Car bought from Kernow Kars with recurring fault,can we get a refund?

[SnowWhite73]

Quote

Hi everyone, 

I'd be so grateful for any advice on this matter. In April 2021 my partner bought a car from Kernow Kars in Penryn, Cornwall.

Kernow Kars Cornwall

WWW.KERNOWKARS.CO.UK

 

It is a 2015 Skoda Octavia. The salesman said they hadn't had it long on the forecourt, it was exactly what we were looking for at the right price and as they offered a limited warranty and have been trading for a number of years this gave us confidence that they were a reputable company. 

Not long after we had owned the car it starting using a lot of coolant, the warning light kept coming on so we had to keep topping it up. The garage took the car in to do some checks and said it was because it wasn't being used enough. So I started using it to drive to work instead of my own vehicle, but this seemed to make it worse. We felt that they weren't that interested in solving the issue once they had got our money. We have a friend who is a mechanic, he had a thorough look at the car for us and we did lots of testing, it turns out that the problem is much worse than the garage made it out to be and now of course we are out of warranty. I would really like some advice about what we can do about the situation, we have kept all the relevant emails, videos and photos. Thank you so much in advance. 

 

Hi everyone, 

I'd be so grateful for any advice on this matter.

In April 2021 my partner bought a car from Kernow Kars in Penryn, Cornwall. It is a 2015 Skoda Octavia.

The salesman said they hadn't had it long on the forecourt, it was exactly what we were looking for at the right price and as they offered a limited warranty and have been trading for a number of years this gave us confidence that they were a reputable company. 

 

Not long after we had owned the car it starting using a lot of coolant, the warning light kept coming on so we had to keep topping it up.

The garage took the car in to do some checks and said it was because it wasn't being used enough.

 

So I started using it to drive to work instead of my own vehicle, but this seemed to make it worse.

We felt that they weren't that interested in solving the issue once they had got our money.

 

We have a friend who is a mechanic, he had a thorough look at the car for us and we did lots of testing, it turns out that the problem is much worse than the garage made it out to be and now of course we are out of warranty.

 

I would really like some advice about what we can do about the situation, we have kept all the relevant emails, videos and photos.

 

Thank you so much in advance. 

[BankFodder]

It was displaying defects because "it wasn't being used enough"!!

 

Sorry, but I'm amazed anybody could go along with this kind of story.

Don't worry about the warranty. You are covered by your consumer rights under the Consumer Rights Act – but in any event, you are covered by the ordinary law of contract.

The rule is that when you buy an item, it must be in a satisfactory condition and remain that way for a reasonable period of time.

How much you pay for the car?
What year was it?
What mileage?

Did you pay by cash? Did you pay by bank transfer?

Has it manifested any other faults?

 

 

Have you had any estimates for the repairs? Do you know what the fault is?

[SnowWhite73]

Gosh thank you so much for your swift response! I will speak to our friend tonight, he will be able to tell me exactly what is wrong and an estimate for repair. In the meantime, I will check out some of the other details you've asked about

[BankFodder]

It will be much better if your friend registered under their own username and started posting the story here directly.

Otherwise we get into a very wasteful Chinese whispers game and the only people who benefit are the dealers

[Gick]

Dear BankFodder, I think you are misunderstanding what the OP is saying. The 'friend ' to which they refer, I imagine is the mechanic who examined the vehicle, so no need for them to post the story on their own thread. The vehicle was purchased by the OP's partner.

[BankFodder]

Yes I think you're right. Thanks for the clarification.

We do need the answers to the questions though

[SnowWhite73]

4 hours ago, Gick said:

Dear BankFodder, I think you are misunderstanding what the OP is saying. The 'friend ' to which they refer, I imagine is the mechanic who examined the vehicle, so no need for them to post the story on their own thread. The vehicle was purchased by the OP's partner.

Hi, 

Yes you are correct Gick, it is our friend who is the mechanic, I will ask him to give an exact description of what is wrong, what parts are needed and how much it would cost to put it right

[BankFodder]

To proceed on this you will eventually need two quotes from independent sources.

