Thought Id give you all an update on the rejection of my Cup. You may remember that Id noticed a couple of minor paint defects soon after picking the (brand new) car up, and on closer inspection by the AA, it turns out that most of the car had been resprayed prior to me collecting it. Paint was up to 3 times as thick as it should have been, panel colours didnt match in places and the paint was flaking off on the doors. The bootlid is also rusted and needs replacing (on a 3 month old car...)
On the advice of my solicitor, I dumped the car at the dealers, gave them the keys and cancelled my finance payments. The solicitor then wrote to the dealership and the finance company.
The finance company replied to the letter, offering their support. Great! Then they started chasing me for unpaid finance, as the two departments werent talking to each other. Ive now asked my solicitor to give them a bollocking. Bloody GE Capital...
The dealer ignored the first letter, so my solicitor sent a second letter telling them how appalling they were for not responding. She had a phone call at the end of last week from the new General Manager of the dealership. It turns out that the old General Manager I had been dealing with had left the dealership. Git! This is on top of the salesman who actually sold me the car leaving a shortly after my complaints began. I sense a pattern here...
According to the dealership, there is a (very slow) procedure to be followed and they are currently following it. My dealer is a franchise (Lookers) so my case is also going through Renault UK who are holding everything up. My dealer has had the car inspected by their bodyshop, I have had an AA inspection, Renault UK have looked at the car sice I dumped it at the dealer and Ive just been told Renault will be looking at my car AGAIN this week. How many times do you need to be told, by how many experts, that the paint job on my car is unacceptable for a new vehicle????
As the Cup is now being discontinued to make way for the Clio 182, they will not be able to get hold of a replacement Cup for me. I suppose they could do me a deal on a new Clio 182 but I have told my solicitor to get me my money back. She is quite confident that due to the major paint defect (AA expert opinion) with the car, and the fact that the 172 Cup is being discontinued, we will be successful.
My advice to anyone buying a new car is EXAMINE IT THOROUGHLY BEFORE SIGNING FINANCE/HANDING OVER CASH. If you have the slightest doubt about ANYTHING, get it examined/fixed before driving it away. Its incredibly difficult to sort things out once money has been exchanged. Im lucky that Im a stubborn b*stard, so I wont give in, and I have my motorbike to use as transport while everything is sorted out.
Ill let you all know how I get on, but in the meantime Im off to look at a £350 Vauxhall Cavalier tomorrow to use over the winter. I dont want my bike rotting when the roads get salted
