Car knocking after 5 weeks of ownership (small dealer)
Discussion
Hi
Bought a car from a small dealer on march 23rd and test drove it. All ran well so bought the car. Had just been serviced and mot'd so I have the invoices for them dating back to the 10th march.
However today it developed a knocking sound, really bad at 2500-3k rpm so I got to a garage to see what the issue is. Checked the engine for a obvious rattles like heat shields etc. None of that seemed loose. (Mx5 nc)
The garage pull the dipstick out and it's pretty much bone dry. Almost no oil in there. But there's been nothing on the dash, dials all read ok and car drove fine (approximately 500-600 miles since bought). No oil leaks etc. I hadn't got round to checking oil or anything as I knew it had just been done (should've anyway I know) but sadly I didn't. Usually I get an oil change every 6 months or 8k miles so I don't tend to worry about oil. Going forward I'll be checking regularly.
Problem being is the engine will likely be ruined, I've contacted the dealer and they say not to drive it which of course I won't. But at this point do I have any comeback? 38 days after purchase
Had the AA out to it and they guess the garage haven't filled the oil up as 4 litres of oil can't disappear that quickly as there's no signs of leakage. Either way it's knocking bad and needs fixing. Shoulda checked the oil but I can't go back in time now.
So annoyed with myself and the garage who did the service
Thanks
Edit: Received refund, car now gone back. Thank you so much for your help over this. From now on I'm checking my dipstick weekly, no matter how many miles I've done. Can't afford my TT to blow in the same way. Glad it's over to say the least....
Bought a car from a small dealer on march 23rd and test drove it. All ran well so bought the car. Had just been serviced and mot'd so I have the invoices for them dating back to the 10th march.
However today it developed a knocking sound, really bad at 2500-3k rpm so I got to a garage to see what the issue is. Checked the engine for a obvious rattles like heat shields etc. None of that seemed loose. (Mx5 nc)
The garage pull the dipstick out and it's pretty much bone dry. Almost no oil in there. But there's been nothing on the dash, dials all read ok and car drove fine (approximately 500-600 miles since bought). No oil leaks etc. I hadn't got round to checking oil or anything as I knew it had just been done (should've anyway I know) but sadly I didn't. Usually I get an oil change every 6 months or 8k miles so I don't tend to worry about oil. Going forward I'll be checking regularly.
Problem being is the engine will likely be ruined, I've contacted the dealer and they say not to drive it which of course I won't. But at this point do I have any comeback? 38 days after purchase
Had the AA out to it and they guess the garage haven't filled the oil up as 4 litres of oil can't disappear that quickly as there's no signs of leakage. Either way it's knocking bad and needs fixing. Shoulda checked the oil but I can't go back in time now.
So annoyed with myself and the garage who did the service
Thanks
Edit: Received refund, car now gone back. Thank you so much for your help over this. From now on I'm checking my dipstick weekly, no matter how many miles I've done. Can't afford my TT to blow in the same way. Glad it's over to say the least....
Edited by NAAHD on Thursday 5th May 17:31
NAAHD said:
Hi
Bought a car from a small dealer on march 23rd and test drove it. All ran well so bought the car. Had just been serviced and mot'd so I have the invoices for them dating back to the 10th march.
However today it developed a knocking sound, really bad at 2500-3k rpm so I got to a garage to see what the issue is. Checked the engine for a obvious rattles like heat shields etc. None of that seemed loose. (Mx5 nc)
The garage pull the dipstick out and it's pretty much bone dry. Almost no oil in there. But there's been nothing on the dash, dials all read ok and car drove fine (approximately 500-600 miles since bought). No oil leaks etc. I hadn't got round to checking oil or anything as I knew it had just been done (should've anyway I know) but sadly I didn't. Usually I get an oil change every 6 months or 8k miles so I don't tend to worry about oil. Going forward I'll be checking regularly.
Problem being is the engine will likely be ruined, I've contacted the dealer and they say not to drive it which of course I won't. But at this point do I have any comeback? 38 days after purchase
Had the AA out to it and they guess the garage haven't filled the oil up as 4 litres of oil can't disappear that quickly as there's no signs of leakage. Either way it's knocking bad and needs fixing. Shoulda checked the oil but I can't go back in time now.
So annoyed with myself and the garage who did the service
Thanks
Just trying to understand the timeline .. did you have it serviced by a garage after you bought it, or had it been serviced before you bought it?Bought a car from a small dealer on march 23rd and test drove it. All ran well so bought the car. Had just been serviced and mot'd so I have the invoices for them dating back to the 10th march.
However today it developed a knocking sound, really bad at 2500-3k rpm so I got to a garage to see what the issue is. Checked the engine for a obvious rattles like heat shields etc. None of that seemed loose. (Mx5 nc)
The garage pull the dipstick out and it's pretty much bone dry. Almost no oil in there. But there's been nothing on the dash, dials all read ok and car drove fine (approximately 500-600 miles since bought). No oil leaks etc. I hadn't got round to checking oil or anything as I knew it had just been done (should've anyway I know) but sadly I didn't. Usually I get an oil change every 6 months or 8k miles so I don't tend to worry about oil. Going forward I'll be checking regularly.
