THE owner of a transport and logistics firm is calling on a car dealership to foot the bill for a new engine for a company car after it failed within weeks.

Ian Shepherd, who is a director of Torus Logistical Solutions, has slammed the customer service at Evans Halshaw after he was told he would have to pay £7,500 for a replacement engine after mechanics said it was caused by the car's oil life being exceeded.

However, the Stockton businessman said the Vauxhall Insignia had only done 5,400 miles since the company paid almost £15,000 for the second hand car – which only had 15,000 miles on the clock when they purchased it.

He said: "We had to get they RAC out and they said the engine oil was between maximum and minimum, they told me the turbo had failed. When we took it to Evans Halshaw they told us the oil was over the full level and that had caused the oil to be drawn into the turbo.

"Now we are being told that the engine oil life has been exceeded but we have only done 5,400 miles in the car since we picked up following a full service – so which one is it? I accept the oil light was reset but that was done after the car had broken down.

"We have been passed from pillar to post, from different customer services departments and we are just getting fobbed off all of the time.

"They don't seem to want to deal with my complaint and I will be taking it to trading standards to have them investigate their behaviour towards me and my company."

However, the company is adamant that the fault is not covered under warranty because the engine oil light had been reset after the car had been purchased from the Middlesbrough branch of Evans Halshaw.

Dave Banks, regional director for Vauxhall North East at Evans Halshaw, said: “The engine fault presented to us by Mr Shepherd has been assessed to be due to the oil life being exceeded, which can result in oil been drawn into the turbo.

“The customer’s vehicle is still covered under the manufacturer’s warranty and so, following standard procedures, our technicians referred the issue to Vauxhall, who came to inspect the car.

“Vauxhall have declined the warranty claim for this issue as the oil light on the vehicle has been reset since the car has left our dealership, voiding the warranty. As is standard procedure, we are following manufacturer advice and will help to get Mr Shepherd back on the road as soon as possible.”