My new car has been delayed at the last minute - what can I do?

I have ordered and paid a deposit for a new Jaguar i-Pace from my local dealer. I was given a full schedule by the dealer from Jaguar which detailed a full timeline from order to manufacture through to delivery to the dealership and then me. I have been sent numerous updates from the dealership over the past four months and these dates have remained the same.

With less than three weeks to go to handover to me I have made preparations for the car arriving including having a charge point installed, arranging finance for the car and most crucially arranging for my existing car to go. Having just arranged the end of the finance on my existing car and agreed a sale for 17/8/18 I was contacted by my local dealership on 2/8/18 - with only two weeks to delivery - (in response to a reqeust for an update by me) I was told that the car was now slightly delayed to 13/11/18.

Apart from not considering three months a “slight” delay I have now been left in a very difficult position by Jaguar, mainly because I now have no car.

They have told me the reasons are technical issues and teething problems although the dealership are giving me different reasons to Jaguar UK but then disclosed that my car has not even been manufactured yet. This means that Jaguar must have known about the delay sometime before 13/7/18 as that was the scheduled delivery date and so they could has informed me sooner and if that had done so I would not have sold my existing car.

I have complained to both my dealer and Jaguar UK who keep passing the buck between each other. I have requested a loan car in the interim but they say they are unable to and won’t take responsiblity

Given that I had a contract with Jaguar to delivery my car on or by 22/8/18 and the very short notice of significant delay do I have a case to push harder for a loan car from them?

Asked on 17 August 2018 by samuelwilkesread

Answered by Honest John
Unfortunately County Court cases have shown that a supplying dealer cannot be held liable for a delay that is not of his making. To hold the dealer liable you would need to prove your case and get a ruling in the High Court. Your option is to cancel the order and demand a full refund of any deposit on the grounds of the dealer being unable to supply the car. Then buy something else that is actually available.
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