Problem being is the engine will likely be ruined, I've contacted the dealer and they say not to drive it which of course I won't. But at this point do I have any comeback? 38 days after purchase
Had the AA out to it and they guess the garage haven't filled the oil up as 4 litres of oil can't disappear that quickly as there's no signs of leakage. Either way it's knocking bad and needs fixing. Shoulda checked the oil but I can't go back in time now.
So annoyed with myself and the garage who did the service
Thanks
If it was serviced prior to you buying it, then my guess is your recourse is with the dealer, as that was the state you bought the car in.
If it you had it serviced by a garage after you bought it, then its really not the dealer at fault, and your issue is with the garage (who presumably forgot to put the oil in)..
Based on the dates, sounds like it was sold to you with no/v little oil in it?.. so back to the dealer..
It was serviced before I bought it, 13 days before to be exact. I'm kicking myself for not checking it, rookie mistake.
Thought I'd be ok as it had just all been done recently and I wasn't doing a particularly long trip. Car gave no indications on the dash or in the way it drove unfortunately.
I'm hoping the dealer can help but with them being a small company I'm presuming they won't be keen to help. Got to wait for Tuesday for them to check with the garage who serviced it and not drive it until then.
Thought I'd be ok as it had just all been done recently and I wasn't doing a particularly long trip. Car gave no indications on the dash or in the way it drove unfortunately.
I'm hoping the dealer can help but with them being a small company I'm presuming they won't be keen to help. Got to wait for Tuesday for them to check with the garage who serviced it and not drive it until then.
Would it have driven ok for 600 miles if it needed 4 litres of oil if you are convinced it hasn't lost any during that time.
I would have thought it would have started knocking well before then. Were there any signs it could have burnt through 4 litres of oil in 600 miles, so got progressively worse before the knocking started.
This might indicate the engine had an issue when you bought it in spite of the service.
I would have thought it would have started knocking well before then. Were there any signs it could have burnt through 4 litres of oil in 600 miles, so got progressively worse before the knocking started.
This might indicate the engine had an issue when you bought it in spite of the service.
Monkeylegend said:
Would it have driven ok for 600 miles if it needed 4 litres of oil if you are convinced it hasn't lost any during that time.
I would have thought it would have started knocking well before then. Were there any signs it could have burnt through 4 litres of oil in 600 miles, so got progressively worse before the knocking started.
This might indicate the engine had an issue when you bought it in spite of the service.
Yes, an engine is not going to last for 600 miles with no oil in it…I would have thought it would have started knocking well before then. Were there any signs it could have burnt through 4 litres of oil in 600 miles, so got progressively worse before the knocking started.
This might indicate the engine had an issue when you bought it in spite of the service.
Keen or not, the dealer can't just wash their hands. Within 30 days you're entitled to reject it for a full refund. If it's over 30 days, but less than 6 months from purchase, then it's automatically assumed that the fault existed at the time of purchase, unless the dealer can prove otherwise.
This about the Consumer Rights Act 2015 from the AA website:
Faults, repairs and refunds
Under the new act, if a fault renders the product not of satisfactory quality, not fit for purpose or not as described, then the buyer is entitled to reject it within the first 30 days.
Between 30 days and 6 months
If a fault comes to light after 30 days but before 6 months you’re entitled to a repair, replacement or refund.
It’s assumed in law that the fault was present at the time of purchase unless the seller can prove otherwise.
Unless you’ve agreed otherwise, the seller (dealer) has only one opportunity to repair (or replace) the faulty vehicle after which, if they fail to repair it, you’re entitled to a refund.
In the event of a refund following a failed attempt at repair during the first six months the seller may make a 'reasonable' adjustment to the amount refunded to take account of the use that you’ve had of the vehicle.
This about the Consumer Rights Act 2015 from the AA website:
Faults, repairs and refunds
Under the new act, if a fault renders the product not of satisfactory quality, not fit for purpose or not as described, then the buyer is entitled to reject it within the first 30 days.
Between 30 days and 6 months
If a fault comes to light after 30 days but before 6 months you’re entitled to a repair, replacement or refund.
It’s assumed in law that the fault was present at the time of purchase unless the seller can prove otherwise.
Unless you’ve agreed otherwise, the seller (dealer) has only one opportunity to repair (or replace) the faulty vehicle after which, if they fail to repair it, you’re entitled to a refund.
In the event of a refund following a failed attempt at repair during the first six months the seller may make a 'reasonable' adjustment to the amount refunded to take account of the use that you’ve had of the vehicle.
