Well………… what can I say other than lot’s of sweary words followed by poo.
Everything was a disaster. I arrived at the dealer ship and the salesman who I’d been dealing with asked me for my Motability paperwork, which I thought was just to make sure all the details matched up with what they had on their system. When he came back I mentioned that I had taken a photo of my PIN incase I forgot to take the letter with me. He replied ‘It’s ok I’ve already entered it.’ I questioned this and his response was ‘That’s what’s happening now due to Covid.’ He then took payment for the car. Lastly he asked if I wanted him to explain some of the functions to me as they’re not allowed to get in the car to show me. I said no as I had recently had a Tarraco on hire through RSM due to someone smashing into me on a roundabout, so knew the basic controls.
So, continuing the arse backwards nature of the handover, we were finally taken to the car. Opening the car I was instantly puzzled by the driver’s seat being manual operation rather than mechanical. For the test drive they didn’t have the model I wanted and gave me an FR Sport instead. After the test drive I asked what the differences were between that and the higher model Excellence Plus. He replied that the only real difference is that it’s a slightly softer suspension and the seats would be comfort seats rather than sports style seats i.e bigger bolsters and firmer. No mention of the fact that the higher model didn’t have electric seats. I queried this and he said that’s just how it is. I said that is not how the car was portrayed to me and that I had made a point of telling him that my back was unstable and that I needed to change position fairly frequently and after the test drive I told him how much better it was for me with electric seats. He said that all I could do was take the car and try it and contact Motability if it’s no good and they will let you change. I wasn’t happy with this and said that I was going to phone Motability. He said not to bother because you wont get through because the lines are so busy and they had been trying all week. I really didn’t want to take the car as it had been mis sold, but my PIN had already been entered, my money taken, and it had started to rain.
The salesman had just walked off and left me, even knowing I wasn’t happy. Feeling pressured and I apparently couldn’t get hold of Motability, I took the car and drove directly home. I phoned Motability straight away and it did take a long time on hold before I was answered by an agent. I explained in detail what had happened and she was very surprised and asked me to hold while she spoke to the department who deal with dealerships. They advised that the car had been mis sold and that the dealership were in error regarding the handover process and the unauthorised entering of my PIN without offering me the chance to input it myself or agree to the salesman doing it on my behalf. The agent then called the Salesman and explained everything to him and also that Motability will be making him undertake a course with them.
The agent then apologised about the experience I had had and that I will be given the option to either cancel the order straight away and receive all the £1749 AP back or keep the car while ordering a replacement and having my AP returned pro rata. There will be no cancellation fee for me to pay and that it wouldn’t count against me in any way.
Phew. Large glass of wine for me now after that terrible experience, and now I have to start the search all over again.