Prima Inspecta Car Pretoria & the AA, Don't get caught like I did!

[Shaunp]

This is quite a long story, but if you want to see why you can't trust a AA 101 point check then you should read further. Also be very careful when purchasing you next 4x4 or car from Prima Motors Inspectacar and there other branches in the Pretoria area, even with their AA 101 Point Check. Oh they also boast about how they are the biggest dealer in bakkies, so be very careful you don't buy one from the owners of this group as Inspecta car is just a franchise and they have other branches in the Pretoria area with the same owner. When you buy a bakkie or car in Pretoria first founf out if Prima Motors Inspectacar is one of their branches. If they are rather turn around and buy somewhere else, here's why.

In March 2010 we were looking for a bakkie for our business, we found a 2004 Ford Ranger Super Cab for R125,640.00, I then phoned and asked them If they could bring the vehicle to the Boksburg area as I would like to view it first. The driver came to Boksburg with the vehicle and we took it for a test driver, when we got back the driver then took out the service book and showed me and my director the the vehicle had a full service history as advertised. My director then said he was happy with the vehicle and I should phone the salesman and tell him that we would take it. I was very excited as I had never driven a high rider and it really felt good. It wasn't a 4x4 but it was a really nice vehicle, well so I thought.

I then phoned the salesman and told him that we were still deciding if we were going to buy cash or finance as it was quite close to the end of the month and we wanted to see if we could rather get some cash in to pay cash for the vehicle. What started to get very peculiar was they way the salesman was pushing for us to do payment before the end of the month

Anyway we did payment before the end of the month and I collected the vehicle on the last Friday of March. The day I collected the vehicle from Prima Inspecta Car I suddenly noticed that there was no service book in the vehicle and there was no jack I then asked the salesman where the book was and the jack "I don't know how it went thru the test without the jack" He then went searching for the service book that had a full service history in it and couldn't find it, he then told me that the workshop manager was not there and he would ask him about it on Monday.

So Monday I phoned Prima Inspecta car to speak to the salesman to ask him if they found to service book and got me a jack yet for the vehicle, I was then told that he now no longer worked there So then this is when I realized why he was pushing for us do do the payment by that last Friday of the month, he wanted his commission before he left, as it was a cash deal and he would get paid the same. Anyway I then asked to deal with the manager, I spoke to the manager and explained everything to him, he told me that the jack was there and he would look for the service book and give it to me when I come and collect the jack. About 2 days later I went to Prima Inspecta Car and spoke to the manager he gave me the jack for the vehicle but no service book they couldn't find it and were still looking. I had a very funny feeling that the book that I saw was actually not the real service book for the vehicle and that it was placed there the day we looked at the car and then taken out again. Unfortunately I didn't look at the front of the book to see what the registration and chassis number was?

So I left again and gave them more time to look for the service book. A couple of days later my cousin found me some boxes that go into the Super Cab behind the seats ans he saw the jack, he then told me that the jack would never pick the vehicle up as it was too short the jack for the high rider has 2 stages to lift higher. The same day we also saw that the bakkie was leaking diff oil out the right rear wheel, now at this stage the vehicle was still under the 14day warranty with Prima Inspecta Car so I phoned them up and told them that there was a problem the bakkie was leaking diff oil out of the right rear seals and that the vehicle was not going into 4th gear the first time you had to force it in 8) So the manager says no I must bring the car back to Pretoria from Boksburg as they have nothing to fetch the vehicle with, I told him that that was not the right thing to do as I could do more damage to the vehicle! He then told me to take the vehicle in for a quote to someone in my area.

I then took the vehicle to a very well know company in the Alberton area that does anything to do with drive trains on 4x4's and 2x4's they even get work from Toyota and other dealers in the area as there work is done so professionally. Well, well this is where I really found out what was really all wrong with the bakkie, how the AA didn't pick it up I don't know I take it in the guy takes a drive and tells me the 4th gear is stuffed, the clutch is finished, the propshaft had backlash and the wheel bearing and seals would have to be replaced. The cost +- R20 000.00 that is excluding labour and if they don't find anything else wrong with it? I phone the manager at Prima Inspecta Car and he tells me they can pay that much I must bring it back to them and just drive it as is. So I take it back it took me about 2 hours as I drove very slowly and didn't want to put any strain on the diff while driving. I did top up the diff oil before going but at the rate the oil was running out I didn't want to take any chances!

I gave the bakkie in and they couldn't even loan me another car, or should I say they weren't willing to give me a car to drive with while they were repairing the one I bought from them The same day I left the bakkie there I also asked them for the 101 Point Check from the AA as I didn't receive it from the salesman the day I collected the vehicle. I then went thru the certificate and saw that there was a x at mounting on the transmission-manual side and then the whole section was crossed out, and then marked under automatic So I phone the AA branch up were they had done the 101 Point Check and spoke to the guy that tested the vehicle, I asked him what was going on here on the form and why he didn't mark that there is a problem on the 4th gear of the vehicle? He couldn't answer me! I asked him why the section was crossed out and that the automatic transmission was filled in where it was clearly a manual vehicle, also no response from him as you can see this guy wasn't very talkative. There was one thing that I did get out of him and that was that he failed the vehicle the first time as there was a oil leak Ok so now I see what happened there was a oil leak on the right rear wheel and the garage took it to their workshop sprayed the wheel clean and just took the vehicle back to them again.

