GUys just a quick post to say beware of Carcraft. I entered into an agreement with them 25-02-2007, after being bullied and kept waiting for 4hours. I know I should have read the agreement before signing but they honestly have very good techniques to sell sell sell. I am quite lucky (i think) as have managed today to cancel the credit agreement and return the car with only having lost £99 deposit (although thats is arguable as the Consumer Credit Act 1974 says it should be refunded). But my thoughts on this are do not be pressured, walk away if the deal is outside your budget and check check and check again before signing anything. The salesmen are lovely when selling but believe me the attitude and unproffesionalism when returning (because they lose their commision) is diabolical.

Yes Car Credit and Auto Car Credit Direct used to use this method to 'Credit Trap' there customers also and stated there was no 'cooling off' period which under the Consumer Credit Act is against the law. They also tried to trick people using their car as a dposit stating that you would get a minimum of £1000 towards the new car. In reality, the minimum was all that was ever returned even if the car was worth more (£2000 and upwards). What they then done was to split £500 against the finance which was swallowed up against the ludicris rate of interest and the other £500 against numerous other insurance that they tried to say you had to have and there was no way of getting out.
Even £99 down, you have really had a lucky escape but my sympathy does go out to you. I now buy older cars, as it is just a method to get back and forward to work and it is bought outright so I never have the fear of getting caught in the trap.

I am now going to save up the money I would have used to pay the finance from Carcraft and buy an older car.
I really hope I have had a lucky escape as keep waiting for the finance company to tell me I have 'x' amount to pay. The actaul agreement was never executed which is why I got out of it but wont trust this until I get the proof or phonecall its cancelled. I have to wait 3 days until I can call them which is gonna seem like a lifetime but 3 advisors at the finance company told me there were no penalties, moneys outstanding or fees to pay as the agreement was not executed, so fingers crossed.
As for carcraft, they say there is no cooling off period as the agreement was signed on site.When I made the initial call to cancel with them they told me point blank I cant, there is no cooling off period and I would have to pay as per the agreement.
I even spoke to Customer Advise Bureau that advised the same thing, I could not cancel the agreement but eventually on speaking to the finance company the were willing to do it.I think the main thing here is if you change your mind, be as quick as possible to inform not the vendor but the person who is issuing the finance. If the contract has not been executed it can be cancelledas long as the goods are returned to the vendor. I think execution of a contract ususally take place in up to 5 days of signing (but dont quote me on this) so quicker the better really. Even better NO NOT sign anything on the spot no matter how pressured you are.

I'm just glad I have escaped as £150 per month over 5 years is a long long time and qho knows what the future holds? At least I know when the money is saved I can buy a car outright thats is mine and I dont owe anyone anything.

Just to let you know. Following the catastrophy with Carcraft, I got a result.
They told me a number of times that the £99 deposit was non refundable and I took their word for it. But then I found out that under the Consumer Credit Act 1974, if a contract is cancelled then any linked transactions must be refunded.
I wrote to Carcraft detailing this, giving them 14days to get back to me with viable reasons why they would not return my deposit but lo and behold....2 days after sending the letter the money was refunded back onto my card!!
So there you go. Companies like Carcraft are unreputable, do not know the law and rip people off any way they can. BE WARNED!

Zainiac.x

i have a friend who got into a similar fix with this company he now calls it CARCRAFTY.

Well, I can add that I have never had a cartastrophe (urrrrrrr!!) like this but I can understand how easy it is to get trapped. Thanks to my late aunt, who left me a generous bequest and the instruction to use it on something I woud enjoy (rather than debt-paying etc) I bought a brand new car just after my son was born. It had some problems, so I updated it again almost three years ago, and it's fab. I recently looked at changing it and taking on finance, and then I thought - am I mad?

I would have been, I think. It's been well maintained so far and I use my money to keep that up rather than changing it. I feel cars can become more reliable as they get older if you treat them well. My Dad had an old Audi that he drove for years and it was fantastic car. My previous car was an E reg Saab that never, ever let me down.

