0:00:02 > 0:00:03'I'm Dominic Littlewood
0:00:03 > 0:00:06'and I'm here to champion your consumer rights.
0:00:06 > 0:00:10'In fact, taking companies to task has become my goal in life.'
0:00:10 > 0:00:13Could you let her know I tried to call?
0:00:13 > 0:00:15She's probably quite keen to speak to me, actually.
0:00:15 > 0:00:18'Any problem, no matter how big or small,
0:00:18 > 0:00:21'I'll help you get the service you deserve.'
0:00:21 > 0:00:23Let us know if you don't get it sorted.
0:00:23 > 0:00:25'Whether you're bamboozled with technical jargon...'
0:00:25 > 0:00:28All they kept referring to was extraordinary circumstances,
0:00:28 > 0:00:31which is just pie in the sky, really.
0:00:31 > 0:00:34'..or chasing endlessly to get what you've paid for.'
0:00:34 > 0:00:37I have never had to make so many phone calls to a company before.
0:00:37 > 0:00:41'Whatever your issues, I'm here to help.
0:00:41 > 0:00:44On today's programme, brand-new cars -
0:00:44 > 0:00:48the second largest investment we're likely to make after a mortgage.
0:00:48 > 0:00:50I help a couple who are left far from experiencing
0:00:50 > 0:00:51the ride of their lives.
0:00:51 > 0:00:54When I took the car out, it felt as though it was struggling.
0:00:54 > 0:00:57It was starving of petrol. It just didn't want to go.
0:00:57 > 0:01:00Plus, the dangers of buying now then paying later.
0:01:00 > 0:01:01When I open this letter,
0:01:01 > 0:01:05it said I owed £930.20 and it was a final notice.
0:01:05 > 0:01:07And I couldn't believe it.
0:01:07 > 0:01:08And call centres.
0:01:08 > 0:01:11We are going to take you behind the scenes to show you
0:01:11 > 0:01:13what life is like on the other end of the phone.
0:01:15 > 0:01:19I'm tackling your consumer issues to make sure you don't get done.
0:01:23 > 0:01:25It's got to be a great feeling, buying a brand-spanking-new car.
0:01:25 > 0:01:28The paintwork will be all nice and bright and shiny.
0:01:28 > 0:01:30The interior will smell brand-new as well.
0:01:30 > 0:01:33And, of course, you can hear the purr of the engine
0:01:33 > 0:01:34for the very first time.
0:01:34 > 0:01:37But when you are spending thousands of pounds of your hard-earned cash
0:01:37 > 0:01:39on something like a car,
0:01:39 > 0:01:42I think you're entitled to be happy with what you bought.
0:01:42 > 0:01:44But, unfortunately, that isn't always the case.
0:01:44 > 0:01:48I've heard from Catherine and John, who bought a brand-new
0:01:48 > 0:01:53Vauxhall Corsa in 2013 and were unhappy with it from the start.
0:01:53 > 0:01:55It felt lumpy. It was juddering.
0:01:55 > 0:01:59And I just was not comfortable driving that car.
0:01:59 > 0:02:01The couple have made numerous complaints
0:02:01 > 0:02:03but haven't been able to reach a resolution.
0:02:03 > 0:02:05So, they've contacted me.
0:02:05 > 0:02:08'We just thought, "Well, that's end of the matter
0:02:08 > 0:02:13'"and we're stuck with a car that we feel isn't fit for purpose."'
0:02:14 > 0:02:16John and Catherine decided
0:02:16 > 0:02:19to treat themselves to a new car in April 2013,
0:02:19 > 0:02:23when Catherine's existing motor started to show signs of age.
0:02:23 > 0:02:26It was old and it was probably going to start costing money
0:02:26 > 0:02:30so I'd weighed everything up and decided to go for a new car.
0:02:30 > 0:02:34And top of their new car short list was the Vauxhall Corsa.
0:02:34 > 0:02:36I've always stuck with Vauxhalls.
0:02:36 > 0:02:38I found them to be very good, very reliable.
0:02:38 > 0:02:40I've never had a bad car yet.
0:02:40 > 0:02:43So, they headed to their nearest dealership,
0:02:43 > 0:02:45Bristol Street Motors in Newcastle
0:02:45 > 0:02:49and John took a Corsa out for a spin and it seemed to fit the bill.
0:02:49 > 0:02:53I just wanted a small car, economical, to get me from A to B.
0:02:55 > 0:02:57They signed on the dotted line
0:02:57 > 0:03:02and agreed to pay £9,200 for a one-litre Corsa S.
0:03:02 > 0:03:05Catherine only needs a car just to go to work and back.
0:03:05 > 0:03:08It just seemed the right type of car for her.
0:03:08 > 0:03:12Within weeks, their shiny, brand-new car was delivered.
0:03:12 > 0:03:15'When I sat in and drove it, it just didn't feel right.
0:03:15 > 0:03:20'I was never comfortable driving it from the first time I ever drove it.'
0:03:20 > 0:03:25It's very noisy, as you can hear. You've got a lot of road noise.
0:03:25 > 0:03:30It judders, hesitates, as you're changing from first to second gear.
0:03:30 > 0:03:32Unsure of the car's performance,
0:03:32 > 0:03:35Catherine asked partner John for a second opinion.
0:03:35 > 0:03:38When I took the car out, it felt as though it was struggling,
0:03:38 > 0:03:41it was starving of petrol, it just didn't want to go.
0:03:41 > 0:03:42They returned the car to the dealership
0:03:42 > 0:03:44for a mechanical inspection.
0:03:44 > 0:03:48So, we took it back to Bristol Street Motors who said that
0:03:48 > 0:03:53they changed the airflow sensor and they said the car was fine
0:03:53 > 0:03:55so I drove it away and it was still...
0:03:55 > 0:03:58The same problem was still recurring.
0:03:59 > 0:04:02After giving the dealer four attempts to fix the car,
0:04:02 > 0:04:04Catherine decided to get a second opinion.
0:04:04 > 0:04:07We took it to an independent mechanic
0:04:07 > 0:04:11and his senior technician took the car out.
0:04:11 > 0:04:13He's an ex-Vauxhall mechanic so he knows about Vauxhalls.
0:04:13 > 0:04:18And he road-tested the vehicle and he said it was really poor performance.
0:04:18 > 0:04:22He did a report which actually said the car was not fit for purpose.
0:04:22 > 0:04:26The report went on to say, in their opinion, the car had issues,
0:04:26 > 0:04:29drives poorly and has a worrying loss of power.
0:04:29 > 0:04:32They presented this report to Bristol Street Motors,
0:04:32 > 0:04:36who took the car back in for more diagnostic testing.
0:04:36 > 0:04:40Each time they came back, "We've fixed this, we've done this,"
0:04:40 > 0:04:42but the problem still remained.
0:04:43 > 0:04:46They basically said there wasn't a problem.
0:04:46 > 0:04:49I kept a very in-depth and detailed record
0:04:49 > 0:04:51of everything that had happened.
0:04:51 > 0:04:56'Because I really felt strongly that there was a problem with the car.'
0:04:56 > 0:04:57Over a period of four months,
0:04:57 > 0:05:00Catherine had another two reports done
0:05:00 > 0:05:02and was back and forwards to the dealership.
0:05:02 > 0:05:06She was given a courtesy car and an offer to resolve the dispute.
0:05:06 > 0:05:10'The courtesy car was exactly the same model and specification'
0:05:10 > 0:05:13and I said, "The courtesy car drives much better than mine."
0:05:13 > 0:05:16And he said, "Well, do you want that car?" And I said, "No,
0:05:16 > 0:05:18"it's got thousands of miles on it."
