Problem car

carted00

My colleague has recently bought a year old car. He was told at the time of the sale that it needed a service and was outside of the service window (+/- 500 miles).

He took it to the local dealer for a service and rectification on a couple of electrical problems. These were covered under warranty.

Less than a week later his wife has noticed a tapping noise. She took it to the dealer who took it round the back for the best part of an hour and came back to say that they would like to take the car in for a day or so to have a proper look.

Car went in last week for two days. Diagnosis is that they suspect a problem with the big end shells (I think) and the manufacturer will not cover this under warranty as the first service was outside the prescribed window.

He has phoned the manufacturer's customer service without any joy and no offer of anything towards the cost of repair (£3000 approx or £1500 with a replacement half engine)

Not the most ethical thing in the world but I'd think about going to another garage and trading it in for another car and not saying anything (there is only a suspect problem so nothing confirmed in writing).

How would he stand if subsequently the problem was confirmed by a new owner and he hadn't said anything?


A few miles over the service interval shouldn't cause a problem like this, what recourse does he have with the manufacturer?

Thanks in advance,

Darren

anewman

Did he have it in writing that the car came with a warranty? If so IMO it was dealer's responsibility to ensure the car was serviced as needed to maintain the warranty. How can he be responsible for the first service if it was not his property at the time?

IMO should have got the car serviced as part of the sale agreement and in writing that the full mfr's warranty applies.

deltic_2

If he was told when he bought it that it was outside of the service window then he/she should have checked out what the implications of that were when they bought it. By telling him/her the truth it will mostly absolve the seller of any liability as it was accurately described and sold in good faith.

They should get a second opinion on the concern as big end failure is a major failure and very rare these days. you would normally get more of a loud knocking noise than a tapping sound which is more typically things like a loose or failed tappet. Difficult to know without knowing what car/engine it is.

jeannieblue

Can you confirm that this car is only a year old?

Be interested to know what it is..

If only 500 miles out, then I think the dealership is being a total a**e and recommend contact manufacturers direct - quote 'watchdog' etc.

iolanthe07

I'd think about going to another garage and trading it in for another car and not saying anything

What a rotten thing to do. I pity the poor sod who buys it.

Pew_Pew_Pew_Lasers!

I wouldn't even consider the warranty. The vehicle has a fault, the seller must rectify it. Where the seller gets the money to pay for it is their problem not yours.

cyclonebri1

I looked at a TD4 Freelander a while ago. Only a year old, 22K but no service history. The dealer, a supermarket type outlet said that in the absence of the SH they would "honour" the waranty. Didn't buy it so not tested.;)

OP doesn't state how far outside of the +/- 500 mile service window it actually was, plus most garages would service any car before sale, especially 1 only a year old, why wasn't it done by them?