Bought an unroadworthy car - advise please

[Gallen]

No one is attacking you!

But as suggested, I think the flavour of the original post in respect of trying to cause the seller as many problems as you can is the issue. He didn't make you buy the car and it seems you were pleased with it until the water pump went.

I personally wish you all the best with it.

[andyalan10]

tomglibbery said:

My objective now is to make things as difficult as possible for him! As mentioned he will shortly lose eBay privileges, I've raised the issue with trading standards who appear to be very interested and I'm on hold to VOSA at the moment to report him and the garage who issued the MOT. I'm also going to get in contact with HMRC just to make sure he declares his income from selling cars.

Who started with the attacks?

To quote Father Jack "I'm so so sorrryyy" if that comes across as sarcastic.

[PurpleMoonlight]

Black_mamba said:

...I also see from your profile you list your occupation as a used car salesman... I think you might need to rethink your profession if you can't buy them, you'll never be able to sell them!

Unless of course he is really the seller not the buyer here ....

[Monkeylegend]

If you are a used car salesman as your profile says, why do you need advice on what to do? Surely you are fully aware of your rights?

[tomglibbery]

lbc said:

The OP's profile states he is a used car dealer/salesman.

You would expect a used car dealer to know what he is buying and the risks involved.

For £700 we get the impression he expected it to be like a new car and flip it for a quick profit.

My original post states I bought it as a project. I am quite happy to put a lot of money into a project MX-5 so set myself a price target as a bit of fun to see what I could get. I believed I made it quite clear that I have absolutely no issue with the fact it is a car with a lot of issues. If it had no issues it wouldn't be an particularly entertaining project!

My issue is with a seller selling a car that is actually unsafe for road use. There's a big difference between dog-tired and unsafe.

I was simply seeing if anyone else had a similar issue and if they had any luck in seeking resolution. I'm not bothered about the money, I'm bothered about people being sold unsafe cars. If it wasn't for the water pump failing I hadn't intended to take the car to the garage for a month or so. It would have been terrible if, in that month, my wife had been involved in a serious accident because I had been duped into buying a car that was unsafe and provided with documentation to suggest that the basic fundamentals of the car were adequate. I carried out as many checks as can reasonably be carried out at point of sale without a ramp and indeed the garage has confirmed that at first glance the car is messy but ok.

Since my request for advise has met with little but abuse I don't particularly wish the thread to continue. Moderators, please lock this thread.

[heebeegeetee]

tomglibbery said:

I'm really surprised by all the responses. It's one thing to tell me I'm unlikely to get my money back, I knew that already, but it's quite another to be launching attacks at me.

I've guess it's my own stupid fault for expecting an Internet forum to provide anything other than sarcasm.

I'd echo what the others are saying, and this is meant in kindness. I'm not attacking you.

Look, you've made a mistake - you've had a full inspection after buying the car; you should have had that done before buying the car - seriously, you should.

The next thing is, is there really going to be a £700 car out there that hasn't got rust or mechanical issues? As others have said, there are real and genuine reasons why the car sold for £700, as you've discovered.

I also don't think you'll get far with the MOT. Firstly it's too old in that damage can have occurred since, and also the MOT testers are limited in what they can do in detecting rust - they're not allowed to cause damage by trying to knock holes in sills for instance.

Unfortunately you are in the price range that is firmly in banger territory, and rightly or wrongly I can't see how you can expect to not get a banger when you've only paid banger money.

I do sympathise, but I'm going to say you have to be far more careful than you've been, in that price range.

[SonicShadow]

tomglibbery said:

lbc said:

The OP's profile states he is a used car dealer/salesman.

You would expect a used car dealer to know what he is buying and the risks involved.

For £700 we get the impression he expected it to be like a new car and flip it for a quick profit.

My original post states I bought it as a project. I am quite happy to put a lot of money into a project MX-5 so set myself a price target as a bit of fun to see what I could get. I believed I made it quite clear that I have absolutely no issue with the fact it is a car with a lot of issues. If it had no issues it wouldn't be an particularly entertaining project!

My issue is with a seller selling a car that is actually unsafe for road use. There's a big difference between dog-tired and unsafe.

I was simply seeing if anyone else had a similar issue and if they had any luck in seeking resolution. I'm not bothered about the money, I'm bothered about people being sold unsafe cars. If it wasn't for the water pump failing I hadn't intended to take the car to the garage for a month or so. It would have been terrible if, in that month, my wife had been involved in a serious accident because I had been duped into buying a car that was unsafe and provided with documentation to suggest that the basic fundamentals of the car were adequate. I carried out as many checks as can reasonably be carried out at point of sale without a ramp and indeed the garage has confirmed that at first glance the car is messy but ok.

Since my request for advise has met with little but abuse I don't particularly wish the thread to continue. Moderators, please lock this thread.

What a melt.

[OldGermanHeaps]

Are you a car salesman? Or is that a lie?

[Gallen]

tomglibbery said:

I was simply seeing if anyone else had a similar issue and if they had any luck in seeking resolution.

Just bought a project diesel car with a blown turbo.
It was cheap and miles away - but cheap enough not to have to view it plus I couldn't hear it run so arranged a low loader to recover it.

Few dents not mentioned (I made the choice not to view).
Car is difficult to open on the 2 x key fobs (Well I never tested them)
The engine mount had perished and snapped (never drove it to check it out)
..Brand new Turbo on and the top end is slightly rattly. (I bought it as a risk as I couldn't hear it run).

Personally not looking to blame anyone and its just costing a little more to get fixed than I'd hoped.

[750turbo]

tomglibbery said:

lbc said:

The OP's profile states he is a used car dealer/salesman.

