General What should I do?

[jwmitch]

Hi everyone!

I've just bought a 95 1.1 55SX Punto with 81k on the clock from a local dealer for £999.

When I viewed the car prior to purchase, the central locking was fualty, and the cam belt was squealing, the dealer fixed both of these problems.

Upon collection of the car, I was supplied with only one BLUE key, when I questioned the dealer about obtaining a spare, he said the were expensive to replace, about £100 he said.

Of course the rest is history, after lots of research......especially from this excellent site, I find this not to be true.

Fiat quoted me the usual £1000 to replace the whole locks, ECU etc.

My options at the moment are as follows:

1. Disable the ECU, the dealer says he will be able to do this at his cost, making it possible to use un-coded keys?

2.I have located a complete lock set, ECU, key de-coder box, and red and blue keys for £85. I will buy the items and the dealer will fit them at his cost?

3. Try and get my money back?

4. Get a couple of keys cut at Timpsons, and hope the battery never goes flat?

Thanks in advance.

John.

 

[beau]

go for number 2.!!!!

 

[The Negotiator]

Try and get your money back IMO but i doubt you would, not 100% sure (Dave will back me up) but I think that's a lot more than the car is worth even if it had the red key and not faults.

 

[Dr_Pepper]

Welcome to the forum

Firstly I have to say £999 is a little over the odds for a basic '95 punto but if you're happy with the car then I'd go for number 2 if the dealer really will fit it for free. Good luck with it.

 

[coupe coupe]

Dont be stupid.

Go to timpsons get some cut for around 15 quid each!!!!

Return the car, hahahaha.

 

[Helz]

Number 2 and get someone else to fit it. And welcome to the forum

 

[The Negotiator]

coupe coupe whoever you are, if I was sold a car that you couldn't work with the ECU on and was very costly to fix if the immobiliser went tits up and had also paid over the odds in the first place, the first thing I would be doing is attempting that.....it would be an easy way to get out of it IMO.

 

[dave]

Try and get your money back IMO but i doubt you would, not 100% sure (Dave will back me up) but I think that's a lot more than the car is worth even if it had the red key and not faults.

YEP ITS DOUBLE PRICE
alough you wont need a red key even if you take out the battery. take it back with the quote from fiat and ask for full refund then go up local car auction and get one with half the miles for about £600

btw welcome to the forum.

 

[Steven]

They seen you coming!

I would drive the car at speed through the window, into the showroom. At least I'd want to...

Try and get your money back.

 

[coupe coupe]

how rediculous. What he paid for the car is irrespective here.
So what if you feel the car was too expensive, he didnt have to buy it at that price. he could of found a cheaper one, i doubt he was forced into buying it. And telling someone with hardly any car knowledge to go to an auction is silly. Whats he to do if he finds the car from the auction has a dummy red key or a whining gearbox??? rattly bottom end??????

Here in the midlands 995 isnt a bad price to be honest. And as far as the auctions go around here you would be lucky to get anything for less than 800.

You will never need the red key.

If your immoblizer went awol then fiat would charge more to rectify if you had the red key than to replace it. Minimum fiat charge is like 35+vat for an hour so you wouldnt come away without a bill for 100+ for any eeprom work. If it went wrong just buy a complete ecu set for say 80 quid. And fiat usually send the ecu's away as they carnt usually fix instore. Most go to lynx!!!

Ive never had an immobiler problem on a punto and i'd say ive owned more than anyone on here. Usually just go into some bizzare over-fueling frenzy, which is un-repairable.

If you want my advice, dont take the **** with the trader, just ask for a small-ish discount and go to timpsons, get a couple. Better than having your door cards torn off by some butcher and the locks tinkered with. Besides how you know the ecu will be much good your buying?

 

[Steven]

At the end of the day he was ripped of by the seller which was after all a Fiat dealer. They have, by law, to advise of any issues with the car and I'd say the missing red key is an issue...

The dealer actually lied. He has a case for rejecting the car. You have the same rights buying second hand from a dealer as you do buying new.

Like I said, I'd be looking my money back.

How many Puntos have you owned by the way?

 

[coupe coupe]

I wouldnt bother posting how many we have had, or worked on. you would tell by the amount of adverts we run in the autotrader a week, should anyone really be bothered for me to proove it!!

Back to the car, no way would a fiat dealer have sold it, wont really touch anything for under 3k. just get passed onto auctions and local p/x buying garages.

Back to the key. The missing red key is classed legally as a major defect and so can be retured.

