Car fault but owner lives 90 miles away

[Andy HVC 0]

Hi all,

I could do with some help here. I have been trading for 3 years now and have built up quite a good reputation for being fair but the latest incident has me stumped. I sold a 2003 Honda Accord to a guy less than 30 days ago who drove it home over 90 miles away. The first conversation i had with him was a few days later when he told me the washer bottle had a crack. Because of the distance i offered to supply a new bottle for him to fit or he could return the vehicle and we would put it right. Both offers were gestures of good will as the journey home could have cracked the bottle. A stream of abuse followed. Now a warning light has come on and he has had it diagnosed by Honda. Honda turned the light off and told him to monitor it. I received a letter today stating he wants his money back or for me to collect the car and put it right. I am actually happy to take a look at the car but my question is does he have to return the car or do i have to collect? It is most interesting as we sell cars all over the country so we could possibly have a car 200 miles plus away with a fault and i have no idea who's responsibility it is to get the car back to me. 
Waiting with interest!

[Mojo121 229]

Unless stated on the invoice it's your responsibility to collect the car - get it built into your terms on the reverse. 

I take it the light has come back on? Does he have a local friendly independent that might fix it and not cost the earth?

[Rory RSC 596]

What do your Ts and C's say?

 

Make him bring it back, its an old banger and you are being more than fair. Hardly means an old banger is not of satisfactory quality or fit for purpose. Help me help you sir.

 

 

[Andy HVC 0]

14 minutes ago, Mojo121 said:

Unless stated on the invoice it's your responsibility to collect the car - get it built into your terms on the reverse. 

I take it the light has come back on? Does he have a local friendly independent that might fix it and not cost the earth?

 

Now that's interesting, i use the Autotrader invoices so no real T's and C's. This appears to need addressing! It has got a WMS warranty on it but this probably isn't covered but he has stated it isn't fit to drive so we will never know if the light will come back on! I am waiting to talk to Honda who did the diagnosis but thanks for the input. If i am honest he really pee'd me off when he hurled abuse at me on text, i might be being a little harder on him because of this.

 

[It's me 615]

Seeing as you dont have back to base written on your invoice its down to you unless you can persuade him to get back to you vis his say aa membership

What would i do?

jump in my truck with the £895 he gave me stuff it in his hand and drive the car on the wagon and go back to base

Once back get it repaired wait for log book after possibly having to reapply and retail it again

job done lesson learned that the details in the paperwork,who are autotrader again?

Edited September 21, 2017 by s and b

[Andy HVC 0]

Thanks guys, you are probably right. Worth unwinding it and starting again. As you say, lesson learnt. Now to get my T's and C's sorted!

 

[BHM 994]

Are you sure he's been to Honda?

Also, don't do business by text!!! It the preferred communication method of arseholes - I'd ignore his texts until he phones (which 99% don't).

[whitestone679231 113]

Where in country is he? Surely a friendly trustworthy dealer off this forum near to him would be first port of call, if it has a problem fair enough but I have known privates try it on, I would trust a trader off here for a 2nd opinion

[BHM 994]

1 hour ago, whitestone679231 said:

I have known privates try it on

 You don't say!!! 

I'd be more surprised if he WASN'T trying it on.

Also if they do have a minor grievance they normally over-egg the story (the Honda dealership visit on a £895er smells fishy to me) & once you've caught them out they disappear.

[Andy HVC 0]

It just got a little weirder. The reason for the post was that i received a letter by recorded delivery this morning stating i had to put the car right or money back etc and he had been advised not to drive the car as it was not safe. Consumer rights were quoted and a copy of the Honda invoice for diagnostics was attached. Having now spoken to Honda they say they just reset the fault code and asked him to monitor to see if it comes back on! So now i write to him to see who has advised not to drive the car and if the light has come back on?

[Arfur Dealy 823]

6 hours ago, Andy HVC said:

Thanks guys, you are probably right. Worth unwinding it and starting again. As you say, lesson learnt. Now to get my T's and C's sorted!

 

The problem is you are responsible for the repair, you haven't covered yourself. I'm with Lawgistics and use their purchase receipts etc. You can buy on eBay and be done with the problem again. 

[BHM 994]

Yep - string him out with letters but don't be too quick to answer - play him at his own game. 

Although he has been to Honda, as usual he's over egging it so you'll trip him up.

I'm not sure why many on here are so keen to refund a chancer, or perhaps in this case someone who has a minor fault and panicked.

[Andy HVC 0]

3 minutes ago, Arfur Dealy said:

The problem is you are responsible for the repair, you haven't covered yourself. I'm with Lawgistics and use their purchase receipts etc. You can buy on eBay and be done with the problem again. 

Thanks for this. I will take a look now as i don't really need this again!

 

[Arfur Dealy 823]

6 minutes ago, Andy HVC said:

Thanks for this. I will take a look now as i don't really need this again!

 

No problem  

[grant8064 219]

2 hours ago, Andy HVC said:

It just got a little weirder. The reason for the post was that i received a letter by recorded delivery this morning stating i had to put the car right or money back etc and he had been advised not to drive the car as it was not safe. Consumer rights were quoted and a copy of the Honda invoice for diagnostics was attached. Having now spoken to Honda they say they just reset the fault code and asked him to monitor to see if it comes back on! So now i write to him to see who has advised not to drive the car and if the light has come back on?

He's an organised chap...done all of his google research correctly by the sound of it!

Personally i'd get an independent local to him to diagnose and repair the issue once authorised by yourself or just get the car back and refund.

I did the latter recently even though I knew the buyer was spouting a pack of lies, sometimes you just don't want those kind of people phoning with a new issue each week.

[andymc1973 199]

spoke to trading standards recently on this one, he can return it but you have to pay his costs but you can get this back via a mileage charge

[have a word with the wife 299]

3 hours ago, Andy HVC said:

It just got a little weirder. The reason for the post was that i received a letter by recorded delivery this morning stating i had to put the car right or money back etc and he had been advised not to drive the car as it was not safe. Consumer rights were quoted and a copy of the Honda invoice for diagnostics was attached. Having now spoken to Honda they say they just reset the fault code and asked him to monitor to see if it comes back on! So now i write to him to see who has advised not to drive the car and if the light has come back on?

wonder what the fault code is ?  i have had a few fault lights come on with just sold cars, no signs before, it can be folk not used to the car and caused by there driving, wrong gear, [ labouring engine] missed gear [over rev] etc. 

if you ve been asked to put the car right or refund and car has not shown light since then youve put it right havent you ? 

 

check hes insured and taxed car by the way, he maybe just doesnt like the car 

[Andy HVC 0]

I did check the tax on this and it is taxed but when he was here he insured it and it cost him over £800! He was very rude to the insurance company (Saga, yes, he is in his 50's!) so alarm bells should have rang then!