Need advice re: course of action after buying a bent car
Discussion
TooMany2cvs said:
Umm, guys... You know all this argument over whether some random warranty wording excludes motorsport, and whether the hillclimb instruction day fell into that exclusion or not?
Well, if we look back a few pages, it also included...
"or by driving schools"
So if the logic is that the hillclimb day was instruction, not competition, then...
Do you have to compete for it to be motor sport though? Doing track days is not competing (nor even receiving instruction in most cases), but driving your own car fast in an environment where you're allowed to do so. Well, if we look back a few pages, it also included...
"or by driving schools"
So if the logic is that the hillclimb day was instruction, not competition, then...
OP- for the sake of the argument I do agree with you that you should feel aggrieved here. There has been some good advice so far, along with some people being a bit pointless, so take the advice on and see what the dealer will do. I'd be surprised, given the circumstances, if he does anything at all. You might get a small contribution, in the best case scenario, but I doubt you'll get much more- keep it civil though.
Legal aspects aside, the thought of a private punter spending several thousand pounds on a car from a 'breaker' does seem faintly ludicrous. Such sales are usually carried out 'within the trade', where both parties have equal expertise and expectations - and who will often be on first name terms with each other
cars dont end up for sale at scrap yards for no good reason , that shouldve been enough to alert you it wasnt some cherished gem with a 1001 point check and 10 year gold warranty
end of the day it was cheap because it was a dog - look a bit harder at the next car you buy , or get something new with a warranty but even then they will void if you use it for motorsports
end of the day it was cheap because it was a dog - look a bit harder at the next car you buy , or get something new with a warranty but even then they will void if you use it for motorsports
TooMany2cvs said:
cmaguire said:
The seller is a car breaker/dismantler that happened to think the car in question was "too good to break".
What the hell does a warranty have to do with anything?
Don't let such small details spoil the last few pages of a good bWhat the hell does a warranty have to do with anything?
h-fight.
Indeed. It was mentioned by our oh-so-knowledgeable traders in response to suggestions that CRA might be a sensible course of action for the OP. It is, apparently, cast-iron proof that the OP won't have a leg to stand on.
You couldn't make it up.
C70R said:
POORCARDEALER said:
Ive thought about this, the fact youve used it for a motorsport event is going to stuff you in the event that you go legal.
I've thought about this too, and you're completely wrong. Showing yourself up to indeed be a very "poor" car dealer.What about "an instruction day at the local hillclimb school" implies that the car was used for a "motorsport event"?
In your infinite experience/wisdom, which law is the dealer going to use to try and weasel out of his responsibility on that basis?
OP, you really need to take a knowledgeable friend with you when you buy cars. The previous threads that were raised show that, by your own admission, letting your heart rule your head has not worked well over the past few car purchases, especially since you seem to buy at the very bottom of the market.
I suspect you may not get a positive resolution from this situation but I hope that you do. Primarily, the fact you bought it from a breaker would be a concern. What paperwork did you get? Or, will it simply be your word against his in a hypothetical court? For him to say "it's too good to break" is not a statement of quality or roadworthiness, and I could forsee him relying on saying that he sold it spares or repairs and not as something intended to be driven right away.
The faults present with it, namely crunching shifts at high RPM and concealed damage from a former crash are things that he could have missed or not known about.
It just sounds like you have an uphill struggle coming to get any sort of positive resolution.
I suspect you may not get a positive resolution from this situation but I hope that you do. Primarily, the fact you bought it from a breaker would be a concern. What paperwork did you get? Or, will it simply be your word against his in a hypothetical court? For him to say "it's too good to break" is not a statement of quality or roadworthiness, and I could forsee him relying on saying that he sold it spares or repairs and not as something intended to be driven right away.
The faults present with it, namely crunching shifts at high RPM and concealed damage from a former crash are things that he could have missed or not known about.
It just sounds like you have an uphill struggle coming to get any sort of positive resolution.
KevinCamaroSS said:
C70R, did you miss the point that the car was described as 'bought to break, but is too good'? The 'dealer' is a car breaker who has sold on a car nearly bad enough to break at well below market price for a good car. On the balance of probabilities the buyer should expect there to be many problems with the car. The gearbox issue is a non-starter given the use of the car since purchase. It could well have been damaged during the course of the motor-sport event.
What motorsport event ?
Surprised to see this one being revived this morning!
I didn't pay "shagger" price. I paid what would be considered to be around £1k to £2k less than for a minter i.e. cherished motor with stacks of history. £6.5k isn't shagger money.
Now, as Judge Rinder might say, I'm going to write this down in big (or bold)
Prices are currently all over the place and I have seen at least two other cars go for the same sort of money recently. Made me feel a bit sick in all honesty. But whatever, as I have said already but you have obviously missed, the car wasn't sold "cheap" because of the car's condition; the car was sold "cheap" because of the lack of history. That alone.
Are you a shagger?
The oil seal isn't really worth mentioning here as it's an annoyance rather than a real issue.
