Technical engine hot

[sheena]

hi
i have just bought fiat punto but it seems i have got all the problems in my life everything in this car is going wrong. first the engine gets really hot and then there is oil leak and anti freez is leaking under the bonnet, took to the garage and he said gasket needs changing so i rang to the dealer and he checked it and he said nothing is wrong in the car so he denied everything and i was back on the road again but today the green thing was leaking again with hot engine so i took to the other garage and he said fan is not working, i really dont know wat to do, i have just passed my test and don't know anything about the cars. does anyone know wat the problem could be please help........

 

[jimboy]

take it & abig bloke back to yhe garage you bought it from & demand they put it right:devil:

 

[sheena]

thank for the reply
i did take it back and he said nothing is wrong, he does not even listen to me. he told me it was sold as seen and on the top of that he said garage people are just trying to get money.

 

[dave]

did you buy it private or from a trader? if private then it sold as seen if trade then its only sold as seen if he put that on you receipt

 

[The Sultan]

did you buy it private or from a trader? if private then it sold as seen if trade then its only sold as seen if he put that on you receipt

:yeahthat:

don't let traders rip you off there is obviously something wrong with the car so him telling you that it's fine tells you he is worried he will end up fixing it

if it was truly sold as seen he wouldn't be worried about telling you it's broke and would more than likely give you a quote to fix it

as for the fault it's overheating and boiling the water this could be due to the fan not working or a faulty stat but more than likely the head gasket will have blown also buy now

 

[sheena]

thanks i have been to the garage and one of them said head gasket needs changing the other garage said fan is not working so i will go tomorow to one more garage and get it fixed and try to sell it before it makes me remortgage my house. i could not beleive how a dealer could sold me such a car, i trusted his word.

 

[dave]

if the fan isn't working, then by now head gasket is probably gone.

did you check your receipt, did it say sold as seen?
if not then go to trading standards

 

[Ralf S.]

The fan may be working.. it's just that it will only work if there's water in the radiator.

If the head gasket is gone, you'll lose coolant and get air in the system instead.. so the engine overheats... air doesn't cool it as well as coolant does.

If there's air in the radiator then the temperature in the radiator doesn't get as hot as if it had coolant in it, so the sensor that makes the fan come on thinks everything's okay and so doesn't switch the fan on, as it normally would.

If you re-fill the coolant to the proper level and bleed the air out of the system, then (assuming the beast isn't leaking) let it warm up, the fan should come on when the temperature gauge just creeps over mid-way.

In time, as you lose coolant, you'll get air in the system and the fan will "stop working" (actually "stop being activated") so you need to get the gasket fixed.

But if that cowboy garage don't want to know (write them asking for a response in 7 days, one way or the other) get it fixed somewhere else and send them the bill via your solicitor..

Ralf S.

 

[sheena]

thank you very much, it does make sense actually. the problem is i went to buy this car with my friend and i thought she knew about the cars as she drives from years but she didnt check anything and he put on the receipt seen as sold so i dont think i have a leg to stand on.

 

[sheena]

can i ask you one more question as i got no clue about the cars. if i change head gasket would this car drives ok or it is for the best to sell it and buy something else. i read reviews about puntos after buying it i wish i had read them before and would have bought corsa instead.

 

[dave]

as long as the gasket is done right, with a head skim (£30) and new head bolts, and system is bleed properly, it should last for years
garage price should be £200-£250 for the job

 

[sheena]

thank you

 

[The Sultan]

corsas are more prone to head gaskets than puntos to be bluntly honest specially

and there not that good anyway

 

[rover220]

no trader can ever write sold as seen and think that makes him exempt.

get on to your local CAB and trading standards

 

[Ralf S.]

Aye! Especially if he told you it's "a lovely little runner".


But fix the gasket and the beast will be fine.



Ralf S.

 

[sheena]

ok, the thing is since i bought my car all my friends are saying i have spent too much and just telling me to sell it, so its like they put me off driving if i tell you the truth but i tried to look on ebay and everywhere but most of them were same price. they are saying i should buy clio or corsa or ford fiesta. i like my car its only i have to get the head gasket fixed. i rang to the dealer again and he said he will get the car checkd but he wouldnt spend any money if the headgasket is gone. i dont know if i should give my car to him or not wat you would suggest. iam on my own this time and finding hard to make the dicision.

 

[sheena]

thanks i didnt know much about all this.

 

[Ralf S.]

If he's not going to fix it, if the head gasket has gone then I'm not sure what the point is of giving it to him... but it may be worth it. He may find some simpler cause of the problem confused and may fix it.

At least if he diagnoses it's the head gasket you'll know where you are.

Then you can either fix it and forget the creep, or fix it and try to get re-imbursed for it. It's probably best if you involve Trading Standards first and see what your options are, if you want matey to pay for it. TS will tell you how to go about it.

But in the first instance they'll say you should give him a chance to fix it..


Oh.. don't listen to your mates.. they're rather unimaginative to trot out the Corsa/Fiesta/Clio cobblers.. those motors do go wrong too.. Your Punter is cool! (or it will be when the cooling problem is fixed! )


Ralf S.

 

[The Sultan]

you defiantly have legs as it's been advertised and sold as a car and is not fit for the purpose the only way to sell a car and get no come back is to sell as spares or repairs



here's a sample letter you could wright to them

Sample letter rejecting goods which are not fit for their purpose.

Your Name
Address
Date
Trader’s Name
Address

Dear Sir / Madam (or name of person);

Re: Invoice/Contract Number - item (e.g. three piece suite, computer, television etc.) Make and Model.

On the (date) I bought the above (item) from your firm, at a cost of £ .... . I informed your salesperson that I needed it for a specific purpose (describe e.g. computer game suitable to use on my particular model of computer etc.).

I was assured by the salesperson that the above item would be suitable for my requirements.

However when I tried to use it for that purpose, it proved unsuitable (describe problem(s)).

I complained to you about (this/ these fault(s)) on (date). (describe what the firm did or said they would).

In addition to it being an express term of our contract that the (item) would be suitable for my particular needs. Implied into our contract under the Sale of Goods Act 1979 (as amended) are certain statutory rights. In particular goods should be of a satisfactory quality and reasonably fit for the purpose(s) that goods of that particular kind are commonly purchased including any particular purpose asked for by a buyer.

The (item) was not fit for the purpose of (describe e.g. to be used on my particular computer etc.), despite your salesperson assurances.

I therefore believe that you are in breach of contract and so I am legally entitled to reject the goods and claim a full refund.

Please issue a refund of £.... which I paid for the goods within the next 14 days.

I look forward to receiving your response to this letter as soon as possible.

Yours sincerely / faithfully;

Sign and print your name.

This is only a sample letter to give you guidance on what to write. You will need to write the letter out and substitute your own details at the appropriate places shown in bold. Send your letter by recorded delivery and keep a copy.

1/05/05 A7 Rejecting goods which are not fit for purpose