Bought a car privately and it's not great - help needed

[anonymous-user]

Bought a car privately just over a week ago. Today it went in to my local garage to have them give it the once over. They've found a list of issues but the main one being that when the previous owner had a new centre section of exhaust fitted, whoever did it removed the cats. It won't pass an MOT without them. It was last MOT'd around the time the work was done in August 2015.

Also there are bills for oil changes yet the sump is rusted solid - there's no way they could drain the oil.

I like the car and don't mind spending a bit of money on it but the exhaust issue is the main one I am most concerned about

Do have any comeback? It was advertised and bought through eBay and I paid cash.

[TurboHatchback]

Lots of garages will use a sucker down the dipstick hole rather than the sump plug so it's quite possible the oil has been changed as the paperwork shows.

[RobinOakapple]

DrSteveBrule said:

Do have any comeback?

The short answer is no.

The long answer is the same.

[Batfink]

DrSteveBrule said:

Bought a car privately just over a week ago. Today it went in to my local garage to have them give it the once over. They've found a list of issues but the main one being that when the previous owner had a new centre section of exhaust fitted, whoever did it removed the cats. It won't pass an MOT without them. It was last MOT'd around the time the work was done in August 2015.

Also there are bills for oil changes yet the sump is rusted solid - there's no way they could drain the oil.

I like the car and don't mind spending a bit of money on it but the exhaust issue is the main one I am most concerned about

Do have any comeback? It was advertised and bought through eBay and I paid cash.

I've changed oil on my car lots of times without removing the sump plug. There are devices to suck up through the dip stick.

[clunkbox]

On the Oil change front, a lot of places will syphon it out via the dipstick so an untouched sump plug doesn't necessarily indicate a lack of oil changes.

I'm guessing you'll be out of luck with returning the car or getting a some money back to cover the cat replacement, but there isn't any harm in asking politely.

[fat80b]

DrSteveBrule said:

Do have any comeback? It was advertised and bought through eBay and I paid cash.

There is always a level of risk when buying privately. The general view will be that you have no comeback in a private sale.

In terms of the cats? will it actually fail an MOT - It might not - but it sounds like the chap you bought it off was fairly open if he gave you details of the work done in his ownership.

You might be able to find a cat on ebay to get refitted for the next MOT if needs be? - alternatively ping the chap and ask him if he still has the cat - it might be sat in the corner of his garage.

What is it and how much was it (not that it makes much difference)?

[anonymous-user]

I've read about misrepresentation on Honest John's site.

The seller did enthuse about this stainless steel system he'd had fitted, how it was guaranteed for life and all that. Personally I don't care for it and was planning on replacing it back to stock. What I hadn't accounted for was the lack of cats. I would argue that he failed to mention that the cats had been removed and misrepresented the car. I was there with a friend who would happily support the circumstances.

I've emailed the seller through eBay and asked for a remedy. I know my rights are greatly reduced but not to nothing?

[mgtony]

DrSteveBrule said:

I've read about misrepresentation on Honest John's site.

The seller did enthuse about this stainless steel system he'd had fitted, how it was guaranteed for life and all that. Personally I don't care for it and was planning on replacing it back to stock. What I hadn't accounted for was the lack of cats. I would argue that he failed to mention that the cats had been removed and misrepresented the car. I was there with a friend who would happily support the circumstances.

I've emailed the seller through eBay and asked for a remedy. I know my rights are greatly reduced but not to nothing?

So you were planning on replacing the exhaust anyway?

[anonymous-user]

mgtony said:

So you were planning on replacing the exhaust anyway?

Yes, just the centre section which is what he had put on in stainless steel because he couldn't afford the genuine Audi part (his very words).

That was assuming the rest of the system was standard. It's not; the cats are missing and he was probably aware of that. At the very least I would want money back to cover the cost of returning the exhaust system to one that's legal.

[thescamper]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

Did you not look under the car OP?

[anonymous-user]

thescamper said:

anonymous said:

[redacted]

Did you not look under the car OP?

