Used Car from dealer - expensive repairs after 2 weeks

Used Car from dealer - expensive repairs after 2 weeks

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VolvoT5

Original Poster:

4,155 posts

174 months

Saturday 30th May 2015
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The initial message was deleted from this topic on 24 March 2016 at 15:25

paintman

7,683 posts

190 months

Saturday 30th May 2015
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They've offered you a full refund on a car you're unhappy with & don't trust them to fix it to your satisfaction & you're having to think about it? Seriously?
Take it & go somewhere else.
ETA buy another £400 banger whilts you look for something else.


Edited by paintman on Saturday 30th May 20:36

VolvoT5

Original Poster:

4,155 posts

174 months

Saturday 30th May 2015
quotequote all
paintman said:
They've offered you a full refund on a car you're unhappy with & you're having to think about it? Seriously?
Take it & go somewhere else.
Well not completely unhappy apart from the issues it is a lovely car! Risk is I end up buying lemon elsewhere either privately or via a dealer that is less open to persuasion.

paintman

7,683 posts

190 months

Saturday 30th May 2015
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That I'm afraid is always the risk with used vehicles.
I've bought some very nice small cars for family members for not a lot of money but you need to know what you're looking at.

bitchstewie

51,115 posts

210 months

Saturday 30th May 2015
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If they've offered you a refund or to do the repairs themselves I don't think (and I'm no lawyer) that you can insist that it be repaired elsewhere.

A £7k X5 will always be a throw of the dice.

I'd take the money.

anonymous-user

54 months

Saturday 30th May 2015
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VolvoT5 said:
This is mainly wear and tear stuff that should have been flagged in the presale MOT......

So basically tyres, shocks, brakes, track ends etc.

get them to fix it, the temperature issue should have triggered a fault has the car been read.

if you reject why not pay for an inspection pre purchase for your next car saves the hassle...

Edited by The Spruce goose on Saturday 30th May 20:56

Blue Oval84

5,276 posts

161 months

Saturday 30th May 2015
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Agreed, a £7K X5 has "gamble" written all over it.

Try and come to some arrangement to get the work done at a place you trust (maybe contribute something yourself if it's the only way to reach a deal) and keep the car. It sounds as though you like it and have already invested some decent effort in getting it right.

Although I have to say, the nasty bubbled up tints would have been a warning sign for me in the first place!!

VolvoT5

Original Poster:

4,155 posts

174 months

Saturday 30th May 2015
quotequote all
Blue Oval84 said:
Agreed, a £7K X5 has "gamble" written all over it.

Try and come to some arrangement to get the work done at a place you trust (maybe contribute something yourself if it's the only way to reach a deal) and keep the car. It sounds as though you like it and have already invested some decent effort in getting it right.

Although I have to say, the nasty bubbled up tints would have been a warning sign for me in the first place!!
Fair point but the car came with a stack of history and was with the previous owner for years, so that counter balanced the warning signs of dodgy tints in my eyes.

Maybe going 50/50 on the repairs at a garage of my choice (I would not be going to a main stealer) is the fairest way to go?

Jezzerh

816 posts

122 months

Saturday 30th May 2015
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You must be insane. Snatch their hand off while they're still putting the cash on the table and chalk it up to experience.

Blue Oval84

5,276 posts

161 months

Saturday 30th May 2015
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What work is it exactly that the car needs?

UK345

441 posts

158 months

Saturday 30th May 2015
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Take the cash and move on. You will always be cautious of the car if you don't and will continually worry about something else going wrong. The fact they are offering to give you a full refund is great so take them up on the offer and give them back the car. Put it down to experience and go out buy another elsewhere.

Butter Face

30,283 posts

160 months

Saturday 30th May 2015
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Blue Oval84 said:
What work is it exactly that the car needs?
This. What exactly needs doing?

VolvoT5

Original Poster:

4,155 posts

174 months

Saturday 30th May 2015
quotequote all
Butter Face said:
This. What exactly needs doing?
Haven't got the full list in front of me but pretty much what Spruce said above. All brakes, suspension arms, CV, and other bits and pieces I can't recall atm. Guessing the thermostat too but needs investigating.


