We're aware that some users are experiencing technical issues which the team are working to resolve. See the Community Noticeboard for more info. Thank you for your patience.
📨 Have you signed up to the Forum's new Email Digest yet? Get a selection of trending threads sent straight to your inbox daily, weekly or monthly!

Having an issue with Richard Hardie garage about car bought form them a few months ago

Options
calicocat
calicocat Posts: 5,698 Forumite
Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Chutzpah Haggler
edited 12 March 2020 at 8:33PM in Motoring
Hi,

wondered what people thought about this.

Bought a Fiat 500X from main dealer last August, still in warranty, but understand break pads and discs aren’t covered in this. However,  mate noticed that discs looked bad but mother has been very ill so haven’t had time to get it in until today. They were going to charge £300 to do ( which is an obvious rip off) but I stated the car was like this when I bought it and surely this should have been picked up by them on the pre-sale check. I have only done around 2500 miles since I bought it.

Chappie in garage says vehicle was fine when sold, I argued it wasn’t. He said all he can go by is that pre-checks said it was fine, so it was fine.
Got home to check paperwork I got given with the car after purchase, and there is a service record and paperwork from July , a month before me buying it, which was done by previous owner. This service paperwork states an alert on it saying discs are corroded. Which proves it was like this when I bought it. Also , it was their garage which did the service, so they certainly can’t deny it was a problem before I purchased.

My question is..

Shouldn't this have been picked up and fixed before it was sold on? And do I have any recourse do you think to ask them to fix it free of charge as checks were clearly not done properly.

Thanks
Yep...still at it, working out how to retire early.:D....... Going to have to rethink that scenario as have been screwed over by the company. A work in progress.
«13

Comments

  • neilmcl
    neilmcl Posts: 19,460 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    You purchased a used car, things like brake disc/pads are wear & tear items so you can't reasonably expect them to be perfect when you bought the car. It would've been up to you to check the condition of things like this prior to purchase.
  • calicocat
    calicocat Posts: 5,698 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Chutzpah Haggler
    I understand that, and this was pointed out to them but the salesman just brushed it off saying it was fine, and I haven’t had time until now to get it in to them. I’m not a mechanic, and you expect a certain level of professional service from a main dealer ( that’s probably a mistake on my part too). I don’t expect to have  to hire a car expert to take with  me to an approved Fiat dealer.

    They are denying  they sold it with a problem , when their own service sheet says there was prior to purchase ( not that they know this as yet). I am going back at them tomorrow and have emailed Fiat headquarters to see how they feel about it. 

    If I have to repair it then I do and that’s fine, but they will get no further business from me and I think it is bad practice. The vehicles breaks were clearly not checked properly prior to sale.
     
    Yep...still at it, working out how to retire early.:D....... Going to have to rethink that scenario as have been screwed over by the company. A work in progress.
  • neilmcl
    neilmcl Posts: 19,460 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    edited 12 March 2020 at 9:57PM
    So have you been to an independent garage to see if the brakes actually do need replacing or not. The fact that you had a service report stating the discs were corroded doesn't necessarily make them worthy of immediate remedy, otherwise the previous owner would've had sorted them then and there. If they're not worn to the point they'd fail an MOT then the dealer has done nothing wrong.
  • lesalanos
    lesalanos Posts: 863 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 500 Posts Name Dropper
    Unfortunately brake discs will always be susceptible to rust.  Only doing 2500 miles in 6 months means that rust will not get "cleaned" off as much through normal use.  
  • Ectophile
    Ectophile Posts: 7,971 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    Brake discs are made of steel, so they corrode.  It doesn't really mean anything, unless they have got so thin that they are outside the manufacturer's specification.
    If you go for an enthusiastic drive, you will find they look a lot less corroded afterwards.
    If it sticks, force it.
    If it breaks, well it wasn't working right anyway.
  • calicocat
    calicocat Posts: 5,698 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Chutzpah Haggler
    Ok, fair points to consider there thank you for the feedback. 
    Got it booked in with my usual garage next week, then I will find out if they need doing etc. 
    Yep...still at it, working out how to retire early.:D....... Going to have to rethink that scenario as have been screwed over by the company. A work in progress.
  • calicocat
    calicocat Posts: 5,698 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Chutzpah Haggler
    Have spoken to Fiat, they are so far agreeing with me it seems. So will see what happens. Got the impression they have had more than just my complaint about the garage in Question. Pretty impressed with Fiat coming back straight away to be honest, regardless of whatever the outcome is. 
    Plus they are in the middle of the crisis and chaos over there and still amazingly quick at responding . They are all working from home though I think. 
    Yep...still at it, working out how to retire early.:D....... Going to have to rethink that scenario as have been screwed over by the company. A work in progress.
  • m0bov
    m0bov Posts: 2,698 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    You might get some goodwill from them, but you did'nt buy the car from Fiat and when you did buy it, it was more than 6 months ago.
  • calicocat
    calicocat Posts: 5,698 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Chutzpah Haggler
    Yes, I am aware of this, so are they. That doesn’t stop the fact that they have sold a car with a known problem, bad practice at best. 
    Yep...still at it, working out how to retire early.:D....... Going to have to rethink that scenario as have been screwed over by the company. A work in progress.
  • Mercdriver
    Mercdriver Posts: 3,898 Forumite
    Fifth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    If I changed my brake discs every time they were a little corroded, I'd be very poor indeed.  I driving 15 - 20k a year, but there is sometimes a gap when I am out of the UK.  When I come back, there is frequently some rust on my discs.  A bit of braking will deal with this.
This discussion has been closed.
Meet your Ambassadors

🚀 Getting Started

Hi new member!

Our Getting Started Guide will help you get the most out of the Forum

Categories

  • All Categories
  • 350.9K Banking & Borrowing
  • 253.1K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
  • 453.5K Spending & Discounts
  • 243.9K Work, Benefits & Business
  • 598.7K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
  • 176.9K Life & Family
  • 257.2K Travel & Transport
  • 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
  • 16.1K Discuss & Feedback
  • 37.6K Read-Only Boards

Is this how you want to be seen?

We see you are using a default avatar. It takes only a few seconds to pick a picture.