used car problem

beermonsta81

I posted yesterday but lost it, oops!

Hi, I bought a used car 6 months ago for £625, from a small used car company the only paperwork was the last MOT which had no advisories which had 6 months left to run.
6 months on ive MOT'd it and it has been deemed dangerous to drive, I only use it for work and have travelled no more than 2000 miles.
when I got home I checked the online MOT history checker and it failed 28/09/2013 on a shock absorber leak, excessively corroded break pipes and anti roll bar linkages amongst a few other things, then 1/10/2013 it was re-tested at same garage and passed with no advisories. this year it failed on the exact same things (plus extra ware and tare stuff) so it must'nt have been fixed in 2013.
Had i known about the anti roll bar and leak i wouldnt have bought it.
I still have the car (i am not using it) but i need a car for work and cannot afford another or finance on one, I bought from a dealer as I have more rights. I have rung the dealer and he said he was going to look into it but nearly a week on no answer as yet.
What can I do to rectify this and what are my rights if any?

motorguy

beermonsta81 wrote: »

I posted yesterday but lost it, oops!

Hi, I bought a used car 6 months ago for £625, from a small used car company the only paperwork was the last MOT which had no advisories which had 6 months left to run.
6 months on ive MOT'd it and it has been deemed dangerous to drive, I only use it for work and have travelled no more than 2000 miles.
when I got home I checked the online MOT history checker and it failed 28/09/2013 on a shock absorber leak, excessively corroded break pipes and anti roll bar linkages amongst a few other things, then 1/10/2013 it was re-tested at same garage and passed with no advisories. this year it failed on the exact same things (plus extra ware and tare stuff) so it must'nt have been fixed in 2013.
Had i known about the anti roll bar and leak i wouldnt have bought it.
I still have the car (i am not using it) but i need a car for work and cannot afford another or finance on one, I bought from a dealer as I have more rights. I have rung the dealer and he said he was going to look into it but nearly a week on no answer as yet.
What can I do to rectify this and what are my rights if any?

I really dont think you're going to get anywhere this far down the line on a car that was very close to end of life in the first place.

You "could" potentially contact trading standards as it seems odd that the car failed, then passed and then this year failed on the same things again, but i think you would be in to a world of hassle for no return for you - TS wont help you get any money back from the dealer.

I didnt think anti roll bar bushings were an MOT failure? Certainly that has been my understanding, and i've had about 100 cars put through MOT when i was trading.

How much is a shock absorber? £40?

Realistically, you've got six months out of the car - presumably maintenance free - i dont think anyone could "guarantee" the ongoing roadworthiness of an old car?

19lottie82

I don't think you'll get very far with this TBH, as you will need to PROVE that the MOT certificate was falsified, you could get a report from your current garage / MOT tester, but I don't even know how far that would get you.

NVRAM

Should be easy enough to prove, if the shock is still the oem fitted one then it's very likely to not have been replaced.

19lottie82

NVRAM wrote: »

Should be easy enough to prove, if the shock is still the oem fitted one then it's very likely to not have been replaced.

Good point.

beermonsta81

it was the mountings on anti roll bar seriously corroded,
thankyou for comments, I always live in hope lol
I will contact trading standards and/or the body that oversees MOT'ers as if he put this one through falsely then how many more?

surely dealer willhave given it thorough look over though?

NVRAM

VOSA is the MOT head honcho

Dealer SHOULD have given it a proper look over, however whats to say the place that did the previous MOT's isn't his mate's garage

beermonsta81

vosa thankyou, prob is his mate, something dodgy somewhere

Strider590

I've said it before and I'll say it again.......

An MOT done whilst the car belonged to a dealer, is NOT worth the paper it's printed on.
They know you probably won't find the problems until 12 months down the line, at which point there will be no comeback on them.

forgotmyname

NVRAM wrote: »

Should be easy enough to prove, if the shock is still the oem fitted one then it's very likely to not have been replaced.

Except they could have fitted a used shock from the scrappers which may have only just been in a better condition than the one they replaced.

motorguy

beermonsta81 wrote: »

surely dealer willhave given it thorough look over though?

Very unlikely. At that price point if it starts and goes then thats as much checking as is likely to be done.

Next to no profit in it - if any at all if it was a trade in he was selling on - so it will just have been shipped out.