I was sold a car with a Missing Gear ?!? - UPDATE

Undercoverguy

Interceptor wrote:

If the gearbox was replaced, the ratio for 5th is THE SAME as the ratio for 6th so there will be no difference in performance, just less gear changing. A second hand 6sp box costs >€600 and a 5sp<€150 with the 6sp being as rare as rocking horse poop.

The gears are cable-shifted so unless a selector fork is bent then I doubt its a 'box problem - no linkages to bend/fall off.

My bet is its a 5sp sporting with the wrong gearknob - its a nice colour too - pity about your gate/door interface OP.

'cptr

The repair job:
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=51585633#post51585633

colm_mcm

Aren't Sporting models supposed to have a sunroof?

Are you sure yours isn't an "Active Sound" model, which is basically a Sporting lookalike. any chance of a picture of the engine bay?

Undercoverguy

WEIRD!!!!! It Does.... I'm looking at it now

colm_mcm

only reason I ask is it doesn't seem to have one here



there is a model called Active Sound that looks exactly like a Sporting, but has a 5 speed gearbox and 8 valve engine, just wanna rule out the possibility that that's what you have

http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=352538

Undercoverguy

Nah, Its deffo a Sporting.

Log Book stated it as a 16v Punto Sporting
Engine is a 1.2 16v Engine
Interior - Bucket Seats, Dash, Steering Wheel and materials are all Sporting
Sound system and built-in sub in boot are same as standard sporting
Alloys, Chassis details and reg informotion are all for sporting
My brother owns a MK3 Sporting mine's a MK2 so dispite some TINY differences (2 lights on dash) their identical!

Trust me..... A Sporting it is lol

colm_mcm

cool. just seen a few lookalikes for sale.

You should try and either get another Sporting in return, or your money back.
That one doesn't sound great to me. you really need the 6 speed box.

Undercoverguy

Hey Guys,

Update on this whole 6th gear issue... The never ending story!
I was getting nowhere fast with the garage and i reckon they were just hopeing i would kinda go away so i decided to go out and visit the salesman who sold me this "car" and i made him the offer that I'd keep the car under these 2 conditions:

1) A letter for the garage stating that if/whenever i decided to trade the car into them that it would be accepted as a Punto Sporting and valued as such.

2) Another years warranty on the car (engine and gearbox) should any problems come about from what i was guessing was somewhat a strain at top speed.

So two simple enough terms i thought..... The garage rejected both!

Instead they wanted to check the gearbox themselves and if THEY felt that a problem would develop before the end of the warranty they'd replace the gearbox. So i said grand, because i knew the gear box was on its was out and this would mean I'd FINALLY get my 6-Speed..... or would i?
It was only as the call progressed that i discovered that if they ruled that a new gearbox was going to be needed before the end of the warranty that they replace it with ANOTHER 5-SPEED!!!! But surely this is only delaying the problem right until the warranty is up?!?! :mad: Correct me if I'm wrong.

So i hung up and called my solicitor and arranged a meeting for the next day.
They next day i met up and he agreed that the case would be in very much my favor and that the least that could expect would be a FULL refund plus solicitors costs. He also arranged for someone from FIAT Ireland to carry out a inspection on my car before he proceeded with anything. A few days later i left my car in for a few hours to FIAT Ireland guys and the end result report said was that the gearbox was not suitable for a FIAT let alone a Punto and that with prolonged use either the gearbox would blow or extensive damage to the engine would arise.
They also said that the garages plan to pull out a unsuitable gearbox and replace it with another unsuitable gearbox was idiotic. :rolleyes:

Once i had my car back i had to leave it into the garage I'd bought the car from to get the brakes done because they'd been getting worse over the last few days.
While i was checking the car in the general manager approached me and before he even got a "Hello! I told him that the case was handed over and that anything in relation with the car had to go through the solicitor and then i promptly walked away leaving my car behind for the break repairs.
A couple of hours later i called the service dept:

Me: "Hi, I'm just calling to check if the Blue Sporting will be ready by tomorrow"
Service Girl: "Hold on i just check....."
(Hold Music lol)
Service Girl: "Yea the breaks are done by I've no idea when the car will be ready because there looking for a new gearbox for it"
Me: "5 Speed or 6?
Girl: "I've no idea best call back tomorrow because were closed now and none of the mechanics are about"
---- END OF CALL

---

The things that rushed through my head!
Had my solicitor been in talks yet?
Had a big problem been found with the gearbox?
But most of all WAS IT A SIX SPEED?!?!?


