Cinch car purchase

[judy teen]

I purchased a ford fiesta from Cazoo in April of this year for me to use for work purposes. I am a driving instructor and collected the car on Sunday 24/4/22. The company booked to fit the vehicle with dual controls came to carry out the work on Thursday 28/4/22. Unfortunately, they were not able to fit the controls as they discovered when checking, that the car had previously been fitted with dual controls, which had been removed very badly. The retaining bolts and dual control unit had been ripped out, instead of being carefully unbolted, damaging the floor pan in the process. This subsequently made the fitting of new controls impossible. I was within the 7 day “return” period so did exactly that.

 

Once I had received my refund, I saw a car on Cinch (which I have since purchased for £10,850 49,000 miles) and decided to call customer services to enquire if this car had previously been fitted with dual controls. I was anxious to avoid the same scenario. I explained to the man what had happened with Cazoo, but he said they were not able to check the car. He assured me that they undertake a 225-point quality control check and that they would not sell me a car that was not fit for purpose. Therefore, I subsequently purchased the car and collected it on 6/6/22, driving it home. New dual controls were scheduled to be fitted on 14/6/22. On commencing the job, I was informed by the fitter that this car had in fact also previously been fitted with dual controls, which had fortunately this time been removed with more care. There was one remaining broken bolt which he had to grind down and an extra hole in the floor pan which he had to fill, but he completed the job satisfactorily with no major problems.

 

I had a pupil with a driving test on 20/6/22 who felt it would be too late to familiarise herself with the new car. She asked if she could take her test in my older fiesta. The next day I started to use the car purchased from Cinch (one day after the 14 day return option had expired). I did approx 170 miles over the next two and half days. On the last lesson we were looking at hill starts and timing approach to hilly junctions, using clutch control, for the first time since buying this car. The car made the most incredibly loud howling noise (the clutch) while carrying out this exercise, so I terminated the lesson, got the pupil home, cancelled all remaining lessons.

 

I  called Cinch. The lady I spoke to was very pleasant and helpful, agreed that I should not be experiencing a problem that serious after such little use, but that I would need to follow procedure and call the Warranty company Ramp the following Monday which I did. Poor response by Ramp if I’m honest, told I’m not covered as I use the car for financial gain (for example driving instruction), referring me back to the terms and conditions and advising I call Cinch customer services. I made that call the same day and was greeted by a different lady who in a very down beat tone said all I can really do is get a vat registered garage to do a diagnostic check at my expense, but the chances of Cinch being able to do anything to help were really nothing they could guarantee.

 

To bring you up to date, I took the car to a garage same day, but they could not recreate the sound. Its going into the garage again next monday for the air con to be sorted and they are going to check it again. The fiesta I’ve had from new before buying this, has over 176,000 miles on the clock, over a 6-year period and still has the original clutch without ever having a problem. For this clutch to do what it did following around 170 miles of driving tells me it has very likely been abused before I purchased it.

 

The logbook states this vehicle has only had one previous owner, who we now know to be someone who was using it for instruction in a driving school setting. 

During the run up to actual purchase the Cinch website states the vehicle comes with a 3 month warranty. At no point prior to the actual purchase does it mention any exclusions (eg: the financial gain clause). Given the above information, I just don't find it acceptable to decline warranty on a driving instructors car which has been used for less than 3 days, when they were clearly quite happy to sell me the vehicle which has been used as a driving school car for 5 years. 

 

I’ve since discovered other faults:

·         The air conditioning unit is blowing out hot air.

·         There are severe deep scratches in the plastic trim either side of the rear seats.

·         The front passenger window struggles (but eventually manages) to go fully up and down.

·         There is a loose and broken part in the engine which has been secured with string..

·         The front seat runners are both damaged making it difficult to enable smooth and straight adjustment of the seating position for occupants.

 

 I'm not sure what I can and can't do so would be grateful for any advice before going any further:

 

Many thanks.

 

Richard

 

[dx100uk]

if you are within 30 days you can return the car for a full refund under your consumer rights as its not fit for purpose.

forget any stupid warranties , arent worth the paper they are written on and do not remove or change your consumer rights.

 

dx

[judy teen]

Many Thanks DX,

Unfortunately collected the car 6th June so i've gone past the 30 days now.

[dx100uk]

then they have one chance to repair all the issues, if they fail then you can demand a refund 

 

dx

 

[judy teen]

Thanks dx, 

If there's a template letter on here you could point me to that would be amazing.

Many thanks.

 

[dx100uk]

nope

but examples are in the numerous threads in this very same forum as you started yours in. 

 

 

[judy teen]

Many thanks DX, I'll check them out.

 

 

[judy teen]

 

Would something like this be suitable?

Also could you confirm if the clock stops on the "30 day" rule from the initial phone call I made or would it be from something more official like this letter?

 

Many Thanks.

 

 

 

[Your address and contact number]

[Company/supplier’s address]

[Date]

 

Dear Sir/Madam,

[Reference: contract number]

On [date], I [bought/placed an order for] a [item] and received it on [date]. I have discovered that the [item] has the following problem: [add details].

The Consumer Rights Act makes it an implied term of the contract that goods be as described, of satisfactory quality and fit for purpose. 

As you are in breach of contract, I am entitled to have the [item] [repaired/replaced] and I would request that you confirm you will do this within the 14 days from the date of this letter.

I also require you to confirm whether you will arrange for the [item] to be collected or will reimburse me for the cost of returning it.

I look forward to receiving your satisfactory proposals for settlement of my claim within seven days of the date of this letter.

Yours sincerely,

[Your name]

[dx100uk]

we can all google to a site and copy and paste..

 

NO>

 

read a few thread on this site in this same sub forum as you started your thread in.. so you know what to put regarding a vehicle 

[judy teen]

Thanks DX,

 

Sorry I totally get what you are saying, I just meant from wording point of view in relation to the legal bits. I would have built around those bits with the full story.

 

I've read extensively some of the experiences of others and I keep seeing that at the end of the day these companies are experts at avoiding the issues. I realise I could end up with a car being held in one of their garages for months on end with no real resolution. A scenario like that will definitely affect business and would just wind me up even more.

 

As much as it hurts, I've decided I'm probably better off forking out for a new clutch, fixing the other issues, then giving them a bad review on trustpilot. 

 

Many thanks for the advice again, it is very much appreciated.

I'll let you know if the review results in any response.

 

Regards,

 

Richard.