HOWEVER the trader due to the value of the car has to honestly describe and outline any problems, most traders dont know what a red key is, i could name 5+ ive met in the last 3 months that call it the burgandy key and even one who went around saying the key plugs into the ecu when you open them up. My point being if the trader wanted to contest a refund he could claim to not undersatand the red key system and so LEGALLY wouldnt be liable.

Its a stupid problem and is down to personal opinion, if the car is a good one and your happy then stick with it.

There's alot more cars out there with the red key, but nothing to say it wouldnt have darker news looming.

Besides look how many punto's have false red keys, ie a normal blue chip put inside a red key housing!!!!! Bet there's a lot of people on here with duff keys!!!!

Its up to you. I'd take a bigger assesment of it all!!!

Its a free forum for our own opinions, a great host of knowledge and opinions.

Whatever you do i hope your happy and stick with a punto.

All the best!!!!

 

[The Negotiator]

If I type in punto to fish4cars within 25 miles of nottingham, I find:

FIAT PUNTO 1.1s, 1994 M reg, Grey, 3 dr, MoT till April, tax till March, very good condition and runner, £375 o.n.o


FIAT PUNTO 55S 1996, Mot April radio cassette, clean car. £475.


FIAT PUNTO 55 S Manual 5 Door, 5 Speed, Taxed And MOT End Of April, 80K With Some History And Previous MOTs, (This Car Has Done Only 8K In The Last Three Years), Clarion Stero, Sunroof, Clean And Tidy, Drives Superbly, Cheap TAX And Insurance An Very Economical , A Gift At, £695, www....


PUNTO 55SX, N Reg, 5dr, central locking, e/w, 2 owners, 109K, TAXED AND TESTED, outstanding condition Only £695 ono (trade)

I.e. yes, you can get a lot cheaper.

The dealer wouldn't take it back but if there was a chance, why not go for it....It was one of the options given out.

 

[Steven]

The use of the word "dealer" in the original post led me to believe that it was a Fiat dealer that sold the car. Is this the case jwmitch or was it a local garage or used car dealer?

 

[The Negotiator]

Even so, you just said coupe coupe yourself that it's illegal to sell a car with such a fault and TBH, anybody who is even looking at a fiat knows about the redkey issue, i mean even parkers says in things to look out for "does it have the all important red key" - a dealer would be in bad shape not to know about it.

 

[coupe coupe]

"the negotiator"

So i guess he must have gone to the garage and had his money forced from him, i guess he was lead to look at the car on a lead, and beat with a cane to buy it. Who says the ones on fish4 are any good??? ever bought a used car? is every car advertised perfectly and suitable??? the mileage's are high, bodywork could be awful, anything to suggest VCAR on them??? He could have a minter, he could have a wreck, the others advertised could be perfection or complete wrecks. You carnt price a car's value by what others are advertised for!!!!

Bargains do exist, ill admit, some people cannot land on them though, private buyers have it harder as traders can make quicker decisions and source them faster.

The price is totally irrespective here.
Opinion of value wont help solve this problem.

Returning the car because he paid too much is just stupid, and should the trader see people suggesting on here that he does and use the key as an excuse, well!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (i know not directly said by anyone buts its the general idea)

And no i didnt sell it him, if there's no red key when i sell one i offer a 3year ecu warranty and the buyer must sign to understand no key is present!!!!

 

[Steven]

Agreed, and if the vendor is not private then you do have a comeback. Citizens advice would be a good starting point or even a solicitor. I seriously doubt that given these circumstances the "dealer" would hesitate to take the car back when presented with a solicitors letter and a few facts regarding consumer law.

 

[The Negotiator]

No, i will say it directly, it's not a bargain and hence as such, should be in a much better conditions in terms of redkey being present, this is a good reason to ask for the money back. I can't extend on my argument, too busy.

 

[coupe coupe]

"the negotiator"

Its not illeagal to sell without, i never said that at all!!!!!!

Its a defect, a car can be sold with as many defects as are, as long as there outlined!!!! When the car was collected and no key was present the buyer was therefore aware of the "defect"!!!

And LEGALLY if you consider a car defective and not informed you must:

Stop using the car immediatly and inform the seller in writing with your concerns, what you wish in rectification, and allow 30 days for a satisfactory reply before legal action can go ahead!!!!

Please dont mis-interperate what i say!!!

 

[The Negotiator]

Hang on, you said:


"Back to the key. The missing red key is classed legally as a major defect and so can be retured."

How have I misinterepted you, you have specifically written that.