Carcraft AGAIN

[stevecarrcross]

3months after Buying a car from carcraft merseyside - i get a flat tyre, so after taking it to ATS they inform me that the tyre pre - purchase was illegally repaired and so the car was made unroadworthy.

 

Naughty Carcraft Selling illegal unroadworthey cars.

 

Does anyone have any experience like this and any sccess chasing them up after.

 

 

Cheers

 

Steve

[rosiecotton]

You could inform Trading Standards as they can enforce the Road Traffic Act, but to be honest three months after the time of sale it might be more difficult for them to take action and prove that it was definitely sold in that condition.

 

Have you complained to Carcraft yourself yet, and what have they had to say?

 

You could potentially ask for compensation as the car was not of satisfactory quality when sold as a tyre was illegal (under the Sale of Goods Act) and see how you get on.

 

The Act does say that normally you have to give the original trader an opportunity to put the fault right but in this case I would argue that you didn't know that the tyre was at fault until the work was already being carried out.

[stevecarrcross]

Carcraft are asking for a statement off ats (which they now have)

Trading standards quoted the sales of goods & the supply of Goods ACTs

 

AS well as this tyre i had the other three checked and one has preished to the point of illegalness dur to prolonged standing in one position that takes longer than 3 months

 

Its in car crafts hands now.

 

but i will take this matter further if i am pushed to the extreme by there incompetance

[itsamomentintime]

i saw watchdog a few months ago who said that they have had at least 1000 complaints about carcraft

 

thats a lot

[backline01]

i went into carcraft today looking for a vehicle to use as a runabout for business. i chose a vectra cdti which was priced at 13995. afterchecking the car's value with various motor traders who i know and with vauxhall, the retail value was established as being 12k. so they were asking 2k above retail book.

 

i neg the price down to 12,250, an acceptable price for the car. then the finance side. Carcraft offered me a flat rate of 7% which i was unhappy with as i have recently bought my wife a new car at a flat rate of 4.5%.

they told me that the best rate they could do was 7% as they had dropped the price of the car. i agreed, supplied my details and awaited the results of my credit check.

 

i am extremely up to date with contents of my credit file and subscribe to both equifax and experian who keep me up to date with any changes to my files. I have a good rating.

 

Carcraft said that i had been declined by 7 out of 8 companies applied to and that they had got me accepted at a flat rate of 11% (23% apr).

 

i flipped.

 

to cut a long story short, after lots of internet based investigation-

 

carcraft are actually selling sub prime finance, they make there profit from selling expensive insurances and expensive sub prime finance, not to mention that all of there cars are thousands over book value.

 

they do not offer prime finance.

 

they lied to me by saying that i have been declined by 7 companies trying to get me to accept a high interest rate finance agreement.

 

there are pages and pages of complaints about the above on the net.

 

surely what they are doing is ilegal. i checked my credit ratings when i got home and they remain unchanged.

 

the av joe who walks in will almost certainly be caught out by there high finance rates and expensive cars and insurance's.

 

surely this must be ilegal? any thoughts?

[barney982]

tHEY LIED TO ME TOO AND SAID THEY HAD APPLIED WITH LOADS OF COMPANIES. But when I checked my file, they had gone straight to british credit trust who gave me a lovely 24% apr

 

Bastards

[itsamomentintime]

tHEY LIED TO ME TOO AND SAID THEY HAD APPLIED WITH LOADS OF COMPANIES. But when I checked my file, they had gone straight to british credit trust who gave me a lovely 24% apr

 

Bastards

 

 

lol say what you mean barney!!

[barney982]

lol :grin:

[bigs]

3months after Buying a car from carcraft merseyside - i get a flat tyre, so after taking it to ATS they inform me that the tyre pre - purchase was illegally repaired and so the car was made unroadworthy.

 

Naughty Carcraft Selling illegal unroadworthey cars.

