Rejecting a used car - sales of goods advice

[GreigM]

I recently bought a low mileage ex-demo car in the mid -£40k range. Within 5 weeks and under 200 miles of driving it has developed a number of faults and I have discovered a significant design issue. The faults include an engine misfire making the car unusable and the exhaust splitting open. The design issue means I will have to in-effect "modify" the cooling system to prevent the car over-cooling and damaging the engine if driven in cool ambient temperatures.

IMO the dealer (the primary dealer owned and run by the manufacturer) have been less than satisfactory in dealing with the issue and I am considering simply asking for my money back. Where do I stand legally in doing this? In my opinion the car is not of "merchantable quality", but is this a difficult point to debate given the faults?

Edited by GreigM on Wednesday 1st April 12:48

[GreigM]

eybic said:

You need to give them chance to fix the faults before being able to reject it I believe.

They were notified of the issues 10 days ago and have done nothing, and its looking like a number of weeks at minimum before I have the car useable again, how long do I have to give them to rectify the situation?

[GreigM]

Sheepshanks said:

The snag with pointing at things like this, is that you're a bit stuffed unless it affects every car.

It does, I've verified this with other owners. They were perhaps less aware of the damage they were doing to the engine.

[GreigM]

eybic said:

Please no naming and shaming but it isn't hard to delve to find out what it is.

Indeed, without speculation on the car, I'm just looking for advice on the legal standing.

[GreigM]

TooMany2cvs said:

Or the thermostat needs replacing.

What if it has none?

[GreigM]

TooMany2cvs said:

I cannot believe any manufacturer has developed and released a new car with no way of regulating the lower bound of the normal temperature range. Normally, that'd be a 'stat. These days, I refuse to rule out the possibility of an ECU-controlled electronic water pump.

Definitely not, nothing, nada, zilch.....it gets as cold as the air flowing through the front of the rad which results in nothing short of a precipitous plunge from normal operating temp to stone cold in a few minutes of driving.

[GreigM]

ging84 said:

GreigM said:

What if it has none?

Then it probably doesn't need one, this is how modern engines work, the ecu regulates temperature, and because it is computer controlled rather than a fixed opening temperature , it can operate at different temperatures for different scenarios, designers are no longer bound by a single optimum operating temperature.

It does need one. There is nothing regulating the lower end of temperature - the ECU is not involved in any way. I have spoken to the factory that built the car and they confirmed this is the case.

[GreigM]

TooMany2cvs said:

Frankly, I'm mildly incredulous. What IS this vehicle? (The reference to a radiator has bopped my first thought on the head)

I'd rather not make this a big naming/shaming, have PM'd you. Just want to know my legal position if I don't get cooperation.