Car faulty when purchased, any come back?

Northants_Simon

Hi all, I brought a Jaguar car 18 months ago from a Jaguar dealer, it was a pre owned car, 18 months old at the time, with the remainder of the warranty (which has since run out).

I took my car to Autoglass for a new windscreen as mine had cracked, they found some serious problems with the wiring on the car, this would have been present when I purchased the car.

The wiring has been joined together with electrical tape instead of the proper connectors, Autoglass said it looked like a repair had been made in the past and it had been bodged. They also said it's very dangerous and could start a fire. I find this hard to understand, as any repairs would have been under warranty, and I'm sure using tape to stick wires together isn't the approved way of doing it.

Can I go back to the dealer and make them correct the problems as it was present when purchased (the car has since only been repaired/serviced by them).

Anihilator

Impossible to prove I'm afraaid.
More to the point I wouldnt suggest Autoglass will be exactly mechanical geniuses.

Call the dealer and see what they say but not likely to have much legal recompense.

4743hudsonj

I have to agree, whats to stop them turning around and saying you did it?

What wires are they, if not too important just buy some butt connectors and a crimper and get stripping!

Northants_Simon

They are the wires that connect to the heated windscreen, there are two of these, one each side of the car. One side is fine, the other has been cut off and then the wires twisted together and taped over.

Autoglass won't replace my windscreen unless my car has the proper connectors fitted, so I have to get it done

4743hudsonj

Northants_Simon wrote: »

They are the wires that connect to the heated windscreen, there are two of these, one each side of the car. One side is fine, the other has been cut off and then the wires twisted together and taped over.

Autoglass won't replace my windscreen unless my car has the proper connectors fitted, so I have to get it done

just do it yourself mate.

From your username im guessing you bought it from the kettering road jag garage, or is it on abington street? I have heard some bad things about them from family and a friend. It will be cheaper and easier to do yourself, if you fail, then at worst you will just have to twist the wires again and tape over, but i really doubt you could fail to use a butt connector. Can you picture the connectors on the other side or is it just one long wire?

molerat

Probably had the screen replaced before and the wire was damaged and bodged back together by the windscreen fitters. A crimp connector will have it fixed in 2 minutes.

Equaliser123

Anihilator wrote: »

Impossible to prove I'm afraaid.
More to the point I wouldnt suggest Autoglass will be exactly mechanical geniuses.

Call the dealer and see what they say but not likely to have much legal recompense.

Rubbish. On the assumption that the windscreen is the same, the dealer will NOT be able to demonstrate that the OP has done (or authorise the doing) of the bodge themselves.

Agree with the other comments though that if this is easy to fix, take the path of least resistance.

Anihilator

Equaliser123 wrote: »

Rubbish. On the assumption that the windscreen is the same, the dealer will NOT be able to demonstrate that the OP has done (or authorise the doing) of the bodge themselves.

Agree with the other comments though that if this is easy to fix, take the path of least resistance.

The dealer wont need to demonstrate anything though. They sold the car over a year ago. There is a reverse burden on the OP to prove the fault was present at the point of sale.

Equaliser123

Anihilator wrote: »

The dealer wont need to demonstrate anything though. They sold the car over a year ago. There is a reverse burden on the OP to prove the fault was present at the point of sale.

There is a burden of proof, you are correct. However, if the OP states that the fault was obviously there at the point of sale as no work had been done to the car and the fault is so manifest then the dealer would have to say that it wasn't.

This is not a situation where a TV breaks down after 6 months and it is unclear as to whether the fault was inherent. It is there for everyone to see!

Anihilator

Equaliser123 wrote: »

There is a burden of proof, you are correct. However, if the OP states that the fault was obviously there at the point of sale as no work had been done to the car and the fault is so manifest then the dealer would have to say that it wasn't.

This is not a situation where a TV breaks down after 6 months and it is unclear as to whether the fault was inherent. It is there for everyone to see!

Just my opinion but the OP would have to prove no work had been done and that it was present at sale.

This is especially true since it sounds like a bodge job of the windscreen which the OP just happens to be paying professionals to do now so its not like its an undamaged area of the car. My argument would be how do we know the OP didnt try to fix it himself on the cheap and bodge it.

Thats not really important here though. My opinion is that as its a part of the car that is easily accessible and there is no proof the OP hasnt done the damage he doesnt have a hope in hell and should rely on the dealers goodwill.

Equaliser123

Rule of evidence - you cannot prove a negative!

If it were me, a Notice to Admit Facts would be served on the dealer and let them perjure themselves if they want to say that it was done after the car was sold.