Calling Saveonusedcars 'cowboys' is an insult to cowboys.
[TLDR:] With Saveonusedcars what you see is what you get, therefore 1 Star is half a star too many.
{Full info:] I had looked at 2 vehicles that Saveonusedcars had for sale, the first was a Vauxhall Meriva, from which I walked away quickly after a walk around the vehicle revealed numerous scratches, dents, copius amounts of human/dog hair (down every seat crack), 2 bald tyres and a (completely misshapen) flat rear tyre, nice.
Unfortunately, rather than walk away completely, I decided to return later and buy the other vehicle, an Audi A4 which, although it had a few little dint's and scratches, it generally seemed decent value for money, also it seemed good on the test drive and best of all it had (allegedly) just been serviced a few days before.
I paid the full screen price for the vehicle (the salesman wouldn't budge on the price) and within minutes of paying for the vehicle I was given the new keeper supplement and then, bizarrely, the vehicle was moved to the business next doors forecourt (not very professional, but Saveonusedcars clearly have more stock than they have room to put it).
Anyway, there I then sat, on another businesses premises, in my newly acquired, uninsured, untaxed vehicle, trying to get road legal via my mobile phone and armed with a V5 that it turns out was completely invalid.
Naturally, on discovering the V5 was invalid I returned next door to the garage and the staff (saying it happens all the time/it's completely normal) gave me a form to fill out (to get the vehicle taxed and a new V5 issued via a Post Office)... in fairness one of the staff then gave me a lift to the nearest Post Office to hand in the form (half a star awarded for the guy who gave me the lift). Unfortunately, once at the Post Office it was quickly pointed out (and to be fair I had already spotted it on the forms) that I am supposed to actually wait 4 weeks after acquiring the vehicle before using those forms.
Fortunately (perhaps feeling sorry for my situation) the Post Office attendant nevertheless took my money and issued the tax for the vehicle. I then eventually got my insurance sorted too and by now pretty stressed by it all I drove straight home (a short, 6 mile journey).
The next morning I decided to check the vehicle over more thoroughly (lights, tyres etc) and I quickly found the offside front tyre had only 15psi in it (it should be at least 30psi), also I noticed the oil was low (and had clearly had not been changed recently), not a good omen considering this car has allegedly just been serviced.
Although I pumped the tyre up to the correct psi, unfortunately every day afterwards it has again lost pressure, so, whilst there is sufficient tread depth (and no sign of nail etc in the tyre), there is clearly a slow puncture. To be honest, the tread rubber all the way around the tyre does appear degraded/weathered like it has been on the car a long time or something.
My problem then, considering the car has been 'serviced' it seems extremely odd that the oil should be low (and discoloured to a degree which indicates it needs changing)... and added to that when there is a tyre on the vehicle which is simply unfit for purpose you have to question what 'service' if any was actually carried out.
I contacted Saveonusedcars via live chat and received a call shortly after in which I was told that the vehicle has been serviced, that 'Savoy' carried out the service... and that tyres are not covered by the Saveonusedcars warranty. So in essence it is not their problem, it's mine.
I can honestly say I have never dealt with a car dealership quite like this one... and I certainly would like anyone considering buying a car from Saveonusedcars to be aware that whatever they drive off the forecourt they are stuck with, so do every bit of due diligence possible before paying for the car, or, better still, buy your next vehicle from somewhere else because when you pay money to Saveonusedcars you are left feeling like you have just bought a car off a shady private seller, not a legitimate car dealership that actually cares.
18 August 2018
Unprompted review