- Joined
- Sep 12, 2014
- Messages
- 92
- Points
- 30
This is a long story, sorry about this. Would love some opinions on this, not a car buff so no idea what to do. Do i let them fix, or try to take action. I've owned it for just over 4 weeks.
I was looking for a car, found a 1.4 Active Sport, 56 plate, 77k miles. £2600. Lovely car to look at. I check everything I was told, not being a big car buff, everything looks fine. I ask about the history, told it's all good. Ask about a service history, don't see one but he says it's all good (I shouldn't have accepted this). Ask if it will have a full service, told yes. Not allowed to test drive it myself apparently, due to my age??? (18) Sit in the car while he drives, seems good. It will undergo an MOT before I buy.
I return, pay the rest of the car, drive home. On the way home, something in the window breaks. It won't roll up. It makes a crunching noise. Return it and he opens the door panel, says the cable has snapped, wedges it shut with a piece of wood for me to return to in a few days. Spent 4 days ish in the garage. Within the next couple of days, airbag warning light came on and message. One headlight wasn't working, heaters stopped working, the brakes started creaking/thumping, relevant to speed and a high pitched squeeling on a cold start. Also when turning on, temp gauge would shoot up then go back down, and sometimes would not turn on at all.
I take it back to the garage, the window is fixed, lights all working, new fan belt apparently, heaters were fixed, brake noise and air bag warning still preset. Over next couple of weeks, lights going often and working again. Brake lights, tail lights, number plate lights. All very dodgy.
I was referred to an auto electrician regarding the air bag light. I take it there and after a few hours he tells me that one of the air bags (passenger side) is not connected, he says this is very unusual. When I take it back to him he will be replacing some of the wiring.
Since I had it there has been a small patch of oil on the road, which was presumed to be from my neighbours banger. When it rained we saw a big slick coming from my car. I return to the dealer, they send me to their "sister" garage. They look at the brakes, fix the noise and also inform me I have a cracked sump. 120 quote to repair, not covered in warranty like everything else, due to this being my fault (remember this). They put bitumen on it, say it should be repaired urgently. I go home to get some quotes. Book it in to that garage for saturday.
Since taking it back, the brake noise has returned, weight sensor in passenger seat is faulty, heaters packed in again (resistor I believe), boot light doesn't work.
The car passed an MOT in the sister garage with no advisories. I did an MOT check online. Has a bad history of MOT's, 2 fails due to wrong tires, parking brake issue, wipers being poor, many lights not working, this "Nearside Front Track rod end ball joint has excessive play (2.2.B.1f)" no idea what it means. These are back in 2010 and before. Since then, a lot of advisories, regarding brake pads, corroded coils, rear brake cable has wires broken. In 2012, an oil leak was reported, same in 2013. In 2013 a corroded sump was reported!! So it must have already been there?
It's current MOT done by the sister garage has no advisories, surely it can't have a faulty airbag, so many light problems, brake issues, corroded sump, corroded springs (definitely not new ones), and not have a single advisory? Could the MOT be fake, just made to sell the car?
Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated, I'm not happy with the car, so many things going wrong and I don't feel safe in it. I need it as much as I can due to work and college. Sorry for it being so long.
I was looking for a car, found a 1.4 Active Sport, 56 plate, 77k miles. £2600. Lovely car to look at. I check everything I was told, not being a big car buff, everything looks fine. I ask about the history, told it's all good. Ask about a service history, don't see one but he says it's all good (I shouldn't have accepted this). Ask if it will have a full service, told yes. Not allowed to test drive it myself apparently, due to my age??? (18) Sit in the car while he drives, seems good. It will undergo an MOT before I buy.
I return, pay the rest of the car, drive home. On the way home, something in the window breaks. It won't roll up. It makes a crunching noise. Return it and he opens the door panel, says the cable has snapped, wedges it shut with a piece of wood for me to return to in a few days. Spent 4 days ish in the garage. Within the next couple of days, airbag warning light came on and message. One headlight wasn't working, heaters stopped working, the brakes started creaking/thumping, relevant to speed and a high pitched squeeling on a cold start. Also when turning on, temp gauge would shoot up then go back down, and sometimes would not turn on at all.
I take it back to the garage, the window is fixed, lights all working, new fan belt apparently, heaters were fixed, brake noise and air bag warning still preset. Over next couple of weeks, lights going often and working again. Brake lights, tail lights, number plate lights. All very dodgy.
I was referred to an auto electrician regarding the air bag light. I take it there and after a few hours he tells me that one of the air bags (passenger side) is not connected, he says this is very unusual. When I take it back to him he will be replacing some of the wiring.
Since I had it there has been a small patch of oil on the road, which was presumed to be from my neighbours banger. When it rained we saw a big slick coming from my car. I return to the dealer, they send me to their "sister" garage. They look at the brakes, fix the noise and also inform me I have a cracked sump. 120 quote to repair, not covered in warranty like everything else, due to this being my fault (remember this). They put bitumen on it, say it should be repaired urgently. I go home to get some quotes. Book it in to that garage for saturday.
Since taking it back, the brake noise has returned, weight sensor in passenger seat is faulty, heaters packed in again (resistor I believe), boot light doesn't work.
The car passed an MOT in the sister garage with no advisories. I did an MOT check online. Has a bad history of MOT's, 2 fails due to wrong tires, parking brake issue, wipers being poor, many lights not working, this "Nearside Front Track rod end ball joint has excessive play (2.2.B.1f)" no idea what it means. These are back in 2010 and before. Since then, a lot of advisories, regarding brake pads, corroded coils, rear brake cable has wires broken. In 2012, an oil leak was reported, same in 2013. In 2013 a corroded sump was reported!! So it must have already been there?
It's current MOT done by the sister garage has no advisories, surely it can't have a faulty airbag, so many light problems, brake issues, corroded sump, corroded springs (definitely not new ones), and not have a single advisory? Could the MOT be fake, just made to sell the car?
Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated, I'm not happy with the car, so many things going wrong and I don't feel safe in it. I need it as much as I can due to work and college. Sorry for it being so long.