0:05:18 > 0:05:21Just shy of 10,000 miles, in fact.
0:05:21 > 0:05:24The offer of a second-hand car as a replacement wasn't exactly
0:05:24 > 0:05:26the result Catherine was expecting.
0:05:26 > 0:05:30She simply wanted her car put right or a brand-new replacement.
0:05:31 > 0:05:34'Frustrated. Annoyed.
0:05:34 > 0:05:36'It felt like we had to go out
0:05:36 > 0:05:39'and prove that there is something wrong with the car.'
0:05:39 > 0:05:41Catherine had sent through
0:05:41 > 0:05:43a blow-by-blow account of her complaint -
0:05:43 > 0:05:46dates, times and who she spoke to and what they said -
0:05:46 > 0:05:49and this really helps when I take on a case.
0:05:53 > 0:05:55Catherine and John are convinced there is a problem
0:05:55 > 0:05:58with their car, but the dealers have checked it five times now
0:05:58 > 0:06:00and said there's nothing wrong with it.
0:06:00 > 0:06:04So, here lies the problem - they've spent over £9,000 on a car
0:06:04 > 0:06:08which they're not happy with and they feel they're stuck with it.
0:06:08 > 0:06:11So let's see if I can get this case moving along.
0:06:11 > 0:06:14With over two million cars sold in 2013,
0:06:14 > 0:06:17Vauxhall are one of the market leaders,
0:06:17 > 0:06:19with around 12% of the cars sold being theirs -
0:06:19 > 0:06:21they're definitely big players.
0:06:21 > 0:06:25Now, although the car is built by Vauxhall, my first port of call
0:06:25 > 0:06:28is to go to Bristol Street Motors, the dealer that sold them the car.
0:06:28 > 0:06:31I've sent them an e-mail to see what they've got to say about everything.
0:06:31 > 0:06:34I tell them about the car's juddering and hesitation
0:06:34 > 0:06:38and ask them to give me their take on Catherine and John's concerns.
0:06:38 > 0:06:41Hopefully, I won't be left waiting too long for a response
0:06:41 > 0:06:44and I'm keen to see what they will say.
0:06:44 > 0:06:48Is this a problem which you have come across before with this model?
0:06:51 > 0:06:53We are all familiar with the frustration
0:06:53 > 0:06:55of dealing with call centres.
0:06:55 > 0:06:56Automated answering...
0:06:56 > 0:07:00'Press one for customer services.' HE SIGHS
0:07:00 > 0:07:03..and being passed from one department to another.
0:07:04 > 0:07:07For some of us, it's the bane of our life. What?
0:07:07 > 0:07:11'Press three for technical support.'
0:07:11 > 0:07:14I have to go through loads of options and menus
0:07:14 > 0:07:20until, after ten minutes or even more, I am directed to the adviser.
0:07:20 > 0:07:24I would say 70% of the time you get the run-around.
0:07:24 > 0:07:29The UK contact centre industry employs around 1.1 million people,
0:07:29 > 0:07:33that's nearly 4% of the employed population.
0:07:33 > 0:07:35There are around eight billion calls
0:07:35 > 0:07:38made to UK contact centres each year.
0:07:38 > 0:07:41But whenever I call, I just feel like I'm being read a script.
0:07:41 > 0:07:42And I'm not alone.
0:07:42 > 0:07:47I think people in call centres are told to only answer a certain
0:07:47 > 0:07:50set of questions, but occasionally you will get those people who go
0:07:50 > 0:07:53the extra bit to help you out that you need them to.
0:07:53 > 0:07:57One of the UK's largest call centres has opened its door to us.
0:07:57 > 0:08:00They handle calls for a variety of companies
0:08:00 > 0:08:03and should be able to help us understand how they work.
0:08:03 > 0:08:06As you can see on the screen, we've got the opening salutation here,
0:08:06 > 0:08:09which says, "Good afternoon. Thank you for calling
0:08:09 > 0:08:11"the Don't Get Done Get Dom consumer helpline.
0:08:11 > 0:08:13"You're through to..." It will take the name of the agent.
0:08:13 > 0:08:16So, here, it says, "David." Then, "How may I help you today?"
0:08:16 > 0:08:19And then we've got a list of different call types.
0:08:19 > 0:08:21So we have "make a complaint"
0:08:21 > 0:08:24and then it goes to this bit of scripting here.
0:08:24 > 0:08:27We would say, "If you have had a bad experience with a company
0:08:27 > 0:08:29"and you think you're not alone, Dom may be able to help.
0:08:29 > 0:08:32"If you'd like to get in touch with Dominic Littlewood, I can
0:08:32 > 0:08:36"take a few details from you now or provide you with our e-mail address."
0:08:36 > 0:08:39Crikey. It's like having my very own PA.
0:08:39 > 0:08:41'Press two for complaints.'
0:08:41 > 0:08:44We phone call centres for many reasons
0:08:44 > 0:08:46but one of the main ones is to complain,
0:08:46 > 0:08:50meaning sometimes the agent ends up getting an earful.
0:08:50 > 0:08:51I'll tell you what.
0:08:51 > 0:08:53Spare a thought for the person on the other end of the phone.
0:08:53 > 0:08:56I mean, it's not the easiest job in the world.
0:08:56 > 0:08:59And bear in mind they can probably give you a few tips
0:08:59 > 0:09:01on how to get what you want.
0:09:02 > 0:09:05David Freedman, managing director of Confero,
0:09:05 > 0:09:08is the man in the know when it comes to call centres.
0:09:08 > 0:09:10Don't pick up the phone and shout.
0:09:10 > 0:09:13No-one wants to get into a shouting match.
0:09:13 > 0:09:16Talk, explain your whole circumstance.
0:09:16 > 0:09:19Let the agent guide you through the best course of action.
0:09:19 > 0:09:22And just... If you treat them as a friend,
0:09:22 > 0:09:25they are going to have that same level of respect.
0:09:25 > 0:09:28If you shout and scream at them, they are going to immediately
0:09:28 > 0:09:32get their back up and you're treated as an enemy, not a friend.
0:09:32 > 0:09:33Remember, stay calm.
0:09:33 > 0:09:37And if that doesn't work, what other options do you have?
0:09:37 > 0:09:40There are times where every consumer feels like they're
0:09:40 > 0:09:41just not getting the answer.
0:09:41 > 0:09:44They're not getting what they're hoping they were going to
0:09:44 > 0:09:49when the came through on the call, which is effectively a resolution.
0:09:49 > 0:09:53There are always supervisors and managers that are there
0:09:53 > 0:09:55and available to help.
0:09:55 > 0:09:58Right, you've spoken to the rep, you've spoken to the supervisor
0:09:58 > 0:10:00and you're still not happy.
0:10:00 > 0:10:03If you need to escalate your complaint and you've reached
0:10:03 > 0:10:08the highest level, if you like, on the phone, do ask for an e-mail
0:10:08 > 0:10:12address or a written address for the head office of that business.
0:10:14 > 0:10:17You can ask for the head of customer services, for example,
0:10:17 > 0:10:20and they may or may not have that information available or be
0:10:20 > 0:10:23able to give it, however, write to the head of customer
0:10:23 > 0:10:28services at the address given and that claim will always be escalated.
0:10:30 > 0:10:33So, stay calm, explain your case clearly,
0:10:33 > 0:10:35if you're not happy with the outcome,
0:10:35 > 0:10:36escalate your call to a superior
0:10:36 > 0:10:41and, most importantly, remember, they are simply trying to help you.
0:10:41 > 0:10:44Good advice, and worth remembering the next time that you're having
0:10:44 > 0:10:46a call centre crisis.
