Bought a used car from a dealer, AA approved trouble after

fred246

Yes it's pretty standard for this forum. Someone who isn't used to the forum appears and asks for some good advice. The regulars are straight in telling them rubbish. Sometimes some sensible people come along and help them. Of course the air conditioning should work.

AdrianC

EdGasketTheSecond said:

Consumer rights

Do go on...

Grumpy_chap

EdGasketTheSecond said:

Consumer rights

What consumer rights?

The OP has bought a 12 yo car for £1600  and can't expect it to be the same as a brand new car.

George_Michael

EdGasketTheSecond said:

But when a dealer prepares the car for retail sale, it is understood that everything should work; the law basically says as much. Same as anything you buy retail, if it is faulty you take it back for exchange or refund.

The law states no such thing.
What the law (The consumer rights act) actually states is:

9 Goods to be of satisfactory quality

(1)Every contract to supply goods is to be treated as including a term that the quality of the goods is satisfactory.

(2)The quality of goods is satisfactory if they meet the standard that a reasonable person would consider satisfactory, taking account of—

(a)any description of the goods,

(b)the price or other consideration for the goods (if relevant), and

(4)The term mentioned in subsection (1) does not cover anything which makes the quality of the goods unsatisfactory—

(a)which is specifically drawn to the consumer’s attention before the contract is made,

(b)where the consumer examines the goods before the contract is made, which that examination ought to reveal, or

So the law clearly allows for defects on goods depending on the price paid and the type of goods in question.
The OP purchased a vehicle that is close to the end of its life and they paid a relatively low sum for this vehicle so the expectations of what that vehicle should be like have to be based on the age and price paid. 

Mercdriver

George_Michael said:

EdGasketTheSecond said:

But when a dealer prepares the car for retail sale, it is understood that everything should work; the law basically says as much. Same as anything you buy retail, if it is faulty you take it back for exchange or refund.

The law state no such thing.
What the law (The consumer rights act) actually states is:

9 Goods to be of satisfactory quality

(1)Every contract to supply goods is to be treated as including a term that the quality of the goods is satisfactory.

(2)The quality of goods is satisfactory if they meet the standard that a reasonable person would consider satisfactory, taking account of—

(a)any description of the goods,

(b)the price or other consideration for the goods (if relevant), and

(4)The term mentioned in subsection (1) does not cover anything which makes the quality of the goods unsatisfactory—

(a)which is specifically drawn to the consumer’s attention before the contract is made,

(b)where the consumer examines the goods before the contract is made, which that examination ought to reveal, or

So the law clearly allows for defects on goods depending on the price paid and the type of goods in question.
The OP purchased a vehicle that is close to the end of its life and they paid a relatively low sum for this vehicle so the expectations of what that vehicle should be like have to be based on the age and price paid. 

Fred should take note also.

Hermione_Granger

fred246 said:

Yes it's pretty standard for this forum. Someone who isn't used to the forum appears and asks for some good advice. The regulars are straight in telling them rubbish. Sometimes some sensible people come along and help them. Of course the air conditioning should work.

Telling people what they want to hear rather that what their rights actually are isn't helpful to anyone.
Could you post a link to any law that states that the air conditioning on a 12 year old car must be working when sold. As you seen so convinced that this is right, I'm sure that you won't have any problem providing this but going on your previous posting history, I won't hold my breath waiting.

fred246

https://www.businesscompanion.info/focus/car-traders/part-b-your-obligations-under-consumer-rights-act-2015-cra
There is an example there saying that air conditioning should be working.

facade

I would have thought that if it is advertised as AC  then the air-con should be working.

It would be rather a sharp practise to claim the advert merely refers to the presence of something that is actually faulty.

It shouldn't have been in the advert if it didn't work.

Functioning air-con is a good selling point, the OP may well have chosen that car specifically because it has air-con, fully expecting it to be working.

On the other hand, if no mention was made of air-con in the advert or by the salesman, then that is buyer beware.

I've not got more than around 2000 hours out of air-con before it fails.

fred246

Yes it's very clear that if it says air conditioning in the advert then it should be working. If it's not they need to fix it for free. It's hard to work out the motives of people on this forum. Are they traders who don't like the law? Or maybe people that buy new cars and don't like the fact that older cars work perfectly? Very strange.

Grumpy_chap

If everything on a used car 12 yo at £1,600 has to work as perfectly as a brand new car, what, then, would be the point of anyone ever buying a brand new car?
Conversely, if the 12 yo car is deemed to be every bit as good as the brand new car, depreciation should be nil, so the OP could by a brand new car for the same price (but, obviously not £1,600).
The older car is cheaper because it is starting to wear out or, in the case of a 12 yo £1,600 car, nearly completely worn out.