 

Does anyone have any experience like this and any sccess chasing them up after.

 

 

Cheers

 

Steve

 

 

 

We bought a car from carcraft told that the vehicle had no signs that there had any work done to it. Excited and people who know nothing about car were purchased it. Things pretty quick dtarted going wrong with the car one main thing the exhaused snapping when we were thankfully just pulling up into the driveway (any faster i cant even imagine what would have happened)

we took it to a garage to be fixed price £800+ they told us a exhaust should never be in this state on a car of this year?

We then had a independant report done on the vehicle which has had panels replaced but could not tell us if structural damage has occured we refuse to travel in (our kids and our saftey) or pay for this vehicle but will anyone accept responsibility. This is now 3 years on.

When we went back to carcraft they told us occasionally you do get a bad on in the group but were still not prepared to do anything.

 

Bigs

[AtiLaw]

I registered just to add something to this.

 

I bought a car from CarCraft last week - love the car, but they tried to take me for a ride several times on the credit.

 

We moved house last month, and our last house had a dodgy tennant about 6 months before so our credit took a little bashing - but after checking my credit score I'm actually alright - 4 out of 5 stars currently. If you go to checkmyfile - Credit reference, Credit file, Credit score, Rating they get your credit files off the 3 major agencies (experian, equifax and callcredit) - it's cheaper than the online system for each of them individually, but for all 3!!

 

Anyways - checking that, I'm alright... and I am... Im on good salary, and a week before I got offered 4.5% for car finance with Vauxhall - so I was confident the low rate I got the sales guy down to would be fine.... but no... I got a call back saying I was declined by the prime lenders and that I will have to up my payments by £100 a month to cover an APR of nearly 30%!! When I laughed and told them to stick it, they knocked enough money off my 07 Focus Zetec that it covered the unbelievably high APR cost, so I'm basically paying the same... but they are covering the APR costs... but I'm disgusted to think they didn't even try the prime lenders in the first place. I will be checking all my files this month with interest, if I only find one check and it is with their dodgy Credit Plus people (who had the same hold music as CarCraft - a coincidence? I think not!!) then I will be kicking off with them big time!! GRRrrrrrrr.

[AtiLaw]

Also forgot to mention - in the last week I've had a flood of new junk mail offering me loans, todays was a classic - from a company I had never heard of offering me, wait for it, £300!!!! Wow, and that's only £9 a week... amazing... but it gets better... the APR was 109%!!!!! WTF?! Only started once I got my credit through CarCraft. Not happy one bit with that one, I deliberatly keep off radars of junk mailers by opting out of everything. Now I'm gonna have to request from all these companies who sold them my details... when it gets back to carcraft thats another thing I'm gonna have them for!!

[p_s_a]

Also forgot to mention - in the last week I've had a flood of new junk mail offering me loans, todays was a classic - from a company I had never heard of offering me, wait for it, £300!!!! Wow, and that's only £9 a week... amazing... but it gets better... the APR was 109%!!!!! WTF?! Only started once I got my credit through CarCraft. Not happy one bit with that one, I deliberatly keep off radars of junk mailers by opting out of everything. Now I'm gonna have to request from all these companies who sold them my details... when it gets back to carcraft thats another thing I'm gonna have them for!!

 

Unfortunately, you do have to Opt-Out of passing your information on to third parties. Usually you need to tick a box to say you disagree with your details being passed on to other companies. The Freedom Of Information Act 2000 will give more details on the legislation surrounding 'selling on' information.

 

With regards to Carcraft and finance applications... what stopped you getting your own finance with a different company? There are many ways of getting money over the Internet. All you need to do is get the money in your bank and buy a car with cash. The majority of people who buy cars from second-hand car dealerships cannot afford prime finance and therefore prime lenders are not always offered.

 

My advice to all readers is to do your research before buying a car. You don't buy your house without searching different mortgage lenders! So why rely on a car dealership to find you car finance? It just shows how lazy some people can get!