0:10:46 > 0:10:51No, Dominic. No, not Roderick. Dominic. D-O-M-I-N-I-C.
0:10:56 > 0:10:59Catherine and John are now the owners of a Vauxhall Corsa
0:10:59 > 0:11:02but they're not happy with the way it drives.
0:11:02 > 0:11:05It's hesitant, it judders.
0:11:05 > 0:11:08It feels a bit like you're driving with kangaroo petrol
0:11:08 > 0:11:10because it is jerking all the time.
0:11:11 > 0:11:14The issue here is Catherine wants to reject her car
0:11:14 > 0:11:16but has been refused because the Vauxhall mechanics
0:11:16 > 0:11:18are saying there is nothing wrong with it.
0:11:18 > 0:11:21So, I e-mailed Bristol Street Motors a few days ago
0:11:21 > 0:11:24and their commercial director, a guy called David Crane,
0:11:24 > 0:11:26has got back to me already. Now, he says,
0:11:26 > 0:11:30"Our honest opinion is that the vehicle is operating normally.
0:11:30 > 0:11:32"There is no doubt that Mrs Gibson is unhappy with
0:11:32 > 0:11:35"the performance of the vehicle and our assurance that it is not
0:11:35 > 0:11:39"displaying a fault are not likely to change.
0:11:39 > 0:11:43"We can offer to replace Mrs Gibson's car, which is
0:11:43 > 0:11:47"a white one-litre Corsa S, with another white one-litre Corsa S.
0:11:48 > 0:11:51"For clarity, the replacement car will have been
0:11:51 > 0:11:54"registered in the September..." So, a few months old.
0:11:54 > 0:11:57"..and will have been used as a courtesy car in our accident
0:11:57 > 0:12:01"repair centre and it's got less than 1,000 miles on it."
0:12:01 > 0:12:04Now, whilst I appreciate that the offer of exchanging the car
0:12:04 > 0:12:07like-for-like is quite a generous one,
0:12:07 > 0:12:10you have got to bear in mind that Catherine won't be getting
0:12:10 > 0:12:13a brand-spanking-new car which she did pay for
0:12:13 > 0:12:17and she also won't be getting the lifetime warranty because
0:12:17 > 0:12:20the replacement one is technically classed as a second-hand one.
0:12:23 > 0:12:27We've also taken her complaint to Vauxhall headquarters themselves.
0:12:27 > 0:12:31After all, Catherine did try to reject the car through them as well.
0:12:31 > 0:12:33They have also got back to me
0:12:33 > 0:12:37and have arranged to pick her car up for one lot of final tests.
0:12:37 > 0:12:38It sounds positive.
0:12:38 > 0:12:41But Bristol Street Motors has so far already run a total of
0:12:41 > 0:12:44five diagnostics and no fault has been found
0:12:44 > 0:12:48and, on top of that, the couple have had three independent reports
0:12:48 > 0:12:51done which all state that the car doesn't drive as it should.
0:12:52 > 0:12:55"When changing from first to second gear and from second to third,
0:12:55 > 0:13:01"there was a slight hesitation/judder which was evident." And it agreed
0:13:01 > 0:13:04with the independent mechanic's report that we'd already had.
0:13:04 > 0:13:06"It had a worrying loss of power
0:13:06 > 0:13:09"and the car was not fit for purpose."
0:13:09 > 0:13:12When we took the report to Bristol Street they still said there was
0:13:12 > 0:13:15no problem with the car and we said it was an ex-Vauxhall mechanic
0:13:15 > 0:13:19had driven the car and he said that his mechanics live
0:13:19 > 0:13:23and breathe Vauxhall and basically implied that this mechanic
0:13:23 > 0:13:25didn't know what he was talking about.
0:13:25 > 0:13:28OK. We've got numerous mechanics saying different things.
0:13:28 > 0:13:30This is mysterious.
0:13:30 > 0:13:33'With the Corsa at head office undergoing tests, I think
0:13:33 > 0:13:35'it's best I just get on the blower.
0:13:35 > 0:13:36'I give Dennis Chick,
0:13:36 > 0:13:39'the communications director at Vauxhall HQ,
0:13:39 > 0:13:40'a call to talk through the case.'
0:13:40 > 0:13:42RINGING
0:13:42 > 0:13:45- Oh, hi, is that Dennis?- 'Hi, Dom, it's Dennis here. Hi, how are you?'
0:13:45 > 0:13:46I'm fine, thanks.
0:13:46 > 0:13:50What can you tell me about the Catherine Gibson case so far?
0:13:50 > 0:13:52'Well, I'm aware of the issues she's had and
0:13:52 > 0:13:54'I'm aware of the independent tests she's had.
0:13:54 > 0:13:56'It's an interesting little case, this, I think.
0:13:56 > 0:13:58'Let's get it right, do it step-by-step.
0:13:58 > 0:14:02'I'm open-minded about this. I want to drive the car myself.
0:14:02 > 0:14:04'I want to feel it for myself. I'll come to you after tomorrow.
0:14:04 > 0:14:07'I'll let you know how I feel and then we'll take it from there, Dom.
0:14:07 > 0:14:09- 'OK?'- Yeah, that's perfect. Can I just ask -
0:14:09 > 0:14:12is this a problem which you've come across before with this model?
0:14:12 > 0:14:15'No, it isn't. That's the issue. It isn't.
0:14:15 > 0:14:17'You know, it's a very robust small car.
0:14:17 > 0:14:19'It's quite a heavy car for the little, tiny engine
0:14:19 > 0:14:22'and you have to drive it with a certain technique.
0:14:22 > 0:14:24'Well, not a particular technique but you have to drive it
0:14:24 > 0:14:26'in consideration of having a very small engine.
0:14:26 > 0:14:30'So it may feel underpowered to some people, but that's what it is.
0:14:30 > 0:14:33'If you want more power, you go up to 1.2 or 1.4.
0:14:33 > 0:14:37'I want to see whether that is what maybe she is feeling and
0:14:37 > 0:14:38'give you my opinion of that
0:14:38 > 0:14:40'and then, as I say, we should go from there.
0:14:40 > 0:14:41'I want to see if there is a hesitation
0:14:41 > 0:14:43'because I will notice it if there is one.'
0:14:43 > 0:14:44I'd love you to have a drive.
0:14:44 > 0:14:47You're obviously the director up there, you're the main man.
0:14:47 > 0:14:50Have a drive and give us your opinion. Let us know.
0:14:50 > 0:14:55- Nice talking to you again, Dennis. - 'Thank you. Cheers, Dom.'- Bye-bye.
0:14:55 > 0:14:56I like the way that call went.
0:14:56 > 0:14:59He's going to drive the customer's car himself. That's the director.
0:14:59 > 0:15:01I'm going to give him the whole weekend to do that
0:15:01 > 0:15:04then call back next week and see what he's got to say
0:15:04 > 0:15:06and hopefully we'll be able to sort this out for Catherine once
0:15:06 > 0:15:09and for all. Nothing more we can do at this point.
0:15:09 > 0:15:12'Apart from investigate another area of Catherine's case.'
0:15:14 > 0:15:17Now, she tried to reject her car three times to the dealer,
0:15:17 > 0:15:20then the manufacturer and then her finance company.
0:15:20 > 0:15:23All three rejected her rejection.
0:15:23 > 0:15:27So, what exactly are your rights if you're not happy with your new car?
0:15:27 > 0:15:30Motor Codes is a Government-backed self-regulatory body
0:15:30 > 0:15:31for the motor industry,
0:15:31 > 0:15:34which operates a Trading Standards-approved
0:15:34 > 0:15:37code of practice across all things car-related.
