Disappointing state of Cupra Leon ehybrid sportstourer I've bought

[Sarah]

I've just collected a 70 reg Cupra ehybrid sportstourer from my local Cupra dealer. I read their reviews before choosing them. I was going to go to Stockport for one but my local dealer matched their offer so I kept it local (25 ish miles away).

It has 4k miles on and they said one of their managers had been driving it. I've never seen wheels or tyres in this state and am wondering whether to tell them I want my car back and look elsewhere.
I didn't inspect it on collection as I wrongly assumed it would have been checked and any faults rectified but it's quite new with only 4k miles (I know a lot can happen in 4k miles and looking back, I should have inspected).
When the salesman brought it to the front of the building, I noticed 2 scratches straight away on the black paint. Not deep and I probably could have polished out by hand but thought why should I so I pointed them out and he had them polished out.
While I was there he said that they hadn't charged it up as someone else was using the socket. I wasn't impressed with that so the battery ran out before I got home and it didn't have much petrol in (mine had 3/4 tank of fuel when I p/xd it).
When I got home I started to check around the car. I know, I should have done it at the dealer but I trusted it would be in good condition
The two front wheel/tyres are in a state. One wheel is kerbed in two places, badly and the tyre on the other side has a slit in it, a flap that I can lift and another area of really bad damage. There is also a black wheel nut cap missing but compared to the tyre and wheel is minor.
I recently bought a cordless digital tyre inflater so I checked the pressures. They should be 38 and one tyre had 28. Excuse my dirty nails, they had covered the car tyres in black gunge (probably trying to cover up the tyre damage). I use tyre gel but this was thick like tar.
I haven't checked the oil level yet but will be doing today. It's soured the experience and I can't even be bothered looking at the car at the moment.

I emailed photos to the salesman and he got back to me quite a few hours later saying he'd been busy. Firstly he said that he would order a tyre and get the wheel refurbed. I must not have sounded very impressed so he rang back later to say he has a new hatchback in stock and will swap over the wheels and tyres.
By the state of the wheel and tyre (not on the same side, one front wheel kerbed and other side front tyre damaged in 3 places) it makes me wonder how this has been treated.
What do people think? Would they just let him swap over the wheels or just take it back and look for something else?

 

[gumpy321]

That tyre is illegal. Get on the phone or go straight back and tell them to replace it. The alloys, well, was it mentioned they were damaged in the advert?

 

[Seriously?]

If that tyre damage is on the front, I'd be inclined to want to have the tracking checked also.

 

[Sarah]

It is on the front. One wheel is kerbed and the other front side is tyre damage so front end both sides. My question and query is, would others keep the car thinking/knowing it has been treated like this? I've been driving 32 years and never kerbed an alloy (touch wood) or damaged a tyre so I'm wondering how badly it's been treated to be in this state.
Yes if i keep the car, I would want proof that the tracking has also been done but at the moment I'm wondering whether to take it back and buy elsewhere.

 

[Sarah]

That tyre is illegal. Get on the phone or go straight back and tell them to replace it. The alloys, well, was it mentioned they were damaged in the advert?

Thanks for the answer. When I emailed him photos, he told me to drive the car, it's not illegal is what he said. I can't even look at the car at the moment I'm so disappointed so it won't be moving off of my drive until i decide if it's staying and going back in for sorting or if I'm ditching it back at the dealer.

The advert showed the car in the showroom when it was brand new

The dealer eventually said he will swap all 4 wheels and tyres with a hatchback they have but my question/quandry is, do I keep the car knowing it's been treated like this or just take it back and look elsewhere. I've never damaged a car like this but I realise that we never usually see the state of the cars that the dealers have and issues are usually fixed before we see them

 

[Sarah]

It's also why I asked the question earlier on another post, if there is a record in the display of if the car has been 'launched' and how many times they've done it. This might also sway my decision if it's been launched as I've never bothered doing that. I've checked the manual but it just tells you how to do it and not if there's a recorded number of launches displayed.

 

[rafletcher]

TBH I think that the damage is minor. The slit you mention is just the laughingly called rim protection on the tyre. It’s not structural at all.

