Ripped off by van garage

[ali-bumble]

On Nov 1st I took out a transit for a test drive and was very pleased by it apart from the turbo was broken. I put down a £150 deposit on the condition that a new turbo would be fitted, it would be MoT'd for a year and have been serviced. All of which I got in writing.

Aweek later I went to pick it up "Oh sorry Van failed it's Mot It'll be ready thursday" I was told. Took thursday off work to go and collect and was told " there's a problem with the wastegate on the new turbo It'll have to go to ford to get sorted" Come back next week. I pop back the next week and am told " oh the turbo we fitted was buggered also we'll have to get another one. Come back in 3 days"
Finally after more shitty excuses I got a call on thursday You van is ready
I went took it for a run and all seemed OK apart from an ominus clunk from front o/s wheel. Took it to mates garage and got it up on the ramp and a track rod end was completely shagged. The other one had been changed a week ago for the MoT so I don't know how they managed to miss this one!. The service had not been carried out ( dirty oil and dirty air filter) Also coolant leaking and rear diff leaking and front brakes corroded to excess but yet had been given Mot cert a week ago
I told the dealer that I didn't want the van because after 4 attempts to get it roadworthy it still wasn't.
Fu$k off your not getting your money back was the pleasant retort from the salesman.
What now?

1 burn the place down,
2 Small claims court
3 Tell police I've been robbed of £150
4 Trading standards
5 Is there a place to complain about unfit mot passed vehicles

When I first took the van out for a test drive it was on trade plates but had no MoT or Tax Is this legal.
I just want my money back and to do something that will really piss off the garage.
All top tips appreciated

[Luke]

i'd just take him to the small claims court!
you will probly win but he is more likely to back down at the threat!

for details i'd guess the citizens advice bureau have a website!

[MrMPuk]

First off is the garage you bought it from an RAC approved seller or anything like that? Either way give trading standards a call and speak to them althought the vehicle is second hand it still comes under there guide lines and rules of fit for purpose and all that. Then over course I would speak to the Vehicle inspectorate about the dodgy MOT, you might find that speaking to the MOT station its self may bring a few things to light!

[ovlov]

If you can get another garage to certify that van is unroadworthy and dangerous to use and that the faults havent just happend since you bought it, you will be able to Report MOT garage that tested it to ministry also contact trading standards but if you can dont use van for a while We had similar prod with a wagon we bought been virtual write off but we we'rnt told when we bought it we ended up getting £1500 off dealer as a goodwill gesture. If you ring trading standards tell them its not any good for the job you got it for If you use for a job trading standards will just say that if its doing the job then its ok Good luck

[Nighthawk]

First off,

appeal against the test result with VOSA, if it's retested by them and found to be ok, it'll cost you the price of the test.
If it is as you describe, you'll have no problems getting your money back on the van because trading standards will accept the word of VOSA far more readily than that of yourself.

[Gunslinger]

go to the vehicle inspectorate after you have had an RAC inspection done on the vehicle, or get your local police to inspect the vehicle for road worthness, they might not be too helpful, however as they have the power to order the vehicle off the road at a kerbside inspection, if you can get them to put that in writing, then you give that and the mot certificate to the inspectorate, you will find that the garage will not be doing mot's again for a while, then go back to them and tell them thats what they get for doing shoddy work (just to piss them off)

small claims court might help you out but might not be worth the hassle, trading standards are certainly worth writing to, they will keep the details on record (and for quite a while too) and also be able to build a case if yours is not the only complaint

Yes trade plates cover no tax or mot as far as i know, because one of the responsibilitys of the garage using the trade plates is to ensure the vehicle is road worthy and only to use them when necessary

[Wild_Paul]

do you have the van now??

its just with you mentioning the £150 is it that you want back or the full money on the van?

[FredTransit]

do you have the van now??

its just with you mentioning the £150 is it that you want back or the full money on the van?

Good point, I get the impression that you didn't keep or pay for the van, so just want your unreturned deposit back. if that's the case, small claims court will be your only route. Watch out for the garage implying you had messed them about not coming for the van, and get something in writing about the MOT faults, to prove why you didn't want to go ahead with the sale. Also, if the van isn't actually yours, going to trading standards might be a bit of a grey area, but still worth a try. Also if you didn't keep it, VOSPA might not be helpful, though don't let that put you off complaining, it costs nothing. I do not think the police will help you as this is a consumer matter.

[Gunslinger]

yup fred your right they will probably say not our problem, but they will sing a different story if they watch you drive it away knowing its probably not road worthy (hypocryts like that)

[WINDSCREENGUY]

i find super glue in their locks or expanding foam around locks or door frame, or up the exhausts off all their vans would make me feel better

[100ps_drw_hicube]

i find super glue in their locks or expanding foam around locks or door frame, or up the exhausts off all their vans would make me feel better

ye i agree with this sort of thing but leave it 2 months so they dont suspect you brake fluid or nitromors also would be an idea

[phil g]

like the super glue and foam coctail,a good stiff baseball bat seems to mix with so many things use your imagination

[Gunslinger]

..... i'd just love to see the mechanics face as he tries to work out why the engine just coughs because the back box is full of expanding foam .... thats an evil but funny streak you have there

[ali-bumble]

Thanks for all the info guys.
I spoke to my brief today and was advised to lose the £150 deposit paid and put it down to experience. Apparantly as I had made a contract by placeing a deposit and I now want to back out of the deal I could actually be sued by the garage for the £700 they have so far paid out for repairs on the van for breach of contract As the garage has offered to carry out the repairs outstanding as originally agreed. From my point I don't want to pay a garage £5k when the sales man told me to fu£k off even if the van is finally ready. Not that I actually think for a moment that it is
Trading standards will def get a call though

[Luke]

so you will be taking grey van man's advice then!!!