WARNING TO TRAVELLERS!! Thinking of buying a car.....read on!!

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Before i go on with by blog, and further adventures, I really want to tell you all about my one problem that i have encountered here in Oz. This is also a warning to any other travellers who may read this page, and are thinking of buying a car in sydney, or anywhere for that matter.

As you all may know by now, I purchased a 1989 Ford facon stationwagon from a car dealer, whilst I was staying in sydeny. The primary reason we thought we would pay a little bit more money, is that we were never really sure what we were getting, if buying from other backpackers. It therefore stood to reason that we may be in better stead to buy from an authorised dealer, and be safe in the mind that we have a safe car to carry us around australia.

We went to a car dealer, trading by the name of TRAVEL WHEELS, in the Kings cross area. We were taken to their garage, and shown around a variety of cars from which to choose from. Advice was given to us from all directions, with promises that there was unlimited milage warranty on the car, Australia wide breakdown cover, and a promise that whatever state the cars looked in now, they would be virtually brand new when we picked them up. A fantastic story, and one that captivated us enough to decide to purchase the car from these dealers, who seemed honest and helpful.

We travelled up the east coast, and by the time we got back to sydney (3 weeks later) we had encountered some problems with the car, mainly gearbox problems, no back windscreen wiper, no back breaklight, car vearing to left, no de-mister. So we phoned the dealer prior to our arrival, stating the various problems, and were told to bring the car in to get it checked. So we did as promised, and left the car with them, with the promise that they would ring me with an opinion in 2 days time. 2 days later, and no phone call, so I called up to enquire. Yes there were some problems with the vearing, but it was not their duty to fix the rear windscreen wiper, and ther copuld find no fault with the gearbox. However, i would have to pay for the repairs, and if there were any further problems with the gearbox, bring it back to them.Well, i knew there was definately a problem with the gearbox, and i wasn't going to keep coming back to sydney, as i obviously wanted to be travelling around. Sefcondly, it seemed unreasonable that after 3 weeks the car would need these repairs, given that everything was apparently passed with the safety checks and blue slip!! So after many an argument, the dealers decided that they would put in a new gearbox and claim of the warrenty that i had been given by them. So i agreed to this, they claimed they did all the work, gave me a receipt for a reconditioned gearbox, a new wheel, as the wheel bearing had gone on the left front passenger wheel, and fixed all the other little problems, apart from the rear windscreen wiper, as they said it was too expensive to fix, not covered by the warrenty, and i didn't need to worry about it. I was that pissed off with them, this after 10 days of them having the car, having to spend money to stay in a backpackers whilst they pissed around, and not really getting the promised phone calls when they said they would ring.

We continued on our Journey straight after we got our car back, eager to get on with our trip. However, we continued to have gearbox problems, and decided that as the car was now due for a 5000KM service, we would get the car checked out by another car repairer.

On describing the faults to the new car mechanic, he phoned Travel Wheels to ask them what work they had dome to the car. they told him that they had given the car to another workshop to put in a second hand gearbox! now bear in mind that they have given me a receipt for a new, reconditioned gearbox, and are claiming this from the warrenty!! When asked who would be paying for the work, as i was now in melbourne and it was unfeasible for me to return to sydney with this problem, they advised the mechanic to phone the Warrenty people.

When the mechanic phoned and explained the problem to the warrenty company, they were bemused to hear that this had happened, stating that the workshop needed to cover the repairs as the work should be garanteed by them for atleast 30 days. The warrenty company tried to phone Travel Wheels, and they were all of a sudden unavailable for any discussions. Eventually the warrenty company tracked the mannager (Shaun) down, and was told that the problem was not theirs, that they wanted nothing to do with the problem, and that the warrenty company had to deal with it. This infuriated the company to such an extent that they cancelled any future dealings with this dealer.

The warrenty people were kind enough to cover some of the work done to the gear box, and are willing to stand for me in a tribunal against these dealers, but the new mechanic now found so many other problems that made the car so unsafe that it failed a safety inspection. So I now have to pay $1200 for a lot of work that should have been sorted by Travel Wheels. These invoolved finding that, instead of supplying a new tyre to the front passenger side, they simply switched the rubbers, and claimed it as new. They have claimed to have carried out repairs that have simply not been done, and I am now in the process of taking them to a tribunal. I have subsequently heard that they are under investigation for not honouring buyback claims by from other travellers.

This has pissed me off to such an extent that i am now going to sue these guys for a lot of money, and they are likely to have their licences revoked.

IF YOU ARE A TRAVELLER THINKING ABOUT BUYING A CAR FROM THESE DEALERS, PLEASE DO NOT. BUY FROM SOMEONE ELSE. AND NO MATTER WHAT OR WHO IT IS, ALWAYS GET AN INDEPENDANT INSPECTION PRIOR TO SEALING THE DEAL. YOU WILL SAVE YOURSELVES A LOT OF HEADACHES.

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Comments

[robsta]

cheers mate
If you get a chance, can you post details of my blog about the car dealers at any backpackers in sydney that you may visit. Let people know as well. This has probably been going on for ages now, but no one has ever stood up to them.....until now!! Thanks Rob

[Simon]

Problem with a motor
Yo rob, make sure on your last few days/hours in Oz you and carmen and a few mates buy some cheap baseball bats wodden so you can burn the evidence..(only if the courts dont sort something out) and have a smashing night!!!!! Only a joke .....Dont do it Rob!!!!! By looking at the pics on your blog you and carmen are looking real good all shiney faces and a gleam that london drains from us here.. you lucky hard working well deserved ...Mo fuc....ersss! Be good, be safe, be happy...big love Simon.