Now the day I took the vehicle back to the garage I told them about all the problems and that it needed to be replaced as these were major problems, you could even hear the thrust bearing in the gearbox making a noise all the problems were obvious. Anyway they fix all the problems and I drive it and it feel fine I ask the workshop manager about the service book so he tells me they never take the book out the vehicles and that they don't have it so I ask them to carry on looking as we bought the vehicle because it had a full service history. So everything felt right on the bakkie the 4th gear was working well and no more noise from the thrust bearing. Now I'm sure I wouldn't be writing this long story here if we all lived happily every after, after that was all fixed.

I carried on phoning the manager to ask for the service book and the last thing he said to me was that when I want to trade the vehicle in I should just bring it to him he will still give me a trade in, as he knows the bakkie had a full service history What rubbish was this? Guess what all the problems just came back again this month, this time I took it to a very good mechanic in Wadeville called Dynamic Truck Repairs, they are one of my cousins customers and I knew they really did a good job on repairs and they were very affordable. The main thing was that we could try and see what Prima Inspecta Car really did to fix the vehicle. The clutch was never replaced but just greases so It didn't make any noise but now the thrust bearing was so stuffed already that it even damaged the shaft in the gearbox and the bearing itself was just as stuffed that when we cleaned it up with some petrol to get the grease off and shook it it sounded like a babies rattle, this is how loose the bearings were already.

The propshaft had to be taken in to be repaired and the fly wheel was also skimmed, he also had to replace the bearings and the seal in the right rear wheel again. I phoned the manager of the Inspecta Car Franchise as I had problems with another Inspecta Car dealer before and knew who to speak to. The last Inspecta Car gave me the number plates for my car 2 months later only after, and only after complaining to the franchise manager. She cam back to me with some Motor Industry Ombudsman letter that I signed, and said that they were now caught up in the middle and I should go to the Ombudsman. Oh the repair from Dynamic Truck Repairs cost us R4488.07 for everything including the new clutch, Prima Motors Ispectacar didn't even want to pay for the repair, yet they brag about selling over 120 vehicles a month and they are the biggest stockist of second hand bakkies in Pretoria "Problem Cars In Pretoria if you ask me" I have seen other posts on the internet about Prima Inspecta Car too so it just show I'm not the only one that was take for a ride, a shacky ride!!

Till now I have not received the vehicles book with the service history, and I still think it wasn't the bakkies service book we saw the day we took it for a test driver. Also when we registered the vehicle we noticed it came from the coast and this is why the bakkie had no number plates or license disc on the bakkie. We all know that people don't often buy a vehicle that comes from the coast and they know that to that is why everything was removed.

So ladies and gents lets see all the points:

1. Don't buy a vehicle from Prima Inspecta Car.
2. Don't buy a vehicle from any Inspecta Car dealer as I have burnt my fingers twice already
3. Don't think that a 101 Point Check from AA is good enough, money talks we are in South Africa
4. Make sure you ask where the vehicle came from and insist to see the papers for the vehicle to make sure, you might just end up with a vehicle like my Ford Ranger it's rubberised so thick underneath that I can't even see if there is any rust?
5. Never trust a used cars salesman no matter how honest he comes across, they do this everyday so they know just what to say to get your trust.
6. If you collect your vehicle from the garage and the service book is not there don't accept delivery of the vehicle until they can produce the book with the full service history, and make sure it's the right book look at the chassis number in the book and the one in the vehicle and make sure they match. You just might end up with a vehicle with no service history at all.

I hope these points helped you out and you will look at all these things before buying your next vehicle especially the one where I say STAY AWAY FROM PRIMA INSPECTA CAR and there other branches in the Pretoria area.

[jelo]

I'm sorry to say this, but I have also had "issues" with Prima in Gezina Pretoria and their AA check.

Our Terracan was bought through them with a "full service history".
After the engine blew at 80,000kms, I did some investigating and found out the service book had been falsified: the service stations at the dealers specified had no record of the previous registration number or VIN.

So be aware: check the service history before taking delivery, and phone the AA / DECSA office involved and get a copy of the AA test faxed or emailed direct to you.

"How do you know when a used car salesman is telling the truth?"

"When his mouth is closed..................."

[magic_wand]

Just my little 5c worth. Wish I saw this thread earlier. Long story short I bought a Ford Ranger from Prima in Dec. Was told there is a slight problem with the transmission but they will sort I just have to sign first. That done as I have heard at that stage they are good, I got the car over Dec to drive as the license office is closed and early Jan 2013 they will collect it and sort the reg and box. End of Jan after threats they collected and thats the last I saw of it. After batteling for ages I eventually got the message on Fri 5 April 2013 that I can only get the car if I pick it up from the gearbox place and pay for the repairs. I agree with the original poster....stay away from Prima motors unless your wife,dog and children dont give you enough problems. I am still without a car 4 months later and out of R150k. This is now a leagal matter

[Naami]

eish ...