Couldn't look under the car (it sits pretty low as standard) and wouldn't have known what I was looking for anyway. It's not a car that is often played about with (A4 3.2). I'm not into modding cars at all; all I know is that SS exhausts are louder and don't corrode. I presumed that all cars have to have cats; why would someone remove them and make the car illegal?

[anonymous-user]

DrSteveBrule said:

I've read about misrepresentation on Honest John's site.

The seller did enthuse about this stainless steel system he'd had fitted, how it was guaranteed for life and all that. Personally I don't care for it and was planning on replacing it back to stock. What I hadn't accounted for was the lack of cats. I would argue that he failed to mention that the cats had been removed and misrepresented the car. I was there with a friend who would happily support the circumstances.

I've emailed the seller through eBay and asked for a remedy. I know my rights are greatly reduced but not to nothing?

A misrepresentation generally requires a positive statement of fact which is untrue, eg "the exhaust system still has the cats" when it doesn't.

Silence will only usually amount to a misrep where there is a positive to speak up, eg most obviously when seeking insurance, the insured has a duty to disclose fully material matters, so if he fails to do so his silence may be taken to be a misrep.

Unfortunately, OP, I think you're likely to be stuffed. The obvious question is , having had the good sense to have the car looked at post sale, why didn't you do so pre-sale. The "ebay purchase" point isn't really an answer: if it's not practical to undertake a prudent step with a particular seller, move on to the next seller.

[WinstonWolf]

DrSteveBrule said:

Bought a car privately just over a week ago. Today it went in to my local garage to have them give it the once over. They've found a list of issues but the main one being that when the previous owner had a new centre section of exhaust fitted, whoever did it removed the cats. It won't pass an MOT without them. It was last MOT'd around the time the work was done in August 2015.

Also there are bills for oil changes yet the sump is rusted solid - there's no way they could drain the oil.

I like the car and don't mind spending a bit of money on it but the exhaust issue is the main one I am most concerned about

Do have any comeback? It was advertised and bought through eBay and I paid cash.

Afraid not, if you want a warranted vehicle it's better to buy from a dealer. If you're buying privately it's down to you to do all the checks before parting with any money.

[markmullen]

Two hopes, and Bob Hope's dead

[TooMany2cvs]

DrSteveBrule said:

all I know is that SS exhausts are louder and don't corrode.

They're not necessarily louder, no. They'd only be louder if they removed silencers or cats.

[Hughesie]

DrSteveBrule said:

Yes, just the centre section which is what he had put on in stainless steel because he couldn't afford the genuine Audi part (his very words)

This would have made me walk away...

[anonymous-user]

Thanks everytone for confirming my suspicions anyway. Lesson learned. Why would you remove the cats? What purpose does that serve? Have I mentioned the illegal window tints?

The bullet has been bitten and I'll keep it and sort out all the issues. It'll cost more than the value of the car when all done. It's a highly specc'ed example and I can't find another. We both like it (exhaust aside) and the garage have said it's not unsafe so that's one positive.

[anonymous-user]

Hughesie said:

This would have made me walk away...

I thought I was saving it from falling further down the cash-strapped-ownership-tree. Turns out it was already a fair way down. I genuinely hate buying cars.

Knowing what I do about it now I'd feel more guilt than relief if I sold it on. At least when it's all done I'll be the proud owner of a well-sorted Hyundai Matrix.

[93Jay]

DrSteveBrule said:

Thanks everytone for confirming my suspicions anyway. Lesson learned. Why would you remove the cats? What purpose does that serve? Have I mentioned the illegal window tints?

The bullet has been bitten and I'll keep it and sort out all the issues. It'll cost more than the value of the car when all done. It's a highly specc'ed example and I can't find another. We both like it (exhaust aside) and the garage have said it's not unsafe so that's one positive.

It would cheaper to remove them if they needed replacing, also improved performance and sound (Usually).

[rallycross]

Cats won't be that expensive buy from your local motor factor or via eBay.
Window tints peal off just use a hairdryer or hot water from a kettle to help the process .