I also had issues with a vehicle I bought from a dealership not so long ago - issues which became apparent after the contract was signed; partly my fault for not having an AA test done before buying or at least having it checked out by someone with more knowledge on cars than myself, but circumstances at the time didn't permit this to be done - so:
The car was in and out of the workshop about 4 times over the space of the first two months on the dealership's account, each time they fix something but break something else in the process, or didn't fix the issues to my satisfaction, so eventually I phoned up the dealership and told them that they need to fix all the issues with the car for good or give me my money back.
I then did research on the CPA and what it allows buyers to do in situations where they're unhappy with a product purchased i.t.o. the initial 6-month warranty period. The "crappy" thing (for buyers!) about the CPA is that it protects seller as much as buyer, unless it's a private sale, so you can't just decide that you don't want/cant afford/whatever a car any longer and return it to the dealership under some BS excuse.
I contacted the Motor Industry Ombudsman and was advised that returning a product you're not happy with isn't simply as easy as going to the shop and demanding your money back.
You need to show that the product stopped performing its intended purpose and that it failed under normal usage (e.g. a kettle that stopped boiling water or a cd player that stopped playing cd's) within the first six months of purchase and then you have to return it to the shop with your proof of purchase, and you'll have the choice of a) receiving a replacement unit, b) having the shop repair the broken unit for you, or c) getting your money back.
With cars, proving breakdown and shifting the blame to the dealership's not as simple as with a household item.
My angle was that within the first 6 months since purchase, I had so many issues with the car, it was in the workshop so many times for things that should've been fixed before it was sold that it was clearly a defective product, and I wanted to return it based on what the CPA allows.
The Ombudsman advised that in the situation of a vehicle purchase, you first need to highlight your concerns to the dealer principal and see if you can come to some kind of agreement on what needs to be repaired/replaced. If the DP agrees, the dealership will get the repairs done and said repairs will carry a 6-month warranty period. If the repaired item/part fails again in this 6-month repair warranty period, it has to be repaired again at the dealership's cost.
In the event that the DP is hard-arsed about the situation, you may submit a complaint to the Motor Industry Ombudsman, but this process will take time (months, even a year or more, more than likely).
It not just as simple as giving a vehicle back to the dealership and wanting your money back. The DP will have to agree to buy back the vehicle and settle the account with the bank, minus a fair amount for wear-and-tear for the period you had the car.
In my experience, dealerships will do anything in their power to move stock and will not easily take back a vehicle, especially if all sorts of issues with the car are now highlighted, because they'd have to sell that car to someone else.
In my situation, I discussed all the issues I had with the car, highlighting everything I'm unhappy about to the DP, asking that he repairs the car under the dealership warranty and the 6-month CPA warranty period. I mentioned often that I have contacted the ombudsman and that I'm looking at the CPA to see what my options are on returning the vehicle to the dealership.
Long story less long, the dealership had my list of issues repaired at their cost (only took them about 3 months solid, during which I didn't have the car) but all the issues were sorted out, as far as I could see.
I'm now looking to sell the car.