This doesn't mean you need to cheapskate. You are entitled to quality quotes.

But as the car is yours, you are you not able to give us the other details I've asked about in respect of the car?
Do you really not know how much you paid? Or the year, or the model, or the mileage?

[SnowWhite73]

My partner paid on his debit card, it was £5999. It is a 2015 Skoda Octavia 1.6 diesel Elegance Estate. 

 

3 minutes ago, BankFodder said:

To proceed on this you will eventually need two quotes from independent sources.

This doesn't mean you need to cheapskate. You are entitled to quality quotes.

But as the car is yours, you will you not able to give us the other details I've asked about in respect of the car?
Do you really not know how much you paid? Or the year, or the model, or the mileage?

Yes, as you can see I have replied, but as it is my partners car I had to ask him for the details. He works all day so please be patient with the speed of my replies! 

[BankFodder]

Well if this goes to a court claim, it is your partner who will have to bring the claim and decide to involve himself.

If he is not available to do that then it may not be possible to take this forward.

[BankFodder]

Also you haven't addressed the question I put as to the mileage

[SnowWhite73]

11 minutes ago, BankFodder said:

Well if this goes to a court claim, it is your partner who will have to bring the claim and decide to involve himself.

If he is not available to do that then it may not be possible to take this forward.

I am only asking on his behalf as a) I have experience of referring to the CAG before and b) he is not very tech savvy. Don't panic, it will be him who makes the claim. 

 

9 minutes ago, BankFodder said:

Also you haven't addressed the question I put as to the mileage

OK ok! No need to be so impatient!! I am doing my best!!! 

[BankFodder]

I'm sorry but I don't think you understand that we also have to work all day and at the same time give free help to people like yourself to take on the Companies which try to rip them off.

It really would be best if your partner would register and give his first-hand account.

We can take you through this and give you the best chance possible but I think you should appreciate that we are giving you hundreds of pounds worth of legal advice here completely free of charge. No strings.

 

[SnowWhite73]

9I completely understand. I am aware that you work, and that you are giving your advice for free, and I appreciate it. My partner and I also have busy lives, so my replies can't always be immediate. I have only asked for advice to see if there is anything we can do to get our money back from this unhelpful garage. 

There is nothing my partner could tell you different to that which I've already said, and he is not in a position to be able to navigate around the technicalities of using a forum, understanding the legal terms and putting together a case. So it's down to me, and I am autistic with a side helping of ADHD so there are times when my executive functioning gets so poor that I cannot even think about working on this issue.

Our friend, who is the mechanic, is also super busy, he has kindly given us his time for free to help sort out the issues with the car and write his report, which I have given below. So far as I have been able to, I have answered all your questions also below. 

 

Amount paid - £5999

Method of payment - Visa Debit card

Vehicle model - 2015 Skoda Octavia Elegance 1.6 diesel

Mileage (as of 4/3/2022) - 125,413

Report from mechanic - 

Investigate coolant loss :- fore note.. coolant loss amount is approximately an expansion bottle in 4 days over 50 miles of use.
Removed upper and lower engine covers(including upper timing belt cover),raise car and pressurised coolant system to approx 10 psi (engine cold) visually check all areas of coolant system.. hoses, radiator/ heater matrix,water pump,
No visible leak..run engine to running temperature with applying pressure and releasing to apply different conditions and no leak visible.
Carried out a carbon monoxide (exhaust gas sniffer) test at expansion bottle again a cold engine through to operating temperature, finding no gases present in cooling system which in turn eliminates head gasket/cracking near combustion area's and EGR cooler... only leaving 2 components left ,inlet manifold heater/cooler...and throttle valve (both have coolant passing through)
Make and fit a temporary bypass pipe for the intake manifold and car driven for the normal conditions of coolant loss and found over a 3 week period no coolant was lost.
In findings the possibility of the coolant being drawn in to manifold between turbo boost in the manifold and depression on overrun/decceleration .

 

We do not yet have any costs for how much it will cost to have the repair done, this is currently work on progress.