The Vauxhall Vivaro-e, an electric van introduced to meet growing demand for eco-friendly commercial vehicles, was commonly sold on
Personal Contract Purchase (PCP) and
Hire Purchase (HP) finance agreements during the Financial Conduct Authority's (FCA) investigation period from 6 April 2007 to 1 November 2024. This investigation uncovered significant issues with
discretionary commission arrangements that affected millions of motor finance agreements across various makes and models, including the Vauxhall Vivaro-e.
How the Vauxhall Vivaro-e was Typically Financed
The Vauxhall Vivaro-e, a popular choice for businesses seeking an electric solution for their fleet needs, is often financed through Personal Contract Purchase (PCP) or Hire Purchase (HP) agreements. These finance options typically range from £20,000 to £45,000 and span terms of 36 to 60 months. Common lenders providing financing for the Vauxhall Vivaro-e include
Black Horse,
Lombard,
Close Brothers Motor Finance, and Hitachi Capital Vehicle Solutions.
In PCP agreements for the Vauxhall Vivaro-e, customers often pay monthly instalments with a final balloon payment due at the end of the agreement, which may cover any remaining value or act as a deposit towards another vehicle. This arrangement allows businesses to manage cash flow while providing flexibility in disposing of or trading up from their electric van.
The FCA Motor Finance Investigation
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) launched an investigation into motor finance agreements during the period from 6 April 2007 to 1 November 2024. This probe uncovered widespread mis-selling practices, particularly in relation to discretionary commission arrangements between lenders and dealerships. These practices led to financial losses for consumers, with an estimated £7.5 billion (FCA, March 2026) being overcharged across 12.1 million eligible agreements (FCA, March 2026). The average loss per affected agreement was around £829 (FCA estimate).
The investigation revealed that many Vauxhall Vivaro-e owners may have been sold their vehicles under unfair terms due to these discretionary commissions, which were often hidden from customers and added to the cost of their finance agreements without proper disclosure.
How to Check Your Agreement Firstly, check the dates of your agreement; it must fall within the FCA’s investigation period from 6 April 2007 to 1 November 2024. look for terms like "Discretionary Commission Arrangement" (DCA) or similar phrases that indicate additional fees may have been added without your knowledge.
To verify if your agreement was affected, consult the documentation you received at the time of purchase and compare it with any subsequent correspondence from your lender regarding changes to your finance plan. If you find discrepancies or suspect mis-selling, review your contract closely for any clauses related to discretionary commissions or additional fees that were not clearly explained during the sale process.
If you believe your Vauxhall Vivaro-e’s finance agreement was affected by unfair practices, you can complain directly to your lender without incurring costs. Common lenders offering financing options for the Vauxhall Vivaro-e include Black Horse, Lombard, Close Brothers Motor Finance, and Hitachi Capital Vehicle Solutions.
When lodging a complaint, provide clear details of any discrepancies or misleading information found in your finance agreement. Ensure you submit all relevant documentation to support your case. You do not need a
claims management company; complaining directly is straightforward and free of charge. The lender should respond within 30 days, providing an initial acknowledgment followed by a full investigation into the matter.
Sources and References
- Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), 2024
- Office for National Statistics Census (ONS Census) 2021
Based on 226,265 MOT tests conducted in 2024 (source: DVSA anonymised test data), the Vauxhall Vivaro has a pass rate of 69.4%. This is below the national average of 79.6%, meaning the Vivaro has a higher-than-average failure rate in MOT testing.
The Vivaro pass rate is slightly below the overall Vauxhall average of 76.6%. The average mileage at MOT for this model is 120,873 miles.
- MOT pass rate: 69.4%
- MOT failure rate: 30.6%
- Tests analysed: 226,265 (2024 DVSA data)
- Average mileage at test: 120,873 miles
- Vauxhall average pass rate: 76.6%
- National average pass rate: 79.6%
Data source: DVSA anonymised MOT test results 2024, published under the Open Government Licence v3.0.