Court hears 'dodgy car' claim by woman

A motorist, who claims she was sold a "dodgy car" at a Black Country dealership, has told a court she was given the wrong information about the mileage.

Mum-of-four Sarah Roberts, bought a seven-seater Renault Grand Scenic from Arnold Clark Automobiles in New Swan Lane, West Bromwich, in October, 2008. She says she was told that the car had just over 49,000 miles on the clock and bought the family car without test driving it or even starting the engine.

But when the deal was agreed and she went to drive off the forecourt, the odometer read just 7,300 miles.

Magistrates at West Bromwich were told yesterday that Miss Roberts was told by the salesman that she had got "a bargain" and that the lower reading in the car had been correct.

But the court heard that some weeks later, when things started to go wrong with the car, she discovered the odometer had been replaced and the 49,558 initial figure was the right one.

Bosses from Arnold Clark Automobiles Ltd, whose head office is in Glasgow, have denied a charge of engaging in misleading commercial practice by omitting full details of the car's history.

Prosecuting on behalf of Sandwell Trading Standards, Mr Mark Jackson said: "This is not a case where the defendant company has clocked the car.

"It had been replaced when it was with the first owner after a complete electrical failure and the whole dashboard was replaced.

"What this case is about is that at no time prior to buying the vehicle, had the dealership told Miss Roberts that the odometer had been replaced."

Miss Roberts told the court that she was not able to test drive the car because it was on a display ramp on the forecourt, but asked about the mileage discrepancy as soon as she started the engine.

She said: "The salesman said he would go and check.

He went in to the office, when he came out he said the mileage in the car was right, he said 'You've got yourself a bargain there'.

She added: "I would never have bought the car if I knew.

"I carry my children around in that car."

The defence case was due to start today.