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used car dealers!!!!!!!!!

Bought a second hand car back in February this year from a used car dealer, in Maidstone, I live in west London. It was a car I’d identified that I’d like to own, the color I liked, it was 5 years old, it was top end of the book price. I test drove it seemed fine so bought it. It came with a 6-month warranty.

In the sales bumf I was given it included an auto group brochure so assumed my warranty was with them.

Drove well for about 4 months and then developed a knocking sound drivers front wheel / corner. It could only be heard when accelerating from a low speed. Once it was up to cruising altitude it was quite.

As the warranty was coming to an end in a few weeks decided to contact the dealer, talked about the noise, he tried to fob me off with, nothing to worry about, wait till you take it for a service then mention it to whoever is doing the service. I reminded him it was under warranty still, so he reluctantly arranged a time for me to drop it off and for them to test it. While waiting I took my dog for a walk. Received a phone call within an hour from them to say, it had been road tested, there was a noise, as if I didn’t know that but they couldn’t find any damaged parts, so couldn’t do anything about it. When I collected the car they also said that warranties wouldn’t replace parts that weren’t broken, I don’t know if that’s true or not and as an aside said sometimes cars just develop a noise and don’t worry.

I called auto group when I got home to find I wasn't registered with them and therefore my warranty wasn’t with them. Called the dealership, heard some muffled voices in the background, clearly looking for some input in what to say. I was then told that the warranty was with them and I was better off that it was.

The car has been back to them on a further two occasions, on the first of those they kept it for 4 days to investigate more. I was told they’d rectified it, picked it up and within approx 2 miles the noise came back. The last time they said they’d ordered a shock absorber and that was the likely problem. It was supposedly test-driven but again, I did get half way home but the noise returned.

So my thoughts:

1. I don’t trust them; they lied about whom I had my warranty with!
2. Tried to fob me off with a cock and bull story.
3. Twice they told me they’d fixed the problem and road tested the vehicle and that it was fine. Supposedly replacing parts but I wonder? I hadn’t driven very far before the noise returned!

4. Had they just greased up the parts that could have been causing the problem and hoped to get away with it, as if?
5. Are they just pissing me around, hoping I’ll get fed up with the inconvenience of travelling to Maidstone and take the car somewhere local to me and pay for the work to be done, so that they can get out of paying out themselves?
6. Are they just cunts!

Any thoughts, opinions, similar stories and advice welcome, sorry for the ramble.
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Comments

  • edited August 2015
    Sounds like a brake caliper btw
  • 4,5,6

    Don't get done call dom
  • Tell them you're mates with the ginger woman on watchdog
  • Sounds like a brake caliper btw

    that's interesting, have you had a similar story?
  • I would establish in a friendly, but cast iron way that they clearly said the warranty was with Auto Group (could you have been given the brochure for another reason, or simply picked it up yourself?)
    Anyway, once you have established they have lied to you, you then have the right to say that it is hard to accept that anything they say is credible.
    Be like a broken record on believability, and ask to see the highest person possible.
    It might then be possible for the company to pay for an independent diagnosis from an expert or a main dealer, and when that is sorted, to pay for subsequent repairs...as it is 'under warranty', or even to pay for the repair at the main dealer for this model of car.
    If you used a credit card, you can also suggest that they become involved in the matter.
    Give the dealer an outlet if you can, something along the lines of 'these things happen' rather than 'aha I've caught you, you cheating bastards', and they can persuade themselves that looking after you is an example of their fine customer service!
  • PS when they said warranties could or couldn't cover this or that, and then said the warranty being 'with them' was better (!), what on earth does that mean?
    Better?
    hmmmnnnn
  • What did you buy?
  • A tuc tuc
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  • ozaddick said:

    What did you buy?

    ozaddick said:

    What did you buy?