[activ8]

You think you got it bad... I'm in court with carcraft. They sold me a crash repaired, re-sprayed vehicle, which I can prove. I also have evidence of lying, bad in house operating practices and more. The court costs are so high and it takes up so much energy getting to court that it is likely they will get away with it... Part of the problem is that in law you have no leg to stand on because if you 'inspect' the vehicle before you buy (which means if you look at it) then it is sold as seen, irrespective of whether its a pile of cr*p or not

[kiptower]

the term "it is sold as seen" cannot be used in a retail transaction by a dealer

[activ8]

Having been in court with this, trust me I know many of the details. If you get finance on the vehicle it does not come under the sale of goods act, it comes under the implied terms as part of the hire purchase agreement, this is because the hire (purchase) company own the car.

Part of these terms are that if you inspect (look at) the vehicle it pretty much signs and seals the deal. So whilst 'sold as seen' can't be used as a broad term it is in fact, unfortunately a fact! ... there's a lot more to it than this but in a nutshell that's the truth, if you 'inspect' the vehicle before you take it you have little room to complain in law.

Trust me it sucks, especially when you can prove the vehicle was 1 year old, resprayed to a different colour and has a bent rear chassis... And they still could may get a way with this, it's very unjust if you ask me but I will keep this forum informed, the case is adjurned until the New Year and I am going to try and battle on with it but the lawyers soon eat up the money!

[Chippychap]

I am in the throes of rejecting a car bought from Carcrafty.

The tld me it had a "Full service history" and that they'd send it to me when it arrived.

I now know it does NOT have a full history but they have now clammed up and do not phone back.

They've had the 28 day letter and I intend to take it as far as possible.

So, in this case, the principle of sold as seen could not be applicable even as a principle.

[Conniff]

Part of these terms are that if you inspect (look at) the vehicle it pretty much signs and seals the deal. So whilst 'sold as seen' can't be used as a broad term it is in fact, unfortunately a fact!

 

The term implied by subsection (2) above does not extend to any matter making the quality of goods unsatisfactory—

 

which that examination ought to reveal.

 

So you can't say you have examined the car and any faults are your problem.

[TJBenton]

Please please please help me .... I too have become a victim of that horrid company and do not know what to do !

 

I bought a car on 9th March after I spoke to the salesman to see if the car that I purchased was of similar running costs as my old Volvo S40 - he used aggressive sales tactics and I brought a car that was not economical (20mpg and over £400 in road tax a year)

 

I asked to replace the car 2 days later because I thought it was my fault and was dealt with in what I can only describe as a violated way...

 

I am a single parent and living off benefits and did mention this to the salesman - whilst taking my particulars he asked me what I did before - when I told him he said "oh that will get you your finance"....

 

I was at my wits end and decided to return the car on 31st March and hand over the keys and request a full refund due to misrepresentation .... they are defending the claim in court even though I have a witness to everything the salesman said....

 

I have read so many complaints online that I don't know how they are getting away with it !!!

 

Regards

 

Tracy Benton

[Conniff]

So this has already got to the court stage, did you implement this?

 

Did the salesman actually say how many miles to the gallone etc; it will do or say the car will suite your needs after you told him you were on benefits? Did you actually say you needed an 'economical' car?

 

Need to seperate the reason for rejection and be able to quote something that he said that does not match up with the car.

[Conniff]

Having been in court with this, trust me I know many of the details. If you get finance on the vehicle it does not come under the sale of goods act, it comes under the implied terms as part of the hire purchase agreement, this is because the hire (purchase) company own the car.

 

Can you link us to that bit of legislation please.

[TJBenton]

I received a fine for failure to have an MOT certificate whilst I was at college on Wednesday 24th Feb 2010. I had completely forgotten about the renewal of the MOT due to the amount of stress I am under at present and immediately booked the car in the next day. The car failed and would cost me nearly £1000 for work to be carried out; money which I do not have…. I asked a friend for advice and her husband took the car and carried out a service; however the car still failed the MOT on 9th March 2010.