That tyre is illegal. Get on the phone or go straight back and tell them to replace it. The alloys, well, was it mentioned they were damaged in the advert?

Having a chunk out of the rim protection band is in no way illegal. IF the damage is deep enough to see the casing, then yes, replace the tyre.

 

[Sarah]

Thanks for your responses. The tyre damage on my first tyre photo is in a different place to the tyre flap damage I have in the other photo. It looks deep but I didn't check if the casing is exposed.
It just sours the experience as I know he would have slated the condition of it, had I been selling it to him.
I have until tomorrow or Tuesday to think about it as he is off until Tuesday
Ive just checked the fluid levels on it. Oil is ok but coolant is near minimum and there are white splashes in the engine bay area around the plastics but that could be anything. Just a bit of a crp experience up to now

 

[Fishbowlhead]

I’d back the car for a full refund, sounds like the manager has just been using it (without any kind of ownership) and just ragged the hell out of it.

 

[Sarah]

I’d back the car for a full refund right away. I’ve seen cars with 100k on the clock been treated better than that, its been abused. Sounds like the manager has just been using it (without any kind of ownership) and just ragged the hell out of it.

That's what going around in my head, thank you. I live on my own and my female friends aren't into cars so I have to ask on here. I keep thinking it looks like it's just been ragged about. I've never damaged a wheel or tyre like that.
I've just washed it (2bm) to see if they have covered any scratches up with glaze etc and they had. There's one on the front wing that would probably polish out but it just adds to the 'wondering how it's been treated' thing in my head.
I know black paint can be a pain and I'm forgiving the swirls that I can see but it's more the tyre and wheel (on both fronts) so it's not just one accidental kerbing either. I feel like asking them how old their manager is.....17?

 

[Sarah]

I've just phoned them and have spoken to the man who says he has been driving it (as my salesman is off until Tuesday now). He wanted to know what's wrong with it. I told him and said that it looks like it's just been abused with kerbing and tyre damage in more than one place and I want my car back and cash etc and I'll go elsewhere. He says oh we will get that fixed. I said no I want my car back. He then started saying he's only ever put his golf clubs in the back. What the heck has that got to do with it? He told me to ring back tomorrow so I'll do that. He wasn't very nice.

 

[Firaxis]

Slight cosmetic damage is not a major concern*, the car being ragged** also not a major concern on a 70 plate, the coolant is a potential problem though. Cars do not handle overheating very well and it can cause some pretty nasty side effects. Whether it has / hasn't or is simple to fix I'd personally walk away at that point, irrelevant of a manufacturers warranty.

* I've bought a car with scuffed alloy's and tyre marks before, asked the dealer to refurb the alloy's, replace the tyre's and sort out the tracking. Didn't have any issues with it afterwards.

** Modern cars are tough, my track car gets put under stresses a public road car would never be subjected to. It's 95HP above stock, has achieved 145,000 miles and besides from some strict basic maintenance it's still going strong, the B58 / ZF combo is pretty resilient though.. Whether a car is a headache or not seems to be luck of the draw, about six years back I got a company car that was so boring I don't think it ever saw anything above 3K RPM but it spent most of its time in the shop.

Just make sure there aren't any signs of accident damage as well, look under the seals etc. and keep an eye out for badly done DIY welds.

 

[Sarah]

Does anyone have any views on what this could be? The white splashes, it's run down the front on the pic as well. If the engine bay was clean, I would say it could be cleaning fluid but the engine bay hasn't been touched either and is dirty
Am I over thinking this problem?

 

[pinky1959]

What garage did you buy it from ?
I would be pissed as well if I had found any faults when I changed my car .
Either take it back and get them to change all the wheels and tyres from a new car and get them to pay to get it seen to by a professional detailer , Then state you would like an extended warranty or free service etc for the hassle they have caused .
Or phone the other dealer and see if they have one that would do you and take it back to the dealer and get your cash back .

 

[Fishbowlhead]

Does anyone have any views on what this could be? The white splashes, it's run down the front on the pic as well. If the engine bay was clean, I would say it could be cleaning fluid but the engine bay hasn't been touched either and is dirty
Am I over thinking this problem?

