… certainly not, unless the Honda had been spending time on a rolling road to tighten up its dampers!

motoview.co.uk was contacted by Mr. Philip Vulliamy regarding a “Honda Jazz 1.2 Fit” advertised for sale at Revolution Motors, 1-3 Garden Street, Oldham, Manchester OL1 3PY:

HONDA JAZZ 1.2 FIT PETROL

Vehicle Summary

For more info on this vehicle call our showroom on 0161 621 0900

This car has done 46000 miles, is a 2 owner vehicle and has FREE 3 MONTHS RAC WARRANTY INC PARTS , and LABOUR, FREE 3 MONTHS BREAKDOWN COVER, WITH HOME START, FREE 7 DAYS DRIVE AWAY INSURANCE, HPI CLEAR, PDI CHECK, FULL VALET, TAX UNTIL 05/2012, 12 MONTHS MOT INCLUDED, THIS IS AN CAR IS IN GOOD CONDITION, AND SOME OF THE FEATURES, ON THIS CAR INCLUDE AIR CONDITIONING, PRIVACY GLASS, CD, ELECTRIC WINDOWS, MUCH MUCH MORE CALL FOR MORE INFORMATION

 * Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the above information but errors may occur. Please check with a salesperson.

During an arranged viewing of the “Honda Jazz 1.2 Fit”, Mr. Vulliamy “asked repeatedly how many owners the car had had” to which he received an evasive response; “at no point were we told that it was an import even though we asked about the fact that it was called a ‘Fit’, rather than a ‘Jazz’.”

The invoice of sale for the “Honda Jazz 1.2 Fit” contained no reference at all to the word ‘import‘ despite DVLA records stating that the “Honda Jazz 1.2 Fit” was first registered on 1st June 2005 and subsequently reregistered on the 2nd December 2008 in the UK. The “Honda Jazz 1.2 Fit” spent the first three and a half years outside the UK.

Furthermore, DVLA states the engine cubic capacity as 1330cc (or 1.4), and not “1.2” as advertised on the Revolution Motors’ website. The vehicle is a ‘Honda Fit’ as the badge on the tailgate states, and not “Honda Jazz Fit” as written in the advert on the Revolution Motors’ website. These three inaccuracies are in direct and clear contravention of The Trades Description Act (1968).

Another anomaly appeared on the sales invoice with the stated mileage (written as 53,000 miles when the Honda Fit allegedly has 46,000 miles calculated by Company Director, Mr. Imran Khadam when converted from kilometres) that would have invalidated the warranty if needed to be used.

There were clear clues that the “Honda Jazz Fit” had been imported despite the inaccurate advertisement from Revolution Motors.  ‘Fit’ as opposed to ‘Jazz’ is the biggest oddity with a square rear number plate used to use existing screw holes; narrower plates being used in the Far East. Information from a DVLA free vehicle enquiry on their website confirmed its dual nationality; engines, gearboxes and specification may be different to cars in Europe. 

motoview.co.uk e-mailed Revolution Motors regarding the misleading “Honda Jazz 1.2 Fit” advertisement although Company Director, Mr. Imran Khadam, has still not returned a £500 deposit back to Mr. Vulliamy. More a rip-off than a Revolution in Motors!

Quotes from Philip Vulliamy

August 2012

Trading Standards began an investigation into Revolution Motors after receiving a number of complaints from people alleging that they had been sold cars with false mileages.

Officers found one of the vehicles was returned by a customer after they discovered it had travelled more than 127,000 miles rather than the 30,000 miles claimed by the firm, based on Garden Street , Oldham .

Revolution Motors then readvertised the same vehicle as having travelled 35,000 miles and subsequently sold it onto a second unsuspecting customer.

On January 11 at Oldham Magistrates’ Court Revolution Motors pleaded guilty to four offences relating to the sale of two vehicles between April and June 2011.

The firm was prosecuted under the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 and the Fraud Act 2006.

The company was fined a total of £9,000 and ordered to pay full prosecution costs of £4,940.

Councillor Jean Stretton, Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods and Devolved Services, said: “A car is one of the most expensive things people will ever purchase so they must get value for money. 

“We will not allow traders to rip people off by selling vehicles that have been clocked and we will always prosecute.”

Consumers need to be cautious when purchasing a used vehicle and seek confirmation of any claims or descriptions prior to purchase.

Oldham Council Press release feed

January 2013