 

Later that day on the 9th March 2010 I asked a friend to accompany me to look at cars over at Carcraft at Lakeside, they are not tied to any specific main dealer and I thought they had a range of different cars so I can look at what I needed. I also thought that such a large company would advise me on what is best suited to my needs and intended use.

 

As soon as I arrived; together with my two children, my friend and witness Mr P Scott, I was met by a salesman “Danny” who pounced on me immediately and started quizzing me about my situation. I outlined the problem that I had with my present vehicle and said I would just like to look round. I had never purchased a car before and did not know the first thing about what to ask or look for; only that I had a “S” reg Volvo S40 and normally would cost me £40 in petrol a week and road tax is just under £180 a year. I need a car for picking up my children from school, running the children around locally to and from friends, clubs etc., and for making local deliveries for my work.

 

The salesman kept coming over and this time wanted to know my old car registration number; when I asked him he replied “so I can look up how much it is worth as part exchange!” At this point I did mention that it had no road tax….

 

I looked around at the cars and there were 2 that were priced around the £5000 mark; which was the lowest price they had. The salesman kept harassing me and questioning me about “what can you afford a month?” I did mentioned that I was living off benefits and that I do not have an income ….. The salesman failed to listen to me at this point therefore replied £25 a week - hoping that he would say we can’t help you and that he would leave me alone ……

 

With one car in particular a Chevrolet Tacuma Estate 2.0 CDX I ask the salesman if the fuel consumption and road tax was the same as the Volvo S40, to which he replied “yes, exactly the same”. I can confirm and my witness can confirm this conversation. Looking back now I can only assume that the salesman “Danny” mislead me into thinking that fuel consumption and road tax was similar to the car already in my possession just to obtain a sale.

 

The salesman engaged in, what only I can describe as, a highly aggressive selling technique to pressure me into buying the car by constantly asking me “how much I could afford a week?” and failing to inform me about a car that was suited to my needs. After over an hour I sat down with the salesman and gave the salesman my personal details and mentioned that I am self employed and do not have any accounts as the business is just over a year old; I also mentioned that I was living off benefits and due to my financial situation cannot get credit. Danny then asked me what I did previously before becoming self employed and I told him that I was a floristry lecturer at Hadlow College; I thought that because I was self employed for less than 2 years he would need a reference, therefore proceeded to give him the information …. He then went on to say “Oh yes … that will get you your credit!” I then turned to my friend and said … “surely it is not this easy !”

 

The salesman approached his “number cruncher” colleague and after 20 minutes came back, looked around and said to him “so you’ve reduced the price!” ….. “yeah, ok, I’ll tell the customer you’ve reduced the price…” Danny then told me that the price of the car had been reduced by £1,000 and they would throw in 2 years parts guarantee for free.

 

I was then led into a different area “the finance lounge” after being with the salesman for over an hour and kept me waiting yet again; the children were hungry and tired at this time and all I could think of was I just want to get out of here!”… in total I was there for about 4 hours.

 

The finance women led me into a sealed room and rushed thought the credit agreement and got me to sign many, many papers; which I never received copies of! At this stage I was exhausted from the whole experience and kept thinking of the children outside… all I wanted to do was get out of the room. She thrust some more papers under my nose and then told me to read through them and sign them; she left stating that she would be back shortly; however it seemed like ages. I brought the car on disadvantageous terms than I would have otherwise done so (credit finance deal) although it worked out £108.97 per month I realised that the APR was 26.28% and would have to pay back a total of £7812.20 on a loan for £3990.00

 

The next morning (10th March) after I had purchased the car I looked on line to find out prices of cars similar to the one that I had brought. I went onto Autotrader and noticed MY car advertised for £4,295. The forecourt price was £5,995. I questioned the salesman, only to be told “that price didn’t include the 2 years guarantee; which I have now found out only covers £300. Again, I think that Danny’s misleading actions forced me into buying a car at a much higher price and on a more disadvantageous term than I would have otherwise done so.

