Advice please - Miss-advertised

Clearcut

Clearcut

Clearcut

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28 Jul 2004
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I have just bought a used car online and had it delivered. I paid a large deposit and financed the rest. I was desperate to use it so taxed and insured it straight away.

I now notice the car does not have a lot of the features it was advertised with. Luckily I kept copies of the advert, as it has now been edited to remove the features that are missing. This is a strange practice to do after a sale has gone through (obviously for some sort of denial) Is it possible to reject the car now I have taxed and insured it please?

What should be the next step, I am pretty stressed over this.

Thank you
 
I would suggest checking the site you bought the car from. They may well have a rejection process, follow that.

If not, check if distance selling regulations apply and contact them with your reasons and a copy of the original advert and just be straight.

If that fails, you will have to get firmer and threaten legal action. But I'd be amazed if it gets that far.
 
It was an independent dealer. It was too far away for me to go and see. As I only have an automatic license (yes I know) there is absolutely nothing around my local area so I took a chance.

This is the email I am composing, which explains the issues.

Having had an opportunity look at the car I have to say I am very disappointed with what I received compared to the listing.

As you can see from my attachments, when I noticed the car did not have the Bose sound system advertised, I went back to my saved copies of the original adverts on both Autotrader and your website and noticed not only have the front and rear parking sensors been removed on the existing version, but also mention of the 'Bose Sound System with 8 speakers'. The fact it has now been removed before I mentioned it, suggests you knew that it was missing.

This is unusual practice to edit a listing and remove items after the sale has gone through.

On top of that, the electric folding door mirrors do not fold. After a little research, this car doesn't even have that feature, yet again, it is listed.

There is no electric lumbar support either, just a standard lever.

I appreciate with regards to the cosmetic condition, it is a 12 year old car and this should be expected, however, I would expect to get the extra features offered.

This is the first time I have risked buying a car through delivery unseen and it seems it was a mistake in this case.

After a pretty sleepless night, I really see no option but to speak to the finance company about rejecting the car, as it seems to be a different model to the one I paid for and does not have some of the the features I specifically selected it for.

I thought it fair to address it with you first and will act accordingly to your response.
Click to expand...

Original listing

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New Listing

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Also, the advert isn't showing as Sold, just relisted with the changes. Do you think they are expecting it back?
 
If you financed it, the finance company will be very interested to hear this. As long as you haven’t piled loads of miles on, it should be a straight return for a refund in my eyes.

I’d call the finance company and get their take on it. It’s their car too right now and they usually have massive leverage over dealers.
 
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Looks like Autotrader. It does this a lot, but other sites have this issue too. When a car is advertised it adds the spec that it expects the car to have and is notorious for being wrong. Note the "Typically" word in the features.

However, its still not what you want, so speak with them first and failing that go down the Finance company route as said above.
 
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Axeboy said:
Looks like Autotrader. It does this a lot, but other sites have this issue too. When a car is advertised it adds the spec that it expects the car to have and is notorious for being wrong. Note the "Typically" word in the features.

However, its still not what you want, so speak with them first and failing that go down the Finance company route as said above.
Click to expand...

I hate autotrader ads for that reason and will always go by the dealers website. I hardly ever see an autotrader ad which gets the features correct

Autotrader has a good section on what to do in the OPs case

www.autotrader.co.uk

Returning a car: What to do if you've been sold a faulty car in 2025 | Autotrader

Need to return a car you just bought? Don’t stress; these Statutory rights and advice on how to return should help you out.
www.autotrader.co.uk www.autotrader.co.uk
 
Axeboy said:
Looks like Autotrader. It does this a lot, but other sites have this issue too. When a car is advertised it adds the spec that it expects the car to have and is notorious for being wrong. Note the "Typically" word in the features.
Click to expand...

The "typically" is in reference to the standard features, not the extras which have been explicitly listed.

Either way, it's still miss-advertised regardless of whether intentional or not
 
Greebo said:
I hate autotrader ads for that reason and will always go by the dealers website. I hardly ever see an autotrader ad which gets the features correct

Autotrader has a good section on what to do in the OPs case

www.autotrader.co.uk

Returning a car: What to do if you've been sold a faulty car in 2025 | Autotrader

Need to return a car you just bought? Don’t stress; these Statutory rights and advice on how to return should help you out.
www.autotrader.co.uk www.autotrader.co.uk
Click to expand...

They changed it on their website too.

Original

JzDkfKy.jpg


Update

88YZilQ.jpg
 
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how much time has elapsed since delivery - did you spot immediately
- were speakers missing bose motifs in original(!) pictures , and parking sensors - looks like they may have confused add with other S3 they are selling.?

Probably need to have an idea of what these features are worth to you, -if-, you otherwise like the car, to otherwise avoid both return expenses to dealer, and your out of pocket expenses, would you easily get refund on tax&insurance.
 
Their website is probably by AutoTrader platform, that's why it has changed on both.

In regards to rejecting the car, don't get distracted waffling about them amending the advert and what you think they knew, having sleepless nights etc.

Be clear, concise and factual with what the advert said the car has, what is missing, that you consider this to be not as described and as such you're rejecting it.

I think within 30 days the 'right to reject' provided by the 2015 Consumer Rights Act should make this relatively easy for you.
 
Probably a dilemma then, you don't yet know if the car otherwise drives well, such that you might accept some compensation (extended warranty ?)
but, on the other hand calling them, and saying the car is waiting for you to take it back, won't give that opportunity.
 
The car drives beautifully, which is a shame.

He just rang me and I think the mention of speaking to the finance company worried him. He's offered to take the car back with full refund, however, refuses to pay for me getting it back to him. Looks like a 120 mile road trip then train home then.
 
Hi

As discussed and agreed to by both .... Sales ltd and yourself in our telephone conversation just now:

We will refund to ........ motor finance £6490.

Upon return of the car back to our premises and in the condition that it left our premises before delivery,we will refund to £4430.

You are to arrange the return of the car as soon as possible and pay for any costs involved.

A picture of the current mileage must be sent to us now,the car must not be in use and no additional mileage should be recorded between now and the day that it is returned.

Please keep hold of any documentation you have,don’t register the car in your name,the documents must be sent back with car.
Click to expand...

Well as I taxed, insured it and drove it last night, I guess that complicates things.
 
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