Jeep - Rejecting a vehicle

[Surfer01]

We bought a Jeep Grand Cherokee last week on Wednesday, but the day after purchase on the Thursday the kick down became intermittent. This happened again on the Friday so we never used the vehicle again as in my opinion it was dangerous to drive.

On the Monday we contacted the dealer who collected the vehicle on the Tuesday, but their service department was unable to rectify the fault. The second hand car dealer then sent the vehicle to a franchised Jeep dealer who has had it since Wednesday this week.

Unfortunately although the franchised dealer has experienced the fault while test driving, they have been unable to pinpoint the issue and resolve it as no fault code is showing up on their diagnostic machine. Another test drive and no fault, but a third test drive fault appeared.

In the meantime, we do have a loan car from the dealer however it is manual so can’t really use it anyway and can understand that as fault is intermittent and can take time to resolve. We don’t blame the dealer as there is no ways they could have known about the intermittent kick down. However no one can give us a time frame which could be days, weeks or even months before the repair is completed.

The other concern is that every one including us may think the fault is resolved, but a year or two later the fault may re-appear so we are rapidly losing faith in this particular vehicle. However as it would be an inherent fault we may be covered under SOGA, but don’t want the hassles later on anyway.

Our HP agreement states that we have a "Right of withdrawal” and it is available to us for 14 days after the agreement is executed. If we wish to withdraw, we need to advise them in writing or orally by phone. If we go down this route and don't return the vehicle then we need to pay the credit in full which is understandable, however no mention of what happens if you return the vehicle.

Our deposit was almost one third of the cost price of the vehicle, plus we paid 6 months tax and insurance costs. In addition, another £90 for tow bar electrics and a spare key. Probably a total of about £3500! We cannot afford to lose this type of money.

I am not sure whether we should officially reject the vehicle and execute a “Right of withdrawal”. Our concern is if we use the latter and want to buy another vehicle on finance, we may have issues. I suppose we could ask the fiancé company to “hold” the finance for us while we look for another suitable vehicle.

Can anyone offer any advice on the above please? Thanks.

[heliosuk]

Do you know the fault code and can you post it?

[Surfer01]

Do you know the fault code and can you post it?

 

That is the problem. No fault code is showing, but the mechanic at the Jeep franchise has experienced the problem while on a test drive. We have sort of lost all faith in this vehicle especially with a main dealer not being able to locate the fault!

We will be writing to the dealer and finance company invoking our right of withdrawal so that even if the fault disappears there is a written record of what may be an inherent fault. We have no issues with dealer who has been very helpful and is unlikely to have known about the fault at time of sale due to it being very intermittent, but we would rather source another vehicle.

[Surfer01]

Bump!

[heliosuk]

It could be an inherrant condition of the vehicle i.e. it meets the design and operation of the vehicle. Unfortunately you don't post the age and mileage or exactly which varient. Some auto boxes "learn" driving styles and when there has been a change of ownership this has been known to cause issues. I've come across similar issues before and have been sent to investigate where no fault could be found. Invariably it rectify's itself but as I have not a lot of experience on American 4X4's I cannot say with any certaincey that this might be the issue.

 

Now if you had bought a proper english 4X4 I might have a better clue as to how to progress.

 

You've got to admit though surfer, that Cherokee is a pig ugly and dated vehicle!!!

[Surfer01]

I was looking for something more reliable than a Landrover as they are known for unreliablity. It appears the fault was a poor connection in the wiring to the turbo boost. Seems to be running okay now.

[Conniff]

I'd like that explained a bit more. Kickdown operates by closing a valve in the gearbox and isn't really related at all to the turbo. Of course they can work in conjunction with each other, but that's not kick down.

[Surfer01]

All I know is that if I pressed the accelerator, it would not change down and take off although it would downshift and upshift on normal driving. I am no mechanic so have to assume what they tell me is correct.

[Conniff]

Be certain to keep safe any paperwork for this and if you haven't been given any, then get some. Should this happen again you will be able to refer it back as an inherent fault which was there at purchase.

[Surfer01]

Be certain to keep safe any paperwork for this and if you haven't been given any, then get some. Should this happen again you will be able to refer it back as an inherent fault which was there at purchase.

 

Thanks to this forum I am aware of the inherent fault bit and have logged in writing the complaint with the finance company and the dealer plus I asked the Jeep franchise for a copy of the invoice they were giving the dealer. Only difference is that they removed the costs.

The dealer has been first class and very helpful to the extent that they supplied a loan car.

[barbershop0]

Glad you got it successfully resolved.

[Surfer01]

We have recently bought a 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee CRD Limited with 60,500 miles on the clock and full service history,

some with the main dealer (1st 3 years).

 

Although mechanically these vehicles are fairly sound as they have a Mercedes engine and a good transmission box,

they tend to suffer from electrical/software failures which can be expensive.

 

Warranty Wise seem to offer a good deal for the vehicle at £60 per month plus as long as have not claimed, you can cancel giving 30 days notice.

My only concern is that your card is debited and no DD is raised.

 

They advise that in case of insufficient funds the payment is declined and no charges are incurred.

 

We have never ever bought an extended warranty previously as we have always bought Toyota cars

which in comparison have been fairly low tech and easy to repair.

