Dealing with salesmen/dealers
Download a copy of this Dealing with salesmen / dealers guide for yourself
If you already own a vehicle, at some point you'll need to have it serviced or get an MOT.
In either case you should consider the following:
- research the garage that you are considering using.
- If you are having repairs or an MOT done, get three quotes from different garages to make sure you've selected the most competitive quote
- If you're buying a vehicle, we recommend you visit a number of dealers so you pay paying a fair price
- Get recommendations from family and friends
If you're buying a new vehicle you should:
- check the paperwork - Vehicle Registration Document(V5)
- check the V5 against the details on the seller's driving licence if it's a private sale
- consider whether it has a tax disc, and if not whether you or the seller will purchase this
- ask to check the service history
- test drive the vehicle, first making sure you're insured to do this
- check the vehicle, and if you're buying from an individual, we recommend you have an engineer inspect it, too
- if the vehicle is older than two years it should have a valid MOT certificate, and it's worth checking this to ensure the vehicle is roadworthy
- carry out a HPI check to make sure that there is no outstanding finance on the vehicle or that it hasn't been in an accident
If you're instructing a garage to carry out work, we recommend agreeing the following in writing:
- the work you would like carried out
- how long it'll take
- how much it'll cost and when payment is due
What you should do if things go wrong:
- ask the garage to stop working immediately
- discuss your complaint with the garage
- obtain a second opinion on the engineer's work, and consider obtaining an expert's report
- go back to the garage showing a copy of the expert's report and try to resolve the matter amicably
If you can't resolve the matter successfully you should:
- consider bringing the matter as a small claim at your county court if the sum is less than £5,000.
- consider instructing a solicitor if the sum is more than £5,000. Contact one of our specialists with all of your documentation and supporting evidence, and we'll be happy to assist
For more information regarding consumer rights, please visit our page.
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All documents should be read and used in accordance with the terms and conditions. This document is for your general information only and is not a detailed statement of the law. It is provided to you free of charge and should not be used as a substitute for specific legal advice. If you require specific legal advice please contact our helpline on 03700 86 86 86.
