Cambelt snapped within 7 days from purchase

DUTR

kozlikha wrote: »

I don't want it repaired, I have seen many jobs like this go wrong, they will most likely attempt to get it done on cheap side, that will be my assumption. I want a refund, hence the thread asking if anyone has attempted to do so. I am not that interested in opinions on situation or my character, hope you understand.

Of course you are interested in opinions on the situation, hence the thread.
You may want a refund, none of the readers can authorise that,, saying you have seen many jobs like that go wrong, is not a good history.
Indeed you can fight it, but logic will bias the case not emotion (which you brought into it) , so in the meantime how are your wife and 2 small children getting around?

BananaRepublic

I suggest you ask this question on the Honest John web site, they should tell you your legal position. I think you are on solid ground as it failed so soon however, they will tell you for sure.

kozlikha

DUTR wrote: »

Of course you are interested in opinions on the situation, hence the thread.
You may want a refund, none of the readers can authorise that,, saying you have seen many jobs like that go wrong, is not a good history.
Indeed you can fight it, but logic will bias the case not emotion (which you brought into it) , so in the meantime how are your wife and 2 small children getting around?

Not good history? What's with assumptions? I was a taxi driver and cabs did go wrong and I saw how long engines worked after they were reconditioned. That is the reason. I don't want a cat in the bag car.

Luckily we kept old car, so they are using that for now.

DUTR

kozlikha wrote: »

Not good history? What's with assumptions? I was a taxi driver and cabs did go wrong and I saw how long engines worked after they were reconditioned. That is the reason. I don't want a cat in the bag car.

An 8yr old high miler is pointing to that before you done the deal though.

kozlikha

DUTR wrote: »

An 8yr old high miler is pointing to that before you done the deal though.

We'll see what they reply, I gave them 14 days to respond. And subsequently we'll see what the small claims judge says. As far as I'm concerned it's unreasonable to expect an engine to develop a fault when you buy a car with full service history (diesel) with cambelt change within recommended time period and pay £3500+ for and all this to happen within 7 days. You ask 1000 people and 99% would confirm my opinion - unreasonable damage and goods are faulty within 30 days from purchase. We only did about 150 miles in it. If you wanna be in business you must accept there will be financial liabilities linked and this may well be a grey area as it's a used item, but I could have bought it from a private seller with no history and THEN this would have been reasonable outcome, not from a dealer. They could have not known about the fault, that is not my concern, my concern is that I bought goods from a business and these goods have developed an unreasonable fault within 7 days and because this happened within 30 days I may be entitled to a full refund, this is where my interest is, should I press for a refund or accept repairs paid for by the dealer, which hasn't been offered yet anyway. So in 7 days I'll ask for an answer in writing, then depending on their response I'll have to decide what's next.

DUTR

kozlikha wrote: »

We'll see what they reply, I gave them 14 days to respond. And subsequently we'll see what the small claims judge says. As far as I'm concerned it's unreasonable to expect an engine to develop a fault when you buy a car with full service history (diesel) with cambelt change within recommended time period and pay £3500+ for and all this to happen within 7 days. You ask 1000 people and 99% would confirm my opinion - unreasonable damage and goods are faulty within 30 days from purchase. We only did about 150 miles in it. If you wanna be in business you must accept there will be financial liabilities linked and this may well be a grey area as it's a used item, but I could have bought it from a private seller with no history and THEN this would have been reasonable outcome, not from a dealer. They could have not known about the fault, that is not my concern, my concern is that I bought goods from a business and these goods have developed an unreasonable fault within 7 days and because this happened within 30 days I may be entitled to a full refund, this is where my interest is, should I press for a refund or accept repairs paid for by the dealer, which hasn't been offered yet anyway. So in 7 days I'll ask for an answer in writing, then depending on their response I'll have to decide what's next.

You'd need the arbitrator to be sitting in the 99%, a dealer doesn't magically make products sound and reasonable. In that price bracket and age, one may have had money better spent on private as they'd be getting more for their money or the same for less money.
Also there could be other factors not described here eg the screen price was say £4200 and you took it for £3500 allowing you to get a cam belt /full service completed at a workshop of your choice.

cubegame

OP, I assume you got the engine up to temperature on the test drive and then revved it to the limiter (as per the MOT smoke test)?

Diesel car buying 101 that is......

kozlikha

cubegame wrote: »

OP, I assume you got the engine up to temperature on the test drive and then revved it to the limiter (as per the MOT smoke test)?

Diesel car buying 101 that is......

No, didn't fully rev. But it passed MOT 2 weeks prior to sale date.

seatbeltnoob

cambelt is binary, it works or it snaps, there's no visible wear and tear on it, or indication that it's going to fail. You go by the service interval indicated by the manufacturer and hope for the best. This means you can't take the dealer to court over this for failing to see wear and tear on the kit.


If the work was done genuinely by the garage at 99K and not too long ago time wise (and done properly) then this would be a manufacturer fault where they have specified the incorrect interval or incorrect build standard.


If you can prove the service book markings are fraudulent then the responsibility lies with the dealer. I think you will struggle to prove this.


Given lack of paperwork for the cambelt work done, you cant take it up to VAG group or the cambelt kit manufacturer.

kozlikha

seatbeltnoob wrote: »

cambelt is binary, it works or it snaps, there's no visible wear and tear on it, or indication that it's going to fail. You go by the service interval indicated by the manufacturer and hope for the best. This means you can't take the dealer to court over this for failing to see wear and tear on the kit.


If the work was done genuinely by the garage at 99K and not too long ago time wise (and done properly) then this would be a manufacturer fault where they have specified the incorrect interval or incorrect build standard.


If you can prove the service book markings are fraudulent then the responsibility lies with the dealer. I think you will struggle to prove this.


Given lack of paperwork for the cambelt work done, you cant take it up to VAG group or the cambelt kit manufacturer.

So I have no rights having bought a used car from a dealer, nice. I will probably go see a solicitor that specialises in consumer rights.