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Car not being properly fixed under warranty

I bought a second hand car with 1 month warranty as it is old (2001). It is an automatic and 5 days after buying it, the check engine light came on and the car wouldn't start in Park but just neutral. I called the guy I bought it off (he is a car trader at a garage). He arranged for my car to go to the garage he uses for all repairs. The garage called to say the car was fixed but when I went to pick it up it wasn't fixed at all. Also there was no oil and sludge in the oil cap when I my dad looked under the bonnet, so suspected a head gasket problem. The garage say there is no head gasket problem and have managed to get rid of the check engine light now. They say the car will start now but need to show me a special way of doing this. It sounds very suspicious and I don't trust them at all. The guy I bought the car from is responsible for repairs and I suspect he is trying to avoid paying out too much. I want to take the car to my local mechanic as we've been with him 25 years and trust him. If I collect the car and take it straight to him for a second opinion and he finds more faults, should the warranty cover the cost of repair? The guy I bought the car from is becoming difficult and he only wants to use the garage he knows. What should I do? (Also the gear box is stiff)

Comments

  • worried_jim
    worried_jim Posts: 11,631 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    What car have you bought?
  • Quiet_Spark
    Quiet_Spark Posts: 1,093 Forumite
    the car wouldn't start in Park but just neutral.
    Can only be the starter inhibitor switch.
    Also there was no oil and sludge in the oil cap when I my dad looked under the bonnet, so suspected a head gasket problem. The garage say there is no head gasket problem
    What colour sludge?
    If you had a head gasket issue, it would make itself apparent fairly quickly
    They say the car will start now but need to show me a special way of doing this.
    I'm guessing the "special" way is to hold the gear selector in a certain position prior to turning the key, which to me means they have bodged it rather than fit a new switch
    (Also the gear box is stiff)
    Do you mean the gear selector is stiff?
    Understeer is when you hit a wall with the front of your car
    Oversteer is when you hit a wall with the back of your car
    Horsepower is how fast your car hits the wall
    Torque is how far your car sends the wall across the field once you've hit it
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