Trading standards
Author
Discussion

minerva

Original Poster:

756 posts

220 months

Friday 31st December 2010
quotequote all
Advice needed! I bought a mondeo estate the other week from a "semi retired" dealer on autotrader. It was cheap at £2300 for an 06 plate TDCI, with 208,000 miles. He said that it had no history but did have a print out from the company (which i would regard as nearly as good.
When I picked it up, all seemed okay and I have driven it nearly 1000 miles, but when starting (ie the next time I drove it) and driving off, the noise is really quite noticeable. I took it to a mechanic that I rely upon and the following is wrong:

1) Injectors noisy and should be replaced (do not need to be, though, it will still drive)
2) Flywheel noisy and needs to be replaced
3) Engine overfilled with oil and needed a litre (he wasn't sure of exact amount) draining out
4) tire pressures all at 22-25 psi (should be 33-35)
5) Aircon not functioning. Re-gas did not cure it and I didn't want to spend more on trying to fix it.
6) Fan and heater not working properly. On a journey in the reacent cold snap, the insides of the side windows froze over and I was pulled over by the police. Allowed to continue without punishment, but after I had spent 10 minutes scraping ice off the windows (I was very close to my destination and was going to leave it until I got there).

Oh, and there is no history at all. No print out from any company.

Do I have any reason to feel aggrieved and ask for a refund or should I just expect that the car will not be very good due to the price?

Should I consider trading standards?




Edited by minerva on Friday 31st December 17:55

Flintstone

8,644 posts

263 months

Friday 31st December 2010
quotequote all
This will not go well I fear.

I'll limit myself to one point only. You said there was a printout from a/the company yet you then said there wasn't. Assuming this was meant to be in lieu of a service history how did you buy the car weithout seeing this document?

minerva

Original Poster:

756 posts

220 months

Friday 31st December 2010
quotequote all
I had caught a train to meet him and he turned up late to pick me up. I was in a real hurry to not keep someone waiting and everything seemed very much in order. I grant you that it does sound very stupid, but I just didn't check.

Getting everything I deserve, I fear.

I am tempted to sell on ebay, but I would feel unable to sell without mentioning these points. Which is what makes me think that he should have mentioned them to me. Obviously then, I would not have bought it...

dave9

579 posts

178 months

Friday 31st December 2010
quotequote all
i think you get 30 days sale of goods act to return it.

but you did buy a 200k plus miler car with no service history and didn't have it looked over professionally.

personally i'd say buyer beware but if he is a trader you can prob return it

Burrito

1,705 posts

236 months

Friday 31st December 2010
quotequote all
I think you need to establish whether it was a trade sale or not.

That being said, you paid 30% less than the cheapest 2006 Mondeo Estate TDCi in the classifieds. It's done 208k. Did you really expect bits and pieces not to be worn out?

SubaruSteve

546 posts

207 months

Friday 31st December 2010
quotequote all
Burrito said:
I think you need to establish whether it was a trade sale or not.

That being said, you paid 30% less than the cheapest 2006 Mondeo Estate TDCi in the classifieds. It's done 208k. Did you really expect bits and pieces not to be worn out?
I fear a court would see it the same way.

minerva

Original Poster:

756 posts

220 months

Friday 31st December 2010
quotequote all
It was a trade sale, The receipt with his company name confirms it. He did, in a 'phone conversation recently, acknowledge that it was making the same noises when he had it and advised me to go to a mechanic near him because he was cheap.

I did expect things to be worn out but to be faced with a car that cannot be driven in cold conditions and which requires its purchase price again spent on it without any prior warning that I would have to do so means that the seller being duplicitous, is he not?


Edited by minerva on Friday 31st December 18:15

Burrito

1,705 posts

236 months

Friday 31st December 2010
quotequote all
minerva said:
It was a trade sale, The receipt with his company name confirms it. He did, in a 'phone conversation recently, acknowledge that it was making the same noises when he had it and advised me to go to a mechanic near him because he was cheap.

I did expect things to be worn out but to be faced with a car that cannot be driven in cold conditions and which requires its purchase price again spent on it without any prior warning that I would have to do so means that the seller being duplicitous, is he not?