 

Also on the same day I contacted DVLA to find out the cost of the road tax, only to be told that it was over £400 and that the fuel consumption was only 20mpg.

 

On the 11th March I contacted Carcraft and asked if I could exchange the vehicle for something more economical and suitable for my needs as the salesman had sold me a car that was totally impractical for my needs; I explained that the fuel consumption and road tax was practically double what I normally pay on the Volvo S40 and that the salesman had misinformed me. The salesman mentioned that they would buy the car back off me for £3,000 and if I was to put MORE money into the deal I could have what I want…. What I wanted was to have a car that was suited to my situation in the first place after explaining the situation to the salesman in the very beginning. I feel that whatever car they sold me would have been completely irrelevant .. It was just the financial transaction that matter; at such a ridiculous rate of interest.

 

I tried desperately to reach a mutual conclusion at this stage and contacted them several for several days following to try and attempt a successful conclusion for both parties; however all I received was aggressive and verbal abuse from the customer service department and the salesman themselves; stating that there was nothing I could do as they had no written complaints procedure. I also tried may organisations, which all advise me of my rights and what action I could take.

 

On the 28th March I was literally at my wits end; I had not been sleeping and now under the doctors for depression due to the distress and upset caused Car Craft; I therefore decided to email them on the to say I was returning the car and wanted a refund. Mr West contacted me on Monday 29th March and we arranged a meeting for Wednesday 31st March 2010

 

On 31st March 2010 I had a meeting with Mr West; I took along Mrs Vickers as a witness, and explained to Mr West that I was returning the car and requesting a full refund under the Sale of Goods Act 1979. I specifically requested an economical car and was given something that was the opposite - would they have sold me a car that did not have a tow bar on, if I specifically asked then for a car to tow a caravan! They did not accept the car at first and Mr West walked out of the office to speak to his manager. When he returned I stated once again that I will be leaving the car there and I was well within my rights to accept a full refund due to misrepresentation. I duly walked out of Carcraft and left the keys on the counter. I am required by law to return the purchase and request a full refund as Carcraft was in breach contract under the Sales of Goods Act.

 

Mr West telephoned me 30 minutes later and stated that they will accept the return of the vehicle and tried to offer me a replacement vehicle; I mentioned to Mr West that I could no longer deal with the company as I had lost all respect and confidence in them; I asked him “if he went on holiday and received such a bad experience, would he go back“ to which he replied “No I would not!”. I handed the telephone over to Mrs Vickers to whom Mr West stated “oh well, she owns her own house, we will get the money that way!”

This experience has left me distraught and are now suffering with severe depression. I felt that I have been dealt with unfairly and my rights of a consumer have been violated. I can at any time bring witnesses to prove that I could not afford such a vehicle and that I was not in a mental state to have purchased the car in the first place.

[TJBenton]

this has already gone to court and now just awaiting a date.....

 

I asked him if the car was simular in running costs with my old car which is a volvo S40 2.0 and he replied yes it was..... He failed to mention that it only did 20mpg or that it was over £400 in road tax .... he was so aggressive with his number crunching that all he kept saying was .. "so you only want to pay £100 permonth...!"

 

I also stated that I wanted something economical because I am forever running my kids around locally and that I make local deliveries therefore wanted something to suit my needs... I am a single parent, with a hugh amount of debt on my shoulders!!!

 

As he was imputting my details I told him I was on benefits and that I only took £25 a week from my business ... he asked me what I did before and I told him I was a part time lecturer at Hadlow college to which he replied "oh that will get you your money !"

 

Looking back now on the whole experience I was taken advantage of ... and he forced me into a car that I would not have otherwise chosen...