Take My Car Back !

[caledonia2k]

Please help, I can't take this anymore !

Bear with me, but what I want in the end of the day is my cash back in my hand and I want to go shopping for the car of my choice again !

My Avensis Estate GLS was a week late in being ready for me.

Dealer blamed a faulty injector for causing the eng. man. light to stay on.

They replaced one injector and cleaned the rest.

I picked the car up and drove it home. (was away on a trip the next day) I drove to work the next day and on the return leg, the light came back on.

Back to the dealer, this time it was the lamda sensor aparently. Replaced them and offered their apologies.

Drove it back home, was on another trip the next day. Following day i drove it to work, and on the return leg - yep - light on again.

Now they are claiming that a replacement CAT will fix it once and for all.

I have had 4 days use of my car in the first 3 weeks of ownership - i just can't stand it !

Now all I want the car back in the garage and my money in my hand.

I have driven VW for 8 years now, and can honsetly say that I have NEVER had this kind of hassle.

I have a young family, so bought a large 'reliable' estate from a Toyota dealer.

I also need the car for travel to work. But the problem is I have lost all confidence in this motor.

The dealer has offered me my choice off the forecourt for the same money, or discount the screen price of mine from another more expensive car.

But all this does is limit my choice to 1 of his cars which suits my needs.

What can I do to get my money back, and have my choice of car back again !???

Please Help.

[mucker]

You could exercise your rights under the Sale of Goods Act and claim the car was not fit for the purpose. You have a strong case as you have informed the vendor at the earliest opportunity each time and the car has been off the road for much of the ownership.

If you get nowhere with the dealer, politely leave and call your local Trading Standards. Bear in mind that they are impartial and must act in the interest of the consumer and vendor, but they offer some brilliant advice.

More info here: http://www.tradingstandards.gov.uk/

[caledonia2k]

Thanks,

That's who i am on the phone to right now !

They seem to think that I can simply reject the car as being faulty.

Having only owned it for 3 weeks and each time, like you said, it's been in the garage within 24 hours of the fault ocurring.

[mucker]

The dealer has already offered you a replacement so you're halfway there. Be persistent but keep it very polite. Start documenting your conversations and if you need to, send the dealer a letter with a history of the car, the faults, resolutions and your conversations.

Don't quote the Sales of Goods Act unless you really have to - this tends to p**s them off. They'll also know the Act better than you so keep the Trading Standards bloke informed of current events.

You can tell I've been through this, eh?

Remember, persistence and politeness are key.

One last thing, let us know how you get on. ;-)

[silverarrow]

leave the car at dealership and use a hire car and ask them to pay

is the car on finance is so then finance company has to help out ask to see the rac toyota pdi which all used cars have to pass no paperwork ie dated details on computer base indicates misrepresentation and thus rac would have to be invold

to be honest any fault wihin 6 months is deemed to be present from the point you collected the car

go to court the will back down cheaper

[sjrainsford]

How old were the volkswagens you had out of interest?

I've come back to toyota from having one cause it's the worst thing I ever bought! I also had one for a hire car in Ireland last week and the electric windows kept failing, it was brand new too!

This may be just a bad experience, or even an incompetent dealer dare I say it. A good engineer will know never to rely soley on fault codes, they can be thrown by other faults elsewhere.

If that Avensis was sorted properly, you will would have endless reliable motoring with only little niggly faults here and there.

But yes, by all means exercise your rights at the dealer. But please don't loose faith in Toyota just yet! :)

[Chris Dance]

All the folk I chat to tell me Toyota cars are very reliable so I think you have had a bad experience.

In this area there is a local radio station which has a consumer programme which sorts out problems like yours. They have a lot of suuccess. I am sure Toyota do not want bad publicity.

I agree; do not give up on Toyota yet. My wife has an L reg Toyota 70,000 miles on the clock and it is very reliable.

[CTiggerPigglet]

All car manufactures make a 'Lemon' every now a then.

One bad Apple doesn't ruin the basket! ;)

Though I know how you feel, I wouldn't buy another Vauxhall after owning a Calibra! (I hated that car, one problem after another. :censor: )

[sjrainsford]

Generally, Toyota have a good reputation though cause they commonly make less 'lemons' than most other car manufacturers :D

[Beardie]

Cars are made up of component parts. Car Manufacturers are not poor themselves but are deemed to be if the components are poor and unreliable. This is why Jap cars have been excellent historically as they tend to have a different relationship with their suppliers. They used to reward suppliers fairly as opposed to americans / europeans telling their suppliers what they will be paid. Fancy any one of us been told we will be paid a set price for a job, no questions asked. If it's a low figure, you can be sure that it will no be produced with any sort of diligence or quality. ie You get what you pay for. The !Removed! need to get bak to their original formula.

However, it hurts me to say it, but a lot of parts are now supplied by local UK and european factors and are clearly not upto the mark. It only takes one part to be poorly made and it ruins the reputation of a make. This seems to be very true of the vvti Avensis. If you look around there are many cars that have the oddball dodgy part. Shop around and you can get an alternative OEM part that is faultless.

Hope you can get your car sorted out, and bear in mind the above when judging Toyota.

I will always have a Toyota but would never use a Toyota Dealership...!