Friend got ripped off private sale

[skeeterm5]

Lets all remember that the school holidays have just started....... just saying.....

[Nickyboy]

My old Corsa used to have mayo on the cap all the time as i only drove 3 miles to work and back, never had a problem with the HG.

[C. Grimsley]

imagineifyeswill said:

Mayo on the filer cap is not automatically a HG failure, its quite common on Vauxhall engines only doing short runs and never getting properly hot. I would top up the coolant and test the car out properly before condemniing the HG.

It is more than likely the water pump gasket which is part of the chain gasket, the seal fails and the water seeps into the oil and causes the Mayo, done plenty, not a bad job but it's a chain off job to repair.

Carl

[s3fella]

Just have it fixed. Or properly pressure tested, it could be a simple waterpump, fixed for about £150.

OP why did you not offer to go with him to see it ?

Also, if something failed on the way home, it is his problem not the sellers. And as he didn't check, he has no proof it didn't fail on the way home.

What corsa is it? VXR?

[paintman]

imagineifyeswill said:

Mayo on the filer cap is not automatically a HG failure, its quite common on Vauxhall engines only doing short runs and never getting properly hot. I would top up the coolant and test the car out properly before condemniing the HG.

This. Very very common on cars - not just Vauxhalls - that only do short trips, usually appears worse in cold weather.
Engine doesn't get hot enough to boil off the water produced as a by-product of burning petrol/diesel. Also the main reason why cars used for short journeys go through exhaust systems quicker than those routinely used for longer distances.
A much quoted myth that its a sure-fire sign of HG problems & I wonder how many have had their trousers pulled down by unscrupulous garages as a result.
Tell your 'friend' to refill/top-up to correct level - don't forget to include the correct amount of anti-freeze/corrosion inhibitor. Keep a close eye on the coolant level. If it drops & there is no obvious leak get a sniffer test carried out to check for the presence of combustion gases in the coolant.

Edited by paintman on Saturday 23 July 22:42

[Jimmy Recard]

I sometimes wonder if GM's European cars are designed for the driving styles of GM's home country. I've had a few Vauxhalls and they seem to thrive on doing big mileage but dislike doing only a few miles a year.

Of course, I think that's common to most mass-produced cars.

[TooMany2cvs]

Jimmy Recard said:

I sometimes wonder if GM's European cars are designed for the driving styles of GM's home country.

How are German driving styles different to UK ones?

[andy43]

Stay positive. Al dente penne, diced tomato and peppers, bit of sweet corn and crispy bacon and there's the makings of a decent lunch here.
Top tip for car buyers - open the bonnet before buying, or if you haven't a clue, don't buy privately as you don't have a leg to stand on.

[Seaweed]

Slight update. My friend went back round to the sellers house and spoke with one of his neighbours before going to his door. The neighbour was telling him that he had previously seen the car smashed up and that he recalls the seller talking about having a head gasket problem. My friend went to the door and was greeted by his wife. He explained the situation and she took his side. She gave him half the amount of money he paid back. He has since been back round with a bouquet of flowers for her. He's feeling better about it all now and can put this money towards repairing the car

[Adz The Rat]

Seaweed said:

Slight update. My friend went back round to the sellers house and spoke with one of his neighbours before going to his door. The neighbour was telling him that he had previously seen the car smashed up and that he recalls the seller talking about having a head gasket problem. My friend went to the door and was greeted by his wife. He explained the situation and she took his side. She gave him half the amount of money he paid back. He has since been back round with a bouquet of flowers for her. He's feeling better about it all now and can put this money towards repairing the car

No she didn't.

[LordHaveMurci]

Seaweed?

Smoke weed more like.

[Thankyou4calling]

Adz The Rat said:

No she didn't.

Probably got a BJ and a lift back to the station too :-0

Except none of it happened.

[bigandclever]

Edited by bigandclever on Monday 25th July 18:39

[KTF]

Seaweed said:

Slight update. My friend went back round to the sellers house and spoke with one of his neighbours before going to his door. The neighbour was telling him that he had previously seen the car smashed up and that he recalls the seller talking about having a head gasket problem. My friend went to the door and was greeted by his wife. He explained the situation and she took his side. She gave him half the amount of money he paid back. He has since been back round with a bouquet of flowers for her. He's feeling better about it all now and can put this money towards repairing the car

bks.

[xRIEx]

Seaweed said:

Can anyone selling a car be trusted these days ?

What do you mean, "these days"? 'Caveat emptor', as the Romans used to say.

[Limpet]

Seaweed said:

Slight update. My friend went back round to the sellers house and spoke with one of his neighbours before going to his door. The neighbour was telling him that he had previously seen the car smashed up and that he recalls the seller talking about having a head gasket problem. My friend went to the door and was greeted by his wife. He explained the situation and she took his side. She gave him half the amount of money he paid back. He has since been back round with a bouquet of flowers for her. He's feeling better about it all now and can put this money towards repairing the car

Got this Jimmy Hill image in my head....

[Janesy B]

TooMany2cvs said:

How are German driving styles different to UK ones?

I remember early Ford Zetecs suffering from issues because people in the UK liked to keep the revs low as possible and get to 5th as quickly as they can.

From wiki: Early versions of the engine had a problem with sticking valves – far more evident in the UK (and in cold climates), where a driving style with earlier gear changes is more common than on the Continent – unless a special Ford formulation of oil was used. After small changes in 1995 to fix this problem the engine was known as the Zetec-E. This engine received a plastic inlet manifold and EGR derived from the Mondeo.

Could be bks, anyway.

[Alias218]

When looking for a Corsa for Ms. Alias a year or so ago I went to an indy and both the Corsas we went to view had low coolant levels (barely registered in the header tank low) and he stated that it was nothing to worry about and they will fill them up 'when' we buy one of them. Coolant doesn't go anywhere unless there has been a leak in one of its many forms or if it's been taken out and not refilled. Needless to say, I turned heel and walked out. When he called me the next day to enquire if I would be interested he lost his polite salesman tone the moment I told him I wasn't. Chancer.

OP, there's more to checking for HG failure than mayo. Look for an oil slick in the coolant, dip the stick and see what colour the oil is (chocolate milkshake opaqueness is a good sign of coolant mixed in), sweet smelling exhaust/excessive white smoke (burning coolant) and of course a compression test, although this is dependant on where a gasket may have failed as to whether it shows anything up.

Either way, it seems as though your friend was sold a car by a complete dick.

Edit: having read more of the comments I fee like this could be a piss take. Who just hands back £2,000 based on the word of the buyer? I'm calling bullst.

Edited by Alias218 on Monday 25th July 18:21

[itaa]

this can't be real? First he bought a terrible car for way more than it's worth and 2nd he couldn't check such basic things himself?
all I can say-

[Seaweed]

Beginning to regret mentioning this on here. I was surprised myself but just shows you there are still decent people out there with morals.