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Need some advice on a car we are about to buy (maybe)

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  • baser999
    baser999 Posts: 1,242 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    Quick look on Autotrader for similar (2013 Zetec diesel estates) is throwing up prices above what that dealers asking. Have you put the reg into say WBAC for a valuation?
  • easy said:
    I wouldn't touch it. 
    If the Engine failure warning was easy to fix,  why didn't he fix it before letting you test drive it?  

    And clearly,  they don't care about the rules of being in business -  failing to file statutory accounts -  there will be other aspects of business he isn't properly paying attention to,  which might include the safety of the car you are buying  (remember,  an MOT pass only means that it met the MOT standard on the day it was tested.  Anything could have changed since last November).

    There are plenty of other cars available out there ...  walk away from this one.



    I was going to test drive it again after it has been fixed

    The person we spoke to is not the owner so I can't say the accounts are his fault but it's worrying that if they got struck off that we wouldn't be able to get the warranty.

    I had already paid a deposit but by credit card so if we pull out I might use section 75 to get it back if they won't refund it
    You paid a deposit to buy the car so why do you think you're due it back if you pull out?

    If the dealer spends money prepping the car you may not be entitled to it back. 
  • macman
    macman Posts: 53,129 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    You have no right to your deposit back unless it was agreed that it's refundable. A deposit confirms your agreement to purchase the vehicle.
    If you then pull put, your card provider is not going to refund you (at their own expense) just because you changed your mind.
    The warranty may be dealer or insurance based, but, either way, they are near-worthless should you actually want to claim.

    No free lunch, and no free laptop ;)
  • jimjames
    jimjames Posts: 18,661 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    edited 15 February 2023 at 10:58PM
    Deposit puts another spin on it but from what you've said I'd be walking away. "It's just a sensor fault" is up alongside "it'll easily pass an MOT". Why buy a car with a known fault when there are lots of others available/ They might fix it, they might not but either way it could have other issues as a result and be one of those that constantly needs work doing. 


    It has an “Engine Failure” warning which will be fixed – engine is fine and sounds fine – it just seems to be a sensor issue and he said he won’t hand the car over before this is done. 

    One of the reasons we want to buy from a dealer is because we would have no protection at all if we bought privately and I think it's wishful thinking finding a used car without any issues whatsoever 

    Be fully aware that buying from a backstreet dealer at this sort of price isn't much better than buying privately and in some ways worse if you get a bad dealer. At least privately you can meet the owner and get a feel for how they have looked after the car.
    You may have a warranty on paper but dodgy dealers will walk away and there is very little you can do so don't assume buying from a dealer will give you any more protection.
    Remember the saying: if it looks too good to be true it almost certainly is.
  • jimjames
    jimjames Posts: 18,661 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    angrycrow said:

    Not convinced most of the reviews are genuine either.

    One review looks genuine :)

    READ BEFORE BUYING FROM THIS GARAGE

    Bought a vehicle from this garage around 5 months ago without really checking it out fully as I was in a rush for a vehicle. Only paid 2k for the car so I wasn’t very surprised to find out the whole rear axle was completely corroded and falling to pieces beyond repair, airbags were loose under the steering wheel & covered up with some sticky tape. Car also had 2 faulty injectors which were going to cost almost £1000 to replace, turbo also had become stuck open which needed a full replacement. All the supension components were also full of rust and needed replacing too, none of this I was told upon purchase I have now sold the car as it is “uneconomical to repair” . Do not recommend this garage

    Remember the saying: if it looks too good to be true it almost certainly is.
  • Herzlos
    Herzlos Posts: 15,882 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper


    The coolant tank story doesn't worry me too much for the reason mentioned above, it makes little sense considering that we just turned up (unless someone else was there before to check the car but then still, what's the point?



    It may not have been done to disguise a head gasket problem to you; it may have been for someone test driving it earlier.
    It may be that whoever was buying the car (assuming a trade in) poured some oil in to use as evidence of a head gasket failure and thus buy the car for scrap money.
    It may genuinely be that the previous owner put oil in instead of coolant, but that then leads to why? If they somehow thought that was the right thing to do what other odd stuff have they done? How long has it been running with oil instead of coolant?

    It doesn't seem to be a special or unique car; I'd pick one that doesn't have the issues.
  • You can check the MOT history and tax status online at the .gov website for free.

