New (used) car has fault and the dealer is refusing to fix it...wwyd?

[memphis83]

Sorry if I waffle...
I bought a car from a dealer (80 branches nationwide) its a used Ford Focus C Max, lovely car, we got it from a dealer 120 miles away, collected it on the 12th July with a 3 month warranty, told that any problems to go to local branch and it would be sorted.

The next day I cant opent the bonnet, we struggled at the dealer but a salesman came out and did it straight away so we thought it was just us, on way to local dealer I hear a whirring noise from rear wheels so I vbring this up too, I book it in (last Friday) for assessment and its come back that it needs a new bonnet catch, and that the brake discs are severely worn on the front and the rear are lipped and binding, both of which are not safe, The warraty does state that brakes are wear and tear but the bonnet catch would be covered.

The local branch said they needed to get authorisation for the cost but as a branch they would never let a car go out in that state and that them agreeing to the paying of the parts was a formailty as its a big problem, so today (the day before I should get car fixed) the local garage call me and the other dealer are saying the car fit the safety criteria and they will not pay. The local asked me to call myself, I speak to the man whos name is on the authoruty form, he listens, hmm and arrs at the right places is shocked at what local garage has said his wont pay, but he isnt allowed to authorise parts it was the manager who said no, I have told him calmly I want it safe for my family and would love to get this sorted without getting outside help in e.g solictors/trading standards, he said he will talk to his boss as it was out of hours and call me in the morning but I really dont know what to say or do when they (inevitibly) stick to their guns I want to be able to scare them...so what do I do??

If you got this far many thanks!!!

[26minutes]

Have you bought it on finance? If so contact finance company. We recently bought a car that had a problem with the air con, dealer ignored all our correspondence, but finance company have been just great.

letter templates for dealer & finance company

Good luck

[fivegomadindorset]

We are going through the same problem, phone trading standards they are vey helpful, we have sent a letter asking for payment of repairs, given them 28 days to reply. The repairs are going ahead through a reputable mechanic, he is keeping all parts and will write a report. ONce 28 days is up then we will start preoceedings to claim through small claims report. PM if you want to to get any help. Happy to email copy of the letter we wrote.

[memphis83]

Thanks for replies, wasnt on finance but we paid £2000 of it on a credit card.

[fivegomadindorset]

The brake discs should have been checked and replaced befor you bought it, it is an MOT failure. Your car was sold as not fit for purpose and is dangerous. Have a look on the trading standards website.

[26minutes]

I think that link I posted has details or a link to trading standards/consumer direct/whatever they call themselves now. There should be a phone number you can call. Give them a call and get their advice. You should be covered somehow by the credit card company.

We also had to get the brake discs changed when we bought our car, despite specifically asking the dealer to change them as they were clearly knackered when we test drove the car, but the (in-house) MOT they gave us declared them as fit so we had to change them ourselves. Unfortunately I'm too used to dealers saying they'll do things and then not (oil changes on both our last cars for example). We've learnt to just swallow small costs (easier to say when you can do the work yourself), but £600 for the air con to be fixed was just way too much for us to swallow.

[memphis83]

They said they did something costly to the air con before it went out which is nice seeing as I never use air con, and the pads have been changed as they were badly worn, I have gone back and said if the pads were really badly worn they would have damaged the discs, they sounded really shocked this morning when I was armed with info, and thretened trading standards on them, also called the local dealer, they are fighting my corner as they know if trading standards are reported the whole company gets a black mark against them, just having to sit tight and wait for them to fight it out for an hour or so now.

[26minutes]

Good luck, at least the local garage are on your side, hopefully that means you can do it without getting trading standards involved.

[memphis83]

Hope so, ive also just made a complain to Bristol Street Motors Head office saying Trading Standards will be involoved if the matter isnt sorted.