urgent help needed please second hand car bought from i think trader!! PLEASE!!

[astraea]

hi
i am new to this site and have a major problem i am praying someone can help me with!
last wednesday i bought a second hand renault megane scenic s reg for £800 from an advert on auto trader- it was stated it was a trade sale on the ad but he actually trades from home.

anyway paid for the car he got me to sign a sold as seen slip everything looked good just had a full years mot done etc
got the car home about 35 miles away and the next mornig got up and hubby checked under the bonnet and noticed the radiator waS empty, so we filled it up and went for a short ten minute drive, when we got back the radiator was low so filled it up again. revved engine etc and it went down again got a diagnostic engineer to come and have a look and the gas tests show the head gasket has gone!!

rang the bloke up who says he is not liable and that the car was fine when it left his and that the sales of goods act does not apply to him as he is a private seller! even though on auto trader ad he was down as trade. i dont have a copy of te ad i am hoping auto trader can help me out with this?

he eventually offered to go halves, but does not want to pay much and said his mate works in a garage and was the one who put the car through its mot etc. said he reckons he could do the job for about £200 which the diagnostic bloke said is really too cheap and we should not let him do it.

problem is we paid every penny we have to get this car and dont have any money left to pay £400 odd it would cost to get fixed in a garage near us.

can anyone help as i feel like i am going mad, this is my first car i have my test in three weeks and now cant practice in it! i know nothing about cars and really dont know what to do.

[raydetinu]

As he is a trader, you are covered by the sale of goods act:
As it is a major fault suggest you reject the car, not fit for purpose ( you cant use it ) etc, and ask for a full refund.
Put it writing, saying why and quoting SOGA and give them 7 days to respond or you will take him to court.

[Lula]

How the hell did it get through an MOT? presumable his "mate" did the testing, might have a case against him also, well the people that administer the MOT testing

[Chesterexpress]

Originally Posted by Lula

How the hell did it get through an MOT? presumable his "mate" did the testing, might have a case against him also, well the people that administer the MOT testing

The MOT does not cover the engine, only the road worthiness of the vehicle at the time of testing.