Urgent help regarding mis-sold car

[shylass]

I bought a second hand Peugeot 206 on New Years eve. I bought it from a so called dealer who trades from home and he sold me it on a 'sold as seen' basis. Unfortunately, I am beginning to think I made the worst mistake of my life. I aren't mechanically minded, but the first problem I came across as soon as I got halfway home after stopping at a petrol station, is that when I start the car up I get the engine management light come on and then an antipollution fault message (apparently this has something to do with the catalytic converter). Secondly when driving along I can hear a knocking from the back wheel on the driver's side (feels like the wheel is going to drop off). I took it to a garage for him to have a look at the wheel knocking noise and he said that the rear axle needed replacing. He also mentioned that my brake pads were so worn that they were virtually down to the bare metal. The problem is I bought the car in good faith knowing that it had an MOT only the week before I purchased it. On the advert it stated excellent condition inside and out and stated that it was a bargain. I did not have any reason to believe that the car was unroadworthy. I have been in touch with the person I bought it from and he seems not to want to know and told me to get in touch with the garage that did the MOT for him.. I cannot understand why this went through an MOT in the state it's in. The seller said it went straight through the MOT without any advisories. Basically who is at fault here? Is it the person selling it to me for selling an unroadworthy vehicle or is it the MOT garage for allowing an unroadworthy vehicle to pass the test. Is there any way I can get my money back? I was told it isn't cheap to buy a rear axle and the labour it would cost to fix it would be far out of my reach. I am a single parent and my mum helped me to buy the car in the first place. I am beginning to think that the MOT was done by a cowboy who should have noticed the engine management light on and that it was flashing up antipollution fault on the dash. He should have also noticed the rear axle was damaged and that the brakes were worn to the bare metal. I was told it is unroadworthy, but where do I stand in getting my money back. Please help

[rebel11]

Hi Shylass

 

Welcome to CAG

 

The guys will advise as soon as they are available. You'll get some good advise on this.

[shylass]

Thanks

[rebel11]

Here's some info, until the guys are available:- http://www.consumerdirect.gov.uk/after_you_buy/know-your-rights/cars/