Fit for purpose?

Guinness-Cat

Hi,

I was after a little advice about a car we bought last year for my wife. She had just started childminding so we needed to change car for a people carrier. Found a Renault Espace (2.2D) in a garage about 30 miles away for £4,350 with 90000 miles on an 53 plate which we part ex'ed old car and paid the rest on credit card for (this was around november).

On Christmas day we were on the motorway, and the car broke down quite spectacularly - got it taken home by the AA. The garage we had bought it from agreed to repair as it was less than 3 months since we had bought it, but wanted a contribution of 1000+vat which we agreed to as we really needed the car. It needed a new engine and turbo.

We got the car back in March (it appeared to take them an age to source and fit a reconditioned engine and gearbox). In fairness, they did lend an old Zafira while they did the work.

Today, the steering suddenly went. My wife managed to drive it to our local Renault independent garage who had a look and said that the belt had snapped - probably caused by the large oil leak coming from the engine..

Do I have any and rights against the garage that sold the car and did the original repair. After spending almost 5.5K with them we don't have a car which is fit for purpose - or should I just consider ourselves unlucky + a bit silly for buying a diesel Renault in the first place?

Anyway I'd really appreciate a bit of advise before instructing our local garage go ahead with a couple of hours work to strip the engine to try and find the leak.

Thanks

forgotmyname

How bad is this oil leak? How much oil do you have to topup each week?

The oil leak could be a washer on the sump or the oil filter seal. Something simple and cheap.

My best guess the engine was not a recon one but actually just a 2nd hand one.

oliverr

If you had mentioned you were going to buy a 90,000 mile 2003 Renault Espace on here before you brought it, well... Anyway, I hope you end up getting it sorted out. If it were me with the Renault I would get the garage to fix it as best they could and sell it and cut my losses.

facade

Guinness-Cat wrote: »

Hi,

Do I have any and rights against the garage that sold the car and did the original repair.

Wouldn't have thought so, you have had 6 months use out of it since the repair, and it is only an oil leak.