Thats coolant thats been topped up and spilt everywhere. Absolute bunch of monkeys, where did you buy it from so we can all avoid the place.

Or, even worse it has a coolant leak and its come out from somewhere, either way it’s absolutely terrible for a car with 4k on the clock.

 

[Sarah]

What garage did you buy it from ?
I would be pissed as well if I had found any faults when I changed my car .
Either take it back and get them to change all the wheels and tyres from a new car and get them to pay to get it seen to by a professional detailer , Then state you would like an extended warranty or free service etc for the hassle they have caused .
Or phone the other dealer and see if they have one that would do you and take it back to the dealer and get your cash back .

Thanks for your response.
The salesman yesterday who I bought it via said that he would get the wheels changed and tyre. He doesn't know I've found the spillage/splashes in the engine bay.
I always pay cash for my cars, always put my current car as part ex and pay the cash difference. This time, they said if I have a small hp arrangement of £3k, I get 2 free services (worth £500) so I did that, so my car, £3k hp and cash. I don't know if the hp bit has complicated things.

I rang them today to ask. I knew my salesman was off until Tuesday and the manager who has been running the car answered. I said that I wasn't happy with it and the other salesman knows and I'm thinking of rejecting it as I'm finding more things with it and it looks like it's been thrashed and abused. Well he obviously didn't like me telling him that and said he's only put golf clubs in it and there's nothing wrong and I can't reject it.
I've rejected better cars than this to be honest but I didn't mention that.

The other dealer still had their car at the same price a couple of days ago and they hadn't readvertised it yet after it going offline.
I would probably have to wait a few days for the v5's to come back as he did those while I sat there

 

[Sarah]

Thats coolant thats been topped top and spilt everywhere. Absolutely bunch of monkeys, where did you buy it from so we can all avoid the place.

Or, even worse it has a coolant leak and its come out from somewhere, either it’s absolutely terrible for a car with 4k on the clock.

I'm a bit concerned that it's needed coolant at 4k miles. Would you be?
They can't wash a car either. I do enjoy the whole detailing thing but they haven't cleaned it properly. It was filthy around the cupra letters. More concerned about the coolant now though and why it would need it or like you said if it's leaking from somewhere. I hoped it wasn't coolant but thanks for your advice. I appreciate it.
I'm going to write things down on an email and also paper so I'm ready for when I speak to them again tomorrow.

 

[Sarah]

The coolant is nearly at minimum. I know it's at a safe level but the maximum is quite a way over the half way ridge and it's weird being low if the splashes are coolant.
Hope I'm not boring people with the pics but here are two more of the level and the splashes. I will speak to them tomorrow about returning it
I haven't had to top coolant levels up since the days of when I had a 1996 rover and they were famous for it but it's just looking like a not very well cared for example




t

 

[pinky1959]

You are not boring anyone with the photos.
With regard to the small finance you have on the car I would contact the finance company and get their advice regarding changing the car and I think they should be able to just transfer the finance to another car (but I don't know .)
I would suggest going over the garage manager and hit the CEO with your complaint re returning the car and don/t take any bull s88t from them about you cannot return it.
I would not be happy at the state of the car and let them know about the leaking fluid and the fact it was not cleaned before hand over or that the tyres had been gunked over to hide the damage .
Take photos and detail all phone calls etc etc .
What colour of car does the other garage have ?
Good luck .

 

[Sarah]

Thanks Pinky. Much appreciated. I like to come onto the forum for a happy place and look at people's cars and hear what they've done to them, not hear about problems so thanks. I don't want to depress anyone.
This one is black. The other one is the graphene grey (which i actually preferred but thought I'd try to give the local dealer the business as that was where I was going to take my new Cupra. Obviously this is putting me off them servicing whatever I end up with now too). Thanks for the advice re the hp. I will ring the finance company tomorrow. I hoped that they might do that too so that I don't have credit checks on my record. I never have finance for anything and I'm thinking it might look bad, 2 checks so close to each other.