Another used car problem post!!

Corps_of_Oa

So this isn't a short story but please read & advise if you can!!

I bought a second hand car from a garage on 25/01/2014. The garage is around an hour and a halfs drive from where I live. When I was roughly twenty minutes away from home I slowed down & when I went to accelerate again the gearbox popped out of 5th.

I took it straight to my local garage where I always take my car, they had a look at it and said that the whole gearbox needs replacing.

Now I test drove the car but could not take it far enough to get up to 5th (as it was in a town).

Anyway I just called the garage and they said that they only provide a 3 month warranty for work that is undertaken at their garage and that it was my responsibility to get the car back there. When I informed him that the car is not suitable to drive he said I should get it transported there. When asked if that was under the warranty he said no and that those costs would have to be covered by me.

I am (understandably) very annoyed that I paid £1000 for a car which I haven't been able to use since I bought it. It was a 52 Megane if anyone was wondering

So my question is this: do I have a leg to stand on to claim the money back for repairs that MY garage did? The car was clearly not fit for purpose and although inspected/test drove the fault would not have presented itself either of those times.

Thanks in advance to anyone that can help!!

Retrogamer

The garage have a duty to repair the gearbox fault or refund you for the car but you can't force them to pay for any repairs you have done at another garage unless they agree to it.

The car will probably be fine to drive back to where you bought it though.. I drove a Peugeot 106 for a year / 12k miles and it used to pop out of 1st, 3rd, 5th and it had lost second gear altogether. Even managed a 250 mile road trip one weekend with no issues

Horizon81

I take it you havent yet instructed your garage to do any work? The garage you bought it off are making the right noises in saying they'll look at it for you but it's up to you to get it there. As said above, they won't pay for another garage to fix it.

StrugglingApprentice

You have to give them reasonable chance to make good on it, at least they have agreed to do the work. Pick a date, take the car and go from there.

motorguy

Corps_of_Oa wrote: »

When I informed him that the car is not suitable to drive he said I should get it transported there.

The car is suitable to drive. Just dont use fifth gear. Simples.

Corps_of_Oa wrote: »

So my question is this: do I have a leg to stand on to claim the money back for repairs that MY garage did?

No, you dont have a leg to stand on. You should have given him the opportunity to inspect and resolve. Thats in HIS rights in the SOGA.

Corps_of_Oa wrote: »

The car was clearly not fit for purpose and although inspected/test drove the fault would not have presented itself either of those times.

Correct. And the dealer has not said he wont fix the problem - but you needed to give him the opportunity to inspect the car.

motorguy

Retrogamer wrote: »

The car will probably be fine to drive back to where you bought it though.. I drove a Peugeot 106 for a year / 12k miles and it used to pop out of 1st, 3rd, 5th and it had lost second gear altogether. Even managed a 250 mile road trip one weekend with no issues

+1

I'd a van with no fifth gear. Drove it for 2 months before i got it sorted - turned out to be bent linkage.

!

Netwizard

The garage is an hour and a half away from home and you didn't use fifth gear until you were 20 mins away? If you managed that, then surely you can drive the car back without using 5th gear.

Give him the chance to have a look at it and see whats what.As said above, it might be something as simple as a knackered linkage.

I'd count yourself lucky if that's the only problem you experience with a 52 plate £1k megane!

forgotmyname

Maybe a linkage adjutment issue or a weak syncromesh on 5th gear.
Or even an engine roll mount.

Its not going to explode in a million pieces without warning. When i were a poor lad i drove a car for 9 months with no oil in the gearbox.
I only did short journeys to work and back so it never got hot enough to cause any issues. It was supposed to be just something for a week or 2 until i could get something better. But it just kept going. Not once did it let me down.

motorguy

Netwizard wrote: »

I'd count yourself lucky if that's the only problem you experience with a 52 plate £1k megane!

Wait till the summer and the O/P tries to open a few windows....