A R700k Safety Risk: My Experience with the "Second Best" Dealership

Buying a car is meant to be a milestone a moment of progress. For me, this 2021 Toyota GR Yaris was supposed to be the vehicle that carried me into a new chapter of my life. This past December, I got married. It was a time that should have been defined by joy and looking toward the future with my wife.

Instead, every single day since I took delivery in July has been overshadowed by a R703,000 burden that has fundamentally disrupted our peace of mind.

​I didn’t just receive a "faulty" car; I was sold a vehicle that was legally and mechanically unroadworthy from the day it was handed over. Within a week of purchase, I discovered the tyres were worn down to the internal canvas and a cracked exhaust was leaking fumes into the cabin. These aren't just my opinions; the Regional Manager of DEKRA has admitted in writing that the original roadworthy certificate was issued in "human error." A national testing authority has effectively had to disavow the safety of this car at the point of sale.

​What is most distressing is the lack of transparency I encountered. Information I’ve gathered suggests that the dealership was actually alerted to the poor condition of the tyres prior to the sale, yet this was never disclosed to me. When I asked to see the inspection report during the process, I was refused. I was also told the car had "run-flat" tyres to explain why there was no spare wheel a claim that turned out to be completely inaccurate.

​Since August, I’ve been trapped in a financial nightmare. I am paying R11,500 every month for a car that is unsafe to drive, plus insurance for an asset that just sits there. We are moving our entire lives to Cape Town in April, and we are being forced to do it with this massive weight hanging over us. The only "solution" offered was a patchwork repair to weld a performance exhaust and replace only two tyres—an offer that fails to address the material breach of the original agreement.

​I originally took down my previous reviews because I wanted to believe in a fair, human resolution. I was wrong to wait. This dealership has a documented history with the National Consumer Tribunal regarding CPA violations, and it is clear that lessons have not been learned.

​To the team at WP Motors: I am done with "repair" offers. I am a husband with a new life to build, and I am seeking the full restitution that the law demands. My file is in the final stages at MIOSA, my evidence is documented, and I am no longer willing to stay silent while my family’s stability is ignored.

​If you value your safety or your sanity, please be careful. This is what happens when a business makes a "human error," but expects the customer to pay the price for it.