Help! Sold a dud car!

TrickyWicky

Exactly. I drive an old banger but I still use the main dealers for quite a few things. I buy my parts from them and also get tech advice directly from them too. I've been burned by the cowboys one time too many.

Sgt_Pepper_2

Once is one time too many.

mikey72

TrickyWicky wrote: »

Exactly. I drive an old banger but I still use the main dealers for quite a few things. I buy my parts from them and also get tech advice directly from them too. I've been burned by the cowboys one time too many.

I usually buy my parts from main dealers (trade, they're a fair price) I needed an exhaust middle and front urgently recently, but couldn't get one the same day, so I had to use a factor.
It was cheaper, and did fit ok, but it sounds a lot raspier inside, it's no where near as good as the one that came off.

TrickyWicky

Very true I think it also depends on where you shop for the parts. I've always had pretty bad luck with eurocar parts. They sold me a gasket kit once which had been ordered in. Turned up damaged so they said they'd get me another. Went in the next day to collect it to be given the same one. I refused to accept it and asked where the replacement was. Manager came out and told me to my face that it was the replacement. I pointed out to him it couldn't be because it was the one I'd refused to accept yesterday and here are the hidden marks on the packet that I made a note of. I threatened to ring customer services from my mobile whilst in store. I got my refund

I normally buy most bits at the dealer now but on the odd occassion the bit is really unafforable I buy parts from places like partco/unipart where many motor traders buy their parts. I've had much better service, better parts and they usually knock a few quid off too. Places like eurocarparts I've found are the consumers highly publicised parts place which do bog standard stuff. Partco / Unipart I've found have better quality items and they do some solid tools too.

Nearly_Old

TrickyWicky wrote: »

Very true I think it also depends on where you shop for the parts. I've always had pretty bad luck with eurocar parts. They sold me a gasket kit once which had been ordered in. Turned up damaged so they said they'd get me another. Went in the next day to collect it to be given the same one. I refused to accept it and asked where the replacement was. Manager came out and told me to my face that it was the replacement. I pointed out to him it couldn't be because it was the one I'd refused to accept yesterday and here are the hidden marks on the packet that I made a note of. I threatened to ring customer services from my mobile whilst in store. I got my refund

I normally buy most bits at the dealer now but on the odd occassion the bit is really unafforable I buy parts from places like partco/unipart where many motor traders buy their parts. I've had much better service, better parts and they usually knock a few quid off too. Places like eurocarparts I've found are the consumers highly publicised parts place which do bog standard stuff. Partco / Unipart I've found have better quality items and they do some solid tools too.

Dependent on the make/model of car I'd disagree with the fact that they sell "bog standard stuff". For BMW's in particular there are good online parts catalogues so it is fairly easy to find what was fitted as original equipment.

Last year my wife's Z4 needed new front brake pads and on bmminiparts it shows that the original pads were Textar T4146, BMW part no. 6762144 at a RRP of £65.79. On Eurocarparts the same textar pads were £35.94 and with a discount code I got them for £29.62. Eurocarparts also show ATE pads as also used by BMW plus 2 other cheaper options so giving people a choice. I've also bought Sachs shock absorbers that were OEM equipment for my Z3 for 50% less than a main dealer was charging. The original ones on the car and the new ones I bought both had the same Sachs part no. on them.

Many years ago when I was a student I worked as a parts chaser for a Rover dealer. The 3.5V8 was fitted to the big saloon and then into the Rover 2000 body. The starter motor was made by Lucas and when one was needed the garage used the Lucas part no. and I got them from Lucas, say £10 (it was a long time ago). The bill to the customer showed the Rover part and it was something like £17 (for the slaoon) but £25 for the sporty 2000V8. The Citroen dealer that I used for over 10 years always reckoned that Citroen added at least 40% for just putting a part in a Citroen box with a Citroen part no.

Martyn_H

I'd be inclined to inform the trader that you're going to tell your story to the local newspaper(s). That might concentrate his mind on the problem.

Notmyrealname

mikey72 wrote: »

Out of a 1983 nova?

LOL, Vauxhall Viva....

No idea. Not seen it yet.

andygb

s_b wrote: »

i would strongly advise not to buy a charisma petrol as they have big issues with carboning of the inlet tract which costs a fortune to fix but would still pass an mot

oh look a trader helping the retail sector well ill be dammed

Nothing like a good bit of generalisation is there?
Does this happen to all Carismas or just the odd one or two, because one of my mates has a petrol Carisma, bought brand new about twelve years ago. It has done over 160K miles with no problems.
I have owned four Alfas (another favourite for the "they always break down" mob), which had a combined mileage of nearly 600K miles, and none of them ever broke down on me.

lee678

it was £650, thats 10% of when it was new, its simple maths, its 90% worn out .
when all the "backstreet " car dealers have said stuff this and go underground with these bangers [ private ads] then youll moan, talk of going to tsa and local newspapers, what a joke.

Sgt_Pepper_2

lee678 wrote: »

it was £650, thats 10% of when it was new, its simple maths, its 90% worn out .
when all the "backstreet " car dealers have said stuff this and go underground with these bangers [ private ads] then youll moan, talk of going to tsa and local newspapers, what a joke.

Said another friendly trader.