When Kevin Doyle drove his new BMW from a garage forecourt, he was happy with his hot deal.
But pleasure turned to terror when it burst into flames on a slip road.
Minutes earlier, the 58-year-old, from Epsom, Surrey, had picked up the three-year-old £15,000 BMW 2.20i Sport from Cowley Motor Company in Moss Nook, Manchester.
Inferno: Flames turn the BMW 2.20i into a fireball
He was pulling on to the M6 when the engine cut out. When he lifted the bonnet he saw flames.
‘Within a minute, two minutes max, the thing was an inferno. It was incredibly quick,’ he said.
‘This could have happened to a young family with two young children strapped in the back. I don’t think you would have got the kids out in time.’
He added: ‘I just had a feeling of numbness and not believing what was going on.
Kevin Doyle (pictured), who runs Surrey Downs Motor Company, decided to buy the car – with the intention of later selling on to a client – after seeing an advert on AutoTrader
‘This was the sort of thing that you maybe read about but you don’t ever expect to happen to you.
‘I just couldn’t help thinking my daughter Jessica, who occasionally picks up vehicles for me, could have been driving the car and she might not have known to get out immediately.
Mr Doyle, who runs Surrey Downs Motor Company, decided to buy the car – with the intention of later selling on to a client – after seeing an advert on AutoTrader.
He paid £15,000 for the three-year-old vehicle which had 20,000 miles on the clock.
‘The car was outside the showroom and all nice and clean and shiny; it looked very proper,’ he said.
Doyle was pulling on to the M6 when the engine cut out. When he lifted the bonnet he saw flames. ‘Within a minute, two minutes max, the thing was an inferno. It was incredibly quick,’ he said
‘I’ve been dealing with cars my whole working life, through pleasure and business, but I’ve never had anything happen like this before. It was quite daunting.’
Mr Doyle, who is married with three children, was hoping to have a smooth journey home as he had booked a table at a restaurant to celebrate the 22nd birthday of his daughter Natasha but had to get a taxi and several trains so arrived late in the evening.
The manager at Cowley Motors, Danny Cawley, said he had been in contact with Mr Doyle and BMW and the German car giant were sending investigators to look into the fire.
‘We can’t really comment at all until the investigation is concluded,’ he said.
A spokesman for BMW confirmed it was looking into the matter and said an independent insurer would investigate.