Advantage Finance VT help :)

[Bardogirl]

Hi there.

 

I really need some advice.

 

So I got a car through advantage finance in February of this year.

Through past mistakes and an awful credit history the interest was shocking but at the time I needed the vehicle for work.

 

The figures are;

Cost of the car £2000

Interest on the credit £840.12

Acceptance fee £325

Option fee £175

Total charge for credit £1340.12

Total payable £3340.12

 

23 months at 131.88 and 1 month at £306.88.

 

Now since buying this car I have replaced the back box and had the green flag out five times. Today as I was setting off for work the car won’t start yet again and so I have had enough.

 

I am wondering what my options are. I know that I can voluntarily terminate the agreement and hand the car back providing that I have paid 50% of the total figure. So this would be £1670.06 and I have paid 6 months at 131.88 = £791.28

Leaving £878.78 to pay to be able to just hand the car back?

 

My second query is, my MOT runs out at the end of this month. It is booked in for 26th August but I have a feeling that it is going to be costly. Where do I stand with this if I wanted to give the car back without at MOT? Does it have to have a valid MOT for them to take it back?

I know from a bit of research that the finance company can take a couple of weeks to reply re the outstanding figures etc? I’m guessing I can’t just leave the car parked outside of my house with no MOT on it? (has valid tax & insurance)

 

Any advice would be really appreciated. Please no clever comments as I’m trying my best to understand all of this.

 

Many thanks in advance

[obiter dictum]

Depending on what date you purchased the car you should reject it in writing to the Dealership and finance company. They then either have to rectify the issues, give a replacement vehicle or cancel the agreement

 

The Sale of goods act considers any faults with the item purchased within the first six months to be there when the item was purchased.

[obiter dictum]

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/car-news/consumer-news/34744/rejecting-a-new-or-used-car-top-tips

[Bardogirl]

Thank you for your fast reply! I didn't realise that was an option. I'll have a read now

[dx100uk]

Why the beep have you paid to repair a car on finance???

It's not yours..

 

If you got in a taxi and it broke down you'd demand another...

 

Dx

[Bardogirl]

Why the beep have you paid to repair a car on finance???

It's not yours..

 

If you got in a taxi and it broke down you'd demand another...

 

Dx

 

 

This is why I've ended up on here for advice. I'm clueless!

[obiter dictum]

You have now what you need

 

Send an email to the finance company and dealership rejecting the vehicle as a lemon

 

DO IT NOW, TONIGHT

 

You need evidence and a paper trail. Follow up the email tomorrow in writing through snail mail by recorded delivery. Once you have sent that email you must stop driving the vehicle

[Bardogirl]

The Green Flag came out again last night due to the car not starting and now the camshaft sensor needs replacing. So it needs towing somewhere to sort this out.

 

Public transport and this weather today is just making me more cross!

 

I am just stressing about the looming MOT. It has to have a valid one to hand the car back, or will this not be the case if the car has faults?

 

Sorry for all the questions, typical woman when it comes to this stuff and no man in my life with a clue

 

Will write the email today once I know exactly what I am saying.

 

Just checked and I bought the car on the 23rd February 2015 and so not much time for the 6 month window.

 

Thanks again

[theoldrouge]

You need to formally contact the finance co in writing with a letter of rejection

 

The vehicle should be of satisfactory quality, fit for its purpose, and as described. With hire purchase, it is the finance provider rather than the dealer who is legally responsible to you if there are problems with the car.

 

Your letter should state all of the problems since purchase, how you have attempted to resolve these, and why the vehicle

was not fit for purpose or as described on purchase

 

Enclose any valid evidence that supports your statements

[Bardogirl]

I was concious it was approaching the 6 month mark and so sent over an email followed by a letter.

 

I have just received the below email. Will call them on my break. Thank you to everyone for their advice!

 

 

 

Good Morning,

 

 

Thank you for the email that has been received in reference to the account you hold with Advantage Finance, raising a complaint with the vehicle which forms part of your Hire Purchase Agreement the Vauxhall Corsa SXI, Registration ---.

 

 

The details of the complaint has been noted and an official complaint has been opened on your account. We will be looking to investigate this further and will hold for the information you have sent in the post to review the situation further.

 

 

Whilst we are waiting to receive this we would also like to discuss the account with you so that the process of investigating this may be explained and this will also allow you to have any questions that you may have answered.

 

 

Please feel free to contact us on 01472 586341 so that this may be discussed and further information may be both taken from you and given.

[obiter dictum]

That is great news

 

Do not delete that email confirmation

 

You must now stop driving the car until this has been addressed by the finance company

 

You did tell in your original email to the finance company that you were rejecting the vehicle as not fit for purpose i take it under the Sale of Goods Act ??

 

Make a note of all repairs done to the vehicle since you purchased it, along with your current problems and tell them to the finance company When you phone them.

[Bardogirl]

Definitely won't be deleting it.

 

Yes I used a template which I found online re the Sale of Goods Act.