So I plan to run this one into the ground and not waste any of my precious money trying to change it. The small amount that I figured I could use for car finance I will save to provide for car maintenance.

A timely warning, Z. Nice to see you posting all around; I have just added my contact details to my profile BTW!

Cat

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Hiya Cat,

I was sooooo lucky to get myself out of this one. Trading Standards were great with helping me but they initially told me there was nothing I could do. Turns out I could though and have not got the worry of £150 each month payment out for something that wont be worth it in the long run.

Z. x

Update.
I received a registration certificate for the car in question on Saturday!!!!
What are they playing at?
Have been told to return the certificate to them and they will deal with it but what a farce!!!

Indeed, mate!

Cat

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my advice is to run as far away from Carcraft as possible. I sold a daewoo matiz 51 reg, 27000 miles, to carcraft the other day for £1200. I knew i was making pehaps a 500 pound loss, but wanted to sell it quickly. I bought this car nearly 2 years back for £2750 from a Fiat delaership. Now have a guess what Carcraft are trying to sell it for now... £4000! it's in their website now. a week or so on, they might advertise the same with a  HUGE 1000 pound discount, but still if anyones buys this car for more than 2000-2500, he or she must be really mad...

dicare:my advice is to run as far away from Carcraft as possible. I sold a daewoo matiz 51 reg, 27000 miles, to carcraft the other day for £1200. I knew i was making pehaps a 500 pound loss, but wanted to sell it quickly. I bought this car nearly 2 years back for £2750 from a Fiat delaership. Now have a guess what Carcraft are trying to sell it for now... £4000! it's in their website now. a week or so on, they might advertise the same with a  HUGE 1000 pound discount, but still if anyones buys this car for more than 2000-2500, he or she must be really mad...

 

I feel I must point out to you that you sold your car at trade value whereas Carcraft will obviously be selling at retail value which will always differ greatly. Fell free to check out Glass's Guides or chec with your local dealer 

Hi Zainiac! How on earth did you manage to get your money back so quickly?! I am so jealous!!  I purchased a car from Carcraft 3 weeks ago and the following morning after I got it home it broke down - I have been trying to get my money back for 2 weeks now with no luck.  They have collected the car and wont even tell me what they are doing with it....they truly are the biggest bunch of cowboys out there!!  I have sent them letters asking for my money back quoting my consumer rights and still not even any kind of acknowledgement of what they are doing...any tips would be greatly appreciated!!

Hiya Elli123,

 I really don't know how I got so lucky but here are the steps I took:

 1. Cancelled my credit agreement direct with the finance company (Carcraft told me i could not cancel). But this was before the agreement was executed.

2. Returned the car to them.

This meant I did not have the car, no credit agreement was in place so I was free from their hands.

Your scenario is different as the agreement will have been executed but I am sure you can still cancel (dont quote me) as the goods are not up to standard.

Regarding the deposit, I spoke to Consumer Help Bureau (cant remember number but Google it) who told me to write to them and gave me the specific Acts to quote.

My advise is to speak to Consumer Advise and take it from there. They are really helpful and tell you if you have a viable case.

Oh...dont be scared to speak up to the Carcraft salesmen..they are lovely when they want you to buy but turn nasty when things go wrong. They treated me terribly when I returned the car. I felt bullied and intimidated but realised they had nothing to lose (apart from their commision) and it was me that was going to suffer.

 Stick to your guns and let the battle commence!!

Kepp me posted on how you get on.

 

Zainiac.x

 

 

Insider here!

Elli123, when did you send in you letters? I can advise there is a real push on correspondance at the moment and lots of replies are coming out at the moment, but you must keep in mind that the customer care/correspondance departments deal with every single after sale query and complaint for the entire Carcraft/Ucan/UK Car Group and things can take a bit of time.

Have you been advised why your rejection can't be accepted?
 

Z, good to see you!!

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