    Nissan Cube
  • I'd Research what may be the issue, it could be common on them and an expensive fix, hence the dealer avoiding "finding" the problem and fixing it himself.
  • I had a similar problem with a Cavelier (show how long ago it was) turned out to be track rod ends, got it fixed no problem .Try taking to another garage , don't mention the warranty to get an opinion .
  • seth plum said:

    PS when they said warranties could or couldn't cover this or that, and then said the warranty being 'with them' was better (!), what on earth does that mean?
    Better?
    hmmmnnnn

    haven't a clue seth.
  • seth plum said:

    I would establish in a friendly, but cast iron way that they clearly said the warranty was with Auto Group (could you have been given the brochure for another reason, or simply picked it up yourself?)
    Anyway, once you have established they have lied to you, you then have the right to say that it is hard to accept that anything they say is credible.
    Be like a broken record on believability, and ask to see the highest person possible.
    It might then be possible for the company to pay for an independent diagnosis from an expert or a main dealer, and when that is sorted, to pay for subsequent repairs...as it is 'under warranty', or even to pay for the repair at the main dealer for this model of car.
    If you used a credit card, you can also suggest that they become involved in the matter.
    Give the dealer an outlet if you can, something along the lines of 'these things happen' rather than 'aha I've caught you, you cheating bastards', and they can persuade themselves that looking after you is an example of their fine customer service!

    no. they gave me a printed folder and within was registration doc, service history, mot etc., and the auto group brochure.
  • ozaddick said:

    I'd Research what may be the issue, it could be common on them and an expensive fix, hence the dealer avoiding "finding" the problem and fixing it himself.

    have been doing some research but haven't found anything yet.
  • I had a similar problem with a Cavelier (show how long ago it was) turned out to be track rod ends, got it fixed no problem .Try taking to another garage , don't mention the warranty to get an opinion .

    I've thought of going to another garage but of course I'd have to pay for that and obviously I don't want to do that, when I believe it's their responsibility.
  • I had a similar problem with a Cavelier (show how long ago it was) turned out to be track rod ends, got it fixed no problem .Try taking to another garage , don't mention the warranty to get an opinion .

    I've thought of going to another garage but of course I'd have to pay for that and obviously I don't want to do that, when I believe it's their responsibility.
    Just ask for a free quote
  • Knocking coming from a wheel can be the shock absorber, the track rod end, the bearings, the brake caliper seizing or being wonky and im sure there are other things that make knocking noises.

    If you hand on heart haven heavily mounted anything (with the car) then stick by your guns. Car dealers are shifty fuckers by nature and rely on people not paying attention to warrantees and guarantees. Email and phone the crap out of them and find a day to drive it back there (what dealer by the way?) And don't leave until they take the thing apart and sort it
  • It can also be the alignment
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  • edited August 2015
    They do have an association they are all members of. Useful if you have a complaint about any of their garages.

    Cars Used New Trading Southeast

    Google them.
  • I wont buy from dealer - i buy all my cars either privately or more likely, through an auction - i take the view that i'd rather give a grand to get a car fixed to a mechanic rather than a dealers sky-rocket just to be the middle-man.
  • edited August 2015
    Bought a Jeep Grand Cherokee from Kent Cars of Canterbury a couple of years back, it didn't even make it as far as Rouen ffs
  • brogib said:

    Bought a Jeep Grand Cherokee from Kent Cars of Canterbury a couple of years back, it didn't even make it as far as Rouen ffs

    What do you expect from a Yank motor ?! surprised it made it to Calais.
  • First read this.
    lawgistics.co.uk/legal-article-warranty/motor-trade-warranty-guarantee-service-contract/car-warranties-explained-advantages-and-disadvantages
    Second find out whether the warranty they claimed to have sold you was an insurance-backed warranty. That is one which is covered by a company that is FCA registered. (Did the package of documents they gave you include a "key facts" document?)
    Third, if it was but you were actually provided with a dealer-backed unauthorised warranty scheme, then you have been lied to and that will be in breach of multiple pieces of legislation.
    Fourth, tell them you know this and will report them to the relevant bodies and that you know that others have been banged up for similar criminal offences. Tell them you know that the maximum sentence for making false statements under the Financial Services and Markets Act is seven years. They will then, hopefully, offer to repair your vehicle.
    Fifth, if they don't, carry out the threats in point four.
  • edited August 2015

    brogib said:

    Bought a Jeep Grand Cherokee from Kent Cars of Canterbury a couple of years back, it didn't even make it as far as Rouen ffs

    What do you expect from a Yank motor ?! surprised it made it to Calais.
    Yankist, Yankophobe

    ; )
  • ....and saying that, I had a Jeep Wrangler a few year back and it never let me down once. I never use to drive past many petrol stations mind
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