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Returning my car - Help me get my money back!
carproblems
Posts: 11 Forumite
in Motoring
I purchased a car from a dealer in June 2016. This was the first car I had ever purchased.
I'll try to recount as many details as I can in order for your to offer accurate advice as to where I stand.
When the car was delivered, I was taken through the details of the interim service, performed at my request by an official dealership (as opposed to a mechanic of the car dealer's choice), the dealer pointed out that during the service, there was "Signs of water leak behind engine / investigation time required". The dealer told me that he informed the mechanic that it "had rained the night before" and that explained the water "leak".
Later that day when I was driving the car away from a parking spot, I noticed a puddle. I called the car dealer, who after a quick look, decided it was coolant and gave me the number of a mechanic. His mechanic "fixed" the leak and I moved on.
In the next few weeks driving the car the engine light was going on and off and the car was losing power, resulting in me having to pull over on various occasions because the car couldn't go over 17mph.
In the middle of July, one evening, I went to turn the car on but it cut out right away. I had the car towed to my local mechanic who informed me that the EGR valve needed replacing. I spoke with the car dealer who said he would arrange the repair to be done (we ended up splitting the cost of the repair 50/50).
From the time I'd had the leak initially repaired, I was having to fill up the coolant reserve quite regularly (I was doing this with water and had it filled at my mechanic and at an official Citroen dealership). After having a couple of weeks where I was having to put water in the coolant tank every day (sometimes it took 4 litres to get up to the maximum mark!) I decided something was seriously wrong and I'm taking it to Citroen. I no longer trusted that the car dealer was capable of having the car repaired. (During this time, the engine light was coming on and off every few days).
I took it to Citroen, who said, no only did the initial mechanic not repair the leak, he broke the inlet housing. They also informed me that the EGR valve had permanent faults stored and would need to be replaced.
I told them that the EGR valve had been replaced less than a month ago and I would be taking it back there!
I took the car back to where the EGR valve was replaced. The mechanic had me sit with him in the car whilst he hooked it up to a computer to clear the faults. I drove away, there was no engine light present. A couple of days later, the engine light was back. I took it back to the mechanic who took it in for a few days and informed me that there was no issues with the EGR valve, he tested a few different ones and found no issues at all. HOWEVER, my coolant leak was back...
I then took the car back to Citroen who, after a quick look, informed me that there was no coolant leak, but there was a diesel leak and the high pressure fuel pump would need to be replaced.
It was at this point that I informed the car dealer that I would be returning the car for a full refund.
The car dealer is trying to drag his feet and is refusing to issue me with a refund until he has sold the car on and recouped the money I paid for it. I don't feel that I should be made to wait. He is also saying that he is going to reduce the amount of the refund based on depreciation!! I barely drove the car! It spent most of the time in the mechanic.
Please advise my best course of action!
If you have any questions, I will be happy to answer as best I can! Thank you for reading. I hope some of it made sense.
I'll try to recount as many details as I can in order for your to offer accurate advice as to where I stand.
When the car was delivered, I was taken through the details of the interim service, performed at my request by an official dealership (as opposed to a mechanic of the car dealer's choice), the dealer pointed out that during the service, there was "Signs of water leak behind engine / investigation time required". The dealer told me that he informed the mechanic that it "had rained the night before" and that explained the water "leak".
Later that day when I was driving the car away from a parking spot, I noticed a puddle. I called the car dealer, who after a quick look, decided it was coolant and gave me the number of a mechanic. His mechanic "fixed" the leak and I moved on.
In the next few weeks driving the car the engine light was going on and off and the car was losing power, resulting in me having to pull over on various occasions because the car couldn't go over 17mph.
In the middle of July, one evening, I went to turn the car on but it cut out right away. I had the car towed to my local mechanic who informed me that the EGR valve needed replacing. I spoke with the car dealer who said he would arrange the repair to be done (we ended up splitting the cost of the repair 50/50).
From the time I'd had the leak initially repaired, I was having to fill up the coolant reserve quite regularly (I was doing this with water and had it filled at my mechanic and at an official Citroen dealership). After having a couple of weeks where I was having to put water in the coolant tank every day (sometimes it took 4 litres to get up to the maximum mark!) I decided something was seriously wrong and I'm taking it to Citroen. I no longer trusted that the car dealer was capable of having the car repaired. (During this time, the engine light was coming on and off every few days).
I took it to Citroen, who said, no only did the initial mechanic not repair the leak, he broke the inlet housing. They also informed me that the EGR valve had permanent faults stored and would need to be replaced.
I told them that the EGR valve had been replaced less than a month ago and I would be taking it back there!
I took the car back to where the EGR valve was replaced. The mechanic had me sit with him in the car whilst he hooked it up to a computer to clear the faults. I drove away, there was no engine light present. A couple of days later, the engine light was back. I took it back to the mechanic who took it in for a few days and informed me that there was no issues with the EGR valve, he tested a few different ones and found no issues at all. HOWEVER, my coolant leak was back...
I then took the car back to Citroen who, after a quick look, informed me that there was no coolant leak, but there was a diesel leak and the high pressure fuel pump would need to be replaced.
It was at this point that I informed the car dealer that I would be returning the car for a full refund.
The car dealer is trying to drag his feet and is refusing to issue me with a refund until he has sold the car on and recouped the money I paid for it. I don't feel that I should be made to wait. He is also saying that he is going to reduce the amount of the refund based on depreciation!! I barely drove the car! It spent most of the time in the mechanic.
Please advise my best course of action!
If you have any questions, I will be happy to answer as best I can! Thank you for reading. I hope some of it made sense.
0
Comments
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Age Model ?0
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2011 Citroen C4 Grand Picasso 2.0.
Purchased with around 51,000 on the clock.0 -
How much did you pay?0
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I paid £6k0
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Was any mention of any of these problems made or alluded to during purchase?0
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The car was purchased by the dealer at an auction (out of town). Therefore, he was unaware of the exact condition (more than the auction's description), when the car was delivered to him.
Once he'd received the car, I instructed him to take it to a Citroen dealer to have it serviced, which he did.
They then informed him of a potential leak which required further inspection, however, he just brushed it off and said that it had been raining the night before and drove the car away and gave it to me.0 -
Anyone have some advice? Thanks.0
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So essentially he's agreed to give you a refund less depreciation?
Depending on how he calculates it, that seems reasonable.
As far as him having to sell it again to give you money goes, is he actually a trader or a bloke who buys and sells cars out of his house/street/whatever? Id expect a commercial business to have funds available to refund 6k. Others may have advice here...0 -
The dealer operates as a limited company, but just some guy that sells cars.
I'd be very interested to see how he calculates the depreciation. I'm thinking he'll just make up a number that sounds good to him.0
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