Used car fault - OK to reject?

[Dracoro]

Have bought a used car from dealer (2017 car with 40k on clock no not and old banger!) less than 4 weeks ago.

Everything is OK apart from a hum at above 40mph which I reported a few days after purchasing car (having driven it for a bit, have noticed hum).

Dealer told me to take it to their local garage, which I did, but they could "not find a fault or hear hum".......

Anyway, noise is definitely present.

So I took it to local garage (not same place as above) and they have diagnosed as rear wheel bearing needs replacement.

Selling dealer salesman is speaking to his boss and will get back to me......

I don't want to reject car, just have it fixed. Does a noisy wheel bearing class as a fault that they must fix?

However should they not play ball, what are my rights? I understand as bought < 30 days ago, I can reject (don't want to reject, just have it fixed) under CRA?

Hopefully they will just pay for fix and everyone's happy......

[Vsix and Vtec]

Some context might be helpful.

A £12k Clio isn't worth arguing over, a £150k Ferrari would be.

[Dracoro]

£23k Golf R.

[Vsix and Vtec]

Oh. I wouldn't bother chap, it's closer to a clio than a ferrari. Just get it done yourself and enjoy your new runabout.

[Ronzx6r]

Vsix and Vtec said:

Some context might be helpful.

A £12k Clio isn't worth arguing over, a £150k Ferrari would be.

why would it not be worth it on a 12k car ?

[Dracoro]

Thanks, however looking to find out if wheel bearing is sufficient grounds to reject or not.

I don't want to reject, however if it is grounds then that could be the push to ensure selling dealer gets it fixed.

[Forester1965]

I'd expect that to be fixed by the supplying dealer.

[Racing Newt]

Is it a VAG derived motor, if i remember correctly they have noisy wheel bearings, particularly Golf's and Octavia's with lower profile tyres.
It could also be the tyre itself, some can be particularly noisy.

[OutInTheShed]

Racing Newt said:

Is it a VAG derived motor, if i remember correctly they have noisy wheel bearings, particularly Golf's and Octavia's with lower profile tyres.
It could also be the tyre itself, some can be particularly noisy.

An older tyre, on a car which has been sat around waiting to be sold, may have gone slightly out of shape and hence be noisy.
If the rear tyres are old, or even not a brand you'd choose,. might be worth getting them changed?
Some tyres are just noisy from new, but I think the horrors of 15-20 years ago have been sorted to some extent?

I know someone who bought a car with a tyre well older than the vehicle, presumably a part-worn slapped on after a puncture?

IMHO, a wheel bearing on a 2017 car is a minor annoyance.
Getting it fixed should be small money compared to the rpice of the car, so worst case get it done and be happy with the car, best case supplying dealer does it.
Maybe you could outright reject the car, but that isn't painless and leaves you looking at other 7 year old cars with lots of potential for faults.

If you've not put some miles on it, you might want to drive it a bit longer before finally committing.

Some people may view a wheel bearing as a consumable part which doesn't really constitute a significant rejectable fault with the vehicle.
I don't know what the boundary should be, but I know it's been argued about. both ways.

[MustangGT]

I doubt a wheel bearing is sufficient to force a rejection. Even if you did the selling trader would be able to deduct a fair usage amount for the time you have had the car, often based on a pence per mile basis. Get it fixed for a reasonable price then try for a refund from the dealer.

[VeeReihenmotor6]

I see a wheel bearing as a consumable part. OK not a part you replace often but with the state of our roads is one that will fail more frequently. I wouldn't look at this fault as being a pointer towards the car being a lemon.

I would expect the supplying dealer to contribute, or ideally, cover the repair. It's surely still under their warranty period anyway. Of course they'll be thinking you'd hit the mother of a pothole and caused the damage however given it's less than 30 days since purchase I'd expect some goodwill.

As for rejection that soulds like a lot of hassle and given it is a consumable part that "could" have been fine when they inspected it I wouldn't go down that path myself.

Whilst you are inspecting the car make sure the coolant system is in good shape. There is an expensive repair waiting in the wings at the thermostat and possibly O rings on the waterpump if not already solved, Now would be a good time if you spot it leaking if the car still has warranty. £600-£1k to repair I have seen reported.

[Simpo Two]

I had this with a Jaguar XK about six months after purchase. I got it fixed at a local garage who sorted out the cost/bill with the warranty company - nothing for me to pay.

[freedman]

Racing Newt said:

Is it a VAG derived motor, if i remember correctly they have noisy wheel bearings, particularly Golf's and Octavia's with lower profile tyres.
It could also be the tyre itself, some can be particularly noisy.

Definitely true about the tyres

My daily GTD was horribly noisy from purchase, and I always thought it was the rear wheel bearings on the way out

Then I changed all four tyres, unbelievable difference

Bridgestones that were on the car originally, hideously noisy

Michelin Primacy, totally changed the car and it is far, far quieter,

[Trevor555]

MustangGT said:

I doubt a wheel bearing is sufficient to force a rejection. Even if you did the selling trader would be able to deduct a fair usage amount for the time you have had the car, often based on a pence per mile basis. Get it fixed for a reasonable price then try for a refund from the dealer.

No reduction allowed for a fault related rejection under 30 days.

[Trevor555]

Dracoro said:

So I took it to local garage (not same place as above) and they have diagnosed as rear wheel bearing needs replacement.

You have confirmation of a fault with your car.

Get it in writing, send it to your supplying dealer.

Give the supplying dealer an opportunity to repair it, give them a deadline.

Get this in writing before your 30 days is up.

I'm sure the dealer will sort it, but if not you have options of rejection, or get the repair done yourself (if the dealer refuses get it in email), and do a money claim online.

As already said though, an out of shape tyre can sound exactly like a wheel bearing. I presume the garage that's diagnosed it put it up in the air and spun the wheel??

And if you do go down the rejection route you have to stop using the car, and prepare for a possible long battle if the dealer doesn't play ball, all whilst you have a car on your drive that you can't use.

My most recent rejection with Bmw took 7 months.

Edited by Trevor555 on Tuesday 9th April 16:07

[Smurfsarepeopletoo]

I bought a 2015 Octavia VRS a couple of years back, first long journey I did there was a hum and vibration when I got over 50, thought it was a wheel bearing, turned out a new set of tyres solved it.

It have Khumo and Pirelli P Zero on, think it was the P Zeros as read a few reviews that they are really hard tyres.

[KungFuPanda]

For the sake of a wheel bearing which I fell will be around £200 to repair, do you really want to try and reject a car which is otherwise fine?

[fatjon]

Rejection.. Stress, legal costs, court battles and hassle over a wheel bearing? They don’t need it, you don’t need it. Get a price from a competent indy and send it to them. If they don't agree to cough up then pay for it yourself and bill them. If they don’t pay up issue a summons online for about £75. They will likely settle as they don’t want 2k legal costs and a day in court over a £200 bill.

[irc]

freedman said:

Bridgestones that were on the car originally, hideously noisy

Michelin Primacy, totally changed the car and it is far, far quieter,

I dumped a set of half worn OE Bridgestones due to tyre noise. A set of Goodyear Vector 4 Seasons transformed the car. Went from there being hum at all speeds to no tyre noise at all. Or at least tyres not audible over engine wind etc

[Rough101]

It’s 7 years old, just ask for a new wheel bearing, but it could be tyre or squared wheel, which could have been a pothole. Had this on a 6 month old Alfa 147 years ago, dealer fitted a new tyre and wheel bearing, neither fixed it, finally noticed a flat spot on the wheel, bought one off a write off and moved on.