Used Car Nightmare from hell...any advice

[redsonja]

Hi folks,

 

Im hoping someone can give me their honest opinion on the problem I have...it's pretty longwinded but I will try to keep the post as brief as I can and if anyone needs any further info then please ler me know.

 

Basically....I purchased a car from a 2nd hand dealer in April 09 and managed to wangle a 6 month warranty out of them (me thinking this was a bonus!)

 

After driving it for a few days, there were numerous issues and I had to take it back to the garage.

 

Main issues were as follows:

 

Car shaking over 60 mph

 

Brakes juddering (if thats a word)

 

An irregular idle on the car (basically the speedo pin would jump and the car felt like it was about to stall when stationery)

 

Exhaust Blowing

 

Eventually the garage repaired the exhaust problem (I say eventually as there is more to this story such as them wanting to charge me for it!)

 

They said the car shaking/vibrating was probably down to the exhaust and should be corrected and the irregular idle was nothing...just probably due to age.

 

They also said they could not find anything wrong with the brakes as they took it to an MOT station and brakes would pass.

 

A week later I went to get 2 new tyres and one wheel was actually buckled....so we had to use the spare....this was what was causing the vibration over 60mph.

 

The occassional judder was still there but I thought I would see how it went. After about another month the juddering was still there and the car was driving bad and jumping like Kangaroo juice.

 

I phoned the garage and he said to use redex and BP ultimate as it seemed like the fuel wasnt getting through.

 

About 2 weeks later, the exhaust was making a noise again and the car jumping was still there and so was the irregular idle (which had never gone away)

 

I phoned the garage and they told me I could book it in any garage under the warranty but I wanted them to deal with it so to cut a long story short....I was palmed off for over a month as every time I called, they said the mechanic was ill or they were full.

 

One day I heard a grating sound and had to take the car into a local garage, only to discover I needed new brake pads and then also new calipers as they were sticking. I phoned the warranty company who told me I was not covered with these even though I tried to explain that I had been complaining about the juddering on the brakes since I had the car!

 

I was then told by the current garage that the car needed 3 new coil springs and the wheel bearings were going on one side.

 

I realise Im rambling so best get to the point....

 

Today I took it in for an MOT and it has failed on numerous things but the main 2 are exhaust emmissions are excessive and bulge in break pipe.

 

I understand that a 2nd hand car will have problems but when I get everything corrected to pass the MOT this will have cost me well over 1k and like I said....I havent even had it for a year (I purchased the car for £1,900) and sometime soon the clutch will go, which I knew and accepted).

 

The question I have is this.... I believe the second hand car dealer sold me a car that was a pile of crap and despite my protests and requests early on to have these problems resolved they kept palming me off and this has resulted in the car failing it's MOT with issues that I believe I complained about.

 

Do I have any rights here against the garage?

 

There is a lot more to this story with the terrible conduct this garage have carried out but I have tried to keep it as brief as I can....(although its not that brief)

 

Anyway, if anyone has any advice that could help me I would be extremely grateful.

 

I am a single parent and had to borrow the money to buy the car in the 1st place and havent even paid it back yet and am now faced with repairs that are probably going to cost more than the car is worth.

 

Thanks in advance folks

[Conniff]

I bet all communications with the seller were by phone - yes?

[redsonja]

Unfortnately yes.....I never thought it would turn out like this otherwise I would have taken precaution and at least recorded the calls :-|

 

I have witnesses to my phonecalls as some were made from work but thats about it.

[Conniff]

That doesn't mean you can get no redress, but unfortunately I'm off to bed now so will have a look in the morning if someone doesn't beat me to it.

[JimmySpangle]

Any garage that tells you you need 3 coil springs doesn't know what they are doing unless your car is a 3 wheeler.

 

You only ever fit coil springs in pairs.

[redsonja]

Appreciate any help anyone can offer.

 

Its 3 coil springs that are snapped but the garage did advise to have 4 new ones as it may affect the balance....hope that clears that bit up.