8:20 am, July 27, 2023
Troubled used car dealer Cazoo has come under fire from BBC1’s Watchdog programme for the quality of its vehicles.
It is the second time that Watchdog – which has run since 1985 – has criticised Cazoo following a report into the firm’s 300 point checks last April.
The latest report, broadcast as part of last night’s episode of the One Show, featured two customers who were unhappy with their experience of Cazoo.
First up was was Hannah Buckley, who bought a Fiat 500 Abarth from the online disruptor on February 24 of this year.
The following month, three separate batteries went flat on the car, leading to Cazoo taking the vehicle back to try and establish the problem.
However, it would then be more than two months before the Fiat was returned to her again, on July 13.
The disgruntled owner was soon on the phone once more though when the battery went flat yet again and Cazoo has since collected the car for a second time.
The firm has not paid any expenses to Buckley and she has been left without a working vehicle.
Speaking to Watchdog, she said the experience had left her feeling ‘disappointed and let down’.
[Watchdog host Matt Allwright]
‘It has caused stress and worry. I just feel so disappointed and let down’.
The second customer to be featured by host Matt Allwright was Hannah Louise, who bought a Jaguar XE R Sport on the site in April 7.
Once again the car’s battery light was on when delivered and Cazoo told her to take the car to Kwik Fit, who told her to replace the battery.
The following month, the dashboard ‘lit up like Blackpool Illuminations’, at which point the RAC told Louise not to drive the car.
A month later, Cazoo agreed that the battery and parking sensors needed replacing but initially said it would only pay for the parking sensors to be changed.
Eventually, the firm finally also stumped up the cash for the battery on Tuesday of this week (July 25).
In a statement issued to the BBC, Cazoo said it has sold sold ‘more than 130,000 cars online in the last three years’ and that despite every car going through a stringent 300 point check, ‘sometimes things go wrong’.
The full BBC Watchdog feature can be viewed on BBC iPlayer, started at 07.41.
Car Dealer’s own investigation into Cazoo can be viewed at the top of this story.
Cazoo has been approached for comment.
