Practically Classics Forum

good luck... dont think you will have much chance with your supplier, but give him loads of bad publicity.

rich. wrote:good luck... dont think you will have much chance with your supplier, but give him loads of bad publicity.

But make sure that it's being directed at the right supplier, there are probably several with similar sounding names. Inadvertantly damning the wrong one would be bad mmkay.

Paid by Cheque??? I haven't even seen my cheque book for years now!! I suppose your misfortune is a lesson to us all, always use the plastic, at least there's a degree of protection if it's over £100. I know some people don't like the idea of credit, but in todays poor economic state with even well know companies going under with no notice I would never use anything but the credit card for a largeish purchase.

Willy Eckerslyke wrote:....make sure that it's being directed at the right supplier, there are probably several with similar sounding names....

Go on, she'll sort him out!

I'm glad Mr Rusty reminded me - my credit card "month" ends today (I'll pay it off before the bill arrives). It's 10 years or more since I didn't pay it in full - and the interest for the £20 I carried over was horrendous!

I'd agree that paying by cheque is something I avoid (the Landy was the last one!) and anything I order by phone or online is paid with either the credit card or PayPal so that I get some protection in cases like this.

If you used the supplier because you saw the ad in the mag, perhaps you should send the mag a letter and see if they have any comment (probably pass the buck). It doesn't reflect well on them if their advertisers are a bit shady!

dont use credit cards, i got stung for interest once..

tractorman wrote: If you used the supplier because you saw the ad in the mag, perhaps you should send the mag a letter and see if they have any comment (probably pass the buck). It doesn't reflect well on them if their advertisers are a bit shady!

I thought all adverts in the mag were from reputable firms, after all doesn't that engine restore product as reccomended by that Quentin chap get a full pager quite often

As for credit cards....don't have one, won't have one, but use the debit card or paypal for distance transactions, cash locally where I can re visit a seller if need be.

I'm afraid I have to agree that cutting the exhaust may be problematic in any case as the goods can't be returned as received. But, if timesacales are large and seller unhelpful then it may not be the end of the world.

Appropriate legislations are those of the Distance Selling regulations and Sale of Goods Act so they may be worth a read as to rights of both the buyer and seller. Both easily found on the interwebby thing.

So, I guess the OP needs advice from the appropriate bodies, first port of call used to be consumer direct, but its' roll was given I believe to Citizens advice, so they may be worth a call as a first option to see if they can advise the ins and outs of this situation. Following that then trading standards should be able to advise though they can be reluctant to get involved sometimes.

I once bought a Pajero from a forecourt which wouldn't select 4 wheel drive, garage tried but failed to repair it, changed gearbox for a worse one, wouldn't check the wires that run from the gearbox despite my asking...

I resisted for six months the temptation to check it out myself in case it had repurcussions on their responsibilities. Went through Consumer direct, followed their advice by sending the garage letters which they refused to accept, hand delivered same letters, then went on to trading standards who after a chat said it may be hard luck as it was a second hand vehicle (purchased as good with a warranty but found to be faulty on day of collection and notified garage straight away).

When I asked the fella on the end of the phone at Trading Standards if that was it, and he wouldn't even talk to them, there was close to a minutes silence before he sighed and said ok, I'll give them a ring.

One phone call from TS later and the Paj went off to a Mitsubishi Main Agent the next day, who replaced a wire from the gearbox in about an hour and cured the fault.....

So, persistance can be the key, yes the exhaust was chopped but if that was say on the advice of the supplier, or because the supplier refused to rectify an issue, then that may not be a concern.

I'd still be following all avenues of resolving this with the seller, taking advice from the appropriate bodies as to what I can legally expect or not from the facts of the transaction, before resorting to small claims.

As for credit cards....don't have one, won't have one, but use the debit card or paypal for distance transactions, cash locally where I can re visit a seller if need be.

...but in a situation like this, it's more or less essential to use a credit card to make the purchase.. If the item was over £100, and turned out to be faulty, incorrect, whatever, and you're not getting anywhere with the supplier, you contact the credit card company and let them take it up. The reason is, although you may think you've bought the item, you actually haven't- the credit card company has and you then pay them the money when you get your statement.

The credit card company will want to recover it's money as it's bought something faulty, and they have a LOT of legal clout, much more than some poor sod who's paid cash. I really cannot get my head round why people still insist on using cash or cheque for a high value new purchase, it just doesn't make sense: you have virtually no protection, it's mad, yet people still pay for something like a holiday in cash or on a debit card- madness, but people just don't learn!!

I wonder what it about Pajeros - my friend bought one from a local indy place and it took him a month to get his money back. They insisted it was only a 3-speed autobox (though it was the same as his previous Pajero, which had four!). Eventually, they took it to the main dealer for a wiring fault (lights I think) that the indy couldn't fix and were told that the gearbox needed expensive repairs. They were able to get this in written form and went back to the indy when there were a few customers about - and got a result!

I'm glad I checked the credit card bill (£35 or so) as I was also able to check the current account - just before it hit the red! As I wrote, I pay the card every month without fail and don't use it if I can't afford to pay it off! It has much better protection than a debit card, so I only use the debit card for face-to-face transactions - I never have much more than £20 in cash, and that's usually to pay the butcher (who comes round in a van - I only buy cake and veg from him!!).

As arceye says, keep at it - don't let him get away with it as he'll just carry on "conning" other punters!

tractorman wrote: I never have much more than £20 in cash, and that's usually to pay the butcher (who comes round in a van - I only buy cake and veg from him!!).

Cake and veg from the butcher? He is diversifying.

I don't have a credit card, if you look at the guarantee for your VISA Debit card you will find it offers similar guarantees (but not quite as bullet proof) as a credit card. I do use paypal for a lot of internet transactions as it makes life simple and I don't trust anyone with card details if I don't absolutely have to. My cheque book was returned to the bank a few years ago as I realised that I hadn't written a cheque in over 3 years so it was just taking up space and something else to be pinched if I get broken in to again.

Both myself and the other half have had our cards copied. I'm sure mine was at the filling station on London Gateway services and the other half by a member of cleaning staff at her workplace. Hers was scary as they knew her DOB and other details to reset the password to make purchases on the internet, the idiot made an order from currys on line to be delivered to their house. Natwest returned my money to me within 3 days and Heather got hers back the same evening she noticed it had been taken. (I realise this isn't the same as getting a refund for faulty goods)