Car dealers are sometimes perceived as 'dodgy charlatans' more crooked than an MP's expenses claim. It's thought these heartless monsters simply grab the cash and refuse to help if your beloved car develops a fault. However, my friend recently had an experience which reinstated his faith in the motor trade.

My friend bought a vehicle from an independent dealer. It drove beautifully and was totally reliable - for one month. At this point the vehicle developed a fault. The dashboard lit-up like a Christmas tree and it spluttered to an undignified halt. The engine restarted but the fault reoccured several times over the following weeks.

The spluttering vehicle was therefore returned to the dealer. He diagnosed the fault as 'electrical' but was unable to be more specific. The dealer therefore sent the car to a specialist who replaced various parts - but failed to correct the fault. The dealer then discovered this fault had occurred in a handful of identical cars. However, these vehicles were not repaired as the garages couldn't isolate the problem.

To my friend's amazement the dealer therefore offered him a complete refund. He also sourced a similar vehicle, minus the fault, and supplied it at fair market value. So, not all dealers are dodgy money grabbers. Many of them are honest professionals simply earning a living.