The next morning on my way to work via Dublin Bus i got a call from the salesman:

After the initial "Hello"....

Salesman: "I've a little good news for ya"
Me: "Enlighten me" (Getting ready for the "Did i not tell you to deal with my solicitor" speech)
Salesman: "We all sat around yesterday and decided that we don't wanna go down the same road you want to go down"
Me: "Except for me of course, I've no problem with that road..."
Salesman: "Well anyway we've decided to try find a six speed gearbox and put it in, were just about to order it now from the parts dept"
Me: *SMUG SMILE* :cool:

FINALLY I WON!!!! A result and a good one, but i'm not outta the woods yet. Interesting thing tho is that i called the solicitor and he told me that he never contacted the garage because he was still waiting for the official report to come in from FIAT Ireland about the car and that my garage never contacted him.... So they must have just got scare when i mentions the "S" word and decided to shut me up

All this was only about 2 days ago, I'm gonna call tomorrow to see how things are coming along and how long I'll be waiting.

What you guys think?
Its not over yet tho, Still have to get my car back in one piece and with a proper gearbox lol!

HAD A WHOLE OTHER NIGHTMARE GETTING A LONER CAR THO!!!!

TempestSabre

I think I would have continued with the solictor to get a full refund and costs.

I wouldn't trust that garage an inch based on their muppertry thus far. Ditto any warranty they give you on anything.

mloc123

what about your solicitor fees etc.?

ninty9er

You should also go back to FIAT Ireland about getting this outfit stripped of the franchise and check the car over again to make sure it is a FIAT 6 speed and not something totally unsuitable agian.

Bring your solicitor when collecting the car

bringoutthegimp

Sorry mate, and I mean absolutely no offence when I say this, but you would be absolutely crazy to continue hoping to get that car sorted out by that garage. I don't think I would be able to drive away in it feeling satisfied no matter WHAT they did.

My tuppence.. keep your solicitor involved, get yourself a full refund plus costs, and go find the car you want from a different dealer, perhaps through more official FIAT channels.

ZENER

I'd have to agree with the last poster, you could never be confident with whatever they did considering what they've already attempted to dump you with.

Another thing, have you tried to get in touch with the previous owner ? Maybe they had the same issues and demanded the garage take the car back. It's no skin off their nose to tell you the cars history.

ZEN

pa daly

TempestSabre wrote:

I think I would have continued with the solictor to get a full refund and costs.

I wouldn't trust that garage an inch based on their muppertry thus far. Ditto any warranty they give you on anything.

Ya I agree. Its not worth all the hassel. You should be looking for your money back and nothing else.

I presume if you are going to keep the car, then you will have to pay the solicitor/Fiat Ireland fees??

SouperComputer

Get your money back + fees.

Judging from what you are saying, these guys are dangerous. Not a hope in hell I would trust a car that was worked on or sold by them.

Kimbot

Dude, I wouldn't let them get your car sorted if I were you!! They shouldn't have to TRY source you a six speed gear box they should just be able to order it!! If I were you I would go the route of your solicitor because you were messed around from the start with them!! Even speak to your solicitor about the whole issue and get advice from him because they sold you a dodgy car and you paid in full expecting it to be a Sporting model when it wasn't!!

zilog_jones

Why did you take the car back to these obvious cowboys to get the brakes done? WHY?!

Fey!

zilog_jones wrote:

Why did you take the car back to these obvious cowboys to get the brakes done? WHY?!

Becasue if he didn't, they could turn around and say that he's voided his warranty, and that all the problems are the fault of the other garage.

Henry Ford III

Stop messing around. Get a refund in full plus your legal fees.

Rudolph Claus

Sorry mate, and I mean absolutely no offence when I say this, but you would be absolutely crazy to continue hoping to get that car sorted out by that garage. I don't think I would be able to drive away in it feeling satisfied no matter WHAT they did.

