dont no what my rights r????

[natara84]

I got a car from welcome finance last year 55 plate. A few days ago i was coming back on the motorway and the engine caught fire, the car is a total loss! Now im left with no car and welcome are saying they wont replace the vehicle now i dont think thats fair at all surely they will have to replace surely? as it was an electrical fault! and the car is less than 3yrs old?

[Ethel]

When exactly did you buy the car?

What sort of warranty came with it?

[furrycheeky]

Majority of cars have 3 years warranty from the manufacturer, have you tried them?

[bigboots]

Sorry to hear this and i can understand your distress

What make and model is it as some cars are prone to this?

Have you had the vehicle serviced ? have you had any aftermarket acceories fitted ?

I am sorry to say this but i can't see how the seller is resposible after this lenght of time, as there is no way an electical fault could have been present at the time they sold it to you

What have your insurance company said ?

[natara84]

its a peugeot 206 brought in august 07 it only had 3 months warranty

[bigboots]

I have not heard of these catching fire before do you know what caused it? electrical problems? or oil/petrol
Has it been mot'ed yet was anything advised on the test?
or is it too young for a test
might be worth asking on the french car forum (not sure of the web address) but they might know of these things and may have even been through it
good luck natara

[Zax47]

You should be speaking to your insurer if the car is a total loss - not Welcome Finance. They will either pay you, or the finance company (if you still have it on finance), a settlement amount for the vehicle. Then you can go get a another car from wherever. That's what insurance is for!!

[natara84]

yea they will pay the finance but then im left with no car! and all the money ive paid will go to waste cars should last alot more than year surely you can understand that. and its not that easy for every one to just get a new car!

[Zax47]

So the insurer settles the finance (and if there is anything left they give it to you) meaning you have no car, but no debt either. Insurance is not designed to put you in a better position but make sure you don't loose out if something untoward happens (as in this case).

I'm not sure what you wanted - the insurer to settle the finance (leaving you free of the debt) and Welcome to replace the car?? That would have put you in a better position than before the fire.

Go get another car! You have the money you aren't giving to Welcome each month to finance it with!!

[LCDMAN]

The insurance will firstly settle the finance then give you the rest so you shouldn't have "wasted" anything you have paid to Welcome Finance. You can use this a deposit on another car. Say the car is worth �5000 and you owe Welcome �3800 then the insurer will give Welcome the �3800 and send you the rest. I can't understand how you think you should get the finance paid off (leaving you debt-free) AND a new car from Welcome. Only one company sorts it - either Welcome accept the blame and replace it or you claim on your insurance and then you (and they) get a pay-out from the insurer, you can't have both.

[Im a BusyBee]

in cases such as this the amount owing to finance company (with the interest added) is often as much or even more than the insurance will pay out - thats why you are usually given an option at time of purchase to take out a further insurance to cover such a shortfall.