0:15:40 > 0:15:43If you are unhappy with your vehicle, you've got your legal rights
0:15:43 > 0:15:46in addition to the warranty protection that the manufacturers
0:15:46 > 0:15:48give you for the new-car warranty.
0:15:48 > 0:15:50The Sale Of Goods Act states that goods should be fit for purpose
0:15:50 > 0:15:53and/or of satisfactory quality.
0:15:53 > 0:15:55There is no automatic entitlement to a refund.
0:15:55 > 0:15:58A common misconception from the high street
0:15:58 > 0:16:00is that you will get a cooling-off period automatically
0:16:00 > 0:16:02when you buy goods, which isn't actually the case.
0:16:02 > 0:16:05So, when you buy a new vehicle, you are only entitled to
0:16:05 > 0:16:08exercise your legal rights and look at rejection if there is breach of
0:16:08 > 0:16:11contract and that's if it is not fit for purpose or satisfactory quality.
0:16:11 > 0:16:14So, if you've just had a change of heart or didn't like the colour
0:16:14 > 0:16:16then, unfortunately, there's no obligation.
0:16:16 > 0:16:18So make sure you know what you're buying
0:16:18 > 0:16:21and everything's agreed upfront before you enter into the sale.
0:16:21 > 0:16:22In Catherine's case,
0:16:22 > 0:16:26she doesn't believe her Corsa is of a satisfactory quality or
0:16:26 > 0:16:30fit for purpose but, as we know, Vauxhall don't agree.
0:16:30 > 0:16:33If you're not happy with the vehicle you've purchased then
0:16:33 > 0:16:36always let the seller know as soon as possible that you're unhappy.
0:16:36 > 0:16:39It's usually considered reasonable to give at least two or three
0:16:39 > 0:16:41opportunities to try and fix the vehicle before looking at other
0:16:41 > 0:16:45options such as exchanging it or looking for a refund on the goods.
0:16:45 > 0:16:47More often than not, it will be quicker to try and repair
0:16:47 > 0:16:51a vehicle than to go down a more formal channel to reject them.
0:16:51 > 0:16:53Catherine has given them five chances to repair the car
0:16:53 > 0:16:56and has three independent reports which seems to echo
0:16:56 > 0:17:00the couple's concerns about the way the car drives.
0:17:00 > 0:17:02A seller could refuse rejection of a vehicle
0:17:02 > 0:17:05if they can offer a remedy. So it might be someone is looking
0:17:05 > 0:17:08to have a refund but the vehicle could be repaired under the warranty
0:17:08 > 0:17:10but if they are rejecting their request
0:17:10 > 0:17:13then they need to be clear about why that is
0:17:13 > 0:17:15and what remedies they are going to put in place instead.
0:17:15 > 0:17:19If negotiations break down, then put everything in writing so there is
0:17:19 > 0:17:23always a paper trail of anything that has been agreed or discussed.
0:17:23 > 0:17:25As we know, Bristol Street Motors have been clear
0:17:25 > 0:17:28that, in their opinion, there is nothing wrong with the car,
0:17:28 > 0:17:31and they've offered a solution. But, as Catherine isn't happy
0:17:31 > 0:17:35with their offers, they've reached a stalemate.
0:17:35 > 0:17:37More often than not, you should be able to enter into discussions
0:17:37 > 0:17:39and negotiates towards a resolution.
0:17:39 > 0:17:42If there is a difference in opinion about what the fault is or
0:17:42 > 0:17:45if there is a fault on the vehicle, then a second opinion or
0:17:45 > 0:17:49an expert report should be sufficient for you to demonstrate your case.
0:17:49 > 0:17:51We are able to effectively manage expectations
0:17:51 > 0:17:54and make sure that both parties can work towards a middle ground.
0:17:54 > 0:17:57More often than not, a consumer might have higher expectations than
0:17:57 > 0:18:00what they are entitled to but, likewise, it might be that
0:18:00 > 0:18:03the manufacturer or retailer isn't offering a fair resolution.
0:18:03 > 0:18:06We can actually enforce an outcome that we think is fair to
0:18:06 > 0:18:08resolve a dispute, where necessary.
0:18:08 > 0:18:10Catherine has done everything by the book
0:18:10 > 0:18:13but she's still got a car she's not happy with.
0:18:13 > 0:18:16But my investigation seems to be picking up speed.
0:18:16 > 0:18:19Vauxhall's head office in Luton has got back to me
0:18:19 > 0:18:22'after the head honcho took the car out for a test drive
0:18:22 > 0:18:25'and their mechanics gave it a sixth going over.'
0:18:25 > 0:18:29I've had an e-mail from Dennis at Vauxhall and he says, "The car
0:18:29 > 0:18:34"has no technical faults and drives like any other one-litre Corsa.
0:18:34 > 0:18:37"I have driven the car personally..." Pleased about that.
0:18:37 > 0:18:39"..and find that it drives well
0:18:39 > 0:18:43"and certainly does not exhibit any hesitation or judder.
0:18:43 > 0:18:46"It did, however, serve to remind me how different a three-cylinder car
0:18:46 > 0:18:52"feels to a four-cylinder in terms of its sound and character."
0:18:52 > 0:18:53Bingo.
0:18:54 > 0:18:58So, if there is categorically no technical fault then this
0:18:58 > 0:19:01whole case could come down to the car just being less powerful
0:19:01 > 0:19:03than Catherine was expecting
0:19:03 > 0:19:07and could explain some of the car's characteristics she described to me.
0:19:07 > 0:19:10In order to discover more about the engine type they've bought,
0:19:10 > 0:19:12I've asked them to do a bit of research
0:19:12 > 0:19:16and see what online reviews say about their model.
0:19:16 > 0:19:20We've done some more research on the Corsa ecoFLEX S one-litre
0:19:20 > 0:19:24and What Car? says that it's best avoided.
0:19:24 > 0:19:27"You might be tempted by the low price but the weedy one-litre engine
0:19:27 > 0:19:28"will make you wish
0:19:28 > 0:19:31"you'd forked out for a bigger engine in a higher trim."
0:19:31 > 0:19:34I found another review that says, "The one-litre petrol engine
0:19:34 > 0:19:36"is noisy and painfully slow."
0:19:36 > 0:19:40If I'd read this before I bought the car, I wouldn't have bought the car.
0:19:40 > 0:19:42After reading the reports,
0:19:42 > 0:19:45it looks like obviously Vauxhall has put a one-litre engine
0:19:45 > 0:19:49into a Corsa what's too small for the type of car that it is.
0:19:49 > 0:19:51I was aware that the car was a one-litre.
0:19:51 > 0:19:55I knew that was the car I was buying. I had a one-litre car for years.
0:19:55 > 0:19:58A little Micra, a little run-around and it was great.
0:19:58 > 0:20:00I never had any problems with it at all.
0:20:00 > 0:20:03After reading the reviews, it's really disappointing to
0:20:03 > 0:20:07read that the car is actually best avoided.
0:20:07 > 0:20:11We didn't do any research, sadly, before we bought the car.
0:20:11 > 0:20:13We wish we had, in hindsight.
0:20:13 > 0:20:17If I buy another car, I will do research on the internet.
0:20:17 > 0:20:20It's really easy just to find out. Just put a few words in,
0:20:20 > 0:20:23you can see other people's reviews and you can find out
0:20:23 > 0:20:26if you're buying a good or bad car.
0:20:26 > 0:20:29Now, these reviews come from a respected car magazine
0:20:29 > 0:20:32and there is an interesting point here because if you're going to
0:20:32 > 0:20:35shell out thousands of pounds on a new car,
0:20:35 > 0:20:38it's important to know exactly what you're buying and remember
0:20:38 > 0:20:42what Motor Codes said about doing your research before you buy.
