Amigo Cars La marina

Has anyone had a bad experience in dealing with Amigo Cars?
We actually bought not one but two cars 2 months ago - neither of which are what they seemed to be. The owner of Amigo Cars promised us everything would be fixed, and 6 weeks later the car is still in the workshop untouched because the mechanic is waiting on instructions. Today we were down at the place of business and were told he'd changed his mind about fixing the cars and to .... off by both his wife and him! The cars were overpriced in the first place and we paid far too much for them but looked in good order, as the one reportedly had a new engine, and the other had been owned by one lady since it was new and had only 30000 on the clock - neither of which is true. he advertises that "you come here as strangers but leave us as friends"..well I can inform him that he has lost two! I sincerely hope that the new department he is opening in Torrevieja this month will remove this humbug of a person from La marina, and I strongly advise everyone to keep well away. We have been told it is a useless exercise to do a "denuncia" as he has had so many and nothing has ever come of them. What to do? Swallow the fact and let him carry on duping people??

La Marina

Sadly you are not the first people this has happened too.... He is moving to Torrevieja because he has been trading there for some years without ever applying for an opening licence and recently the men in light blue caught up him. Previously He (Christian) traded from a unit in Guardamar, after having been closed down at another site in La Marina Village, prior to that he was at the Petrol station La Marina Urb now Club Cars, prior to that he was a partner at Autoprofi La Marina. The common theme in all these business's is that he buys bad Part exchange cars in Germany very cheaply (they are almost scrap) transports them to Spain, repaints them, clocks them, so they are shiny & low mileage, imports them ( a consideration to a man @ the ITV means they all pass easily, perhaps) and voila ready for retail!

Commented zenophant in La Marina 2014-07-15 17:45:24 UTC

Wonder how one could prove he'd clocked them? I had already figured out the bit about buying off the ITV because we had to wait about 3 weeks to get one of them registered as "the ITV man was on holiday" (There's only ONE ITV man???) The other car reputed to have 30000 on the clock has already had problems with the starter..which it shouldn't only having done that much. Ford Focus) But what to do? he can't talk to customers like that and get away with it...

Commented alison in La Marina 2014-07-15 19:00:02 UTC

It would be interesting to see if there is a Hpi type set up in Germany.sure it could be done by chassis number as cars in Germany change number plates every time they are sold.

Commented zenophant in La Marina 2014-07-15 19:08:36 UTC

I don't know what an HPi type is, so I wouldn't know where to begin, but one thing I DO know is that he is not going to get away with it any longer, this swindlery. I will pursue it to the end. I was thinking if he is systematically paying someone at ITV to pass the cars, the signature of that particular person would be on the cars they had passed - and if they all belong to Chris - well... Very difficult to prove it was he who has clocked the car though.. He'd just say well it must have been before I bought it...

Commented alison in La Marina 2014-07-16 07:08:31 UTC

Many people have reported putting in a car for part exchange with him then a few weeks later seeing it with up to 70,000 K less. As we all know you can get away with anything if you pay the right people. He is not unusual by a long way.

Commented johnmckernanjnr in La Marina 2014-07-16 11:53:27 UTC

Yes, but how to stop him is what I want to know!! I'll make it my life's mission, lol! Seeing a lawyer at the end of the week. Other than picketing outside his premises with a big sign, or breaking his other leg, I am bereft of ideas!
If anyone has any ideas I am all ears! Pity its so difficult to prove about the ITVs and speedos...

Commented alison in La Marina 2014-07-16 12:48:30 UTC

We bought 2 cars from Chris over 6 years ago when he was based at the petrol station in la marina. We dud experience a couple of problems, my dad's car needed new brakes and was taken to his friends garage in Guardamar to be done. A week later my Dad called the garage to find Chris had not paid so they had not even started the job. My Dad asked them to do the work and paid himself. My cars air con was not working and Chris said he would re gas it for me nearer to the summer, by then of course he had moved on. My husband also worked for him for 1 month, but it then took about 3 months to get any wages from him. All said and done I have to say we still have the cars and have had no problems with them....touch wood, just the usual repairs over the 6 years.
I have just purchased a new car from Coches Guardamar in La Marina and I have to say that has been a very good experience, with all paperwork completed before I even picked the car up!
Good luck with getting something done.

