Used car from dealer is faulty, refusing refund

roonsnruud

Hi, i need some advice. I brought an Audi from a independent dealer for 13k. The first thing that happened was i was driving the car back after purchasing it and when i got onto the motorway and doing 70mph the whole car was vibrating. I pulled over as soon as i could and phoned the dealer who advised me to come back. When they looked at the car both front wheels where loose. He offered me £20 for the extra fuel i had used to come back which i though was an insult as if the wheels had come off i may not be here now. That should have been a sign of the things to come. Whilst driving it in the first couple of weeks i noticed a rattle coming from the engine. I advised the dealer who said i have a 3 month warranty who said to take it to a local garage (not audi) and get it diagnosed. I did this and the mechanic said it is coming from the timing chain. This is a massive expensive job which involves taking the engine out. I advised the dealer i had lost confidence in the car and wanted a refund but he refused and said i need to prove the car was faulty when i brought it. He said he would get the car picked up and fix the problem at his local garage he uses. I was not happy with this due to the experience with the front wheels but asked him for assurances that the work done would be warrantied for 12 months as engine out could cause a lot a problems going forward if not done right. He is now refusing to answer my messages and calls. I paid 4k on my credit card so i have put in a claim for a refund under section 75 and will send him a letter of my rights under the consumer act 2015 as the car is not as described. I have been told that the timing chain is not classed as wear and tear as it is not a serviceable part and is engine failure. Does anyone know if i will be successful with the credit card company and is there anything else i need to do. Thanks in advance

daveyjp

Any use?

https://www.eeuroparts.com/blog/vwaudi-20t-timing-chain-problems-a-must-know-guide/

roonsnruud

Cheers daveyjp. mine is an A5 3.0 TDI 2012 so was not covered under that anyway i done think. 

AdrianC

roonsnruud said:

Hi, i need some advice. I brought an Audi from a independent dealer for 13k. The first thing that happened was i was driving the car back after purchasing it and when i got onto the motorway and doing 70mph the whole car was vibrating. I pulled over as soon as i could and phoned the dealer who advised me to come back. When they looked at the car both front wheels where loose. He offered me £20 for the extra fuel i had used to come back which i though was an insult as if the wheels had come off i may not be here now.

You didn't get the wheelbrace out and check them at the side of the road?

That should have been a sign of the things to come. Whilst driving it in the first couple of weeks i noticed a rattle coming from the engine. I advised the dealer who said i have a 3 month warranty who said to take it to a local garage (not audi) and get it diagnosed. I did this and the mechanic said it is coming from the timing chain. This is a massive expensive job which involves taking the engine out. I advised the dealer i had lost confidence in the car and wanted a refund but he refused and said i need to prove the car was faulty when i brought it. He said he would get the car picked up and fix the problem at his local garage he uses. I was not happy with this due to the experience with the front wheels but asked him for assurances that the work done would be warrantied for 12 months as engine out could cause a lot a problems going forward if not done right. He is now refusing to answer my messages and calls. I paid 4k on my credit card so i have put in a claim for a refund under section 75 and will send him a letter of my rights under the consumer act 2015 as the car is not as described. I have been told that the timing chain is not classed as wear and tear as it is not a serviceable part and is engine failure. Does anyone know if i will be successful with the credit card company and is there anything else i need to do. Thanks in advance

It is wear and tear... It's not a part that's on the service schedule, like a belt would be, but that doesn't mean they don't wear. It's an 8yo car that cost about a quarter of the price of a new equivalent... But, yes, this should be covered under your CRA rights - and since it was within the first 30 days, you have an absolute right to a refund. Have you physically returned the car yet?

roonsnruud

AdrianC, i didnt get the wheels brace out as i didn't know it was the wheels causing the vibration.   I haven't returned the car as it is 180 miles away and he will just refuse to refund me. Also i dont want to drive it knowing theres a timing chain issue which could wreck the engine. Good to know i have rights though . Cheers

fred369

roonsnruud said:

AdrianC, i didnt get the wheels brace out as i didn't know it was the wheels causing the vibration.   I haven't returned the car as it is 180 miles away and he will just refuse to refund me. Also i dont want to drive it knowing theres a timing chain issue which could wreck the engine. Good to know i have rights though . Cheers

Get the car back to him and formally reject it. 

Scrapit

roonsnruud said:

AdrianC, i didnt get the wheels brace out as i didn't know it was the wheels causing the vibration.   I haven't returned the car as it is 180 miles away and he will just refuse to refund me. Also i dont want to drive it knowing theres a timing chain issue which could wreck the engine. Good to know i have rights though . Cheers

You cant reject it and keep it. It needs to go back to them.

roonsnruud

Im just waiting to hear back from the credit card company before i do anything. Its down to him to collect the car once he gets a letter to say im rejecting it which im sending recorded delivery this week.  The mechanic advised me not to drive it espically that distance.  Ive not done this sort if thing before so all advice is welcome. 

Scrapit

roonsnruud said:

Im just waiting to hear back from the credit card company before i do anything. Its down to him to collect the car once he gets a letter to say im rejecting it which im sending recorded delivery this week.  The mechanic advised me not to drive it espically that distance.  Ive not done this sort if thing before so all advice is welcome. 

Why is it up to him?

roonsnruud

To be honest that's why i come on here as you read your rights on internet and its a mine field. Not sure if it's up to him to collect it if the car is faulty just something i read.

ToxicWomble

It was your choice to buy from a dealer that you knew was a distance away therefore your responsibility to get the vehicle back to him when/if you reject.
How you do that is up to you