UTTERLY CRUD: Evans Halshaw
WHERE: Edinburgh Sighthill branch, Cultins road
WHAT CAR: Attempted purchase of Black 1.2 Corsa SRI
PAID: *£200 deposit paid for a car valued at £3,606 (still on Autotrader as of May 12 2015).
2 AA vehicle Inspections at a cost of £200
WHO: served by a Mr John Lapsley and Mr Jamie Mitchell 0131 453 4411 (not that either will answer). Slimey balls incarnate.
WHAT:
Set up an appointment to view and test drive of a 2008 black 1.2 3dr corsa - Monday 4th May.
The Corsa was situated in the second row of the 'runabout section'.
The Battery was flat. Mr Lapsley has to jump start it with a portable battery kit.
The vehicle had little petrol left in it so we had to refill.
Mr Lapsley did not fasten his seat belt during the drive to the petrol station.
He left the engine running at the pump whilst he stocked up on about £5 of petrol.
Or else the vehicle would have stalled.
Car was the only thing that filled me with confidence during the entire experience.
Car was fine - gears, brakes, generally functioned ok. But I got the distinct impression this was a minor sale to Mr Lapsley.
I continued to express an interest in the car, but mentioned if I paid a deposit, I would like the AA to inspect the vehicle. At personal expense.
Mr Lapsley took £200 deposit via debit card, after a delay of approx. 20 minutes because he could not login to the Evans Halshaw, "Pinewood Payment" system. He admitted he had forgotten his username and or password?!?
He advised me to book an AA inspection on either Wednesday 6th May or Thursday 7th May. He admitted these were his days off, but he'd make sure someone would be around to accept the AA.
Thursday 7th May.
AA driver - a Mr Iain Cameron (which just made me chuckle), was informed that the keys to the 08 reg black Corsa were not available and Mr Lapsley 'must have taken them home with him' by a member of the used cars sales division at Sighthill.
AA inspection cost £100, £25 of which was refunded by the AA in the event of a cancellation.
After the cancellation, Sighthill Used Sales manager, Mr Jamie Mitchell agreed verbally, to reimburse the £75 of the initial AA inspection and to reschedule another inspection.
After scheduling a second AA inspection for Monday 11th May, further outlay of £100 and receiving no notification by telephone or email that Evans Halshaw had acknowledged this inspection, I revisited the sales room at Sighthill at approx. 17:30 pm Monday 11th May to refund my deposit.
Upon entering the sales room I might as well have been invisible.
I was ignored by Mr Lapsley, who upon seeing me took his coat and fled from his desk.
After raising my voice to the dismay of other customers within earshot, someone finally came.
I was informed a refund could not be issued by Mr Jamie Mitchell, who, can only be described as a slimy, spiked haired lump of useless lard.
The issue was not the asking price of car, nor state of the car. It was the SHAMBOLIC lack of communication and distinct lack of interest in my custom.
All I wanted was to give cash over for a little runabout. Nothing more, nothing less.
The next day I made at least four telephone calls to Mr Mitchell who I was informed was 'stuck in traffic' despite me suggesting he can expect further action.
I contacted Evans Halshaw Central customer service line - 0333 3239 178
at approximately 10am Tuesday 12th May.
To their credit -logged my complaint and put me straight through to David the Scouse Business Manager (ahem oxymoron anyone?) at Sighthill. He might as well have taken a dump in my cornflakes.
He agreed to send out a cheque in the post to refund me. Which I sorely doubt I will ever see the light of day, given he didn't even check my postal address.
When asking him to telephone me back to confirm his accounts department would be sending me a cheque for my refund he said, "Miss Turner, I really don't think that's necessary". I can't even make this stuff up, it's just farcical.
If the cheque for the sum of £200 is not in my possession by Thursday 14th May, further action is being taken.
SUMMARY:
Evans Halshaw are an utter shambles of a company.
No idea how they are still trading.
Pre-requisites of employment amongst it's sales teams must be convictions for fraud, and/or driving offences. Systemic BS throughout their ranks runs amok.
ADVICE:
Stay away, keep your money and hopefully someone reads this before walking onto one of their forecourts unlike me! I beg you, just google them and believe it! read more