My main car cost £17k so you can forget this fantasy that all I do is shop in the bargain basement hoping for a miracle. It's the projects/toys/commuter sheds that I'm happy to gamble on because if it goes tits up, it doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things and I do enjoy projects. It just stings when people lie or cover stuff up.
Oh and by the way, just to clear up a misconception; the place I bought the car from wasn't some sort of scrap yard. It's just a regular garage and the lad buys cars to break and also builds track cars etc. on the side.
Anyway, the car has still not even covered 500 miles since buying it but I am looking into a few things repair-wise. When I have a proper update I will update. Until then, adios!
Maz_uk said:
You paid shagger price for a car, turns out to be a shagger then you start whinging about this shagger you paid a shagger price for expecting it not to be a shagger.
Go on then, I'll bite I didn't pay "shagger" price. I paid what would be considered to be around £1k to £2k less than for a minter i.e. cherished motor with stacks of history. £6.5k isn't shagger money.
Now, as Judge Rinder might say, I'm going to write this down in big (or bold
)Prices are currently all over the place and I have seen at least two other cars go for the same sort of money recently. Made me feel a bit sick in all honesty. But whatever, as I have said already but you have obviously missed, the car wasn't sold "cheap" because of the car's condition; the car was sold "cheap" because of the lack of history. That alone.
Are you a shagger?
Nanook said:
Regardless of whether or not we can call a hillclimb instructional day a motorsport event (I've never heard of instructional events at a hillclimb course. They're usually called 'fun days' or 'gymkhanas' and are just a free for all up the hill) I think we can all agree that finding out the gearbox is a big shagged, then sending the wife with the car to rag it up the local hillclimb anyway isn't terribly bright, yes?
Yes, we can definitely all agree on that. Good job I didn't do that eh? All we knew of at this point was that there was a slight crunch from 4th to 5th at 4k upwards. In isolation, that wouldn't have been the end of the world. Unfortunately it wasn't in isolation. Guess that's my fault too eh? The oil seal isn't really worth mentioning here as it's an annoyance rather than a real issue.My main car cost £17k so you can forget this fantasy that all I do is shop in the bargain basement hoping for a miracle. It's the projects/toys/commuter sheds that I'm happy to gamble on because if it goes tits up, it doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things and I do enjoy projects. It just stings when people lie or cover stuff up.
Oh and by the way, just to clear up a misconception; the place I bought the car from wasn't some sort of scrap yard. It's just a regular garage and the lad buys cars to break and also builds track cars etc. on the side.
Anyway, the car has still not even covered 500 miles since buying it but I am looking into a few things repair-wise. When I have a proper update I will update. Until then, adios!
gordyshreds said:
OP, what did the seller say when you told him of th issues?
He told me that he wasn't aware of the issues. He said he hadn't had it up on the ramp or driven it hard.Being much calmer about all this now I can fully believe he wasn't aware of the gearbox. I struggle to understand how it could be deemed too good to break without having been properly looked over though. But that's just me.
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You're an idiot just here to cause trouble. How do you discover that a car is bent as a result of doing the geometry on it if you haven't first fitted the suspension, genius?
If you're going to come on here with the sole intention of spouting off at people, at least make some effort.
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Just for clarity, the gearbox felt a lot better once the oil was changed. The crunch was still there but like I've already said numerous times, we didn't know it had any further issues with crunches etc. until it was driven at high revs. FFS The leak was minor. I double checked the level of fluid in the box and it was well within spec. End of. When we thought it was just the one crunch between 4th and 5th we were a bit annoyed but were prepared to live with that. So why wouldn't we use the car at that point? Should I have run around in a blind panic screaming "OH NO!! THE POWERFULLY BUILT PEOPLE ON PISTONHEADS ARE GOING TO LAY INTO ME IF WE DRIVE THE CAR!!"???
You'll have to find someone else to troll pal.
Edited by TroubledSoul on Tuesday 11th October 10:05
keep it coming buddy. My wife hasn't been on a trackday
Car was aligned very well and drove perfectly straight thanks to the adjustable suspension having lots of scope to compensate.
Handbrake did work, it just had way too much travel on it.
I fitted a set of new pulleys and belts so that's a non starter.
Steering was sketchy? Good job it had brand new track rods and rack bushes fitted when the rest of the suspension was done then eh?
Not trolling....
We established a long time ago that I bought a bad car. Not sure why you've come along to get involved weeks down the line if you're not trolling.
Edited by TroubledSoul on Tuesday 11th October 10:41
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You're a funny guy. It was knackered but it just about worked at the very top of the travel. I didn't like it at all. I've since fixed it. The car was set up to drive straight and the steering was spot on. Not sure why she shouldn't have driven it? It was her choice anyway. Some men don't try to stop their wives having their own opinion
What's this trackday you keep speaking of?
With all due respect, considering that you didn't even know that winter tyres alter the handling characteristics of a car, I don't think you're one to be telling anybody else anything about their car
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