Refund/repair costs on used car

bigjl

Bought less than 6 months ago, ask the dealer to fix it, there is no way such a serious fault would just appear in 4 months unless it was already there at point of sale, which is were the legal argument would say that it must have been unless the dealer can prove you did something to the car in those 4 months, such as run with no oil for example.

However to need a new engine in 4 months means that the car is not fit for purpose, tell them you want a new engine or another car.

Sorry, posted wothout readin the entire thread.

Not a bad deal, ask them if they will do this deal, you pay 5%, but they give you the next service free of charge, as a good will gesture.


Just noticed that it is an ex motability car, was it a 1.6 Auto, have seen an awful lot of these for sale recently with very low miles on them, some withless than 10k, I wouldn't be surprised if they were all ex-motability.

This isn't the first ex-motability car to give expensive problems recently.

They used to be such used bargains, I hope these are just coincidence.

Devira77

It's a 1.6 manual. Didn't want automatic as I prefer manual, and I thought there'd be less to go wrong... haha!

Yes I was pleased it was ex-motability as I thought it would've been well maintained. It was certainly serviced regularly, I have no idea why the problem that occurred came about - probably just one of those unlucky things.

bigjl

Hopefully it is just one of those things.

I had looked at the price of the Scenic 1.6 autos as the wife wants an auto again, they seem very cheap, though putting Renault and Auto in the same sentence seems risky in my mind.

Though I suspect they are better than when I used to make good money replacing gearboxes in Renault 25's years ago, might explain why the Renault 25 I owned was a manual though, lol.

Inactive

Devira77 wrote: »

Anyway, am hopeful on the remaining issues, will update as and when. Am overall very pleased with the way Renault UK have handled the situation - and despite the dealer's initial attitude and desperately glad I bought from a main dealer rather than a private seller as would be completely stuffed if I had!

Yes, there are real benefits from buying from a main dealer.

I await your next update, thanks for this one.;)

paddedjohn

familyreder wrote: »

cars a write off. demand money back!!!

Its getting a new engine fitted with a 12 month warranty at a cost of only £339 to the op, hardly a write off or a reason to demand a refund.

Hintza

familyreder wrote: »

cars a write off. demand money back!!!

What are you up to? Recently joined and all your posts are rediculous!

PPR for you very soon.

ScoobySnacks79_2

Frankly, I think them asking you to pay £339 is skirting on the edge of legal. Under the sale of goods act, I would suggest that you are entitled to have the fault remedied at their expense. They might claim that you have had some benefit from the car, but £339 for four months is not cheap!

Also remember, the cost they have quoted you is customer rates. What it will actually cost them is hugely less. They will get all parts at trade, and all labour at cost. It's probably costing them less than half of what they would charge a customer. I'd call them on that, see if you can negotiate them down!

Remember, in this situation you are in charge. You bought the car with all the warranties, explicit and implicit, in a dealer transaction. You expect the vehicle to last more than four months. As the buyer, the burden of proof is reversed (at least for the first six months), in that they have to prove the fault wasn't there when they sold the car to you, rather than you having to prove it was. I think they are being cheeky asking you to contribute to costs. It's their responsibility to sort it, and they have no right to ask you for money.

That said, if you are happy to pay the money, then that's fine. It may well mean less hassle in the long run.

Also, as you have been deprived of the item because of the failure, I would send them a bill for any travel costs incurred whilst they were faffing about deciding who was paying.

Devira77

Thanks for the replies everyone. I have agreed to contributing £339 for a new engine with 12 mth warranty and am satisfied that this is reasonable. I might have got more with a lot of hassle but so be it.

Big new problem though

At the outset of this issue, Renault UK told me the would cover the investigation/diagnostic costs. Car was booked in to my local Renault garage as agreed (because the dealer didn't want to know and because I'm so heavily pregnant a local garage was chosen). The lady at Renault UK spoke with them to confirm she'd pay and the diagnostics went ahead. The next day it was realised it was a bigger issue than first thought, so I had a phone call from the garage asking for authorisation to go ahead and start stripping the engine to investigate further.

I said that was fine as Renault UK had already agreed to cover investigation costs. I assumed the call was because they simply needed my consent to start stripping my car out. It turns out now that he was seeking financial authorisation because Renault UK had only authorised him to do the first hour.

The garage never mentioned anything to me about costs, hourly rates, financial implications of any sort, just asked for authorisation to strip the engine. I assumed that it was all included under the inital agreement with Renault UK to pay the investigation costs - at no point had anyone said anything about the first hour only being covered!!

He reckons they've spent about 10 hours on the car and the cost is around £600.

No-one wants to pay it and frankly neither do I. There's no way on earth I would've said ok if I'd known it was going to be charged. I told them this, and that if I'd been aware I would've immediately both spoken to Renault UK and the original dealer and certainly wouldn't have consented.

Morally I'm quite sure I'm in the right, but where do I stand legally? The garage won't release my car to the dealer until it's paid. Should they not have made clear that I was going to be facing a charge?

Flyboy152

Devira77 wrote: »

Thanks for the replies everyone. I have agreed to contributing £339 for a new engine with 12 mth warranty and am satisfied that this is reasonable. I might have got more with a lot of hassle but so be it.

Big new problem though

At the outset of this issue, Renault UK told me the would cover the investigation/diagnostic costs. Car was booked in to my local Renault garage as agreed (because the dealer didn't want to know and because I'm so heavily pregnant a local garage was chosen). The lady at Renault UK spoke with them to confirm she'd pay and the diagnostics went ahead. The next day it was realised it was a bigger issue than first thought, so I had a phone call from the garage asking for authorisation to go ahead and start stripping the engine to investigate further.

I said that was fine as Renault UK had already agreed to cover investigation costs. I assumed the call was because they simply needed my consent to start stripping my car out. It turns out now that he was seeking financial authorisation because Renault UK had only authorised him to do the first hour.

The garage never mentioned anything to me about costs, hourly rates, financial implications of any sort, just asked for authorisation to strip the engine. I assumed that it was all included under the inital agreement with Renault UK to pay the investigation costs - at no point had anyone said anything about the first hour only being covered!!

He reckons they've spent about 10 hours on the car and the cost is around £600.

No-one wants to pay it and frankly neither do I. There's no way on earth I would've said ok if I'd known it was going to be charged. I told them this, and that if I'd been aware I would've immediately both spoken to Renault UK and the original dealer and certainly wouldn't have consented.

Morally I'm quite sure I'm in the right, but where do I stand legally? The garage won't release my car to the dealer until it's paid. Should they not have made clear that I was going to be facing a charge?

Well, that's their problem. Ask him for proof that you agreed to such costs.

Devira77

Flyboy152 wrote: »

Well, that's their problem. Ask him for proof that you agreed to such costs.

That's kind of how I feel, but it could still be a problem. I've just spoken to Consumer Direct who advise me my contract is with the original dealer and this could be considered consequential loss. They suggested I may end up having to pay under protest to get the car released, and go to court, as only a Judge could decide whether I would be liable for those investigation costs.

She didn't spend long on the phone with me so not sure whether she fully appreciated the ins and outs of what I'd told her. My main point is I didn't actually intend to authorise any work, just give consent to proceed - with the understanding that Renault UK were paying.

Really praying for this situation to end soon, getting really stressed about it again now.

Have spoken to the original dealer a little while ago who is again in touch with all parties and trying to sort something.