Rights when buying from garage?

damo605

Hi - Meant to post this a few hours earlier but went on the beer instead
A very good friend of mine bought a 00 Bora a few weeks back from a main dealer (Not VW) and even though the car checked out good a few things have shown up: Car hadn't been serviced in a (long) while.... Filters were BLACK, plugs were knackered, etc. and now for the biggie: timing belt is fecked, plenty of the small cracks all along its surface and well visible to the naked eye - can't be much left in it to be honest and I know feck-all. Car has about 64k miles on the clock and drove lovely until yesterday and the check engine light came on and it's idling bad, smooth/silent, then bad noise, then smooth/silent (This is when we started to have a good look into things)! Anyone suggest how to approach the garage? They obviously don't give a fcuk and must have been taking a chance that the timing belt would have lasted the 6 months (Serious gambling problem these guys have) - As definitely not a hope as this chick uses her car for work - I'm heading down to the garage with her in the morning and she wants me to do the talking... So, any ideas where we stand? What can we ask them to fix/sort? Are they under any obligation? Would it be wise to go ballistic at them if they don't promise to sort things out? I'm really p11sed at them for trying to screw her so I'll be aiming into the whole thing mad and hungover - just want to know if anyone has had a similar experience and what's to be expected and where do we stand?
Thanks! Reply before midday Saturday if possible as that when we're going in for the kill (Or the killing)......

Stephen

As she bought from a main dealer, the car should be covered by some kind of warranty, so they should fix the problem without needing to be "persuaded". It is well dodgy that they sold it in that condition. Which marque is the dealer's main trade?

damo605

They're main Skoda dealers! 6 month warranty came with the car, it's only been 3 or 4 weeks since she bought it but her Da is afraid that even if we persuade them to do the timing belt they'll only do the bare belt and not the pulleys and tensioners which is a fair point....

highdef

Garage should fix all the problems that you weren't aware of. That's why you pay the xtra money than for a private deal - You have a fall back. One thing though:
"timing belt is fecked, plenty of the small cracks all along its surface and well visible to the naked eye - can't be much left in it to be honest and I know feck-all"
I'm not very good in terms of car mechanics but if I'm not mistaken the timing belt is not normally easy to see (I have a chain rather that a belt and the engine has to be disassembled to some point before you can get to the timing chain). Are you sure you are not just looking at fan belt?

damo605

Good point boss but it's the timing belt alright - We mightn't know much but we know that difference alright BTW - VW should be shot for what's entailed in changing the t. belt - "How to make it hard for Joe Soap 101" B4sterad :mad: Between the special tools required and threading it around the engine mounts, bloody nasty I reckon!

Lord Nikon

The car shouldn't have left the forecourt in that condition, either should mine for that matter.

I would a). Bring the car back and tell them it's idling noisily, get them so sort that out at least.

b). Alot of garages will put the milage on the timing belt cover, 40k is the minimum i think. Ask the garage do they know when it was last done, if not remind them what state it's in.

I was given a 3month warrenty with my car from a dealer, and it was 4 years old.

If your female friend bought the car on your own, the dealer probably though they could get away with the car "surviving" for a few weeks until the warrenty expired.

Read the contract, should be some mention of a warranty in it.

damo605

Got a result from the garage but it wasn't easy. The dealer's first response about the check engine light was not to worry at all about that, sure that'll come on in new cars :eek: That made me so mad that I laid into him about the state of the car, etc. etc. and finally he gave in and has promised to fix all the problems and also do the timing belt, with all ancillaries including water pump with free loan car while the work is being done, all under warranty
It's an awfull thing to say but, judging from his attitude, if she had gone to the garage on her own I don't think she would've had a hope of getting any satisfaction.... Chauvinism is still alive and kicking in the motor trade in Ireland by the looks of things, certainly at this dealership anyway :mad:

bp_me

The sale of goods and supply of services act requires goods to be "of merchantable quality" when bought.

This does apply to second hand goods, though I believe harder to define. It sounds to me however that the engine wasnt as such when bought.

knifey_spoonie

Tge car shouldent have left the forecourt in that state. the garage should have done a full service and check out tryes belts ect. she was lucky it was under warenty

What year was the car.??

damo605

It's '00