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Really need advice - UPDATE


Has

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I bought my car from a garage (I wont name them for now) that sells cars ranging from Focus' to Ferrari 458s.

 

The dealer gave me a 30 day "warranty". The airbag light was on but I was told I could take the car and bring it back another time to get this fixed.

 

It was my intention to drive the car for a couple weeks, find the problems and get them sorted under the warranty.

 

The problems:

 

- The suspension was knocking very badly, sometimes felt through the brake pedal when on an uneven road

- Passenger side light not working

- Engine management light came on one night after starting the car

 

Booked the car in with the garage who then gave the car to their "approved garage".

 

I pick the car up today, a week later, to find the suspension is still making the exact same noise, EML and side light have been repaired.

 

The interesting part:

 

My dashcam was running the whole time. I can hear them read through my letter and ridicule and racially abuse me before starting work on the car.

 

Skip forward a couple of days and they even say between themselves that they can't fix it and the knocking noise is exactly as when they first got the car. No regard for my exhaust either which was hit off the humps going into the garage multiple times and even laughed off once after a big bang. They eventually found the dashcam and pulled the plug out of the socket to stop it recording.

 

When I went to pick up the car from the dealer I was told that she couldn't provide me an invoice for work carried out but she would email me one when the garage is open tomorrow. (She has repeatedly not emailed or phoned back when she was supposed to).

 

So the car still has the suspension knocking, the cars now out of it's 30 day "warranty". What are my next steps?

 

I really don't want to take the car back to that garage after hearing the abusive language, no care for the car slamming the doors and calling it a shed.

 

Where do I stand on this?

 

Thanks

 

 

UPDATE - So I met with the dealership owner/manager. He was quite defensive at first and admitted being so later on once seeing the footage.

 

He seemed disgusted at the footage and pretty much said that 80% of that garages work was from him and makes him question whether or not he will continue business with him. In fact he went on about that point a lot and I found myself bringing the topic back to the car itself a few times.

 

He took a copy of the footage which I put together and will be escalating things. He was the person right at the top of the business.

 

So the resolution we took...

 

- Full car health check carried out by one of his other garages (dash cam stays on at all times). I wanted this mainly to see if any damage was caused to the exhaust.

- Suspension fully rectified.

- Free service on the car.

- Courtasy car for as long as it takes for free.

- If I am not 100% satisfied with the car once I get it back then I get a full refund.

 

I'm quite happy with that and the dealership itself handled the situation very well.

 

Let's just hope there wont be a part 2 to this saga!

Edited by Has
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That's terrible that you got bad service from them Has but the racially abusing you part is what really boils my blood. No need for that sort of rubbish, disgusting behaviour. :thumbdown:

 

Hopefully some of the more knowledgeable "legal" minded members will be on soon to help you see what's the next best step to take available.

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30 day warranty does not affect your statutory rights under the SoGA

I'm too tired to go into it at the mo, but others will elaborate.

SOGA no longer applies, it's now the CRA.

 

They do not have to supply you with an invoice, nor a letter stating the work that was carried out. Of course, it's good practice to, but they are under no obligation.

 

30 day warranty means zip, unless you've bought a Cat B car for £50 then the CRA covers you. Tbh at this point I'd be booking an appointment with the dealer principal (if a small-ish garage) or the sales manager (if bigger), and show them the footage. Ask them if they think that's acceptable (remembering that it's not their employees that did the work, so they can't exactly fire them!) and point out what still needs doing. Quite simply, if you don't get the response you want then the next step is to release that footage to the media, as they'll lap it up.

 

Did you at least point out the issues within the 30 days?

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I did point out the issues within the 30 days and have the emails back and forth with them to prove this.

 

I've had the dashcam on since I got the car. I actually thought about taking it out but left it in by mistake. Glad I did now! Only remembered when a mate mentioned it being on on the drive home.

 

The actual garage that did the work I don't know the name on. I'm sure I could easily get this though considering I have all the footage leading into the garage etc.

 

My first thought was write a letter to the dealership pointing out all the errors and vile behaviour I've witnessed and heard. I don't really want them taking it again though as they might take it to the same "approved garage".

 

From my understanding, after a quick little search I'm quite within my right to reject the car? Don't get me wrong, I'm loving every minute of it but giving my business to this place makes me quite angry.

 

I'll have another search and read through this thread again tomorrow after work. Thank you everyone so far! I won't name and shame the dealership (indie dealer in Coventry) but I will be sure to find the name of the garage they took it to.

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The suspension was knocking very badly, sometimes felt through the brake pedal when on an uneven road

 

 

Yes, that'll be one of the compression arms, Caroline's Zed had exactly the same symptoms, the bush had completely failed, about £250 to fix.

 

Pete

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Just to be absolutely clear, the abusd wasn't to my face. I wasn't there, they were reading my email I sent to the dealers citing the problems that needed rectifying.

 

It kind of went along the lines of them reading through the email, laughing and saying well that's 3 problems.. Not 4 (as I stated at the start of the email). Then another guy says yeah he's a f***ing P*ki. Before it sounds like slamming his hand on the dashboard.

 

Later on in the video I hear them driving the car, saying how the knocking is exactly as when they got the car. Followed by "well hopefully it'll be good enough for the c**t.

 

The garage is in Coventry/Nuneaton way

 

 

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From reading this, the problem isn't with the dealer though is it. The problem is with the mechanics and the garage they advised you to use.

If you are going to contact the dealer, I wouldn't start off all shirty with them. They may not be aware of this garages attitude.

(No reason to hide the dealers name, as from what I'm reading, they haven't done any wrong) - It's the Garage you want to be naming and getting that footage out viral. I'm sure they will compensate a lot to make sure know one see's that footage as it's going to cause a lot of problems for their business.

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My first thought was write a letter to the dealership pointing out all the errors and vile behaviour I've witnessed and heard. I don't really want them taking it again though as they might take it to the same "approved garage".

No, just go and see them. Arrange a proper meeting, it'll be a lot easier and quicker to get a solution than to do it via letter, plus you can show the manager the footage.

 

It'll have to go back to the same place (probably), but ultimately if the work is completed correctly who cares? Make it a condition that the dashcam stays on at all times.

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Some good advise above, just curious though, you say you gave the car to the garage who then passed it onto their approved garage, how would the approved garage know your ethnic background having not met you? Perhaps the garage passing it on hasnt been so kind with their description of you either.

Edited by Jetpilot
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I would go to see the dealership and show them the footage you have, it will make for some very uncomfortable viewing for them and I'm sure they will want to help you. I probably know the garage involved as I used to live in that area.

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Exactly the above. Before throwing the CGA at people its always worth trying to talk to people face to face in a considered way. For all you know the dealership could just be equally disgusted and act in a very positive way for you. Just keep that anger buried away and stay away from going down the route of ranting threats, it serves no purpose when sorting out business issues, keep cool and stick to the facts.

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It wasn't Junction 17. I'll look at the footage later to get the garage name.

 

My name Hasan was at the bottom of the email which is how they knew my ethnic background.

 

Arranging a meeting with dealer to show them footage is the route I'll take. Keeping cakm of course but I am very reluctant for them to take my car again.

 

What's the best outcome I could hope for?

 

I personally would want the problem sorted from somewhere else with the invoice sent to the dealer... Realistic?

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