Car dealership told me my new vehicle was ‘excellent’ – I’m fuming over its true condition… don’t get caught out
A DRIVER has been left furious by the condition of their car after a dealership wrongly described it as “excellent”.
NRJ Motor Company in Llanelli, Wales, was successfully prosecuted by the local council for violating trading standards.
One of the firm’s customers, a 22-year-old student, claimed that the motor she bought had major safety and performance issues, despite being sold to him as “very well maintained”.
These issues soon became obvious, even though the NRJ salesman, who claimed to own the business, had told her that the vehicle had a current MOT and had recently been serviced.
Initial red flags included an airbag warning light on the dashboard, a fault with the driver-side window and a deflating rear wheel.
NRJ took the car in for repairs and fixed the window while saying the warning light was an error.
However, in July last year, one of the rear tyres burst while the car was moving.
This was replaced, but a “clanging” noise soon started and, after a closer look, the student’s father told her not to drive it anymore.
Photos of the underside of the car show extensive rust and a corroded and cracked rear axle.
This, as well as a number of other serious faults, would have caused an MOT failure, a court heard.
David, Susan and James Bonner-Evans all pleaded guilty to engaging in a commercial practice which was misleading and supplying a product which they knew or should have known to be dangerous.
They were fined £1,500 each as well as ordered to equally pay costs of £6,678.60 and compensation to the student to the tune of £1760.75.
Councillor Aled Vaughan Owen, who is the leader on trading standards for Carmarthenshire Council, said: “The outcome of this case could have been tragic as the vehicle that was sold to the victim by David Bonner-Evans, Susan Bonner-Evans and James Bonner-Evans was not fit to be on the road.
“I would like to thank our trading standards team for holding these people to account and bringing them to justice.”
It comes after a mechanic revealed a little-known fuel hack that could save you hundreds.
Meanwhile, a road law expert explained whether you are allowed to leave traffic cones outside your home to reserve a parking space.