Car Giant - liable for repais??

T_Carty

I bought a Seat Leon from Car Giant at the end of December last year. As it was only three years old we were assured of it's excellent condition. It was due for it's first MOT in April. It failed the MOT because of a problem with one of the headlights. Aparently it had been involved in an accident (which we weren't told at the time of purchase - event though we asked about it's condition history etc). When the car was resprayed after it's accident the headlight was not put back in place properly as a result dust from the paint job and water got into the headlight and light was not shining through properly.

I was also told it has an oil leak and that oil has leaked into the turbo which now needs to be replaced. At an almighty cost of over £1,000.00. Aparently the oil leak was because the car had been continnuously overfilled with oil. I have not put any oil into the car at all since I purchased it.

Does anyone know what Car Giant's position in this situation is? Should they not be liable for repairs as the car was sold with both these problems?

woody01

Did you not check out the car history to see if had been a write off?
Did you ask if had been in an accident?

LandyAndy

woody01 wrote: »

Did you not check out the car history to see if had been a write off?
Did you ask if had been in an accident?

What makes you think it was a write off?

It's had a minor front end shunt that may have been poorly repaired.

Sounds to me like a new headlamp would sort that.

The turbo is the main problem and we have no idea, other than the OPs assertion, as to what may have caused that.

T_Carty

When I looked at the car and took it for a test drive I did ask about its history and whether it had been involved in any accidents. I was told that everything is absolutely fine and that there is nothing to worry about. The sales rep told me that as the car is only three years old it has only had three services and that the service history which would be handed over on purchase. I understand that they are not under obligation to advise any prospective purchasers of any accident history but as far as I am aware when asked it is their duty to disclose all information which they did not.

As for the headlight, I was told that it was just condensation and that this sometimes happens but that it was nothing more than that. I was not told that this part of the car had been damaged in the accident and that this may be the reason for the condensation.

I have called Car Giant who have asked for a full report from the garage that carried out the MOT. They have advised me that they would not get involved with any issues with the turbo because as far as they are aware it was fine when the car left the garage.

Has anyone had a similar problem and is there any chance they will attend to or pay for repairs?

LandyAndy

Condensation is a far more likely explanation of water in the headlight than accident damage so that may well have been their assumption. You could have asked them to change it before purchase. If the accident damage was minor they may not have been aware of it.

I think you will have a very hard time getting them to do anything about the turbo as they will say the overfilling was your fault and you will have little prospect of proving otherwise.

Hintza

T_Carty wrote: »

I understand that they are not under obligation to advise any prospective purchasers of any accident history but as far as I am aware when asked it is their duty to disclose all information which they did not.

Who says the knew? Can you prove they knew? Did you do an HPI check?

T_Carty wrote: »

They have advised me that they would not get involved with any issues with the turbo because as far as they are aware it was fine when the car left the garage.

You might have a chance with this one, but again it is going to be hard to prove.

LandyAndy

espresso wrote: »

So you have not checked the oil level since you bought the car last year?

Not everyone who checks the oil in their car knows that too much is as bad as too little. The OP may have been checking it every week and thinking 'great, there's loads of oil in it'.

nomoneytoday

AFAIK there is a HPI report done as part of the buying process.
If the crash wasn't reported, or the insurance didn't write the car off, then a minor scrape possibly won't show up.

LandyAndy

espresso wrote: »

:rotfl:

Just wanting clarification - I don't buy the too much oil in the sump damaging the turbo anyway!

Surely a MAX and MIN line on the dipstick is idiot proof isn't it.

Full=good

Overfull=better.:):(

Anyway, I was just pointing out that your conclusion that they must never have checked the oil is not justified by the information posted.

somech

espresso wrote: »

:rotfl:

Just wanting clarification - I don't buy the too much oil in the sump damaging the turbo anyway!

Surely a MAX and MIN line on the dipstick is idiot proof isn't it.

too much oil means oil being pumped to places it shoud'nt go
but it would have to be way way too much oil and as these things drink oil like i drink carling i doubt thats the reason and as the amount of time passed is quite great i think the op is peeing in the wind

forgotmyname

You dont replace a turbo because oil has been dripping onto it from another part, It will just be messy. Unless the turbo was leaking oil.

Have you checked the oil since buying it?

You really should have got a HPI check done yourself, If buying a car thats been in an accident bothers you that much. Local garage seemed quite happy to point out that mine looked like it had been in an accident, Not sure if they were thinking of telling me work needed doing?

I said yeah even a blind mans dog could have told me that, I said the bumper colour is slightly off, The rear panel has sign's of overspray & a bit of pain ton the boot lock stands out a mile.

Conversation ended quickly.