You would expect a used car dealer to know what he is buying and the risks involved.

For £700 we get the impression he expected it to be like a new car and flip it for a quick profit.

My original post states I bought it as a project. I am quite happy to put a lot of money into a project MX-5 so set myself a price target as a bit of fun to see what I could get. I believed I made it quite clear that I have absolutely no issue with the fact it is a car with a lot of issues. If it had no issues it wouldn't be an particularly entertaining project!

My issue is with a seller selling a car that is actually unsafe for road use. There's a big difference between dog-tired and unsafe.

I was simply seeing if anyone else had a similar issue and if they had any luck in seeking resolution. I'm not bothered about the money, I'm bothered about people being sold unsafe cars. If it wasn't for the water pump failing I hadn't intended to take the car to the garage for a month or so. It would have been terrible if, in that month, my wife had been involved in a serious accident because I had been duped into buying a car that was unsafe and provided with documentation to suggest that the basic fundamentals of the car were adequate. I carried out as many checks as can reasonably be carried out at point of sale without a ramp and indeed the garage has confirmed that at first glance the car is messy but ok.

Since my request for advise has met with little but abuse I don't particularly wish the thread to continue. Moderators, please lock this thread.

Pure Gold - You do know tha the mods do NOT spend time reading all the threads, if only there was a way to advise them...

[mcford]

Why is the MOT dodgy? How does the inspecting garage know what condition the car was in when it was tested? The DVSA won't want to get involved with an appeal 6 months later.

[Philemon]

Mazda Ennis? Are you from Sheffield?

tomglibbery's Mazda Ennis Roadster V Spec (1993)
Last updated: Monday 28th September

Bought for £700 in September 2015 at 109,000 miles.
Much as I love the AMG, it makes me painfully aware of my limitations as a driver, especially on track.

I thought the ideal solution would be to get a cheap MX-5 that I can use on track so that when the inevitable mistake occurs it doesn't cost me very much.

I know this car is a total Pistonheads cliche, but they're brilliant little cars! I'm thoroughly enjoying driving it. The responsiveness of the steering is amazing and the is so much feedback you really feel like you understand what the car is doing.

Mine is in need of a lot of tlc. The mechanicals all seem to be in order and the sills are absolutely fine, which at the sub-£1000 end of the market is a rarity! However it could do with a new hood, new front wings and a long day with some t-cut. In the future I quite like the idea of a turbo too

[IanA2]

LEXUSCHAP is quite famous I'm afraid.

[robemcdonald]

tomglibbery said:

I'm really surprised by all the responses. It's one thing to tell me I'm unlikely to get my money back, I knew that already, but it's quite another to be launching attacks at me.

I've guess it's my own stupid fault for expecting an Internet forum to provide anything other than sarcasm.

As for all posts like this you asked for advice and didn't like it when you weren't told what you want to hear. But to keep you happy here goes: I friend of mine was in the exact situation as you last year. eBay banned him for life and imprisoned his family, the mot station was demolished and replaced with a kfc drive through. The mot tester was put in the stocks in the town square for a week. Subsequently his wife ran off with the milkman. eBay admitted it was their fault and gave my friend a brand new mx5 (with a leather gear knob!) they also paid his insurance cost and gave him a fully expensed trip to Disney world (first class naturally)











Now that's sarcasm.

[tomglibbery]

robemcdonald said:

As for all posts like this you asked for advice and didn't like it when you weren't told what you want to hear. But to keep you happy here goes: I friend of mine was in the exact situation as you last year. eBay banned him for life and imprisoned his family, the mot station was demolished and replaced with a kfc drive through. The mot tester was put in the stocks in the town square for a week. Subsequently his wife ran off with the milkman. eBay admitted it was their fault and gave my friend a brand new mx5 (with a leather gear knob!) they also paid his insurance cost and gave him a fully expensed trip to Disney world (first class naturally)











Now that's sarcasm.

Well give yourself a pat on the back. That's 10 internet points for you.

[750turbo]

tomglibbery said:

Well give yourself a pat on the back. That's 10 internet points for you.

Not going well OP - Perhaps you should pay more attention of what REALLY goes on in here - "Piss Takers General"

Life really is too short...

[robemcdonald]

'

tomglibbery said:

robemcdonald said:

As for all posts like this you asked for advice and didn't like it when you weren't told what you want to hear. But to keep you happy here goes: I friend of mine was in the exact situation as you last year. eBay banned him for life and imprisoned his family, the mot station was demolished and replaced with a kfc drive through. The mot tester was put in the stocks in the town square for a week. Subsequently his wife ran off with the milkman. eBay admitted it was their fault and gave my friend a brand new mx5 (with a leather gear knob!) they also paid his insurance cost and gave him a fully expensed trip to Disney world (first class naturally)











Now that's sarcasm.

Well give yourself a pat on the back. That's 10 internet points for you.

15 actually

[OldGermanHeaps]

robemcdonald said:

As for all posts like this you asked for advice and didn't like it when you weren't told what you want to hear. But to keep you happy here goes: I friend of mine was in the exact situation as you last year. eBay banned him for life and imprisoned his family, the mot station was demolished and replaced with a kfc drive through. The mot tester was put in the stocks in the town square for a week. Subsequently his wife ran off with the milkman. eBay admitted it was their fault and gave my friend a brand new mx5 (with a leather gear knob!) they also paid his insurance cost and gave him a fully expensed trip to Disney world (first class naturally)











Now that's sarcasm.

I find that post offensive. It was only eurodisney.

[SpeckledJim]

OldGermanHeaps said:

Are you a car salesman? Or is that a lie?

There is no way this lad is in the motor trade.

[t400ble]

Ah I know of this fellow

Normally sells on ebay