Buyer Rights when purchasing a used car from a dealer

JoeAlonso

Hi there, I'm hoping this is in the right forum.

I purchased a used 57 plate BMW X5 in mid july from a garage in Stoke, a family run business that sells numerous different ranges of cars and not BMW specifically.

The car was in a good condition physically with a fairly low mileage and once test driven had no clear indications of any issues. Within the purchase agreement the garage provides a three month warranty.

Two weeks after driving the car away from the garage there was an issue with the parking brake in which the garage has agreed to cover the cost of (should the cost not be astronomical). Anyway, the car is in the garage today to diagnose the issue with the parking brake and BMW have informed me 5 servicing issues have been brought up which date back to March and April....the cost should I have them rectified amounts to £750+

As you will understand I'm a bit taken aback and very frustrated at paying thousands for a car in July only to be told that it needs £750+ plus worth of work done to it.

Could someone please confirm if I have any rights as to claiming the costs of this back from the garage?

The BMW has it written in black and white that these issues should have been sorted in March/April.

Thank you in advance.

Sgt_Pepper_2

What are the issues?

JoeAlonso

The issue ares:

- Change of brake fluid (due in March)
- Oil change (due in April)
- Micro filter change (April)
- Air Filter (April)
- Fuel Filter (April)

jaydeeuk1

Sounds like last owner decided not to get these items replaced at last service. £750 is a hell of a lot for all that (no wonder they didn't), I was expecting you to say a couple of tyres as well! Go to an independant!! No point using main dealers on an old x5 - somewhere half decent will charge half that amount. And I doubt you'll get anything back from dealer.

Wongsky

JoeAlonso wrote: »

The issue ares:

- Change of brake fluid (due in March)
- Oil change (due in April)
- Micro filter change (April)
- Air Filter (April)
- Fuel Filter (April)

I suspect that's only £750 at BMW main dealer rates.

They're normal service items, though, as opposed to "faults", and I suspect would be considerably cheaper to have done at a decent independent garage.

JoeAlonso

Thanks for the replies, the £750 fee was proposed by a main BMW dealer yes and ideally would like to keep my service history as full service history with main dealer.

What I'm trying to establish is that should these items have been picked up by the dealer I bought the car from?

Do I have any rights to charge the works back to them?

Paperbird

From that it just looks like it was due for a service in April and their records don't show it was done. It could have been done but if it was not done by a BMW dealer it won't show on their system, check your service book to see if it has been stamped.

poppasmurf_bewdley

It depends if the selling dealer told you they had serviced the vehicle before you bought it. If they did, then you have a claim against them. However, if it was serviced and it wasn't through a BMW dealer, then any change of oil, filter, etc, probably won't show up.

You will have to talk to the selling dealer.

jaydeeuk1

In which case if it has missed a service, might as well go to an independant now, you'll probably get no goodwill from BMW if the engine or gearbox explodes next year. Personally, I'd rather save £500 and go to an indie. If you're keeping the car for 5 years, thats potentially £2500 saving, and I doubt you'll find that an 11 year old x5 with FBMWSH will sell for more than £2500 than an identical FSH model. In fact, if I see stamps from a specialist rather than a dealer, I tend to look on it even more favourably. Quite often they'll check / replace parts that aren't on the official servicing list that dealers follow (I'm looking at you, Mazda) and will need replacing

colino

Doesn't BMW still do Four Plus servicing for "older" cars, even so, step back and have a look at that crazy price for relatively cheap service items.
There are loads of BMW specialists out there and as the car has already missed these recommended service points, you really don't have what what an aficionado would consider a full history, so why cost yourself so much extra each year?
Find yourself a local, friendly indie without BMWs free coffee, free car wash, fast service lane and see how much all that free stuff cost.

Notmyrealname

JoeAlonso wrote: »

What I'm trying to establish is that should these items have been picked up by the dealer I bought the car from?

Not really. The service light won't have been lit and the last service would have been in the book.

Do I have any rights to charge the works back to them?

No. You can ask as a goodwill gesture. Parts wise there's probably less than £150 worth and an hour or two's labour.