Sold a car that has had extensive body work done

bs2014

Bought a 40k car few months back, recently someone pointed out to me the body work that was done on the car and the bad paint job done. Initially the garage willingly agreed to refund and collect the car. However in the last 2 weeks, they've been ignoring my calls and emails to actually action the refund. Last week they told me it would be refunded and collected all by Wed this week, still zero communication. It seems to me they are holding off the refund til they have a customer lined up for it. No good to me. The garage definitely knew about the previous damage and respray because the car was initially leased by their own leasing arm. I even sent them a detailed video so they could show to the customer they have lined up.

What's best course of action. Go down the SIMI or CCPC complaint route or both? Anyone here any experience of either and is it a long drawn out process which ends up going nowehere. Or do I bite the bullet and engage the expense of a solicitor from the offset. The garage is SIMI registered I checked. Thanks.

elperello

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058244605/sold-a-car-that-has-had-extensive-body-work-done

Poor form of them, are they main dealers?

If it was me I'd forget phoning and emailing and go to their premises and deal face to face.

Tell them you want the money in your account and you will leave the car then and there.

If that doesn't work you could go legal but you want to avoid that and so do they or they wouldn't have agreed a refund.

mgbgt1978

SIMI are a Motor Industry Lobby Group, they will be of no help to yourself unfortunately.

bs2014

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119020398#Comment_119020398

Yeah well this is happening every day of the week sadly. Thankfully (for them more so) I discovered now and not in 6 months time.

Unfortunately I live 4 hours away so popping in and trying that approach isnt an option. I hear your point but tbh if they dragging their heals and in denial at this stage, they won't change their stance if I were to handstand and do cartwheels up the showroom

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119020421#Comment_119020421

True but I see a section where you fill out a big litany and they try intervene. But as you say they probably "pro" the dealer in all scenarios.

SIMI | Contact Complaints Service

raxy

I would contact the ccpc first. They will be able to advise you of your best option, even if they don't contact the garage themselves so you've nothing to loose.

macvin

So 40k in the dispute but you are not willing to drive 4 hours.

I'd be up early on Saturday and be at the garage about 11am.

Ccpc and solicitor will tell you the same thing.

cml387

So why did you buy a car that was four hours drive away?

Was it a "good" price?

And if so did you maybe ask yourself why it was such a good price?

Car99

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119022084#Comment_119022084

Very helpful.

Dav010

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119022084#Comment_119022084

You can’t really be asking why the op didn’t buy locally when searching for a car, can you?

size5

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058244605/sold-a-car-that-has-had-extensive-body-work-done

1) Get the car independently accessed by an engineer and a written report done

2) Assuming the report backs up what you say sent it to the garage.

3) Give the certain number of days to sort it out or you will take legal action. Look for expenses to be paid for eg engineer report, any fees your insurance cop may charge

Bud definitely get the car independently accessed, this happened to us about two year back and once we sent in report they had no leg to stand on!!

macvin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119027252#Comment_119027252

If OP does what you are suggesting it will cost hundreds if not thousands and it will take about three years to sort out. If I got a letter like that, I'd bin it immediately and tell whoever wrote to f&^% Off

Currently the waiting list for court date is about 2 years

bs2014

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119027252#Comment_119027252

Thanks, yeah that's my next plan. Bit sickening when they initially agreed to refund me but have now been randomly ghosting me. All a delay tactic to throw me off course while they get their **** together or work on finding another customer.....not my problem! I think I may be bound to going through SIMI but I have little faith and that will be drawn out. I've given them a cut off date of Friday evening there to respond with date of refund which they have also ignored.....(see a pattern?lol). Part of me is thinking of skipping SIMI and CCPC and just going straight for the solicitors letter route. But as you say the solicitor will want an engineers report in advance of a letter. Any engineer you recommend? I rang a few and they all seem to pluck different figures out of the sky and the ones I rang don't even inspect the car on a ramp which seems abit loose?

size5

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119028523#Comment_119028523

Same issue engineers won't inspect on a ramp unless you have one or car is in a garage. In our case & il imagine your case he won't have a ramp but if its to inspect the paintwork he won't need one so I would let that worry you.

Perhaps tell the garage you are getting an Independent inspection done and you will be also billing them for the cost of this

AA used to do it but now they have independent accessors that do it for them-so start there perhaps

size5

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119027511#Comment_119027511

didn't happen with us got monies and all expenses without any issue

elperello

The garage has already agreed to take the car back and refund the OP.

What is needed now is to press them to live up to that agreement.

Best done in person dealing with the MD or owner.

bs2014

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119029975#Comment_119029975

Valid point but tbh you see so many horror stories on the internet I want a full inside out inspection especially when paying a couple of hundred quid for it.

bs2014

Folks, rang the garage and spoke direct with the owner today. Lets just say he's a total prick. Totally U turned their original offer of a full no hassle refund now isn't want to refund the car until he "investigates" further. By ignoring and avoiding me I dunno how he planned to do that. I knew it seemed to good to be true, all a ploy to make you think no I don't want to return the car. He playing the trump card that me and those who came with me to view the car spent 2 hours driving and looking over the car on a sunny day and how us or his team never seen the repair work, it must have happened on my watch. Eventually he agreed to arrange an engineers report but I know that will never happen. He more or less said he was happy for me to go to solicitors and dig my own hole. And even funnier he tried telling me the car had appreciated so he would stand to gain.....okay so put you money on the table then. Complete LIARS. Asking me for videos and pics of the damage to supposedly show to another customer. they'd lined up...BS all they were doing was putting together their side of the argument. I will have no issue naming and shaming the dealership here but not until we both haul through the courts it seems. As for dealers, I wouldn't believe the radio in their houses.