Would you complain to car dealership

[Moominfan]

I'll try and keep this straight to the point. Bought a car pcp then sales person left and all went wrong

1. almost drove off with no insurance. Told different things about how long they provide insurance. Just before I was about to leave I asked to double check. There was none. If I hadn't have asked I'd be driving uninsured until mine kicked in next day.

2. letter arrived threatening to confiscate car as no car tax. Deposit paid was the car tax. They'd not processed it.

3. had to chase for spare key.

4. still no service manual or log book, bought car in March, call every other week to chase up.

What would you expect or want as a result of complaint? I'm pretty laid back but I'm fed up of chasing them and feel service has been abysmal. Would asking for compensation be reasonable?

2)Car tax is the responsibility of the new owner these days - onus is not on the seller to tax the car.

3 and 4 - yes you are reasonable to complain. Dont think you would have much luck with compensation but always worth giving it a go!

Yea I know we're meant to sort out but was sold to me as you pay us the car tax as your deposit and we process it for you. This was confirmed at pos. Don't want to be grabby but the service has been really crappy have no faith in them. Don't necessarily want compo but atleast some kind of acknowledgement

We bought a new (to us) car recently and the dealer sorted the tax. We had to pay for it, obv, but didn’t apply for it. If you have no V5 after all this time, you can apply for one youself. I bought a car from the family of a deceased person and they didn’t send the paperwork away. At that time, 2004, it was a form from the post office. I assume the equivalent will be online now.

I would definitely be complaining especially about #1 and #2. I don't really understand why you didn't get #3 and #4 when you took the car, though. It sounds like terrible service all round.

They said they'd post the stuff out.

You’ll see no service book, oldest trick in the book. FSH but “mislaid service book, will put it in the post.” If promised a 2nd key and service book do not complete the deal without them in your hand as chances are you’ll never see either. Insurance and tax are totally your responsibility, if they were providing drive away insurance they’d have put you in touch with their insurer to set it up.

They set up the insurance in show room after I asked before I drove away. Originally told it was a week insurance, then 3 days. Asked on the day before I left cause I didn't have much faith.

Is this pretty normal for dealers? First time getting a car so very naive to it all

They set up the insurance in show room after I asked before I drove away.

Yes, and they’d have needed details from you to do that. If they hadn’t taken all those then it should’ve been obvious

They'd already taken details before I'd picked up car. I'd been in to sign for it ect then had to wait to collect. Might seem obvious to you but it's really all very new to me

They sound awful - that’s extremely poor service. It’s not you - it’s them - it’s no consolation but I’ve seen cars that literally cost £1m being delivered from the manufacturer with faults; really terrible! so it makes no difference if the car is cheap or expensive, old or new.

You could try emailing / phoning the dealer principle and launching a formal complaint.

The other method ... you adopt a “take no prisoners” approach: go to the dealership in person and ask conspicuously at the front desk in the sales area for your documentation to be handed over now. That you’ll wait there until you get the items that the dealer owes to you.

Continue to lean on the front desk, mentioning chattily to every person who comes in to buy a car that you’ve had a dickens of a time getting the documentation for your car and you’d really like this sorted out straight away, etc etc. The dealership will have a strong incentive to fix this ASAP as you’ll be conspicuously bad PR. But you’d have to brave and be prepared to hang around for ages.

If it’s a volume dealer (eg an official dealer of just one marque) you could try complaining to the manufacturer but it’s unliklely to produce any result. (They won’t care, honest)

Once you get the documents, leave a factual review on the terrible service on a review site but the best thing is never to return.

Thanks bootkin was thinking it was me being dim :) I'm going to have to be more forceful. Not one for confrontations but feel like I'm being taken advantage of

I would definitely be complaining.

Dealerships always sort the tax (after you have paid for it) or they have done with every car we have bought.

@Moominfan

Car dealer here,

Never have I ever taken a deposit amount as tax for the vehicle. I have however taxed vehicles for customers, it’s easy to do online these day and requires the registration and V5 or V5C document reference number. I also put in the customer details so that proof and confirmation of the vehicle being taxed is sent to them directly.

As for the paperwork they have failed to send out to you. This is a disgrace all my customers leave with all paperwork on the day of purchase/collection. I can’t see why they wouldn’t have given it to you there and then though some main dealers do hold the paperwork at head office and then send out, but it’s usually with the selling dealer along with the car as obviously most customers want to see the paperwork and service history before making a purchase.

My suggestions to you are as follows:

You can apply for a log book/V5 in your name online or you can print out a V62 form to fill in and send to the DVLA. It will take around 3-4 weeks to be processed and returned to you but once you have it you will be at least able to tax your vehicle when the time comes.

Unless you actually physically saw the relating paperwork, service history and documents for the car I would contact trading standards. It’s my concern they perhaps advertised the car as having service history for a higher price and more saleability. If they did indeed do such a thing it needs reporting.

Also I’d suggest checking the authenticity of the mileage on the car by checking it’s MOT history. You can do that for free here www.gov.uk/check-mot-history

Other useful links:

Tax you car online:

www.gov.uk/vehicle-tax

V62 form:

www.gov.uk/vehicle-log-book

Trading standards:

www.gov.uk/find-local-trading-standards-office

Thank you Lilly that's really helpful. Feel I've had quite a few life lessons for next time