Diesel car sold to me as petrol car

tykesi

pete9804 wrote: »

To clarify, the car will be being refunded and I'll remain on the hunt for a petrol one.

With regard to providing all the pertinent facts up front; the problem people have when they get into difficulties like I have done, is that they *don't know* what the pertinent facts might be (like how I didn't check under the bonnet to confirm the fuel type!!) - otherwise we probably wouldn't have got into that trouble in the first place!

Sure, to provide advice people need details but it's very easy to ask for various clarifications in a *polite way* rather than some "well how about this you moron??" interrogatory list of this that and the other.

Sorry to say that unless you know what you're looking for nothing under the bonnet would have helped you identify the fuel type either.

If you need any further help when you've found another car come back and give us a go, most people are helpful on here (even the ones who sometimes give posters a hard time) so it might help stop you making a similar mistake again

Turn_to_Grey

Dealers do get it wrong. Went to see a S/H Rav 4 at a Toyota main dealers. Car was described with a good spec, but when I went to view, no alloys, no sunshine roof and other small bits that were in the original sales description. Turns out it was built to a low spec for the Irish market, but was sold in the UK market and " was pulled back for the UK market due to heavy UK sales" so the salesman told me.
No due diligence on the part of the dealers that day !

onomatopoeia99

One can generally tell diesels and petrols apart just by listening to the mechanical noise they make. The sole exception I've encountered is certain Renault petrol engines fitted with something called a "dephaser", which if it fails makes it sound like a diesel. Mal-adjusted / failed tappets can make an engine rattly but not to diesel levels of clatter (even on a Talbot Horizon).

OP, if you aren't confident about this stuff, check the registration document (known variously as the V5C, V5, "log book"), do an HPI type check and take someone that knows a bit about cars with you when you go to look at any future potential purchases.

kmb500

Putting any sort of trust in car dealers is a bad idea. For some reason it's a trade which attracts the lowest of the low, scummiest, scammiest people around. And not just used car salesmen, but new car salespeople give them a good run for their money.

Mercdriver

kmb500 wrote: »

Putting any sort of trust in car dealers is a bad idea. For some reason it's a trade which attracts the lowest of the low, scummiest, scammiest people around. And not just used car salesmen, but new car salespeople give them a good run for their money.

It also attracts a lot of generalisations based on limited experience but plentiful hearsay.

What do you base your knowledge on KMB500? Not from the Highway Code, because you've never read that.

kmb500

Mercdriver wrote: »

It also attracts a lot of generalisations based on limited experience but plentiful hearsay.

What do you base your knowledge on KMB500? Not from the Highway Code, because you've never read that.

Well I can only speak from my experience, wouldn't want to speculate. but of the dealers - franchised garages and second hand ones - only one has been half decent. the other however-many were all varying extents of dodgy / lying / scummy in terms of trying to take your money.

Herzlos

Turn_to_Grey wrote: »

Dealers do get it wrong.

Exactly. When it's come into stock, someones stuck the registration into a computer where something like CAP has given the spec back (and probably populated the advert). Likely all they have in front of them is a registration number, key, make and model. If they get the registration wrong but it still comes back with the correct make/model then it'll get passed through.

Since they were potentially registered in bulk, getting one of the last 2 characters wrong (C instead of D, E instead of F) will probably show the same make/model, no doubt with a different spec.

Once in the system, the keys will be given to someone else and told "Go park up that Toyota".

It's likely only once a particularly sharp salesman is showing it to a customer, or appraising it to get shifted on, that they'll notice details like the wrong engine or spec.

Ironically, a small independent dealer will likely be better here, as in a one man shop the guy who looked it over and bought it will be the same one that parks it up and puts it into whatever system they have.

worried_jim

I'd still love to know which car it was, had a A4tdi in the late 90's and an Astra D in 2005 but I know Diesel engine refinement has improved loads since then. Curiosity.......

motorguy

kmb500 wrote: »

Putting any sort of trust in car dealers is a bad idea. For some reason it's a trade which attracts the lowest of the low, scummiest, scammiest people around. And not just used car salesmen, but new car salespeople give them a good run for their money.

You must be buying cars from some seriously dodgy places.

photome

I am with the OP and pleased dealer has refunded. he got far too much stick from regualr posters.

If he knows nothing about cars he should be able to rely on what the dealer tells him

As for those saying look at the back of the car, look at the engine, listen to the engine , what a load of rubbish to someone who doesn't know what they are looking for, plus many newer cars have nothing on the back anyway.

my focus, just says " focus". nothing else. It's a diesel and its very quiet