Zafira -Engine Cooked after Coolant system Failure

Muscle750

The seller is not responsible and save yourself time on here go and source a secondhand engine stick a new cambelt water pump etc and you got back to happy motoring

AdrianC

mark88man wrote: »

I think we will have to disagree on this. In my book if it broke after 2 months it was a fault that was there at the beginning.

Even if the coolant was lost because the car you were following flicked a stone through the radiator a mile before you ran out of coolant?

In the two months and 2,000 miles you had the car, you DID check the fluid levels regularly, right? And was the coolant low in all that time?

mark55man

Adrianc - Actually Yes - cars are not made of glass - I think it is reasonable to expect a level of robustness in what you buy.

How often do you hear of cases like this - pretty rare - therefore reasonable to look beyond "that's life - !!!!!! happens" to provide some accountability. If that turns out to be me/OH fair enough but I'm not going to start there

I have listened to your comments on the other stuff and will get a better explanation from my local garage as to their diagnosis

Thanks everyone for your advice - even the bits that arent hopeful

motorguy

mark88man wrote: »

Adrianc - Actually Yes - cars are not made of glass - I think it is reasonable to expect a level of robustness in what you buy.

You expect a car to be "robust" enough to run without water whilst driving?? :eek:

No, thats unreasonable.

mark88man wrote: »

How often do you hear of cases like this - pretty rare - therefore reasonable to look beyond "that's life - !!!!!! happens" to provide some accountability. If that turns out to be me/OH fair enough but I'm not going to start there

You hear of cases like this quite regularly if you are in or around the motor trade.

Frankly i think you're looking for someone else to blame. You've got a big bill now and you're hoping you can pin it on the dealer who sold you a 13 year old car 2 months ago that has ran perfectly until the "catastrophic loss of coolant".

mark88man wrote: »

I have listened to your comments on the other stuff and will get a better explanation from my local garage as to their diagnosis

Yes, please post their diagnosis. It will be interesting to hear.

I'm thinking water pump if when they put fluid in now it pretty much runs straight through.

motorguy

mark88man wrote: »

I also think that your example is irrelevant it doesnt require a lot of sense to detect a flat tyre and stop driving, but no warning other than a cold blowing fan - I don't think thats negligent

Okay, if you're going to reject that as "irrelevant" (which it isnt) then lets try a different example.

I'm driving along in my Golf, and a tyre suffers a "catastrophic loss of air" and explodes and damages the rim. Can i claim for a new rim off VW?

Extrapolating that further, what if the "catastrophic loss of air" was because i hit a pothole yesterday that caused the tyre to weaken and bulge, but i hadnt checked the tyres or spotted the bulge?

Brooker_Dave

Has anyone tried to mend it?

It's not as if doing a headgasket is beyond the wit of man...

Before going to court it might be worth while waving the spanners at it?

AdrianC

mark88man wrote: »

Adrianc - Actually Yes - cars are not made of glass - I think it is reasonable to expect a level of robustness in what you buy.

Absolutely. But - no - it is not reasonable to expect damage from road debris, such as a stone, to be covered by SOGA or a warranty. If it'd chipped the paint, broken a headlight or the windscreen, would you expect that to be covered?

Anyway - had you regularly checked the coolant level through those months? Had it been gradually dropping, or had it been level?

motorguy

Brooker_Dave wrote: »

Has anyone tried to mend it?

It's not as if doing a headgasket is beyond the wit of man...

Before going to court it might be worth while waving the spanners at it?

Given the garages use of "catastrophic loss of coolant", i'm sure theres a lot of teeth sucking and "its going to cost you mate" posturing going on.

Marktheshark

There is that issue as well, I doubt the engine is wrecked, it just needs repair, it may not even be what this garage is saying it is, not exactly renowned for honesty are they.
A second opinion might be in order.
Even if the HG has gone, its not a big deal on that engine, £400 at top whack for the slowest mechanic.

Ranger8

Get yourself a secondhand motor put in, they`re cheap enough.;)