Commented Nikki in La Marina 2014-07-16 16:19:15 UTC

Well I don't think there is any more wrong with the cars here either, it is the principal of it all.. and we can get it all fixed - but why should we have to pay for it when he promised us he would! He also asked my son if he wanted to work for him too, but we thought it might be hard to get money out of him! And its no fun working with a dodgy guy because mud sticks, doesn't it...But its good to hear someone who got out of dealing with him all in one piece, haha!

Commented alison in La Marina 2014-07-16 18:05:27 UTC

Can anyone tip me about a good lawyer for criminal cases? I don't intend to let him get away with it..The sooner I find one the better. Thought I had found one in Torrevieja but he does mostly property sales and tax... Speaking of tax, perhaps the tax guys would be interested in him too, haha! The receipts you get are not numbered and the cash goes straight in a metal box....Mmmm....

Commented alison in La Marina 2014-07-18 16:03:42 UTC

Best I have come across is Oscor Ricor Morales 687 888873. Think his email is [email protected] He is on facebook also

Commented Have A Nice Day in La Marina 2014-07-18 16:19:24 UTC

Thank you for that! Have a nice day, I will look him up Monday. Does he speak English? my Spanish isn't very good...

Commented alison in La Marina 2014-07-19 07:10:26 UTC

Just a footnote in the saga of Amigo cars - the Ford Focus 2002 automatic he sold me for 3000 euros plus my old Peugeot station wagon was T boned the other day by a couple of young girls hurrying to get to the airport..Their fault..but I have just had a call from their insurance company asking if I would prefer to write it off or fix it, as it is on the limit for fixing...How much would I get for it?, I asked...About 1350 euros they replied.. The insurance goes on the year model and nothing else, they told me... So in other words I suffer a 3000 euro loss just because these two giggling birds drove right out and into the car without looking?? Doesn't seem fair... I know I paid too much for it but its as new and very low mileage, so it has to be worth more than 1350?? Or is that perhaps the offer the insurance has had from the panel beaters? Forgive me if I sound a trifle suspicious...

Commented alison in La Marina 2014-08-06 13:06:12 UTC

If you believe your car has low mileage and think it is worth more insist it gets repaired.

Commented johnmckernanjnr in La Marina 2014-08-06 13:25:16 UTC

Can I insist on getting a similar replacement? Don't know what the law is here...but I defy them to be able to buy a car like mine was in condition for under 2500 - 3500 at the very least as there are other cars around the same for sale. I am wwith Linea Directa but the Goldcar hire car they drove was with some obscure company. Km is questionable seeing as it was an "Amigo" car but the service manual is in the car from new and in 2009 it had only gone 12000! So maybe this one is genuine..

Commented alison in La Marina 2014-08-07 06:37:07 UTC

I would think insurance company's go on trade value and if they have offered to repair the car then that would be the way to go, unless of course you were hoping to get the money back what you paid for it (no chance there)

Commented 2nd Casa in La Marina 2014-08-07 16:31:42 UTC

No I know theres no chance of getting the money I paid for it, but I thought at least it would be replacement value..otherwise there's no point in being insured...especially when I am the injured party. In other words anyone can just drive into you willy nilly and you suffer for it?? That's not much of a fair deal..

Commented alison in La Marina 2014-08-07 17:02:15 UTC

Same as the UK they don't give replacement value, just trade value unless you take out an add on of gap insurance.

Commented 2nd Casa in La Marina 2014-08-07 21:16:01 UTC

Interesting..They didn't offer me that option at all either. In Australia if you have full insurance, that's what you get - replacement value. Now Im worried if anything happens to the house - fire, earthquake.. you name it - because they say the value of houses in Spain have gone down so terribly- that you could end up with half the market value. my understanding is that you get enough to rebuild the house to its former state, but maybe not, after this experience! You insure your possessions to feel secure and pay good money to them - in 5 years I have never made a claim - but it looks like "things are seldom what they seem" in the words of the great G&S!