Butter Face

30,283 posts

160 months

Saturday 30th May 2015
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Take your money and walk. If they've sold a 7k car and not done those bits before they sold it then I don't hold out much hope of them doing it now.

davamer23

1,127 posts

154 months

Saturday 30th May 2015
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I'd take the money and run quick the other way.

Blue Oval84

5,276 posts

161 months

Saturday 30th May 2015
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I think the bushes and arms will need doing on ANY old X5. Even my Z4 had worn through it's control arm bushes by 70K (and that car's a lot lighter than an X5).

OP - It sounds as though the car is actually fairly reasonable, thermostat problems are common on the 3.0D, and bushes are totally to be expected. If you give it back then you can guarantee that any other equivalent cheap X5 will probably need the same bushes work doing, and the thermostats can go pop at any time.

Also, I'd say the bushes can't be THAT bad otherwise surely it would have been obvious on the test drive? (wandering, vague steering, unusual movement under braking etc.) So I'm not surprised the garage didn't volunteer to change them before sale, I doubt any other garage would voluntarily replace aged suspension components if they've passed an MOT...

In other words, sounds to me like your car is pretty much as is expected for it's age, better the devil you know, so I'd just get it fixed!

aw51 121565

4,771 posts

233 months

Saturday 30th May 2015
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VolvoT5 said:
... play bork roulette ...
hehe , I've added that to my lexicon thumbup .

wjb

5,100 posts

131 months

Saturday 30th May 2015
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How recent was the Mot?

Edit. Just saw "presale", bit worrying that...

Searider

979 posts

255 months

Sunday 31st May 2015
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Who said it shouldn't have passed an MOT?
A garage looking for work?
Or have you actually put it through an MOT?

Does the list (which you've not posted up) need doing to pass an MOT or is it just work that will need doing soon?

"Four figures"?
So, a grand to turn an average car from a trader into the good car you'd like. Sounds about fair on a car that was originally £40k

Every car I've had has needed money spending on it to get it up to standard.

Most I've sold have been pretty good but the last one needed four tyres and a service - there's £500 on a £3k car!

VolvoT5

Original Poster:

4,155 posts

174 months

Sunday 31st May 2015
quotequote all
Blue Oval84 said:
I think the bushes and arms will need doing on ANY old X5. Even my Z4 had worn through it's control arm bushes by 70K (and that car's a lot lighter than an X5).

OP - It sounds as though the car is actually fairly reasonable, thermostat problems are common on the 3.0D, and bushes are totally to be expected. If you give it back then you can guarantee that any other equivalent cheap X5 will probably need the same bushes work doing, and the thermostats can go pop at any time.

Also, I'd say the bushes can't be THAT bad otherwise surely it would have been obvious on the test drive? (wandering, vague steering, unusual movement under braking etc.) So I'm not surprised the garage didn't volunteer to change them before sale, I doubt any other garage would voluntarily replace aged suspension components if they've passed an MOT...

In other words, sounds to me like your car is pretty much as is expected for it's age, better the devil you know, so I'd just get it fixed!
IDK, it is a bit vague and bouncy on the road but as I test drove it back to back with a Jeep I think the Jeep was so bad I didn't immediately notice the issues with the X5.

The issue is what you describe really. I could quite easily get the money back, go buy elsewhere and end up needing basically the same issues resolving. To be fair the engine and gearbox seem smooth and I would hope it is only the thermostat or a sensor. The other issues are wear and tear; although shouldn't have been sold like that IMO.

Tempted to ask them to contribute a partial refund and I will source my own garage to do the repairs. Alternatively get the cash back, there are a couple of nice 4.4 and 4.6 petrols locally that are cheaper, private sales but would leave a £1500 slush fund for repairs. Less bork potential with the petrol engine?


  • What happens to the years worth of car tax, I haven't even received the logbook yet so how do the DVLA know where to refund to?