Second-hand car, garages and poor workmanship
Discussion
Hi All,
I've recently (about a month ago) bought an e36 M3. I'm very happy with it and certainly don't have an issue with the seller who I believe was perfectly reasonable (apart from gypping me on a bit of tax!), but I've got a question to do with some work he had done on the car before I bought it.
I think I know what the answer to this question is going to be before I ask it, but here goes anyway!
About a month before I bought the car, on the 11th of September, the previous owner paid about £700 to have a new AC compressor (he supplied) fitted, along with condensor and microfilter and a couple of 0-rings.
There is now fluorescent oil weeping from the compressor connections in quite significant quantities. The AC is still working fine but not, I imagine, for long.
Do I have any rights here or am I throwing myself at their mercy if I give them a ring and have a moan?
I've recently (about a month ago) bought an e36 M3. I'm very happy with it and certainly don't have an issue with the seller who I believe was perfectly reasonable (apart from gypping me on a bit of tax!), but I've got a question to do with some work he had done on the car before I bought it.
I think I know what the answer to this question is going to be before I ask it, but here goes anyway!
About a month before I bought the car, on the 11th of September, the previous owner paid about £700 to have a new AC compressor (he supplied) fitted, along with condensor and microfilter and a couple of 0-rings.
There is now fluorescent oil weeping from the compressor connections in quite significant quantities. The AC is still working fine but not, I imagine, for long.
Do I have any rights here or am I throwing myself at their mercy if I give them a ring and have a moan?
Three things:-
1) I assume you bought it after 1st October? The tax doesn't transfer to the new owner.
2) The garage will claim any warranty is with the previous owner.
3) If you get the previous owner to go in they'll claim it's the compressor at fault and still not their problem.
Oh and 4) It's nearly always best to get the garage to supply the parts to avoid this sort of problem.
1) I assume you bought it after 1st October? The tax doesn't transfer to the new owner.
2) The garage will claim any warranty is with the previous owner.
3) If you get the previous owner to go in they'll claim it's the compressor at fault and still not their problem.
Oh and 4) It's nearly always best to get the garage to supply the parts to avoid this sort of problem.
Firstly you have no contract with the garage who did the work, so no redress.
Secondly the fact that the previous owner supplied the parts makes it even less likely to get a resolution, the garage will blame the parts, the parts supplier will blame the people who fitted them, you've got a contract with neither of them.
Put it behind you and move on.
Secondly the fact that the previous owner supplied the parts makes it even less likely to get a resolution, the garage will blame the parts, the parts supplier will blame the people who fitted them, you've got a contract with neither of them.
Put it behind you and move on.
No harm in approaching the garage to see what they think, they will almost certainly take a look at it, they may be prepared to do something even if you have no legal grounds to force the issue.
Are you certain it's a fault? may turn out that you can always expect a small amount of seepage and this is what you have seen.
Are you certain it's a fault? may turn out that you can always expect a small amount of seepage and this is what you have seen.
Cheers guys, answers as expected tbh!
It's certainly a fault, luminous green oil is dripping off the anti roll bar!
I'll attempt to fix it myself, it's leaking from the point where the pipes enter the compressor so I'm confident it's just a poorly seated/cracked O-ring which are cheap enough to get hold of.
It's certainly a fault, luminous green oil is dripping off the anti roll bar!
I'll attempt to fix it myself, it's leaking from the point where the pipes enter the compressor so I'm confident it's just a poorly seated/cracked O-ring which are cheap enough to get hold of.
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