On this site, especially on Motor related forums, excellent advice is given in relation to SOGA. In order to initiate the process, the Rogue Trader must first be given the chance to make good any complaints. It is always recommended that all comunication is by Rec Del letters. Both myself and others using the site have had trouble getting traders to accept rec del letters. On checking, it appears that if the postman cannot deliver a letter, he/she leaves a note saying to collect letter from PO. The PO supposedly hold this letter for a week, then it goes to a warehouse in Nothern Ireland and is stored for six months before being destroyed. Last week i tried to phone several po numbers. All were sent to answering machines, and their rec del tracing system had a message saying that it was temporarily out of action. ROYAL MAIL is EVEN worse than BT when you actually want to speak to a human, as their recorded messages go round in circles. A DISGRACEFUL WAY to run a public utility company. Please give your comments and experiences with REC DEL letters.

Can anyone please tell me the legal or consumer position on makers warranty, when a complaint or fault has been notified before warranty expires, but not rectified before that date? Are there any channels open to physically make manufacturer keep testing car until fault is found.

There is a widely read Scottish newspaper called The Sunday Post, which has a consumer help page known as "Raw Deal". In yesterdays edition Raw Deal exposed Arnold Clark for not acting to a lovely lassie's pleas for help when a car she bought from them gave heaps of trouble. Try as she did, but Clark's would not budge in repairing her car. In sheer desperation,, she contacted Raw Deal, who swung into action and contacted Clark's on her behalf. Alas, Raw Deal managed to get Clark's to do what they should have done in the first place, and now the car has been repaired. Good work Raw Deal. Well, it's tattie digging time of year again, so i'm off to dig my Golden Wonders.

Just so

Yes Sorry Conniff, mis read thread, thought it was for me.

Try customer services manager:- [email protected]

Clansmen, I think you need to CHALLENGE VOSA. Some years ago, my son in law bought a car which turned out to be a complete heap. He took it back to the seller who resided in a Dundee slum, and was threatened with physical violence. On the way to our workshop the rear suspension dropped on a main road. I went out and did an emergency rescue (thank god the police didn't see). We called in the MOT as they were then known, and even after my father had done some work on the car, they went back to the crooked MOT station and hauled them over the coals for very recently having passed this heap. Eventually the station owner came to our garage and had another look at the car and left some monetry compensation for the son in law. I totally agree with your opinion of the value of the title "SIR" here in Scotland. What Heliosuk says is absolutely correct. Most HGV's and Buses are tested at Vosa stations, and the only people who can MOT a car without any axe to grind are some local councils, who have mot facilities, but can't repair your car.

Clansmen, Please do us all a big favour and report this to VOSA. They may put in a "ghost" car for mot to the same branch, just to test the accuracy of AC's testing proceedure. It has to be said though, that every tester has to use his/her own discretion on certain items in the test, therefore it is possible that no two test results are the same. Some years back, i took my car to local garage which is owned by a tester, but who does not run his own testing station now. Car had pre mot check and a few jobs done to reach mot standard. In a rush to get mot, i took it to a mot while you wait garage. It failed for a minor suspension fault. On taking it back to local garage, the owner said he had noticed a minor amount of play in component but was within tolerance. Then when he found out where i had taken car, he said he knew that most cars fail mot at this place now, since they had had a grilling by vosa because of previous complaints. they were now being over cautious. Please report your experience.

My goodness Conniff, AC must have upset you big time that we have all these posts. THIS MUST BE A RECORD. We normally only see Arnold Clark mentioned once or twice on the same page. It would be very interesting to know what the massive Arnold Clark Automobiles Ltd. response to the OFT will be in light of their new regulations for used car dealers. In one section they appear to have gone overboard in that the advertising of cars for spares or repair is banned. I think they should have allowed this but with the strict qualification that such vehicles must be transported away whether they are runners or not. Surely the public would not buy a car advertised as such and expect it to be roadworthy at least without work being done on it.

This is why i said some time ago, that if you have to buy from AC take a good lawyer with you.

If your debit card is VISA then you can ask for "Chargeback" through your bank. It is likely that initially your bank will tell you that they can't do chargeback on a debit card. Just tell them that you will report to directly to VISA EUROPE, and i think you will find more co-operation. YOU CAN DO CHARGEBACK WITH VISA DEBIT CARDS. Can't say for others though.

Wow Mr. Heliosuk, you sure have hit the nail on the heid. I for one wouldnae work for AC, especially in the workshop. Why? Some of their "General Managers" admit that they have little or no technical knowledge, and one was so ignorant as to suggest that in their position, they did not need it. What then would be the position, if say, their was a disagreement between workshop staff on a mechanical or technical matter? How could the GM arbitrate if he knows jack all about the product that they sell. It is an absolute disgrace that people with so little product knowledge should be in a position to take up to £20,000+ from the car buying punters. Today, cars are not the relatively simple things they used to be. Modern technology requires that all those concerned in the retail side of the industry be fully trained and knowledgable, complete with the appropriate certificates. Retail car sales is the only job i know of where a complete dunderheid in a suit is allowed to operate. (say perhaps politicians). Noo then, lets be perfectly clear about whats gaun on here. All the clark mob are daen is to play on the vulernability of the average punter. Only the ones with some savy will have found this website. There are thousands of happy clark customers, but i pit it tae you that theres a heck of a lot who are happy in their ignorance of whats really gaun on.

very interesting

SORTED thank you.

Many people are drawn in by large colourfull adverts and believe that they will be getting the best deal possible. Not always so. Within the last month or so, some main dealers were offering their marque at very competitive prices but Clark's wanted £1500 more for the same cars. When pressed they adopted their normal stance ie. dead silence. Wonder how many people paid this extra just because they did not check the web. Their Motability advert on TV has been reported to the Advertising Standards Authority for inaccuracies.

one of the T&Cs in clarks service plans is that it is not transferrable to a new owner of the car. You would think that a firm so focused on marketing would realise that if the plan was transferred to a (LUCKY) non clark customer, it would get them through the door for servicing then the sales vultures would get a go at otherwise unlikely punters.

Conniff #9-SAYS IT ALL. The hinmist two posts from Alasdair Craig@AC, appeals for disgruntled customers to contact him. Thats a bit queer as he hasn't tried to sort out a complaint sent him about six or seven weeks ago, or so i am led to understand. In this case where the complaint would need Clark to either lose MONEY or do a bit of graft for the punter they have gone back to their old ways of stonewalling the punter. Again conniff in another post-leopard and spots. What Clarks need to understand is that in this day and age the informed punters will not tolerate stonewalling which will not make the problem go away but only puts the punters back up. I know of at least one punter who is taking legal advice at the moment because their complaint is not being listened to.

Well, that's over four weeks past since i wrote my complaint to Mr. Craig and still nothing heard from them. ACSUK, You said your lawyer had had success in the past against arnold clark, so do you think she would be interested in taking on my case? Any chance you can PM me on how to make contact with lawyer? Thanks in advance.

Thanks for all replies. Think my questions answered at warranties, where Mr. heliosuk highlighted the problem. only good news was late this afternoon i found out that i qualified for legal aid. can plant my tatties with a bit of optism now.

Busby, have you ever tried buying a car from arnold clark? Just try and get a hold of log book before sale takes place! Anyway, DMANS problem must have been resolved as they have never posted any progress / results.

Trading Standards? You jest my man. TS will not become involved in civil actions.

I recently bought a car from arnold clark which is still under makers warranty. Despite several requests for warranty work to be done, they continually fail to get back to me on when to present car. Are they legally bound to honour makers/ clarks warranty. Any ideas how to proceed from here?