TD

Multiple faults

I cannot recommend Irvine Car Centre based on my experience purchasing a 2015 Nissan Qashqai. When I first viewed the vehicle, it had a completely flat front tyre. I raised this before agreeing to purchase the car and was assured it would be replaced before collection. After taking delivery, the tyre immediately began losing pressure again and I was later told the promised work had been forgotten. Meaning they let me drive away with a potentially dangerous fault. They then delayed fixing the issue and so ultimately, the vehicle then spent around two weeks off the road and undrivable until they finally did the promised work. Within weeks, the vehicle developed electrical faults including chassis control warnings, cruise control faults, warning lights and repeated sat-nav resets, requiring the battery to be replaced. The most serious issue occurred only around two and a half months after purchase, when the front suspension coil spring snapped while I was driving. The vehicle immediately became unsafe to drive and has remained off the road ever since. Throughout my ownership I have also experienced ongoing tyre pressure issues affecting multiple wheels, despite repeatedly raising my concerns with the dealership, which they have refused to acknowledge or repair. What has disappointed me most has been the dealership’s handling of the matter. After reporting the suspension failure, I requested that the vehicle be inspected, that the wider suspension system and remaining springs be checked, that the continuing tyre pressure issues be investigated, and that I be provided with documentation relating to suspension work reportedly carried out before sale. Despite several follow-up emails, I received no meaningful response for weeks. When the dealership eventually replied, I was simply told the broken spring was “a wear and tear item” without any inspection of the vehicle being offered. None of my other concerns were addressed, and my requests for documentation were ignored. I find it difficult to reconcile that response with the fact that the vehicle had been in my ownership for only around ten weeks, had reportedly undergone suspension work immediately before sale, had passed an MOT only days earlier, and was sold with a written pre-sale inspection stating there were no outstanding defects. After inspecting the underside following the suspension failure, I observed significant corrosion affecting the remaining suspension springs and numerous other underside components. While I appreciate that an older vehicle will naturally show some corrosion, I believe the vehicle’s overall condition was significantly poorer than I was led to expect when purchasing it from a motor dealer. At the very least, I would have expected this level of deterioration to have been identified, recorded and disclosed before the vehicle was offered for sale. I have since formally rejected the vehicle under the Consumer Rights Act 2015. My complaint has been accepted for investigation by the Ombudsman, and Trading Standards. These processes are ongoing, and this review reflects my personal experience with the dealership to date. Based on my experience, I would not purchase another vehicle from Irvine Car Centre.