0:20:43 > 0:20:48After looking at the reviews on the Corsa then, in retrospect,
0:20:48 > 0:20:49we would have gone to the dealership
0:20:49 > 0:20:53and asked more questions for why it's got such a bad review
0:20:53 > 0:20:57and what size engine or different specs of the car, so we'd have been
0:20:57 > 0:21:01made more aware of the situation that we'd put ourselves in.
0:21:01 > 0:21:03How many of you actually do do your homework
0:21:03 > 0:21:06before splashing out on a set of wheels?
0:21:06 > 0:21:09There are some key questions you should ask before buying a car.
0:21:09 > 0:21:11Whether it's a three or a four-cylinder,
0:21:11 > 0:21:13a one-litre engine or bigger.
0:21:13 > 0:21:16I've come to meet Emma Butcher to find out more.
0:21:17 > 0:21:21- Hi, Emma.- Hi, Dom. - 'Emma works for What Car? Magazine
0:21:21 > 0:21:24'and test drives hundreds of different cars every year
0:21:24 > 0:21:25'and I'm keen to find out
0:21:25 > 0:21:28'what she thinks of John and Catherine's situation.'
0:21:29 > 0:21:31She felt the car was faulty.
0:21:31 > 0:21:34It's been checked and proved that it's not.
0:21:34 > 0:21:36What do you think might have happened there?
0:21:36 > 0:21:39Well, from what you tell me, it sounds like she may not have
0:21:39 > 0:21:42bought the right engine for what she actually needs.
0:21:42 > 0:21:44How much difference are we talking about, as far
0:21:44 > 0:21:47as a driver is concerned, between a three and a four-cylinder car,
0:21:47 > 0:21:49let's sat, a one-litre and a 1.2?
0:21:49 > 0:21:52Well, three-cylinder engines can have a lot more power in them
0:21:52 > 0:21:55these days but you will probably notice slightly less power
0:21:55 > 0:21:57than in a four-cylinder engine.
0:21:57 > 0:21:59You know, you need to apply more power in order to get more
0:21:59 > 0:22:02- power out of the engine.- You've got to drive them harder, haven't you?
0:22:02 > 0:22:03Absolutely, yeah.
0:22:03 > 0:22:06So it clearly does make a difference to the way the car drives
0:22:06 > 0:22:09and is the sort of thing that you should be looking for
0:22:09 > 0:22:10when you test drive a car.
0:22:10 > 0:22:14Now, if somebody was about to buy a new car, what would you say to them?
0:22:14 > 0:22:18- Is a test drive essential? - A test drive is absolutely essential.
0:22:18 > 0:22:22Once you've decided exactly what sort of car you want and you've
0:22:22 > 0:22:25narrowed down your choices, you do need to go to the showroom and ask
0:22:25 > 0:22:29the dealer for a car that most closely matches the car that you
0:22:29 > 0:22:33are interested in, and get out on the road and give it a good old test.
0:22:33 > 0:22:35Our advice is to get the car out on the road
0:22:35 > 0:22:37for as long as you possibly can.
0:22:37 > 0:22:40So don't be fobbed off with a quick ten-minute blast around the block.
0:22:40 > 0:22:43You really need to get a good feel for the car
0:22:43 > 0:22:46and that means spending some decent time in it.
0:22:46 > 0:22:49So we would say at least half an hour, if not longer.
0:22:49 > 0:22:51Now, what important points should people bear in mind
0:22:51 > 0:22:53if they're going to test drive a car?
0:22:53 > 0:22:56Well, the first thing you need to do is make sure that you're testing
0:22:56 > 0:22:59the car that you're actually going to buy.
0:22:59 > 0:23:04Now, you might not be able to get the exact match because, obviously,
0:23:04 > 0:23:08dealers can't stock every single car in their showroom.
0:23:08 > 0:23:12However, the thing that you really need to do is to make sure
0:23:12 > 0:23:16that you get the right engine. That's the absolutely crucial point
0:23:16 > 0:23:19because that is going to have the biggest effect on your enjoyment of
0:23:19 > 0:23:22the car and whether it can actually cope with your day-to-day needs.
0:23:22 > 0:23:26So make sure that you ask for the engine that you want.
0:23:26 > 0:23:29Emma stresses just how important doing your research is
0:23:29 > 0:23:32and how crucial making sure the car you test drive
0:23:32 > 0:23:35is as similar as possible to the one you end up buying.
0:23:35 > 0:23:38With this in mind, I give Catherine a quick call to find out
0:23:38 > 0:23:42from her exactly what specification of car John test drove.
0:23:43 > 0:23:45RINGING
0:23:47 > 0:23:50- Catherine, hi. It's Dominic Littlewood from the BBC.- 'Hi there.'
0:23:50 > 0:23:54Catherine, I've just been trying to sort something out with your car.
0:23:54 > 0:23:57- 'Yeah.'- There's a couple of things I need to check up on.
0:23:57 > 0:23:59When you went to buy the car,
0:23:59 > 0:24:02did you have a test drive in a like-for-like model?
0:24:02 > 0:24:05'That's what we don't know, Dominic.
0:24:05 > 0:24:07'We went out in a car, a Corsa,
0:24:07 > 0:24:11- 'but we've got no proof that it was the same car.'- Right.
0:24:11 > 0:24:13'We didn't actually look at the time.
0:24:13 > 0:24:17'We didn't actually make sure that it was a like-for-like.
0:24:17 > 0:24:20'John thinks that it possibly was not like-for-like.'
0:24:20 > 0:24:22OK, so leave it with me
0:24:22 > 0:24:24and I shall see what I can do for you and give you a call back.
0:24:24 > 0:24:29- 'Lovely. Thanks, Dom.' - Thanks, Catherine.- 'Thanks, bye.'
0:24:29 > 0:24:32'It's not good that the couple didn't pay attention to what car
0:24:32 > 0:24:34'they actually test drove on the day.
0:24:34 > 0:24:39'John may think it was a bigger engine but what proof does he have?'
0:24:39 > 0:24:41John, I just had a word with Catherine about the car.
0:24:41 > 0:24:45Do you know what engine size that was?
0:24:45 > 0:24:51'Well, we are presuming it was the same model
0:24:51 > 0:24:54'but obviously we can't prove that. We can't be sure about that.
0:24:54 > 0:24:56'We didn't go very far.
0:24:56 > 0:24:59'We just went down the street and up a bit of a dual carriageway.
0:24:59 > 0:25:04'It was only probably two miles, that's all we did in it. That's it.'
0:25:04 > 0:25:05Right.
0:25:05 > 0:25:09'The actual car what we test drove, cos I test drove,
0:25:09 > 0:25:13'it didn't drive anything like what Catherine's got at the minute.
0:25:13 > 0:25:19'You know, the hill what leads up to Bristol Street Motors,
0:25:19 > 0:25:21'it's a fairly steep hill
0:25:21 > 0:25:23'and Catherine's car struggles to get up it.
0:25:23 > 0:25:28- 'Well, this one didn't seem to struggle at all.'- Right, OK.
0:25:28 > 0:25:34- Nice talking to you, John. - 'OK. Thanks a lot. Cheers. Bye.'
0:25:34 > 0:25:37Neither John or Catherine are sure about the spec of car
0:25:37 > 0:25:40he test drove, but John seems to think it felt very different
0:25:40 > 0:25:42to what they ended up buying.