My tuppence.. keep your solicitor involved, get yourself a full refund plus costs, and go find the car you want from a different dealer, perhaps through more official FIAT channels.

Agree 100%. Tell them they can keep their dodgy car, it`ll break your heart. Go buy a cheap jap like you should have done from the word go. 1.4civic or something.

Undercoverguy

Well the basic reason why i'm still with this garage is that the warrenty still stands and that i not only need this car but i spent so long looking for one!
I cant afford to spend another second looking for this car, and its not like i havnt looked either. I had 5 Major FIAT delaers looking for this car as well as checks on Carzone, CBG and Autotrader. Not to mention buy and sell and just general car shopping..... The Sporting i did find were all in bits, horrible colour and not under warrenty.

I dont know if im allowed to mention the dealer name but i can say that this is a MAJOR FIAT dealer and not some little "down the lane garage".
I rarely see FIATs in my area without these guys written on the back of it.
!'ve 10 months of warrenty after this gearbox and i plan to use it for every penny i can. If there is so much as a "hum" i dont like i'll take the car back.

So far the record the garage have of the car since the trade in date is valued at over 2,000 euro.

*** Before I Bought It***

- 2 Panels Replaces
- Air Condition System Replaced/Repaired
- Timing Belt
- New Exhaust
- Refit of Standard FIAT Stereo and Sub
- 4 New Tyres


*** Since I Bought It ***
- Fuel Injection System
- Passenger Seat belt (My fault)
- New Clutch
- Gear Oli
- Talelight/Headlights
- Radiator Fan
- 1 TINY Electrical Fault with the Interior Light


Not including the New Gear Box Soon..... HOPEFULLY! :d

TempestSabre

Are you sure you didn't buy the Airfix version? :eek:

MercMad

Like the others I would get my money back !

This car must have had an accident and was basically put back together using cheap parts fitted in a sloppy fasion !

I also doubt very much they will put in a brand new gearbox, that would cost about €3500, they'll find a 2nd hand 6-speed, and that may be fine, but you'll always have problems with this car, and since your Solicitor is on the case I would take his advise and ONLY his advice. Do not speak to the garage again directly !

SouperComputer

UG, you are nuts! The car has a legacy of issues and neglect. The dealer is untrustworthy and incompetant. Its a lemon! At this stage I would be worried from a safety point of view

The Sporting i did find were all in bits, horrible colour and not under warrenty.

What you have now may not be much better. The warranty is clearly not worth the paper it's written on from these guys. It also says to me, that the general condition of these cars in Ireland is poor and that the one you have doesnt seem to be an exception. You are asking for trouble.

You should look at a different car, or consider perhaps importing this model from the UK.

10 month "warranty" is great, what if you have major problems after 12? I ask this because it judging from the history of the car, its fairly likely that somthing will go wrong.

Seriously, cut your losses. Get your money back and forget about this particular model in Ireland.

TempestSabre

SouperComputer wrote:

....Seriously, cut your losses. Get your money back and forget about this particular model in Ireland.

Couldn't agree more.

Undercoverguy

Well i've gotten my letter from the garage stating the whole "Its a Sporting and noting less" and i never intended on keeping he car for a year so ideally i'd trade the car in within the last few weeks of warrenty so i'll always be covered....

I'm calling the garage to see how things are coming tomorrow... I;ll keep yas posted.

Undercoverguy

Finally i've gotten my car and new gearbox!
So far so good, it got a full service, new tyres, clutch and the gearbox!!

So right now EVERYTHING in the car is running soothly and i've had the car a quick look over by another local fiat dealer and they say its a proper Sporting box and that it certainly wasnt a sloppy job... Could the garage have changed there tune with the threat of legal action lol

TempestSabre

Unlikely. You'll not get one dealer to bad mouth another one, especially of the same badge.

k974

how did you not spot it in the first place when you test drove the car, i know too sportings one went thru 3 gearboxes and 1 head gasket 2 clutchs before 70k and one had 2 gearboxes before around 90k. there a ball of 5h1t. not critising anyone who buys one up to themselves but when you do you know your getting a soft car

mloc123

Out of interest what size engine do these have to warrant a 6 speed box?

bazz26

mloc123 wrote:

Out of interest what size engine do these have to warrant a 6 speed box?

1.2 litre afaik.