HELP! Dealer issues.

[RisingBlue]

Hi Guys, could really do with some advice.

I bought my Scirocco second hand from a main dealer in October 2015. Car was a dream for 9 months until we had the first bit of hot weather in May and realised the air con was not working, and do not ever remember it working. Took it to the local garage who pressure tested the gas and found there was none in the system. Strange, but I paid for a gas recharge and the air con worked again.

For about a week.

Now I knew how to test the pressure I did it myself and found it had all leaked out of somewhere and there was none left again! Fortunately I purchased extended warranty with VW when I bought the car, gave them a call and booked it in for yesterday at the dealer I bought the car from (yes, that's how long it took for the earliest appointment!)

Had a call today from the service manager who told me they've had the car in the air and found my Scirocco has been in a front end collision at some point and has been partly and poorly repaired. They can tell this because apparently they have found some broken and partly repainted components - and this is why my air con isn't working, As a result, not covered under warranty.

I replied that my car DEFINITELY hasn't been in any sort of impact since I've had it and must've happened before I bought it. I was coldly told that they wouldn't sell a car in that condition and wouldn't/haven't carried out any work to the vehicle in their bodyshop.

Now I have to collect a broken car, pay sixtysomething quid plus the VAT for the pleasure of VWs time and pay for whatever repairs myself. I feel like I'm stuck.

Any help would be massively appreciated.RB.

[Deagol]

Wow, that's not sounding good. Without mentioning the dealer's name, what part of the country did you buy the car in? (I don't want to prejudice your situation with accusations of slander or libel!) Has the dealer got a generally good reputation?

Maybe your first step would be to get some Trading Standards type general advice on your situation and see what they recommend you do next. I am no expert on this area but if the car has been fine for 9 months, then "fitness for purpose" generally might be seen to be satisfied. But that leads me to question the conduct of the dealership in inspecting the car when they took it into stock, what they did with it between acquiring it and selling it to you, and what work they have done on it since.

How was the paperwork describing the car when you viewed it and when you bought it?
Did you think to HPi check the car? I can't say that I would do that if buying from a VW dealer but depending on age and cost, it might show something - but probably not a "minor" collision.
How many registered keepers on the V5 document and what about the service history record?

Did the car come from the dealer with recent service - if they'd serviced it, presumably they would have checked the aircon gas levels and more importantly have spotted all this damage repair stuff underneath. When a car gets taken in by a dealer, they would look it over and give it more than a simple wash and polish, surely? And does the garage's buyer check the history of ownership of the car before parting with the firm's cash?

I think someone at the dealership has a lot of explaining to do in this direction because if you were sold a "one careful owner" car but it is obviously not so careful, then I'd be asking about misdescription of the goods.

Tread carefully so as not to upset the dealer until you have plenty of ammunition to present to them. Get Trading Standards on your side and keep them there. You paid main dealer prices for main dealer standards, not local paper small ads money.

D

[RisingBlue]

Wow, that's not sounding good.

Thanks for the response. No, not good at all. Quick fire responses are:

1) East Midlands
2) Did not do HPI, like you said main dealer. It was only 3 years old at time of purchase
3) I am the 4th owner, but #2 and #3 are husband and wife all the way up in Edinburgh.
4) I have a few receipts for new tyres and wiper blades, but everything is from Jan-Jul 2015, nothing else. The service book was missing and the dealer ordered a new one before I picked it up.
5) It did have a service and MOT. I also requested a lot of work to be done because they wouldn't budge on the price (£1500 over market value). They did four wheel refurbs and a wheel alignment because the alloys were all clattered and vibrated on the road test. They painted the entire passenger side because of a lengthy key scratch, 'touched up' a rusty stonechip on the bonnet and replaced a cracked fog lamp. All between my first viewing and when I took it home.
6) I can't answer what checks the dealer's buyer does because I have no idea!

I intend to collect the car and pay the bill but calmly inform them I don't accept their findings... It's like a punch in the stomach

[Cuprabob]

If it was a "DAS AUTO Approved Car" from a VW Franchise dealer then you have some comeback as they state they do a number of checks, which would have picked up the accident damage.

A Hpi report wouldn't have picked up anything as even if it's an insurance repair job, it's only recorded if it's a "total loss"

Air con operation and gas level is not a standard service item and only checked if you go for the additional air-conditioning service.

[Deagol]

So, based on these circumstances - and the extra info from Cuprabob - where next? If it were me, and on the assumption that we're talking about a VW Franchise and a Das Auto Approved Car, I'd say you were in with a very good shout that they have either:
a) Missed a lot of stuff which should have been picked up when they bought the car from Edinburgh-land (or auction or similar); OR
b) They should have sorted out all the cacky work underneath before they put it out for sale


If it is not a Das Auto Approved, but other stock on their forecourt is labelled that way, ask them why not. When they are charging premium prices, they should be providing premium stock.


If their in-house team did the MoT that would involve looking underneath, surely ? And that should mean that this accident damage was obvious? Feels like someone is trying to cover their backside from either the customer or the boss.....



Would VW have a service record for the car, or is that a dealer-specific thing? (Cuprabob might know, I certainly am only guessing)

But I'd be off to Trading Standard to get opinion from them, whatever.

Good luck in getting this sorted with the right results

D


Thanks for the response. No, not good at all. Quick fire responses are:

1) East Midlands
2) Did not do HPI, like you said main dealer. It was only 3 years old at time of purchase
3) I am the 4th owner, but #2 and #3 are husband and wife all the way up in Edinburgh.
4) I have a few receipts for new tyres and wiper blades, but everything is from Jan-Jul 2015, nothing else. The service book was missing and the dealer ordered a new one before I picked it up.
5) It did have a service and MOT. I also requested a lot of work to be done because they wouldn't budge on the price (£1500 over market value). They did four wheel refurbs and a wheel alignment because the alloys were all clattered and vibrated on the road test. They painted the entire passenger side because of a lengthy key scratch, 'touched up' a rusty stonechip on the bonnet and replaced a cracked fog lamp. All between my first viewing and when I took it home.
6) I can't answer what checks the dealer's buyer does because I have no idea!

[Cuprabob]

VW will have a record of ALL work carried out on the car within ANY VW franchise, since new.

[RisingBlue]

Thank you all for your help. I'll definitely be fighting this tooth and nail.

My main concern now is proof

a) If the dealer turns round and says prove that you haven't damaged the car yourself since you owned it, how can I? Other than it is in mint condition inside and out (or so i thought...) which shows I look after it like my pride and joy.
b) The dealer turns round and says here's our MOT/service/VHC checklist that proves the damage wasn't on the Scirocco when it was sold. *I* know this isn't true and the checks were either poorly executed or intentionally deceitful, but how do I prove this?

[andyy]

Can't you contact the previous owner? I assume it was done and repaired by either the husband or wife? They may have a paper trail or if they informed you where it was 'fixed' the garage will still have it on file.

[flashash]

Have You made any progress?


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[timc]

Can you not contact the previous owners and see what they have to say?


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[Mr OCD]

Next?

Get on twitter and sound your displeasure at VWUK ... thank me later.