Edited by minerva on Friday 31st December 18:15
Does that mean he's offered to get it repaired?

minerva

Original Poster:

756 posts

220 months

Friday 31st December 2010
quotequote all
No. He advised me to travel to advised mechanic to get a good (better) price. He did not offer to repair it.

spikeyhead

18,892 posts

213 months

Friday 31st December 2010
quotequote all
WTF did you expect from a car that's been to the moon and back?

And did it really take you 1000 miles of driving before realizing the heater didn't work?

The rest are inconsequential or are commensurate with what you paid for the car.

Burrito

1,705 posts

236 months

Friday 31st December 2010
quotequote all
minerva said:
No. He advised me to travel to advised mechanic to get a good (better) price. He did not offer to repair it.
It's a difficult situation because you've purchased a car which is heavily discounted and has very high mileage, so it could be argued that you paid an accurate price for the condition.

Do you have the original advert?

v8will

3,308 posts

212 months

Friday 31st December 2010
quotequote all
I'm sorry I can't see how a mondeo with 200K+ is cheap at that sort of money, regardless of the age.

I'd personally doubt trading standards would be interested.

Frederick

5,761 posts

236 months

Friday 31st December 2010
quotequote all
There's a saying..."buy cheap, buy twice" - served me well throughout my life...

If something is too cheap, there's a reason - people don't just give stuff away.

Suck it up, fix it up, and run it till it dies cos nobody is going to want a 4 year old car with 200k+ on it...

FeatherZ

2,422 posts

212 months

Friday 31st December 2010
quotequote all
Regarding mondeo, the dual mass flywheels and injectors are common problems on a mondeo (i had one just got rid) I went to look at another (with 150k on it) it had a very comprehensive service history, but never had them done so walked away, you got the car cheaper enough, your looking at 600 quid for new injectors (atleast) and probebly another 600ish for flywheel.

minerva

Original Poster:

756 posts

220 months

Friday 31st December 2010
quotequote all
FeatherZ said:
Regarding mondeo, the dual mass flywheels and injectors are common problems on a mondeo (i had one just got rid) I went to look at another (with 150k on it) it had a very comprehensive service history, but never had them done so walked away, you got the car cheaper enough, your looking at 600 quid for new injectors (atleast) and probebly another 600ish for flywheel.
Do I NEED them doing or will it run with them as it is...?

wolf1

3,091 posts

266 months

Friday 31st December 2010
quotequote all
minerva said:
I just didn't check.
This is where sadly you made the biggest mistake. High milage car and you didn't carry out the most basic checks on the vehicle prior to handing over your cash. Sorry to say it will not end well on here or in court to be honest. Choices are move it on or fix it.

FeatherZ

2,422 posts

212 months

Friday 31st December 2010
quotequote all
Dont need them doing, id run it until they needed doing, the dual mass flywheel will eventually get noisy and rattly, the injectors, you will know as the car will no longer start, glow plug light will come on and it will eventually stall / wont start.

Just fill up the cars tyres, and run it into the ground, be a snob with your "06 plate" for little money, and be happy until something really goes wrong.

spikeyhead

18,892 posts

213 months

Friday 31st December 2010
quotequote all
minerva said:
FeatherZ said:
Regarding mondeo, the dual mass flywheels and injectors are common problems on a mondeo (i had one just got rid) I went to look at another (with 150k on it) it had a very comprehensive service history, but never had them done so walked away, you got the car cheaper enough, your looking at 600 quid for new injectors (atleast) and probebly another 600ish for flywheel.
Do I NEED them doing or will it run with them as it is...?
If it starts, stops and steers, wait for them to break.

I'll guess that the aircon leak is on the pipe near the filling point, front offside of the engine bay. Close to the headlight it passes over a bolt and can chafe there. It's a sod to change, about three hours labour but nothing difficult in doing it, just lots of fiddling.

minerva

Original Poster:

756 posts

220 months

Friday 31st December 2010
quotequote all
All,

Thank you for help. I think that I will just run it until it breaks, then fix it as cheaply as possible.

Mr GrimNasty

8,172 posts

186 months

Friday 31st December 2010
quotequote all
Keep an eye on the oil level - you might find it keeps going UP!