We Buy Cars - Taking Advantage of their customers trust.

On 10 June 2024, my mother in law purchased a vehicle, a used Ford Ecosport in cash for R112000.01 from We Buy Cars. She also purchased an extended warranty. She was given a Dekra Service report indicating that the gearbox mounting had to be rectified and that the vehicle had to be given a service. This she had done within the first few days after purchasing the vehicle. 3 weeks later, whilst travelling on the highway, the vehicle just stopped moving.

My mother in law, out of her own pocket, had the vehicle towed to a BMI repair centre. She then reported the situation to We Buy Cars. They then moved the vehicle from the BMI approved repair centre, to their own preferred service provider. It was during this time, confirmed that the Cam Belt had snapped which had caused significant damage to the inner workings of the asset. The quotation to repair this was a significant sum.

After weeks worth of back and forth regarding whose liability the repairs to the asset were, bearing in mind that We Buy Cars had seemingly done no quality checks on the asset, and in fact seemed to be aware (and did not disclose) that the assets engine had been completely redone prior to the sale of the asset to my mother in law, and that my mother in law had only had the vehicle in her possession for 3 weeks before this loss occurred, We buy Cars agreed to replace the vehicle, or refund her in full.

My mother in law was unable to find a vehicle in the local store of We Buy Cars that would suit her needs. Her mother is 87 years old, and is unable to sit low in a vehicle, due to mobility issues. The vehicle purchased was to be used amongst other things to transport her to medical appointments. There is a requirement for a vehicle with higher seats to make it easier for her to enter and leave the vehicle. The vehicles in the local store were entry level smaller vehicles, with low seating, and not similar to the vehicle purchased at all. My mother in law did locate a vehicle in the Cape Town Depot that would suit her needs, and similar to what she had purchased in the first place, however We Buy Cars refused to accommodate her in this regard. She then requested to be refunded in full in order to take her business else where, which they agreed to.

Today is 22 August 2024. A full 73 days since the vehicle was purchased and where it was only in a working condition for less than 21 days. my mother in law has been sitting for almost 60 days without a vehicle, which is sorely needed, whilst We Buy Cars drags this unsavoury situation out for as long as they can. No offers for a loan vehicle or alternative transport arrangements were extended, whilst they were dragging this situation out for as long as possible.

After assuring her that it would take 72 hours for her money (more than 72 hours ago) to be refunded in full, she has now been told she has been put in a queue and she needs to be patient, as they have many other payments to be made. Strangely, they seemed to be quite willing to take her payment immediately when she was purchasing the vehicle?

This is completely and utterly unacceptable. This is a company that is ************ and ********* in their way of work. They have taken advantage of a widow who trusted them to ensure that she has a decent functioning quality 2nd hand vehicle, worth the monies paid for it. Instead, she had a working vehicle for less than 3 weeks, has had to argue and fight for what is right, and is now being kept waiting whilst We Buy Cars dilly dallies, for some unknown reason.

Please take care when purchasing from this company. Do not let their adverti*****ts full you into thinking that they are trustworthy. They are just as ************ as the ***** second hand dealers, in the middle of the shady part of town. They are just better at shine.