    That is a useful good first guide to the condition of the car and whether it has always been well maintained - if it had a history of failed the MOT with a string of majors and then passed, it might indicate the care or otherwise of past owners.  Don't just look at the most recent MOT, but see if there was one a day or week before that gives better information.

    The tax check will give an indication as to when the car was sold by the previous owner - does the tax expired date align with when you first saw the car and the previous owner apparently dumping a litre of oil in the coolant a day or two before?
    Ah good point, the tax has run out in January and the lest check was done by an Auction House ....mmmhhh...very suss (I used motorcheck for this)
  • easy said:
    I wouldn't touch it. 
    If the Engine failure warning was easy to fix,  why didn't he fix it before letting you test drive it?  

    And clearly,  they don't care about the rules of being in business -  failing to file statutory accounts -  there will be other aspects of business he isn't properly paying attention to,  which might include the safety of the car you are buying  (remember,  an MOT pass only means that it met the MOT standard on the day it was tested.  Anything could have changed since last November).

    There are plenty of other cars available out there ...  walk away from this one.



    I was going to test drive it again after it has been fixed

    The person we spoke to is not the owner so I can't say the accounts are his fault but it's worrying that if they got struck off that we wouldn't be able to get the warranty.

    I had already paid a deposit but by credit card so if we pull out I might use section 75 to get it back if they won't refund it
    You paid a deposit to buy the car so why do you think you're due it back if you pull out?

    If the dealer spends money prepping the car you may not be entitled to it back. 
    Well let's put it this way, he was telling us how other people were interested in the car, too. So I am sure he won't have an issue refunding it unless he wants to lose face. I am not saying I am "entitled" to it but I am saying that if I have a chat with him and point out the issues and I am happy for him to sell it to the other desperate person down the road then he would reveal a lot about his practice and risk a bad review as well. 

    It's all about communication - if we don't get it back that's tough luck but it doesn't mean I won't try
  • jimjames said:
    angrycrow said:

    Not convinced most of the reviews are genuine either.

    One review looks genuine :)

    READ BEFORE BUYING FROM THIS GARAGE

    Bought a vehicle from this garage around 5 months ago without really checking it out fully as I was in a rush for a vehicle. Only paid 2k for the car so I wasn’t very surprised to find out the whole rear axle was completely corroded and falling to pieces beyond repair, airbags were loose under the steering wheel & covered up with some sticky tape. Car also had 2 faulty injectors which were going to cost almost £1000 to replace, turbo also had become stuck open which needed a full replacement. All the supension components were also full of rust and needed replacing too, none of this I was told upon purchase I have now sold the car as it is “uneconomical to repair” . Do not recommend this garage

    Yeah I saw this one but I am as weary of positive as I am of negative reviews. I would have expected more negative reviews to be fair. But I will see what he comes back with anyway.
  • HHarry
    HHarry Posts: 988 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 500 Posts Name Dropper
    easy said:
    I wouldn't touch it. 
    If the Engine failure warning was easy to fix,  why didn't he fix it before letting you test drive it?  

    And clearly,  they don't care about the rules of being in business -  failing to file statutory accounts -  there will be other aspects of business he isn't properly paying attention to,  which might include the safety of the car you are buying  (remember,  an MOT pass only means that it met the MOT standard on the day it was tested.  Anything could have changed since last November).

    There are plenty of other cars available out there ...  walk away from this one.



    I was going to test drive it again after it has been fixed

    The person we spoke to is not the owner so I can't say the accounts are his fault but it's worrying that if they got struck off that we wouldn't be able to get the warranty.

    I had already paid a deposit but by credit card so if we pull out I might use section 75 to get it back if they won't refund it
    You paid a deposit to buy the car so why do you think you're due it back if you pull out?

    If the dealer spends money prepping the car you may not be entitled to it back. 
    Well let's put it this way, he was telling us how other people were interested in the car, too. So I am sure he won't have an issue refunding it unless he wants to lose face. I am not saying I am "entitled" to it but I am saying that if I have a chat with him and point out the issues and I am happy for him to sell it to the other desperate person down the road then he would reveal a lot about his practice and risk a bad review as well. 

    It's all about communication - if we don't get it back that's tough luck but it doesn't mean I won't try
     You really think they’re worried about ‘losing face’?  They’ll tell you anything to make a sale, and the lots of other interested people ruse is as old as the hills (and used by a Dealer when I went to look at a car 2 weeks ago).
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