.
Told the dealer about this the same day and was told I would get an email back with what to do next. Asked to book into for my local Halfords for a diagnostic due to how far away I am. Phoned Halfords who said they don't get involved with parking sensors or blind spot monitoring and would not book me in for a diagnostic because of this. Also tried a different branch in case one was just being difficult and was told the same.
Fed this back to the dealer via email and was told I would get an email with next steps. That was on Friday, haven't heard anything since. Trying to call them is pointless, I have tried on a few occassions and always get told no one is available, they will call back. They don't.
Just wondering what my options are here, to be clear I like the car and don't want to reject it. I just want it fixed either with them telling me where to take it to have it fixed or me getting it fixed and them paying for it. Any advice on what I should be doing next as I feel like I am being met with a wall of silence trying to get a resolution.
Dog Biscuit said:
What about offering to take it into a local independent garage for diagnosis and they foot the bill?
This was what I originally suggested when they said to take it to Halfords. I have a well regarded specialist near me that will do it for £5 less than Halfords but apparently they have an account with Halfords which means they can pay them easier and quicker.Rough101 said:
Did it do this in the wet, or did the fault clear?
Sometimes the sensors get water in them and don’t work for a while.
Had this a lot with Volvo’s and Merc’s.
Always cleared though.
No, it was dry weather the whole way home and I have driven the car in both wet and dry conditions while having it.Sometimes the sensors get water in them and don’t work for a while.
Had this a lot with Volvo’s and Merc’s.
Always cleared though.
Neither fault has cleared.
I had this on a newly purchased Skoda Octavia it went away after a few weeks. I put it down to a weak battery due to the car sitting around between being collected by the lease company and being sold to me. After driving it regularly for a couple of weeks the battery was back up to full charge.
Still no contact from the dealer via email or phone. Tried calling them yesterday and got passed around multiple switchboards and still didn't manage to speak to anyone.
Took the car to a local specialist yesterday for a diagnostic report, the fault codes are one and a half A4 pages long.
If they continue to ignore me via email and phone what are my options?
Should I email them the report and see if that miraculously gets a response?
Took the car to a local specialist yesterday for a diagnostic report, the fault codes are one and a half A4 pages long.
If they continue to ignore me via email and phone what are my options?
Should I email them the report and see if that miraculously gets a response?
said:
Took the car to a local specialist yesterday for a diagnostic report, the fault codes are one and a half A4 pages long.
What are the codes? Any relating to the parking sensors? Most cars will have fault codes in them if they haven't been scanned/cleared for a while. Did your garage wipe the old codes and see which codes came back with a re-scan? Al U said:
Still no contact from the dealer via email or phone. Tried calling them yesterday and got passed around multiple switchboards and still didn't manage to speak to anyone.
Took the car to a local specialist yesterday for a diagnostic report, the fault codes are one and a half A4 pages long.
If they continue to ignore me via email and phone what are my options?
Should I email them the report and see if that miraculously gets a response?
Worth a go, I did the specialist give you any idea on the cost to repair the issues?Took the car to a local specialist yesterday for a diagnostic report, the fault codes are one and a half A4 pages long.
If they continue to ignore me via email and phone what are my options?
Should I email them the report and see if that miraculously gets a response?
Ultimately it may be you have to go back to the dealer and make a nuisance but the distance makes that awkward and they know that too which is in their favour
123DWA said:
What are the codes? Any relating to the parking sensors? Most cars will have fault codes in them if they haven't been scanned/cleared for a while. Did your garage wipe the old codes and see which codes came back with a re-scan?
Here are the codes. I don't know if they wiped the codes and re-scanned. Jamescrs said:
Worth a go, I did the specialist give you any idea on the cost to repair the issues?
Ultimately it may be you have to go back to the dealer and make a nuisance but the distance makes that awkward and they know that too which is in their favour
The specialist said that the car is overdue a software update and they have seen it where the car can throw a lot of codes and once the software update is done they are ok. Said that is the next thing to try. He is busy for the next month but I have booked in at another specialist on Monday that is doing the update.Ultimately it may be you have to go back to the dealer and make a nuisance but the distance makes that awkward and they know that too which is in their favour
With regard to going back to the dealer I don't really think this will bear much fruit, when I went to the dealer to view and buy the car the reception desks were empty and it was just sales guys loitering round. I also doubt they actually have the ability to repair the car given the codes it's thrown. Definitely feels like a main dealer/specialist job to me.
What I really want to know is where I stand legally, the car supposedly has a 3 month warranty (yet to see any paperwork for that), as far as I understand it they have a legal obligation to sort it out. The reality though is that they clearly are just hoping I will sort it out myself and go away. If they don't meet their legal obligations I want to know is it a case of taking them to court for the costs I have incurred, money claim online, report them to trading standards etc.
Al U said:
The specialist said that the car is overdue a software update and they have seen it where the car can throw a lot of codes and once the software update is done they are ok. Said that is the next thing to try. He is busy for the next month but I have booked in at another specialist on Monday that is doing the update.
It does look like that, one of the codes is for a failed software update. If its not that then I'd imagine its a body control module for the parking sensors/side protection system that's either failed or got corrosion in it depending on where it is in the car. You are well within your rights to have it repaired. I wouldn't mention that you've had somebody else look at it in case they try to wash their hands of it by saying somebody else has tampered with it. Edited by 123DWA on Thursday 11th July 12:20
Gassing Station | Car Buying | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff