A Woking resident is reportedly paying £450 a month for a new Peugeot electric vehicle (EV) that has been largely unusable since shortly after its delivery. The customer's experience highlights potential challenges faced by consumers with new vehicles, particularly amidst reported spare parts shortages and repair backlogs.
The brand-new Peugeot EV developed significant faults within a fortnight of being delivered. Initially, a repair appointment was delayed by a month due to the dealership's schedule. When Peugeot Assist, operated by the RAC, eventually collected the vehicle for warranty repair, it reportedly never reached the intended dealer, with the RAC claiming the dealer refused it due to being "too busy."
Despite numerous attempts to contact Peugeot and the RAC, the customer was initially unable to locate their car or receive updates for weeks. Following intervention from a consumer champion, the RAC located the vehicle in storage and subsequently delivered it to a different dealership. The RAC also paid the customer £250 for the lack of communication.
However, the issues continued. The car was eventually collected by the owner in early March, only to discover a new set of problems: it could not be charged, the boot would not open, the driver's window operated erratically, and the remote locking was faulty. Peugeot reportedly promised compensation for delays and a courtesy car, neither of which materialised.
The customer has attempted to rescind their leasing contract with Leasys, the company providing the vehicle, but this request has been denied. Leasys reportedly stated that, according to the dealer, the car is driveable and a further repair is planned for the charging issue, despite the vehicle's inability to be charged preventing it from being taken to the garage. This leaves the customer in an ongoing predicament, paying for a car they cannot use.
Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, customers have the right to reject faulty new vehicles if a repair attempt fails or is not completed within a reasonable timeframe. Given the credit agreement with Leasys, the customer's case falls under the remit of the Financial Ombudsman Service, to whom a complaint has been suggested.