Used car purchase and my rights

ladymisswolfe

Hi All,
Lost our old Primera last week to uneconomical repairs, so borrowed from Mum and Dad and bought a Clio (we'd been planning to downsize anyway) at a local ish small dealership. Good price, low mileage, condition matched mileage, fair amount of paperwork and mot and minor service given included in price, and 4 new tyres.
All seemed well but on the way home from the dealer, we got a knocking noise as we went round corners which we realised was the gaiter or cv joint, and called him immediately. He was very apologetic and said to bring it back for repair at his cost of course. He can't collect it, and it's 25 miles away and its going in tomorrow. On returning home from work in it today, husband opened bonnet to check fluids and smoke poured out from an oil leak. Called him immediately, got fairly firm, and he apologised again and will be fixing that too. My problem is this - I'm beginning to be concerned that something else will go and he won't refund when we get fed up. I have spoken to trading standards so I know I have a right to one but how would you handle this? We only have one car, live rurally and I am registered disabled so we can't hang around long without a car. I'd be gratfeul for any opinions from you guys!

MrRedundant

Its a 2nd hand clio and I reckon from your post at least 5 years plus. Its not going to be perfect. The dealer has been more than reasonable.

ladymisswolfe

HI,
Thanks. Yes so far - though trading standards says that even if the car is second hand it must be fault free and reliable. Which suggests to me that it should be thoroughly checked over so its fault free at the time of sale and for a reasonable period afterwards. I wasn't that happy paying for a new cambelt which was 5 years overdue for fitting but I did so I think I've been reasonable too.

wealdroam

ladymisswolfe wrote: »

HI,
Thanks. Yes so far - though trading standards says that even if the car is second hand it must be fault free and reliable. Which suggests to me that it should be thoroughly checked over so its fault free at the time of sale and for a reasonable period afterwards. I wasn't that happy paying for a new cambelt which was 5 years overdue for fitting but I did so I think I've been reasonable too.

Did they say fault free?

I believe a secondhand car just has to be roadworthy and in a condition commensurate with its age, mileage and price.

forgotmyname

Fault free, I think your hoping a bit too much im afraid.

Belt is 5 years past its change? How old is the car?

Just because the car has no paperwork to say the belt has been done does not mean it hasn't.

I always changed belts when i bought a car but other than the receipt i would have no proof it
was actually changed.

ladymisswolfe

Yes - fault free is the term that trading standards use even in terms of used cars. Its 10 years old and renault state that it must be changed at 5 years or 72k whichever is first.l realise that just because there was no paperwork didn't mean it hadn't been done but I relied on the mechanic to tell me if it didn't need doing. Having lost my primera to a £700 bill for the timing chain, I was nervous so I had it done, especially as the dealer offered to do it for £170. I just felt - this wasn't a £500 banger. It was £2195 and that's a lot of money to most of us, and i should have the right to have it checked over and work for more than a couple of hours frankly. I will have to wait and see what happens when he fixes the oil leak, cv joint/drive shaft and fan belt. I was also slightly annoyed that he told us it had gone through the mot with one advisory on the door handle, when in fact is had failed on the the gaiter, wipers and one or two other minor probs,with advisories on the discs as well. It was passed so obviously he must have fixed the other things which were minor, but I felt it was bordering on dishonest to not tell me. I would have thought it was a good selling point to admit it had failed but the dealer had made sure he fixed things. Ho hum. I shan't shout at him but I want to make sure i get fair treatment for me and my family.