0:25:42 > 0:25:44It really doesn't help that Catherine didn't do
0:25:44 > 0:25:47the original test drive for a car that was meant for her,
0:25:47 > 0:25:50and John only took it out for a couple of miles.
0:25:50 > 0:25:52To get some clarity,
0:25:52 > 0:25:55'it's time I started asking the question elsewhere.'
0:25:55 > 0:25:57Now, as Vauxhall have shown, there is
0:25:57 > 0:25:59no mechanical fault with this car.
0:25:59 > 0:26:03This complaint has reverted back to Bristol Street Motors.
0:26:03 > 0:26:06So, I e-mailed David Crane to get confirmation on the exact
0:26:06 > 0:26:09specification of the Corsa John drove.
0:26:14 > 0:26:16Buy now and pay later.
0:26:16 > 0:26:19It's a term we've all heard of a million times
0:26:19 > 0:26:23but an awful lot can happen in 6, 12 or 24 months
0:26:23 > 0:26:26and finances can be pretty awkward to keep track of.
0:26:26 > 0:26:29Meet Chris and fiancee Nadia.
0:26:29 > 0:26:32Chris is a mechanic in the Army who spends a lot of time away
0:26:32 > 0:26:34and likes to make full use of his time at home.
0:26:36 > 0:26:39When I go home, I want to keep my fitness up.
0:26:39 > 0:26:43So, in 2012, when Chris returned from a tour of Afghanistan,
0:26:43 > 0:26:47he decided to treat himself to some new gym equipment.
0:26:47 > 0:26:51So, I just felt, you know, I'll go in and I'll get myself a weight bench
0:26:51 > 0:26:54just so I can keep ticking over when I go home.
0:26:54 > 0:26:57Chris went down to his local branch of Argos.
0:26:57 > 0:27:01I've previously used Argos many a time to buy different
0:27:01 > 0:27:02products from there.
0:27:02 > 0:27:06Always have a look there when you're shopping round or whatever.
0:27:06 > 0:27:10I went in there to buy it and it was a good price, £130,
0:27:10 > 0:27:12with different accessories.
0:27:12 > 0:27:16But rather than pay cash, Chris was offered an Argos card which allowed
0:27:16 > 0:27:20him to buy now and pay later with a period of interest-free credit.
0:27:20 > 0:27:23I was offered six months and I only wanted to pay it over three
0:27:23 > 0:27:25but I still had...
0:27:25 > 0:27:28So it was three payments over six months is what I chose to do.
0:27:28 > 0:27:32The timing of the offer was perfect, as it was an expensive time
0:27:32 > 0:27:34for Chris and Nadia.
0:27:34 > 0:27:37Next month, I was due to get married so, you know,
0:27:37 > 0:27:40paying it off over a couple of months seemed the logical thing to do.
0:27:40 > 0:27:42I arranged for a direct debit
0:27:42 > 0:27:44to be taken out at the start of every month.
0:27:44 > 0:27:46I get paid at the end of every month
0:27:46 > 0:27:49there's no way money couldn't be there.
0:27:49 > 0:27:52I was told if it wasn't paid by six months, I'd be informed
0:27:52 > 0:27:53and charged interest.
0:27:53 > 0:27:57And Chris certainly didn't think he'd need to worry about that.
0:27:57 > 0:28:00A couple of days later, the weight bench arrived.
0:28:00 > 0:28:02I was very happy with it. Got plenty of use out of it.
0:28:02 > 0:28:06When I go home now, to this day, I still use it.
0:28:06 > 0:28:08By spreading the cost of his weight bench,
0:28:08 > 0:28:14Chris had opted to pay a shade over £43 per month for three months.
0:28:14 > 0:28:17'I expected the first payment to come out in March 2012.'
0:28:17 > 0:28:19'It never came out until April,'
0:28:19 > 0:28:22which I didn't mind. I had six months.
0:28:23 > 0:28:26I didn't think anything of it at the time.
0:28:26 > 0:28:30In fact, the couple forgot all about their interest-free deal.
0:28:30 > 0:28:34'The next time I thought about the Argos finance package was
0:28:34 > 0:28:36'in about...I think it was July'
0:28:36 > 0:28:38and Chris's mum had mentioned it
0:28:38 > 0:28:41and I just thought it should have been paid off.
0:28:42 > 0:28:45So, Nadia popped into her local bank branch to check.
0:28:47 > 0:28:48When I asked the bank teller,
0:28:48 > 0:28:52she said that the last direct debit had been taken out over a month
0:28:52 > 0:28:55ago so I presumed all the payments had been paid
0:28:55 > 0:28:57and that we had none left.
0:28:57 > 0:29:01Because of that, I decided to cancel the direct debit.
0:29:01 > 0:29:04And that was that. Everything paid off.
0:29:04 > 0:29:07Around this time, the couple had relocated from North Wales to
0:29:07 > 0:29:09Army accommodation in Yorkshire.
0:29:09 > 0:29:13With my job, I'm supposed to move every two to three years,
0:29:13 > 0:29:15give or take what posting you're on.
0:29:15 > 0:29:18As moving is such a regular occurrence, Chris tends to
0:29:18 > 0:29:22use his parents' address for much of his correspondence.
0:29:23 > 0:29:25The bank and the finances, they always stay to one address.
0:29:25 > 0:29:29It saves getting messed about and important letters getting lost.
0:29:29 > 0:29:32A few months after the move to Yorkshire,
0:29:32 > 0:29:33Chris was sent away again.
0:29:35 > 0:29:38'I went away on tour in October.
0:29:38 > 0:29:40'I was away for about four months.'
0:29:40 > 0:29:44In that meantime, Nadia had been staying at home with my parents.
0:29:44 > 0:29:49But when Chris came home, the pair made a surprising discovery.
0:29:49 > 0:29:51'We went up to check on the house in Yorkshire
0:29:51 > 0:29:53'to check everything was in order.
0:29:53 > 0:29:54'When I opened this letter,
0:29:54 > 0:29:59'it said I owed £930.20 and it was a final notice.
0:29:59 > 0:30:02'I couldn't believe it, you know. I started looking through the post
0:30:02 > 0:30:04'to see if there was an initial notice.'
0:30:04 > 0:30:05There wasn't. It was just a final notice.
0:30:05 > 0:30:08When I phoned up the debt collection agency I was saying,
0:30:08 > 0:30:10"Look, you've made a mistake here.
0:30:10 > 0:30:13"Someone's got my card and they've done fraud against me.
0:30:13 > 0:30:16"Something's gone wrong like this." Then, when the penny dropped,
0:30:16 > 0:30:19they actually said it was to do with a weight bench.
0:30:19 > 0:30:23I just thought, "No, it couldn't be. How could it be that?"
0:30:23 > 0:30:28Because it was all paid for. It was done.
0:30:28 > 0:30:32Chris contacted Argos, who told him the third payment of £43
0:30:32 > 0:30:36hadn't been collected because they had cancelled their direct debit.
0:30:36 > 0:30:38They said interest had accrued on the unpaid amount.
0:30:38 > 0:30:40But hang on a minute.
0:30:40 > 0:30:43What I don't understand is, where did 930 come from?
0:30:45 > 0:30:49Exactly. Chris needed to get to the bottom of what this amount
0:30:49 > 0:30:52was in relation to, and why the first they'd known about it was
0:30:52 > 0:30:54when they got a letter from debt collectors.
0:30:54 > 0:30:56'Argos said to me they'd sent me letters.'
0:30:56 > 0:30:59I said, "Well, we've received just one."
0:30:59 > 0:31:01'She then went on to say, "Well, no,
0:31:01 > 0:31:04'"we've sent numerous letters and they've gone to your old address.