Bainbridge said:
Have you physically checked the oil yourself? The dipstick on the mx5 nc is notoriously difficult to read and it's a common mistake to misread the oil level. Obviously the knocking noise needs attention, but I'd double check the oil level first.
Had the AA come out and check it to be sure and it's totally dry. I also checked it later and found the same. Got their report on it but the dealer is saying all fine when it left theirs and he checked the oil and it was all up to standard. But there's no signs of an oil leak or anything of that nature, nothing showed up to indicate any issues. It's not even my car, I bought it as a present for my mother and trusted that the maintenance had been done and all was good. Don't know where that leaves us with the dealer. A car can't run on no oil so there must have been enough in to last 500-600 miles plus the 100-200 the dealer did before we bought it.Edited by NAAHD on Sunday 1st May 09:28
An engine will probably do a few hundred miles with just a small amount of oil in the sump.
The oil light will often stay unlit when the engine is running on a mix of air and oil, especially when revs are reasonably high.
But you'd expect it to come on at tickover when stopping at junctions etc.
Is there no 'low oil warning' on these cars?
Burning several litres of oil in a few hundred miles would probably produce a great deal of smoke?
As the oil got low, you'd expect the car to smell of hot oil? Or do modern emissions controls deal with that?
Can such a car burn so much oil without lights coming on as the lambda sensor dies horribly?
Seems to me a few possibilities.
1) at the service very little oil was put in
2) the oil leaked out such that nobody noticed.
3) somebody removed the oil
The oil light will often stay unlit when the engine is running on a mix of air and oil, especially when revs are reasonably high.
But you'd expect it to come on at tickover when stopping at junctions etc.
Is there no 'low oil warning' on these cars?
Burning several litres of oil in a few hundred miles would probably produce a great deal of smoke?
As the oil got low, you'd expect the car to smell of hot oil? Or do modern emissions controls deal with that?
Can such a car burn so much oil without lights coming on as the lambda sensor dies horribly?
Seems to me a few possibilities.
1) at the service very little oil was put in
2) the oil leaked out such that nobody noticed.
3) somebody removed the oil
did you check the level upon purchase?
some shady dealers will claim its been serviced when it hasnt or may have been filled to minimum
with a new to you car you need to check the oil often to see if it needs topping up often or not , dont just blindly drive around waiting for a light to come on
some shady dealers will claim its been serviced when it hasnt or may have been filled to minimum
with a new to you car you need to check the oil often to see if it needs topping up often or not , dont just blindly drive around waiting for a light to come on
Unfortunately, the Mazda has a reputation for this. Some of them (not the early ones, and not so much the late ones >2010ish) suffer from gummed-up rings and huge oil consumption, followed by bottom end failure. It's a fairly regular topic on any of the various forums; our PH member Evoluzione could give you chapter and verse on this subject, being the MX-5 expert.
It's not helped by the fact that the oil pressure gauge does not measure oil pressure at all, just has a moving needle with signals from the ECU relating to RPM and engine temperature...
It's not helped by the fact that the oil pressure gauge does not measure oil pressure at all, just has a moving needle with signals from the ECU relating to RPM and engine temperature...
steveo3002 said:
did you check the level upon purchase?
some shady dealers will claim its been serviced when it hasnt or may have been filled to minimum
with a new to you car you need to check the oil often to see if it needs topping up often or not , dont just blindly drive around waiting for a light to come on
In my finest wisdom I didn't, I saw the invoice for the service and spent my time checking for rust instead.some shady dealers will claim its been serviced when it hasnt or may have been filled to minimum
with a new to you car you need to check the oil often to see if it needs topping up often or not , dont just blindly drive around waiting for a light to come on
I also presumed the dash would indicate any issues or the oil pressure gauge would come up with an issue.
Looks like it'll be for sale as a spares or repair unless the dealer can prove the garage didn't fill her up properly. Odd there's no leaks either. No signs of the oil going anywhere
steveo3002 said:
did you check the level upon purchase?
some shady dealers will claim its been serviced when it hasnt or may have been filled to minimum
with a new to you car you need to check the oil often to see if it needs topping up often or not , dont just blindly drive around waiting for a light to come on
In my book, checking the oil once every 500 miles would constitute 'often'.some shady dealers will claim its been serviced when it hasnt or may have been filled to minimum
with a new to you car you need to check the oil often to see if it needs topping up often or not , dont just blindly drive around waiting for a light to come on
I've had some pretty leaky British motorbikes and some clapped out old bangers in the past, this is above and beyond.
OutInTheShed said:
In my book, checking the oil once every 500 miles would constitute 'often'.
I've had some pretty leaky British motorbikes and some clapped out old bangers in the past, this is above and beyond.
id have checked it was full before buying it , says alot about the seller if theyre shifting a car with no oil in it I've had some pretty leaky British motorbikes and some clapped out old bangers in the past, this is above and beyond.
as someone said theyre known to use alot of oil , lesson learned i guess
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