Legal / Warranty advice re Used Car Dealer

Annabelle_

Hi all,

Really hoping you guys could help as I'm worrying over this one.

Basically I bought a second hand car from a used car dealership 10 weeks ago. It's a 2006 Ford Fiesta Zetec 1.4 with 75000 miles on the clock. Yesterday it lost all power on the motorway and I couldn't pull over straight away as the hard shoulder was blocked off with cones, etc. I had just enough power to get past all that and onto the hard shoulder before the car conked out for good.

I was towed off the motorway and to my local garage by RAC, who think it is the cam belt which has snapped. Obviously my heart dropped at this . Included in the deal when I bought the car was 6 months RAC Gold Warranty hooray! But they say this only covers me for up to £500 and I could be looking at £500 to £1500 potentially :eek:.

The garage is going to ring me tomorrow with a quote. I'm feeling really annoyed at the dealership as I paid £2,700 but I don't know if I'm justified in feeling that way, it's just that the car still feels 'new' to me. Is this something they could have known about or should have to help with? I have the service history and this seems regular and up to date with no mention of the cam belt - you'll have to excuse me as I have very little knowledge in this area.

Do I have any legal rights to go back to the dealership at all? I'm loathe to do this as they are miles and miles away from me but can anyone offer any advice as to my rights and the best course of action? Obviously want the car up and running asap but don't want the garage to go ahead if there is another way.

If I did have to fork out then what would be a reasonable price to pay the garage including labour, parts and VAT? Any quick responses would be hugely appreciated, thanks in advance!!

forgotmyname

You dont get reduced power when a cambelt snaps the engine will be smashing itself to pieces. Pistons and valves contacting each other.

No the cambelt wont have been something they checked or could have known about. The issue you should have seen was no mention of a change recently so got it done ASAP or agreed it in the sale.

Nearly £3000 for an 8 year old fiesta OUCH!!!

Your warranty is probably worse than you think. It usually excludes consequential damage. So a new belt will be fitted to your wrecked engine.

I hope its a reputable trader, They should have made enough profit to put you right.

You need to get the car back to a dealer unless they tell you to get it to somewhere local.

Reasonable price will depend on whats wrong. I wouldnt put much faith in the original diagnosis.

When you buy another car, Make sure you get the cambelt changed if its been 50,000 miles or 5 years since the last change.

harveybobbles

The distance of the garage is meaningless - you chose to buy the car from them.

Annabelle_

Thanks for that harveybobbles but I posted for some advice and that wasn't very helpful.

forgotmyname

Im afraid he is right though. Its not their problem that you are miles away from them. Take the car back and get them to sort it.

Thats the issue with buying from a distance. Also if the car is in a garage and they are attempting a fix or working on it then you maybe giving your rights away also.

Annabelle_

But my warranty that the dealership gave me is through RAC and they took me to my local garage for a quote. Won't the dealer just say well that's what the warranty is for! I don't understand how I'm supposed to 'get the car back to them' when it's broken down. Help!

forgotmyname

Exactly. But your finding out the warranty is crap and wont cover much at all.

Your best claim is with the selling dealer.

You expect a £2700 car to last longer than 10 weeks. But im still shocked at that price... You can get 2007 and 2008 cars for much less.

Annabelle_

I came here for advice on the warranty etc and I only supplied the cost of the vehicle if it helped anyone giving me advice but you keep saying that I've been ripped off. I'd love to see a comparative diesel car with £30 road tax that's 2 years younger and cheaper than what I paid if you can send me a link?

forgotmyname

Autotrader. Several of them.

You say comparative, But i dont know what to compare it to.

£2227 2007 model from a Franchised dealer...

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201410027886411/sort/default/make/ford/maximum-mileage/up_to_100000_miles/maximum-age/up_to_8_years_old/postcode/b12jp/page/1/onesearchad/used%2Cnearlynew%2Cnew/seller-type/trade_adverts/usedcars/fuel-type/diesel/model/fiesta/price-to/3000/radius/1501?logcode=p


£2000 should see you driving that away.

sh0597

..........

colino

Your car lost power, but was able to drive to a safe area. Even for the many, most feeble, googlegrabbers on this site they will be able to inform you that the cambelt certainly did not snap. The engine would have stopped dead and you would only have been able to coast only yards.
Sue the RAC if you like for their lies, but get your car, at your expense, back to the selling trader to examine and work out if it is a repair, refund or replace scenario.
Were any children put at risk?