 

I don't want to drive it! I'm not the most confident driver to start with all this is just making me worse, not starting every two minutes. Ha ha.

 

Question - The Green Flag are due to be towing the vehicle to a garage tomorrow morning to fix it plus to carry out the due MOT. Do I cancel this?

Just a bit confused as to what to do next as my MOT runs out on the 26th of this month and I know I can't just have it parked up outside the house with no MOT on it.

 

The garage they are supposed to be bringing it too is where my work is and we rent car parking spaces from them, it definitely wouldn't be a problem to leave it there whilst all this is going on but again it would need a valid MOT?

 

Thanks in advance

[obiter dictum]

Do not have any work done on the Vehicle, cancel it immediately with green flag. It will be the responsibility of the finance company now any repairs at their expense.

 

The finance company will arrange a tow to a garage of their choice

 

Where is the car now??

 

Is it at home or by the side of the road where you broke down?

 

Green flag can tow the vehicle back to your home address if you have recovery,but not to a garage

[Bardogirl]

The car is outside my house luckily, it just wouldn't start the other morning and so has been there ever since.

 

I'll cancel the Green Flag call out and call the finance company on my break to see what they have to say.

 

Thanks again!

[obiter dictum]

No worries

 

Until the vehicle is fixed or a final response given the vehicle belongs to the finance company. You do not touch it.

 

Tell them the tax runs out in a few weeks as well so it needs towing to a garage ASAP for a mechanical report/inspection. Keep us updated every step of the way on this. I myself have been through it

[Bardogirl]

Okay great, I will leave it where it is.

 

Out of interest what was the outcome of your situation? Also did you carry on paying the finance payments whilst the complaint was open?

[obiter dictum]

You still have to make your monthly contractual payments. This will be sorted as soon as the finance company gets the mechanical report. That will more than likely be a full diagnostic from a main dealer.. I give it a month tops

 

I was told the finance company would get the vehicle fixed. I respectfully refused and said i no longer wanted that vehicle as i had lost all faith in it. I also found out it had been purchased by the garage via an auction.

 

I ended up with a totally different vehicle. I was told to go to any garage and pick a car out to the original value of the first car. Any payments made were then credited to the new agreement including any deposit

[Bardogirl]

You had a good result then!

 

Just spoke to a man at Finance he was really nice actually.

 

He said that he has opened up a complaint for me. He is going to speak to the garage where I got the car from to get their input.

He then said the next step would be to get an independent review on the car and they would come out to and carry this out within the next 2 weeks.

He said that if they can prove that the car was sold as faulty then I can reject it/they will pay for repairs.

If it is due to general wear and tear then I will be responsible for any work on it.

 

I will struggle having time off work for them to come and do this report at my house. However the garage where I was having it towed to is opposite my work and we rent our spaces off them and so it wouldn't be a problem for me to leave it there. He said this is fine as long as no work is carried out which I understand.

I told him my Mot is due to run out on 26th August he said he will try and rush the process but his only advice was to put it somewhere in storage as they have to give a 2 week window and so I am still none the wiser on this bit.

 

Does this all seem okay?

 

Thanks

[obiter dictum]

Seems fair response at the moment

 

The only issue i have is that they do not have to prove the car was faulty at time of sale

 

The Sale of Goods Act is quite specific in this

 

They law considers any fault that develops in the first 6 months of sale to be there when the vehicle was sold

 

Wear and tear is a bit much in the first 6 months and they will struggle with that one as well, considering the cars history since you purchased it

[Bardogirl]

I'll see what they come back with when they send this mechanic out. Will keep you updated!

[Bardogirl]

Quick question.

 

I sent over copies of all of my green flag reports and have just received the below reply.

Should I be calling them or should I be getting everything in writing?

They have said the next step is for them to send this person out so I don’t see why they need to speak to me again.

 

Good Afternoon,

 

Thank you for the information which has been sent, this has been scanned to the account. Please could you contact us when you are available so that we may discuss this further with you.

 

Kind regards

[theoldrouge]

Keep everything in writing and retain all copies

[Bardogirl]

The company are coming out on Tuesday to do the independent report.

 

MOT ran out yesterday.

 

I have checked and since buying the car I have driven 1159 mile. I have a feeling though that they will use the ‘wear and tear’ thing and say that I am liable for any repairs.

 

If this did happen then I absolutely refuse. I’ve been getting to work via tram no problem and could easily continue to do this.

 

What do you think my best option would be, to VT it and pay the outstanding or let them repossess it? Either way would I still be charged for the mot and outstanding repairs that need doing?

 

I know I need to wait until the outcome of this report first but just trying to weigh up my options. Impatient!

[dx100uk]

you must vt

 

 

why will you be responsible for mot and repairs?

 

 

its their car anyway they should have paid for repairs

 

 

dx

[Bardogirl]

One of the VT terms is that the car is returned with a valid MOT. Could they not refuse the VT without this?

 

Thanks