Issues with Used Car Dealers

emfoley

I bought a used car two weeks ago and am having serious issues with the dealers. Firstly I was assured the car would be put through the NCT as part of the sale but the dealers said they could not get a test time until May. As I could not wait til then for my car they said I could collect it and they would give me an NCT guarantee. I am now expected to pay for the test and they state they will refund me.
The above would not be an issue if the dealers were trustworthy in all other aspects. It has taken me two weeks and numerous calls to get the unlocking code for the built in radio which I have now been informed will not work until the radio is on standby for half an hour.
Also I have still not received my log book. I checked with the VRO today and they have not received the change of ownership request yet. According to one person in the dealership there is no record of it being sent but the person I was dealing with reckons the online service was down so they sent the old log book in the post and it must have gone missing.
The dealers never return my calls and when I do manage to speak to someone they are rude and obnoxious. I am wary of using my car now as I cannot tax it or put it through the NCT until the log book is received.
Any advice?

emfoley

I have paid for the car but the agreement states that part of the sale includes a new NCT - I am not stupid enough to not have it in writing.
My main concerns are not receiving the log book and the radio issue.

colm_mcm

Go in there in person.

did you actually sign the new VRC and fill in your details?

Yakuza

Unfortunately with some such dealers, once you've forked over your cash, you change from being their best friend to an annoying gnat that they'd rather fob off. Perhaps contact the VRO, explain the situation and have the Cert declared lost? Is it an established dealer, or one of these places near the Naas Road that changes name every 6 months?

emfoley

I didn't sign it because it can be done online now - this is why I don't believe they sent the log book in the post because they would not be able to do this without my signature.
They are a real dealer and are registered with SIMI.

coylemj

The sales pitch they gave you was a pack of lies or blatant exaggerations - an NCT 'guarantee' seems to be a stock part of car dealers sales pitches and frankly I am completely amazed at the naivety of people who swallow that particular line.

I once checked various ads. for cars and every time I rang an indie dealer and asked about the NCT (never mentioned in the ad) I got the same answer: 'we'll guarantee the NCT' -yeah right.

Sorry if I seem unsympathetic but did it not occur to you to ask them the following question: 'If you're so sure it will pass the NCT, why not put it for the test and sell it with an NCT cert?'

Them saying they can't get a test slot until May is total BS, there are lots of threads here saying how to get a cancellation slot, people in the trade have no excuse for experiencing delays in getting a car tested.

emfoley

I checked with the NCTS who confirmed no new test times were available until May so they were not lying about that. I needed a new car which is why I could not wait for them to put it through. So please everyone stop calling me naive or a fool and advice on my actual issues would be helpful.
If you read any of my posts you would see my issues are with the radio and log book and not the NCT.

Del2005

coylemj wrote: »

The sales pitch they gave you was a pack of lies or blatant exaggerations - an NCT 'guarantee' seems to be a stock part of car dealers sales pitches and frankly I am completely amazed at the naivety of people who swallow that particular line.

I once checked various ads. for cars and every time I rang an indie dealer and asked about the NCT (never mentioned in the ad) I got the same answer: 'we'll guarantee the NCT' -yeah right.

Sorry if I seem unsympathetic but did it not occur to you to ask them the following question: 'If you're so sure it will pass the NCT, why not put it for the test and sell it with an NCT cert?'

Them saying they can't get a test slot until May is total BS, there are lots of threads here saying how to get a cancellation slot, people in the trade have no excuse for experiencing delays in getting a car tested.

+1

Once you've given the dealer, or any seller, the money you no longer have any control. The best thing to do is say I'll hold back a % of the sale price till the NCT passes, see how quick they'll get it them.

As for dealers not NCTing cars it is shocking as there's no benefit to not doing it, it'd be different if it was like the MoT where it was from the date of test. Someone posted before that they don't want to do the NCT before sale as it'll cost them money for a car they haven't sold and if they trade sell it then they'll never see the €50.

It should be illegal for a dealer have a car on sale without a valid NCT.

emfoley

Yet again my issue is not the NCT.

Del2005

emfoley wrote: »

I checked with the NCTS who confirmed no new test times were available until May so they were not lying about that. I needed a new car which is why I could not wait for them to put it through. So please everyone stop calling me naive or a fool and advice on my actual issues would be helpful.
If you read any of my posts you would see my issues are with the radio and log book and not the NCT.

The lack of NCT is a sign of how the company treats their customers, the log book and radio just prove it.

If you ring at 8am tomorrow morning and are willing to travel I'd say you'd have a test within a week, I've done it a couple of times.

emfoley

Please no more posts about the NCT

emfoley

I need some advice on how to sort out the log book and radio issues

coylemj

NCT

animum

Hi,

I dont know the make and model of your car, but I do know in order for the car to accept a radio code, there are some models that you have to enter in the code and leave the car running. I know this is the case in a Renault and a few others. If you have the radio code, I would ring a main dealer and ask them can they put it in for you. Or what way does it work-

I think you need the logbook to NCT the car anyway, so check that before you make an appointment with NCT centre or you may not be able to keep appointment and still be charged.
If the logbook has been lost or missing, then the garage will have to apply for a replacement, you will also be unable to tax the car without this too. They need to sort this for you. A replacement costs something like €12.

I would definitely NCT the car first and get paid afterwards, reason being if the car fails you can go back and get them to pay for retest and repairs if needed..if they pay you beforehand, you could have more hassle going back and getting more out of them again.

only a bit of advise...which may help its seems a bit of a frustrating mess..prob just bad luck with an incompetent salesman...:(

emfoley

Thanks so much for the advice. I have just emailed an Opel garage for help with the radio.

animum

emfoley wrote: »

Thanks so much for the advice. I have just emailed an Opel garage for help with the radio.

No problem, at all. I hope you get sorted.

colm_mcm

Opel tried charging me €20 for a code before so good luck with it.

Xpro

If the dealer said that he can do an online transfer, that should have been done instantly as it takes less then 2 min to change the ownership using Motortrans.

If this hasn't been done yet and you still don't have the book, the chances are that the dealer doesn't have the book himself, as he will need a VLC number in order to carry out the transfer.

Drive the car trough Eflow a few times and dont pay, that generaly makes them get the finger out as they get hit with fines.

As for the radio, find out who the supplying dealer was when the car was new. They should give you the code FOC.