bought a used car and 1 day later develops a fault with radiator

[el032810]

I would be grateful for any advice on this,

 

I bought a used car from a garage and

 

 

the next morning I went to use it and

 

 

the engine management warning said there was an issue with the coolant system.

 

 

I called the garage where I purchased it from and

explained that the car was loosing all the water through the bottom of the car.

 

 

They went straight on the defensive saying the car would have to be recovered at my cost

and I would be better off taking it to a local garage to diagnose the problem.

 

 

They stated that the car had a new MOT on day of purchase

so anything that had gone wrong with it was not their problem.

 

 

I'll cut a long story short

 

 

a mechanic diagnosed the problem as a blown radiator

but it took hours of work as the front end of the car had to come off,

so I told him to repair it as I would of had to pay for the work already done as it took hours.

 

 

I have since sent a letter to the garage I bought it from who said he did not authorise the work and is therefore not paying.

 

 

What are my rights in regards to this as the repair cost £700 to put right.

I would really appreciate any advice you can give

Thank you

[ukaviator]

If the used vehicle is faulty,

you may have a short time after buying it to reject it for a full refund.

 

 

You are entitled to expect that the vehicle is of satisfactory quality,

fit for purpose, and as described.

 

 

When you buy a used vehicle from a trader you are making a legally binding contract.

 

 

You have legal rights against the trader under the Sale of Goods Act 1979.

[el032810]

I am within my rights to ask the garage to pay for the repair?

[Conniff]

What is the make, model and year of the car and how much did you pay ?

Edited November 30, 2013 by Conniff

[Kiki1]

An MOT test pass has absolutely no link with the engine cooling system, any respectable garage should know that.

[el032810]

What is the make, model and year of the car and how much did you pay ?

 

It's an audi tt Quattro reg 2000 I paid £2600

[MaximusMeridius]

If thats the sort of response you got from the garage that sold it, i would get it in for another M.O.T.

 

I wouldn,t trust an M.O.T that was carried out by the garage owners mate. Would be interesting to see what they had to say if it came back as a fail.

[el032810]

If thats the sort of response you got from the garage that sold it, i would get it in for another M.O.T.

 

I wouldn,t trust an M.O.T that was carried out by the garage owners mate. Would be interesting to see what they had to say if it came back as a fail.

 

Hhmmm maybe worth checking out, not sure where I stand with regards to getting money off them for the repair though

[popeyethesailortam]

A radiator can burst at any time. The garage couldn't of foreseen it. If they didn't authorise the repair then you have to pay it. You had to give them the chance to mitigate repair costs, ie do the work themselves. They suggested local diagnosis not repair.

[sailor sam]

A radiator can burst at any time. The garage couldn't of foreseen it. If they didn't authorise the repair then you have to pay it. You had to give them the chance to mitigate repair costs, ie do the work themselves. They suggested local diagnosis not repair.

 

I almost agree with this.

 

SOGA says that the seller should have the opportunity to inspect or rectify the car. Defects occurring within the first 6 months are assumed to be present at the point of sale and it is for the seller to prove otherwise. By getting the car fixed yourself has prejudiced a potential claim to recover the entire cost of the repair.

 

However, due to the minimal time scale involved, I think you could still have a case (if necessary) to apply to the small claims court.

 

You should contact the seller and ask him if he is prepared to contribute anything to the cost of the repair. You may have to follow up your question in writing. Let us know what response you get before agreeing to anything.

[nohope]

Not sure how the mechanic came to £700 for the repair. It's a 2 hour job and a rad is only £70.

I work on Audi's every day as my job and that's over double what it should have cost.

[Conniff]

I was going to say all the above, shall have a cuppa instead now.

[king12345]

Not sure how the mechanic came to £700 for the repair. It's a 2 hour job and a rad is only £70.

I work on Audi's every day as my job and that's over double what it should have cost.

Indeed!
The mechanic who changed your radiator ripped you off in great style.
I changed the radiator on my mate A6 following instructions from the internet and it took me 2 hours and I'm not a professional mechanic, just like to get my hands dirty.
Sorry, but he's done a proper number on you.
No wonder why the garage who sold you the car doesn't want to pay for this repair.

[Conniff]

I think the most you can hope for is to bill him for the true trade cost of the radiator itself and a reasonable amount of labour.

 

 

Ask around other garages in your area and at local radiator repair shops for how much they would charge.

[sailor sam]

I would estimate that the garage has charged a tad over double what the actual repair would cost. Maybe an idea to ask an Audi dealership to quote on this job.

[Surfer01]

I am within my rights to ask the garage to pay for the repair?

 

Unfortunately you will not be able to prove that they stated to take it to a local garage so unfortunately they probably will not be obliged to pay. I would get a thoroughly check done on the car to ensure that there are no other pending problems.

[citizenkain]

whoever charged you £700 for this radiator has certainly done you up as a kipper,I just checked on ebay,you can get a brand new radiator for that model for £38.29,even if you add a decent labour charge on top,say £200,youve been robbed!