 

One could always put the £60 into a savings account, but if several months down the line you require a repair costing £500 you have a problem.

Do you have an opinion on these extended car warranties? Thanks.

[dx100uk]

i tend to find many extended warranties have too many hidden get out clauses.

across the whole product range not just with vehicles.

 

buying from a dealer SOGA gives you free come back

 

but could be limited .

 

http://www.oft.gov.uk/business-advice/treating-customers-fairly/sogahome/forcustomers

 

http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/england/consumer_e/consumer1_cars_and_other_vehicles_e/cars_buying_a_secondhand_car_e.htm

 

dx

[crem]

The general consensus on the forum tends to be that extended warranties aren't worth the paper they are printed on.

[Surfer01]

I have a very real concern with Warranty Wise now.

 

I thought I would do an online quote to see what the price would be if I decided to take out a warranty.

 

I filled in the car details and my name and contact number and at the bottom of the page clicked the "Continue" button

to take me to the next page which then showed the options plus the prices.

 

At no time did I click on a "submit" button although I did untick the box for normal marketing clause.

 

While I was deliberating the prices, the phone rang and it was Warranty Wise enquiring if I was interested in one of their policies!

 

I told them in no uncertain terms that I did not expect a phone as at no time had I agreed to them obtaining my details.

 

Surely this should not be happening as I had not submitted my details to them?

 

Can companies lift your details from a web page even though you have not submitted it to them?

 

Does seem to be very ethical!

[Surfer01]

Just to add, unfortunately when they contacted me, they made it sound good and I agreed over the phone provided that the first payment was taken on the coming Wednesday. After the phone call I tried to find their T & Cs on the website, but it s a bit difficult. Anyway this morning I phone them to cancel and straight away I am told that they need it in writing. Why is the cancellation required in writing if the original contract was verbal? I could not find this requirement anywhere on their website. Sent an email anyway to cover myself.

On speaking with the rep this morning, I was told that the person who handles the cancellation is not at work until later in the day. Everything is now beginning to get a bit iffy especially as I do not want the first payment processed even though the agreement only starts on 20th November 2012. I now realise why payments are card payments and not direct debits as recurring payments on a card are very difficult to stop!

[dw190]

I now realise why payments are card payments and not direct debits as recurring payments on a card are very difficult to stop!

 

Quite easy to stop. Report your card lost and get a replacement.

 

Couple of days without card so prepare for that.

[Surfer01]

Phoned them again to cancel and this time I was told that in their T & Cs it states cancellation must be writing.

 

I was then transferred to someone else and when I advised that I did not have the T & Cs as I had only agreed yesterday,

 

my verbal cancellation should be good enough.

 

She agreed and advised that they would not process the payment and they would cancel the policy.

 

Hopefully this will happen, but we need to wait until Friday.

[Conniff]

You 'will' come out the loser with an extended warranty. £60 per month is almost a mortgage, put it in a savings account or under the mattress, it's safer.

[Surfer01]

You 'will' come out the loser with an extended warranty. £60 per month is almost a mortgage, put it in a savings account or under the mattress, it's safer.

 

That I agree with the above and will try it. My other concern is how they were able to obtain my contact details prior to be submitting and details plus being on TPS. I ticked the box for not passing on my info also.

[dw190]

That I agree with the above and will try it. My other concern is how they were able to obtain my contact details prior to be submitting and details plus being on TPS. I ticked the box for not passing on my info also.

 

Ticking a box means nothing were commissions are involved. A £60 per month policy over four years would bring nealy 2k in commissions. I'd risk passing on your details for that sort of money.

[Surfer01]

Ticking a box means nothing were commissions are involved. A £60 per month policy over four years would bring nealy 2k in commissions. I'd risk passing on your details for that sort of money.

 

 

Still do not know how they got my details?

[Surfer01]

Attached is a copy of their terms and conditions. On checking what is covered there seems to be a glaring omission regarding software updates to rectify faults. Generally many modern cars require software updates to repair a fault. Software updates can also be expensive. In addition on numerous occasions a diagnostic machine is necessary to generate fault codes to allow the mechanic to determine the source of the fault.

[Conniff]

Logically, software updates should be free especially if they are to rectify a fault. Afterall, ii is their cock-up in not fully testing it before implimentation to start with that caused a problem.

The time to connect the laptop to it and do the update cost the garage nothing and they were probably issued the update at no cost to boot.

[Surfer01]

Logically, software updates should be free especially if they are to rectify a fault. Afterall, ii is their cock-up in not fully testing it before implimentation to start with that caused a problem.

The time to connect the laptop to it and do the update cost the garage nothing and they were probably issued the update at no cost to boot.

Jeep garage want £35 to do an update on my 2005 vehicle which is out of warranty. See http://www.wkjeeps.com/tsb/tsb_wk_2400206.pdf I have an issue with the heater on auto mode. Seems the previous owner ignored the issue and sued it on manual, however if you accidentally click on auto, you lose heat and the only to get it back is to ensure controls are all on manual and then to re-start Jeep.

 

PS I was not going to claim this on the warranty if I had gone ahead with it as the vehicle is still covered by SOGA at present..