COTTON CARS MENLYN: NON DISCLOSURE OF ABSENCE OF SPARE KEY UNTIL AFTER PAYMENT TO CITTON

On 30 September 2021 I collected a car from Citton Cars Menlyn. I had visited the branch the day before and been attended to by a man called Drikus. On 29 September 2021 Drikus had spent some time emphasizing the good reputation allegedly held by Citton cars. I paid for the car on 29 September 2021. With an amount of R1000 outstanding. I went to collect on 30 September 2021. Prior to my arrival just after 11 am, I had corresponded with Drikus about the car on the morning of 30 September 2021. On arrival on 30 September 2021 he and I chatted and inspected the car referring to some issues they had undertaken to address. I was then referred to a colleague of Drikus to sign documents. On the way through these it emerges there is no spare key. This was the first I heard of this absence. I objected and was immediately told by Drikus that "the ad stated there was no spare" and that "there was no money in the car to provide for a spare" at this point. I objected, saying he should have told me when disclosing know faults that there was no spare. He said again the ad stated there was no spare, and that he only discovered that morning there was no spare. The two statements are clearly contradictory. If the ad stated there was no spare and he knew this, how he could claim he only discovered its absence that morning is hard to believe. I objected again and was told there was nothing he could do to assist in relation to the selling price. He also insisted, despite the fact that only now did I discover there was no spare, that I still pay the R1000 as yet unpaid. He told me "50% of used cars dont have a spare" - and this explained, too, why he neglected to mention this absence. I dont know where he got this statistic, but told him I have 40 year old cars that have spares, and besides, his claim was irrelevant to THIS case and MY point. On the paper work I was asked to indicate where I saw the car advertised. I circled cars.co.za which is indeed where I saw it advertised. At the time of writing, 30 September 2021, the cars.co.za ad is still in place. Nowhere in that ad does it "state the car hss no spare key." This is the reason why my first information that it did not only emerged on my filling in the papers on collection. Until that point, despite my having conversed with Drikus on arrival, despite my having corresponded with him by text prior to my arrival, Drikus had "forgotten" to mention the absence of a spare key and then incorrectly insisted the "ad stated the car had no spare key." That despite my protests Drikus refused to negotiate the selling price strikes me as unsatisfactory. That he claimed incorrectly that the ad had stated it didn't have a spare and therefore the "error" was with me, is troubling.

I insert a copy of the full write up from the ad from cars.co.za It is clearly seen that the ad says nothing about a missing spare key.

"Nation Wide Delivery 30 years successful track record, multi awarded, trusted dealer with a selection of 250 cars under one roof. First payment in 60 days Everybody knows that Citton Cars rules MOTOR TOWN. Enquire now for friendly, professional, efficient and fast service. Its easy to do business with Citton Cars

Finance:

Estimated monthly payment is R 2 870.00 over 60 months with 10% deposit of R 15 000.00 at a rate of 10% (PRIME + 3%).

* Please note that these calculations are only estimates and must be confirmed with your finance provider.

Recalculate?"

This matters because the agents quoted me R4,500 to provide a spare.

Drikus explicitly agreed when I told him I KNEW they had not provided a spare key because it would cut into their profit margins.

I paid top dollar for this car well over retail for the model - Drikus agreed, and research will easily substantiate this point. Yet this is how, to date, one has been treated.

It is no good.