0:31:04 > 0:31:06'"The new tenants have sent them back."
0:31:06 > 0:31:08'I then started laughing.'
0:31:08 > 0:31:10I said, "Well, that's funny, isn't it? My parents live there.
0:31:10 > 0:31:13"My wife has been staying with them and she has permission to open
0:31:13 > 0:31:16"all my letters and my parents would not send letters back to you.
0:31:16 > 0:31:19'"So, you know, where are these letters?"'
0:31:19 > 0:31:22Argos' response was that they couldn't show me the letters
0:31:22 > 0:31:26they'd sent that had been returned to them, cos they destroyed them.
0:31:26 > 0:31:30The company maintained that Chris owed £930.
0:31:32 > 0:31:36But whilst the couple were trying to resolve this worrying situation,
0:31:36 > 0:31:39Chris's R&R had come to an end and he was back on tour.
0:31:41 > 0:31:44'My husband was there and I was trying to sort it all out.'
0:31:45 > 0:31:47Yet, despite Nadia's best efforts,
0:31:47 > 0:31:49when Chris returned two months later,
0:31:49 > 0:31:51things still weren't resolved.
0:31:52 > 0:31:56I've arrived home now, in the middle of April, still no answer.
0:31:56 > 0:31:59Nadia had tried to follow it up but... I think we must have sent them
0:31:59 > 0:32:02three or four letters and every time we were sincere with what
0:32:02 > 0:32:06we were saying, or we were very bothered about what was going on.
0:32:06 > 0:32:09Whichever way you look at it, this was a strange situation.
0:32:09 > 0:32:13So the couple contacted me and I got on to Argos.
0:32:13 > 0:32:16They investigated and things started to become clearer.
0:32:16 > 0:32:20It turned out Chris previously had another Argos card
0:32:20 > 0:32:25and there were two items on there, including a £505.94 laptop
0:32:25 > 0:32:29that hadn't been paid off within the interest-free period.
0:32:29 > 0:32:32As a result, these outstanding balances were subject to
0:32:32 > 0:32:35a hefty 29.9% APR.
0:32:36 > 0:32:39Now, that's a word of warning for any consumer taking
0:32:39 > 0:32:41advantage of this type of offer.
0:32:43 > 0:32:47Buy now, pay later is often free for the first year or a set
0:32:47 > 0:32:50period of time, which means that you won't have to pay anything.
0:32:50 > 0:32:52After that time, you will be charged interest
0:32:52 > 0:32:56and that can be up to 30%, which really does add up.
0:32:56 > 0:33:00But when it comes to avoiding these charges, the onus is on us consumers
0:33:00 > 0:33:05to make sure we pay off our balance whilst the interest is free.
0:33:05 > 0:33:06In a perfect world, a company would tell us
0:33:06 > 0:33:09when a deadline is approaching. Once you've signed the contract,
0:33:09 > 0:33:12they have no responsibility to tell you.
0:33:12 > 0:33:14It's really up to you to make the payments.
0:33:14 > 0:33:16Of course, Argos say they wrote to Chris
0:33:16 > 0:33:19but he claims he never received the letters.
0:33:19 > 0:33:22He does now acknowledge the laptop was not fully paid off but he
0:33:22 > 0:33:26didn't realise this at the time, and because it was his responsibility
0:33:26 > 0:33:29to check, Argos didn't have to contact him to tell him.
0:33:33 > 0:33:35There is some good news, though.
0:33:35 > 0:33:39Since I contacted them, Argos have written to Chris and Nadia.
0:33:39 > 0:33:41"As a gesture of goodwill for the customer on this occasion,
0:33:41 > 0:33:44"we have refunded the fees applied to the account before it was
0:33:44 > 0:33:48"referred to our administrators in January 2013.
0:33:48 > 0:33:53"However, the remaining balance of the account does need to be cleared."
0:33:53 > 0:33:55As a goodwill gesture, Argos has wiped
0:33:55 > 0:33:59a total of £120 charges from the account and they told us
0:33:59 > 0:34:02customers are sent a paper statement of their account and
0:34:02 > 0:34:08outstanding balances every month and that 19 letters were sent to Chris.
0:34:08 > 0:34:09When mail is returned to them,
0:34:09 > 0:34:13they check their records to ensure the customer's address is the same.
0:34:13 > 0:34:15If it is, as it was in this case,
0:34:15 > 0:34:18they have no reason to keep the letters.
0:34:18 > 0:34:21If you want to take advantage of a buy now, pay later deal,
0:34:21 > 0:34:23there are some important things to remember.
0:34:23 > 0:34:26The first thing you should do is set up a reminder for the payments
0:34:26 > 0:34:28or, better still, set up a direct debit.
0:34:28 > 0:34:32Let's hope Chris and Nadia will be heeding that advice in the future.
0:34:32 > 0:34:35We'll go to Argos again, we just won't get an Argos card.
0:34:38 > 0:34:40It's a hard lesson for this young couple
0:34:40 > 0:34:42but it's a lesson for all of us.
0:34:42 > 0:34:45Keep a handle on what you owe and pay your bills on time.
0:34:51 > 0:34:53I've been helping John and Catherine
0:34:53 > 0:34:56get to the bottom of what was wrong with their juddering Corsa.
0:34:56 > 0:34:58When we took the reports to Bristol Street,
0:34:58 > 0:35:01they still said there was no problem with the car
0:35:01 > 0:35:04and we said it was an ex-Vauxhall mechanic had driven the car
0:35:04 > 0:35:10and he said that his mechanics live and breathe Vauxhall and basically
0:35:10 > 0:35:13implied that this mechanic didn't know what he was talking about.
0:35:13 > 0:35:17But Vauxhall have looked at the car for the sixth time and I'm also
0:35:17 > 0:35:20now of the thinking that there's nothing wrong with it, but that
0:35:20 > 0:35:25the couple purchased an engine size that didn't meet their expectations.
0:35:25 > 0:35:26After reading the reports,
0:35:26 > 0:35:29it looks like obviously Vauxhall has put a one-litre engine
0:35:29 > 0:35:34into a Corsa what's too small for the type of car that it is.
0:35:34 > 0:35:37Catherine and John didn't do any research into this model
0:35:37 > 0:35:41prior to buying it, and also only took it out for a very short test
0:35:41 > 0:35:45drive and John remembers the car he originally test drove felt
0:35:45 > 0:35:48more powerful than Catherine's present Corsa,
0:35:48 > 0:35:51but the couple cannot give me the exact spec of the car.
0:35:51 > 0:35:52It's a bit of a mystery.
0:35:59 > 0:36:02To get confirmation, I e-mailed Bristol Street Motors to find out
0:36:02 > 0:36:07what car John did take out and David Crane got back to me.
0:36:07 > 0:36:09He confirms that John would have test driven the same car
0:36:09 > 0:36:12as Catherine ended up buying
0:36:12 > 0:36:15and, like Vauxhall, Bristol Street Motors maintain there is nothing
0:36:15 > 0:36:19mechanically wrong with it and that the problem simply lies with
0:36:19 > 0:36:21the fact that the couple just aren't happy with the engine.
0:36:21 > 0:36:24But despite this, they are willing to put another
0:36:24 > 0:36:27offer on the table. Time to call David.
0:36:30 > 0:36:33Right, let's chase this case up and see what I can sort out.
0:36:35 > 0:36:36BEEPING
0:36:36 > 0:36:40'A new offer does sound promising so let's see what he's got to say.
0:36:40 > 0:36:43'And I've got my fingers crossed.'
0:36:43 > 0:36:46David, hi, it's Dominic Littlewood from the BBC. Good afternoon.
