Alpen Autohaus and Blue Chip dealerships are to be avoided

On 19th June 2018 my daughter purchased a silver Hyundai Getz 1.6 HS, 2008 model with 154, 996 mileage for R75,000 from you. Since purchasing the vehicle it was in for repairs five times in as many months.

She chose Alpen Autohaus because of a reputation for “sourcing and supplying the finest quality pre-owned vehicles, all with full maintenance history”. As stated on the website, as a testament to quality service and also an exclusive member of the Blue Chip Dealers in Cape Town.

In buying a second-hand vehicle she understood that it came with the wear and tear that accords with its age and mileage but she received a Certificate of Roadworthy through the Alpen dealership. This we were informed was, apparently through a “competent and duly registered authority” and was assured that “the quality of the vehicle was as required for such a certificate as required by the law”. As stated on the website each vehicle undergoes a “stringent quality check” and is “prepared to an unrivalled standard” in an on-site service and quality control centre. She was aware that due to reasonable wear and tear, age and usage components may fail after delivery. She is also aware that I chose not to take the offered Mechanical Breakdown Insurance as I could not afford the extra R10 000. In light of this she did not bring the vehicle back to the dealership when, two months later, on the 14th August 2018, the water pipe burst and she had to replace the pipe and radiator cap. However subsequently she has had to replace the ignition coil and all ignition leads (11 Ocotber 2018), the brake-pads in the front of the vehicle (26 September), all four tyres of the vehicle (16 October 2018) as well as the gear box mountings and engine mountings (18 October 2018). When she test drove the vehicle the engine was rattling and the revs where very high, but when she brought this up with the sales assistant she said it was normal. She has since learnt that this was a clear sign that the engine mountings were faulty, and that alone seems to violate the Certificate of Roadworthiness which was supplied with. In total she has spent R16 384.82 over the first five months of owning this vehicle on just making it roadworthy. As a Blue Chip Dealer you are obligated to follow the code of conduct - " By doing business with a member of the Blue Chip Dealer Group, you are assured of a professional, quality purchase, leading insurance and warranty product offerings and the very best after sales service in South Africa."

In the terms and conditions of the sale she was assured of a roadworthied vehicle. She forwarded a letter asking to be reimbursed for the above expenses that should have been done to the car in order for it to be accepted as roadworthy but was refused with no further discussion or explanation. The notion of Blue Chip seems to apply only to the brotherhood of dealers and to protect them against the public. This is an outrage as the same car was on gumtree for 20 000 less but I advised her not to take the risk. I advised my daughter to rather go with a Blue Chip dealer. Lies an deceit and false roadworthy. I warn any buyers further to not deal with Alpen Autohaus and not be taken in by the Blue Chip Dealer logo. W.SWinney