In the latest motor trade news, Cazoo, the beleaguered used car dealer, has come under heavy fire from BBC1's Watchdog programme due to concerns over the quality of its vehicles.

This isn't the first time Watchdog, which has been running since 1985, has taken a swipe at Cazoo. They previously raised issues about the firm's 300 point checks last April.

During the recent episode of the One Show, the spotlight fell on two unhappy Cazoo customers, sharing their less-than-pleasant experiences.

First off was Hannah Buckley, who excitedly purchased a Fiat 500 Abarth from the online disruptor on February 24 this year. Alas, her enthusiasm was short-lived, as she faced a battery debacle the following month, with the car's battery going flat three separate times. Cazoo took the vehicle back to investigate the problem, but it took a frustratingly long two months before she got her Fiat back on July 13. Yet, the battery issue persisted, forcing Cazoo to collect the car once again. The worst part? Buckley had to bear all the expenses, leaving her carless and disheartened.

Another dissatisfied customer, Hannah Louise, purchased a Jaguar XE R Sport from Cazoo on April 7. Unfortunately, the car was delivered with the battery light already on, and Cazoo advised her to head to Kwik Fit to replace the battery. But the problems didn't end there. A month later, the car's dashboard "lit up like Blackpool Illuminations," prompting the RAC to strongly advise against driving it. It took another month for Cazoo to finally agree to replace the battery and parking sensors, but initially, they were only willing to pay for the parking sensors. Finally, on Tuesday of this week (July 25), they agreed to cover the battery costs.

Responding to the BBC's report, Cazoo stated that they've impressively sold "more than 130,000 cars online in the last three years" and boasted about their "great Trustpilot rating." Despite their stringent 300 point checks, they acknowledged that, on occasion, things can go awry, but they strive to resolve any issues promptly.

Cazoo's woes don't end there, as they're currently embroiled in discussions to restructure their crippling $630 million debt. This has led to the company withdrawing from certain sponsorship deals, being replaced by two major partners instead.

For those interested, the full BBC Watchdog feature can be viewed on BBC iPlayer, commencing at 07.41. Additionally, Car Dealer conducted their own investigation into Cazoo, available at the top of this story.

As of now, Cazoo remains tight-lipped in response to these criticisms and developments. How they tackle these challenges moving forward will undoubtedly be closely watched by both customers and industry insiders alike.

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