Commented alison in La Marina 2014-08-08 06:11:37 UTC

To true insurance is minefield you don't know what to ask till its to late and they will not guide you they just refer to the small "how we get out of it" print that is longer than war and peace rewritten to suit every situation for them

Commented 2nd Casa in La Marina 2014-08-08 10:18:17 UTC

Have just had a call to say they are going to fully repair the car to its formal glory and the competition have taken on the blame..I should bl...y think so too! Now I have the courtesy car for one week more - will they or won't they be able to fix it in a week?? Watch this space...

Commented alison in La Marina 2014-08-08 11:14:20 UTC

I would pop in every day and make sure that they are actually working on it and it is not stuck in a corner.

Commented johnmckernanjnr in La Marina 2014-08-08 11:42:27 UTC

And that will probably tuck them right off and slow the job up

Commented 2nd Casa in La Marina 2014-08-08 11:49:44 UTC

If the insurance company are paying for a hired car they will want any info that the car is not being worked on. At our body shop insurance company customers are feared, you would not believe the pressure that the insurance companies apply to body shops.

Commented johnmckernanjnr in La Marina 2014-08-09 11:20:22 UTC

Didn't know there was a body shop in La Ma or obviously I would have got the grua to tow it there. Think the delay has been that the other insurance delayed sending their guy out to assess the car until the 6th day! But they had better do a good job for the car was as new! Time will tell!

Commented alison in La Marina 2014-08-09 12:31:59 UTC

For your information, Amigo Cars have now closed and moved to Torrevieja, somewhere behind Iceland.

Commented info in La Marina 2014-08-12 12:49:14 UTC

yes thanks -I have already the new address! I'm keeping tracks on him, no worries!! Just hope we manage to get him out of business one way or another before he dupes more unsuspecting people!

Commented alison in La Marina 2014-08-12 14:00:28 UTC

Do you realise that Claudio of Corleone cars has been imprisoned while the check the claims that he has been clocking cars, so there is a major investigation going on, maybe they would like to hear your input.

Commented johnmckernanjnr in La Marina 2014-08-12 15:26:41 UTC

Very Interesting..didn't know that... I perhaps should inform the lawyer, but is it only hearsay or can anyone verify it? That is why I want the car to go to an official Volvo place - as they have instruments to check exactly that.

Commented alison in La Marina 2014-08-12 16:56:21 UTC

It was in last weeks local papers and all his sites have Guardia tape around them and have been shut for over 2 weeks.

Commented johnmckernanjnr in La Marina 2014-08-12 18:51:06 UTC

The one down in the village has been emptied almost, but what about his new one in Torrevieja C/ Maria Humildad Jimenez Garcia 34?? Sure we are talking about the same person Chris Durring of Amigo Cars? because if so yes I probably should go to the police..Might be chasing rainbows then getting any money out of him...

Commented alison in La Marina 2014-08-12 20:16:33 UTC

No its no Amigo cars its Corleone Cars but there is a major investigation with regards most of the cars being clocked.

Commented johnmckernanjnr in La Marina 2014-08-13 07:27:19 UTC

I don't no what's your problem with amigo cars; we by the last year's 3 Car's and all what Cristian say would be done in quick time's, when if got a problem they help me and doo all for my mobility. Whe are happy costumers !!! I think it's the wrong way to talk bad about him.

Commented josespain in La Marina 2014-09-14 16:02:17 UTC

Well Jose, perhaps you are privileged, that is all I can say. he has more enemies than friends that is for sure...

Commented alison in La Marina 2014-09-14 18:21:49 UTC

Regarding defunct Amigo Cars...Mr.Christian Korring has died apparently, some time in the last year. I bought a Renault Megane off him for €2000 in 2014, it included ITV, Insurance and Suma paid till June this year. Decent enough deal, until I discovered he hadn't bothered to do the paperwork handover so I was the new owner, consequently I can't get it insured through the proper channels. I've had to go to ExPat Solutions to get everything sorted out. These characters are dinosours, why are they allowed to operate in Spain like this?...wondering if he really is dead ???...mmm!!

Commented mikeyjay49 in La Linea 2015-08-31 18:27:52 UTC