Buying a new car turned out to be a nightmare for Colin Esson, who found himself caught in a neverending legal battle after purchasing a BMW X4 five years ago. 

Colin, 58, from Lower Stratton, said that shortly after purchasing the motor from BMW Dick Lovett in Swindon in May 2017 it was booked in for a scheduled safety check and found to have an oil leak in the gearbox.

This fault was first discovered in September of that year which was also when the first attempt was made to fix it.

Multiple further attempts were made to repair it over the course of several years but an MOT test showed it still remained in 2021.

"I was no longer confident that the car could be repaired and I was deeply unhappy with the service I'd received up until that point," Colin said. 

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This led to him raising a formal complaint to BMW Financial Services (BMWFS) in February 2021.

He requested a full refund of his credit agreement because the car was sold to him in an unsatisfactory way, but the car company responded a month later and disagreed.  

The case was eventually referred to the Ombudsman in April 2021 who ruled in Colin's favour and said BMWFS should provide a refund and allow him to return the car.

The decision was then challenged and a second Ombudsman ruling was made in October, once again, in his favour.

BMWFS were told to buy the car back for the £39,586 sum that Mr Esson paid, reducing the figure by £236.43 for every full month he has owned the car.

They were told to collect the car at no cost to Mr Esson, pay him £150 compensation and remove any adverse credit reports. 

The troublesome car remains on Colin's driveway as BMWFS wanted to collect it and take it away to check its condition before paying up, which Colin has refused.

He said: "I have been disgusted with this as it has gone on for so long that I just don't trust them.

"It's taken up so much of my life for almost half a decade and it's heavily affected my mental health."

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Frustrated at the latest impasse, Colin printed his complaint (covered up in the picture) onto his car and parked it outside BMW Dick Lovett in protest but he is still no closer to the issue being resolved. 

"It's all been so unnecessary. I can't believe it's been allowed to fester to where we are today, all I ever wanted is for them to fix my car."

A spokesperson from BMW Dick Lovett said: "Our client is not a party to the Ombudsman report and provided no evidence.

"It has no further comment to make."