0:36:46 > 0:36:49I just wondered if you can tell me what it is you're going to be
0:36:49 > 0:36:53proposing now for Catherine as a resolve.
0:36:53 > 0:36:56'David and I have a good chat about the case and whilst he maintains
0:36:56 > 0:36:59'there's nothing wrong with the car, and they did test drive
0:36:59 > 0:37:01'the one-litre three-cylinder model,
0:37:01 > 0:37:04'he has got another offer for the couple.'
0:37:04 > 0:37:07OK, so are we happy to end it on that then, David?
0:37:07 > 0:37:09We'll speak to you, tie up the loose ends.
0:37:09 > 0:37:12Thanks very much for your help. Appreciate it. Bye-bye.
0:37:15 > 0:37:18I think I've got as far as I can with this investigation
0:37:18 > 0:37:21so it's time to head up north.
0:37:21 > 0:37:23I'm in Newcastle to meet Catherine and John because I've got
0:37:23 > 0:37:26some news for them which I don't think they're expecting.
0:37:26 > 0:37:30I think rain is due, it's cold, it's miserable, but I love Geordies
0:37:30 > 0:37:31because my mum was one.
0:37:37 > 0:37:40- Catherine.- Hi. Hi, Dom. Thanks for coming. Nice to meet you.
0:37:40 > 0:37:41Come in.
0:37:43 > 0:37:47What I noticed, Catherine, is when you contacted me,
0:37:47 > 0:37:51you e-mailed through a really, really thorough,
0:37:51 > 0:37:55comprehensive list of dates, times, who you spoke to,
0:37:55 > 0:37:58what their response was, etc, etc, etc.
0:37:58 > 0:38:01It was absolutely spot-on
0:38:01 > 0:38:04and I really, really admire people who do that.
0:38:04 > 0:38:07Cos as soon as you get a problem, no matter what it is,
0:38:07 > 0:38:09they're the things which can help make or break a case.
0:38:09 > 0:38:11I noticed, coming up the drive, there is an Astra there,
0:38:11 > 0:38:14which must be yours, John, and obviously you own a Corsa,
0:38:14 > 0:38:17- Catherine, so fair to say you are probably Vauxhall fans, yeah?- Yeah.
0:38:17 > 0:38:19Always been happy with them.
0:38:19 > 0:38:22- But you're not a happy chappie at the moment, are you?- No.- Why not?
0:38:22 > 0:38:24- What do you think is wrong with this car?- It judders,
0:38:24 > 0:38:27it hesitates when you change gear
0:38:27 > 0:38:29and when you pull away from the roundabout
0:38:29 > 0:38:30there's just not the power.
0:38:30 > 0:38:32Was it OK for a while and then you thought it had a problem or
0:38:32 > 0:38:34were you disappointed from the start?
0:38:34 > 0:38:37Disappointed from the start, as soon as I drove it.
0:38:37 > 0:38:40In an ideal world, what would you like?
0:38:40 > 0:38:43Ideally, I'd like to reject the car, to take it back.
0:38:43 > 0:38:46The bad news is, I spoke to various different people,
0:38:46 > 0:38:47people you bought the car from, Vauxhall,
0:38:47 > 0:38:50they're not going to give you money back for the car.
0:38:50 > 0:38:52I think probably the best thing we can do now is
0:38:52 > 0:38:54I'd like to go out with you, Catherine,
0:38:54 > 0:38:58and just have a little drive in the car just to get a feel of what
0:38:58 > 0:39:00you think the problems are and see
0:39:00 > 0:39:03if we can sort of point the finger in any direction.
0:39:03 > 0:39:06- Are you happy to do that? - Yeah.- Brilliant.
0:39:06 > 0:39:10'Catherine's car has been at Vauxhall's head office in Luton.
0:39:10 > 0:39:13'We've arranged for it to be delivered back to Catherine's house.
0:39:13 > 0:39:15'But there is little surprise for her.'
0:39:15 > 0:39:16That's not my car.
0:39:16 > 0:39:21- Is that not your old car then? - No, that's not my car.- Right.
0:39:21 > 0:39:25OK. Because that is a 1.2 SXI, 16 valve.
0:39:25 > 0:39:29That's got 85 PS compared to your old 65 one.
0:39:29 > 0:39:31SHE WHISTLES
0:39:31 > 0:39:34Well, shall we just keep this?
0:39:34 > 0:39:38Well, it's 13 and a half grand. You know what? You can.
0:39:38 > 0:39:43Because Vauxhall are exchanging your old car for this one.
0:39:43 > 0:39:45- Really?- Yeah.
0:39:45 > 0:39:51They're giving you a 1.2 SXI, four-cylinder, 16 valve
0:39:51 > 0:39:5585 break horsepower car, brand-spanking-new,
0:39:55 > 0:39:58pre-reg, no-one's owned it, they registered it.
0:39:58 > 0:40:00That would normally cost you 13 and a half grand
0:40:00 > 0:40:02and they're giving it to you as a straight swap.
0:40:02 > 0:40:04They want you to be happy.
0:40:06 > 0:40:07I can't believe that.
0:40:09 > 0:40:11Thank you so much. Thank you.
0:40:15 > 0:40:20I can't believe that. I'm so grateful. I really am.
0:40:20 > 0:40:24- I think you need to have a little drive.- Yeah.- Yeah? Come on then.
0:40:24 > 0:40:25Come with us.
0:40:38 > 0:40:41We wrote to Bristol Street Motors regarding the case
0:40:41 > 0:40:43and they sent us the following statement.
0:41:05 > 0:41:07I think I'd say it is.
0:41:08 > 0:41:12We also sent to the same request to Vauxhall, who replied saying...
0:41:36 > 0:41:39There are lessons for us all here.
0:41:39 > 0:41:42Research and test drive are the two key elements you need to do
0:41:42 > 0:41:44when buying a car.
0:41:44 > 0:41:46Know what you are buying before you sign on the dotted line
0:41:46 > 0:41:49and save yourself an awful lot of bother.
0:41:49 > 0:41:53That is absolutely unbelievable.
0:41:57 > 0:42:00This has been a great outcome for Catherine.
0:42:00 > 0:42:03She has now got the car which she probably should have
0:42:03 > 0:42:06bought in the first place. She's over the moon. John's over the moon.
0:42:06 > 0:42:09He even had a little tear in his eye. I'm over the moon.
0:42:09 > 0:42:11Do you know what? It's been a great, great day.
0:42:11 > 0:42:13Everybody's happy.
0:42:13 > 0:42:15Apart from the fact I'm stuck in Newcastle
0:42:15 > 0:42:17and it's a long way back home.
0:42:17 > 0:42:18Right. Taxi!
0:42:21 > 0:42:24- I can't believe what's just happened.- No.
0:42:24 > 0:42:27I never thought in a million years that Dom would be able to get
0:42:27 > 0:42:29the outcome that he has,
0:42:29 > 0:42:31let alone this gorgeous car.
0:42:31 > 0:42:34It's a huge weight off our minds, isn't it?
0:42:34 > 0:42:38I know to other people it probably seems like a small thing
0:42:38 > 0:42:42but when, you know, you're experiencing it,
0:42:42 > 0:42:45the frustration of just getting nowhere.
0:42:45 > 0:42:47We thought, "We're just stuck with that car,"
0:42:47 > 0:42:51and that was it and I just want to say a huge thank you to Dom.
0:42:51 > 0:42:52Yes, thank you very much, Dom.
0:42:52 > 0:42:55'I'm really looking forward to driving the car.
0:42:55 > 0:42:57'I'm looking forward to driving again and feeling confident
0:42:57 > 0:42:59'while I'm driving, hopefully.'