** i'm not going to put any specific details in here, as this may end up as a legal matter, but i thought i'd share my story with you **
Last week i agreed to buy a 3 year old car. An invoice was prepared which detailed the agreed price and 6 items of work that the garage would complete before final purchase. I paid a small deposit via my credit card and was given a copy of the invoice, with the garage retaining the original.
Today i went to collect the car the garage hadn't completed one of the items of work scheduled on the invoice and for one of the other items that required a part fitting had fitted a part that was broken into 2 pieces.
I brought this to the attention of the garage and asked for the agreed work to be completed. The garage flatly refused to do the work and gave me a take it or leave it ultimatum. I tried to reason with them by informing them that I believed that they had entered into a contract with me to provide the vehicle to me at a set price and to do the work specified on the invoice and by not doing so they would be in breach of that contract. Their reply was that this was their best and final offer. At this point I asked for the return of my deposit, the garage have also refused this, stating that if i did want it back 'i could pursue them through the courts' and they were returning the vehicle to the forecourt for sale.
At this point i left the garage and immediately contacted my credit card provider who have been massively helpful and supportive and I have been told to expect all sorts of forms to fill out and have been asked to attach copies of the invoice with the agreed work schedule.
I am absolutely gutted about this, it took me ages to find a car in the condition and specification that i wanted, and to lose out on it at the very last minute is rather annoying.
On reflection, though, I think this all comes down to trust, if I couldn't trust the garage to do a written list of scheduled works, what else have they 'skimped' on? So perhaps the deal not going through is a good thing in the long run.
Grrrrrrr....... Garages eh?
Spudgun
PS this is an entirely personal rant about 1 individual experience and i do not mean to question the character of all people who work in garages as i'm sure that there are lots of lovely people out there who do work in one!
PPS I also realise that the experience at one garage shouldn't colour my judgement of all garages, but i am, today, extremely annoyed and frustrated (no excuse, i know), but in sharing my frustrations here, it has actually helped me to feel better about the situation!
Last week i agreed to buy a 3 year old car. An invoice was prepared which detailed the agreed price and 6 items of work that the garage would complete before final purchase. I paid a small deposit via my credit card and was given a copy of the invoice, with the garage retaining the original.
Today i went to collect the car the garage hadn't completed one of the items of work scheduled on the invoice and for one of the other items that required a part fitting had fitted a part that was broken into 2 pieces.
I brought this to the attention of the garage and asked for the agreed work to be completed. The garage flatly refused to do the work and gave me a take it or leave it ultimatum. I tried to reason with them by informing them that I believed that they had entered into a contract with me to provide the vehicle to me at a set price and to do the work specified on the invoice and by not doing so they would be in breach of that contract. Their reply was that this was their best and final offer. At this point I asked for the return of my deposit, the garage have also refused this, stating that if i did want it back 'i could pursue them through the courts' and they were returning the vehicle to the forecourt for sale.
At this point i left the garage and immediately contacted my credit card provider who have been massively helpful and supportive and I have been told to expect all sorts of forms to fill out and have been asked to attach copies of the invoice with the agreed work schedule.
I am absolutely gutted about this, it took me ages to find a car in the condition and specification that i wanted, and to lose out on it at the very last minute is rather annoying.
On reflection, though, I think this all comes down to trust, if I couldn't trust the garage to do a written list of scheduled works, what else have they 'skimped' on? So perhaps the deal not going through is a good thing in the long run.
Grrrrrrr....... Garages eh?
Spudgun
PS this is an entirely personal rant about 1 individual experience and i do not mean to question the character of all people who work in garages as i'm sure that there are lots of lovely people out there who do work in one!
PPS I also realise that the experience at one garage shouldn't colour my judgement of all garages, but i am, today, extremely annoyed and frustrated (no excuse, i know), but in sharing my frustrations here, it has actually helped me to feel better about the situation!
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