Told I need a new car engine!

don9999

My car (Ford Focus) wouldn't start after work yesterday.
Had recovery tow it to a local Ford garage.

They contacted me today saying that it needs a new engine!

It's around 4 years old with around 50k miles on the clock.
Excellent condition, serviced annually, and no trouble until yesterday.

I bought the car from another Ford garage a couple of years ago on about 36k miles.

Don't know what my options are.....
Am going to ask for a full diagnostics report - they have said they can't say exactly what's wrong with the engine, until it's stripped down - is that reasonable - would presumably cost me just to find out what's wrong.

Am assuming a car shouldn't need a new engine within just 4 years and under 55k miles. Surely an issue with the engine itself.
Though not having bought the car from new, I'm guessing I don't have the same rights.

Will probably need a second opinion. Which will mean paying for a truck to take it from one garage to another.

Any thoughts/advice?

debtdebt

A four year old Ford Escort? Really?

Lomast

debtdebt wrote: »

A four year old Ford Escort? Really?

Quite either the op has the wrong dates or wrong car

hollie.weimeraner

don9999 wrote: »

My car (Ford Escort) wouldn't start after work yesterday.
Had recovery tow it to a local Ford garage.

They contacted me today saying that it needs a new engine!

It's around 4 years old with around 50k miles on the clock.
Excellent condition, serviced annually, and no trouble until yesterday.

I bought the car from another Ford garage a couple of years ago on about 36k miles.

Any thoughts/advice?

If this is a Focus or Fiesta with a 3 cylinder ecoboost engine have a look on here for advice and follow the pinned post

https://www.facebook.com/groups/FordEcoboostNightmare/

don9999

Oops. That's the second time I've called it an Escort today!

Of course, I meant a Focus.....doh......

No idea why I keep thinking of an Escort.

don9999

Thanks hollie.weim.

Yes! It IS a 1.0 litre Ecoboost engine.
But on a 13 plate - a quick glance on the FB page suggests other cases have been 14, 64 and even 15 plates.

I'll need to read up more on this......

Seems that some people have been given new engines, or new cars, or at least significant contributions.
However, as a 'second-owner' I am concerned that my rights will be much less.....

AdrianC

don9999 wrote: »

However, as a 'second-owner' I am concerned that my rights will be much less.....

Your legal comeback is against the supplier you purchased from - a particular Ford dealer, which is not the one you are currently dealing with.

Since it's over six months ago, the onus is on you to prove the fault was there at the time of purchase.

System

don9999 wrote: »

Am going to ask for a full diagnostics report - they have said they can't say exactly what's wrong with the engine, until it's stripped down - is that reasonable - would presumably cost me just to find out what's wrong.

Yes it is reasonable, yes it will cost you but if you have the work done with the garage doing the inspection or covered by the manufacturter they often knock some or all of it off the bill.

don9999

Hey AdrianC,

The legal comeback will be interesting......
As I say, will first need to see what Ford come back with.

But you are right. I just checked. and I actually purchased it in late 2014, so about 3.5 years ago.
It was about 1.5 years old when I bought it.

The car is currently in another (local) Ford garage.

Presumably I have to go back to the original selling garage to see what they have to say. Though ultimately, surely it is Ford that will need to compensate.

macman

Since you've owned it for 18 months and put 14K miles on the clock, the dealer will not accept any liability whatsoever. Your only hope is Ford divvying up if it's a known fault. And that means you will need evidence that's it's been serviced as per the required schedule from new.

AdrianC

don9999 wrote: »

Though ultimately, surely it is Ford that will need to compensate.

You have no contractual relationship with Ford.

Your car is out of warranty, and any chance of a goodwill gesture by them will need to be through a dealer, and will be massively contingent on a scrupulous dealer service history.