I've bought a lemon!!!
Discussion
Hi, I wonder if you can help!
I bought a 52 plate Freelander Kalahari from a small car trader. 6 weeks later on it's first long run, it over heated and broke down (I checked all the levels before leaving).
My friend is a mechanic and had a look. The engine is not original (possibly out of a saloon as the mounting brackets are different). The water resevoir was also full of K-seal.
He replaced the head gasket at cost of parts (£180) but it's still low on compression. There is a lack of power, It will only do 65mph at 3500rpm in top. It takes a few turns to start, it judders/kangeroos on acceleration. It seems to be misfiring. My friend thinks the engine may need replacing, and probably the radiator if thats full of gunk.
The trader is now saying he only offers a 30 day warranty. The receipt he gave me says nothing about a 30 day warranty.
Have I the right to go to trading standards? What should I do???
Cheers
Mart
I bought a 52 plate Freelander Kalahari from a small car trader. 6 weeks later on it's first long run, it over heated and broke down (I checked all the levels before leaving).
My friend is a mechanic and had a look. The engine is not original (possibly out of a saloon as the mounting brackets are different). The water resevoir was also full of K-seal.
He replaced the head gasket at cost of parts (£180) but it's still low on compression. There is a lack of power, It will only do 65mph at 3500rpm in top. It takes a few turns to start, it judders/kangeroos on acceleration. It seems to be misfiring. My friend thinks the engine may need replacing, and probably the radiator if thats full of gunk.
The trader is now saying he only offers a 30 day warranty. The receipt he gave me says nothing about a 30 day warranty.
Have I the right to go to trading standards? What should I do???
Cheers
Mart
Dog Star said:
He can bleat about 30 day warranty all he wants; the car isn't fit for purpose.
Exactly, sale of goods act will certainly cover you. Give trading standards a call, the dealer sounds like hes trying to fob you off but I bet he knows full well what his responsibilities really are.The law is there to protect you, but in all honestly it will fail you. Sorry to say it, but this could end up costing you. Had a friend in the same situation a couple of years ago, cost him a fair amount to take the dealer to court, he won, but has never seen a penny from the dealer, he just changed co.name and carried on. Nothing he can do, entered up selling the car he paid £3k for for £700 after it sitting dead outside his house for a year he just wanted to see the back of it.
djt100 said:
The law is there to protect you, but in all honestly it will fail you. Sorry to say it, but this could end up costing you. Had a friend in the same situation a couple of years ago, cost him a fair amount to take the dealer to court, he won, but has never seen a penny from the dealer, he just changed co.name and carried on. Nothing he can do, entered up selling the car he paid £3k for for £700 after it sitting dead outside his house for a year he just wanted to see the back of it.
at which point you have it sign painted saying "this man ripped me off" or similar and leave it outside his showroom...Oh dear God, why do people not look at reviews of cars before they buy them?
My dad went and bought a 2nd hand Freelander k-series 1.8, after I explained at length the issues with these engines, and the number of problems people experienced. To no avail.
So then he rang me up six months later, surprised that it had killed itself...
Anyway, the trader sold a car not fit for purpose. Explain that you will be giving TS a call if he does not take the car back. If he still refuses, call TS, and cross your fingers.
My dad went and bought a 2nd hand Freelander k-series 1.8, after I explained at length the issues with these engines, and the number of problems people experienced. To no avail.
So then he rang me up six months later, surprised that it had killed itself...
Anyway, the trader sold a car not fit for purpose. Explain that you will be giving TS a call if he does not take the car back. If he still refuses, call TS, and cross your fingers.
On the positive side K series engines are quite cheap to repair, on the negative the Freelander is one of the most troublesome K installations. I agree with all the above really, take him to court and win but dont bet on a quick return for your money. You could in the meantime get the car inspected by the AA etc to determine what it needs as if it has been patched up (as it seems) then you could be looking at the tip of the iceburg. Local press, trading standards and citizens advice shoudl be your first port of call.
Good luck.
Good luck.
Try speaking to someone at Consumer Direct instead of trading standards, they have a team of people who specifically deal with the motor trade, so should be able to help you out. The only problem I can see is that you've had some rectification work done on the car before you took it back to them.
ooo000ooo said:
By letting his own mechanic work on it, has the OP knackered a possible case against the dealer? i.e. can the dealer not claim that his mechanic has caused further damage?
I'd have thought so. If the OP had taken it straight back he stood a chance, but not now I suspect.
Sounds like the misfiring etc only happened after the head gasket went. Since you chose to get it repaired by someone else, it will not be easy to prove that the current problems are not caused by your mechanic. I would be inclined to take it to someone who know something about K-series engines, ie a decent X-Part garage, and ask them to assess the damage, and you can then decide if it is worth pursuing the selling garage, your mate, or just taking it on the chin and getting it repaired. It may be that your mate didn't fit the hew head gasket properly, or the head needed skimming before he fitted it and he didn't do that.
There is a new MLS head gasket kit for the K-series engine which is supposed to cure the HGF problem. I'm guessing you paid about £4-5k for the car, so it may just be worth getting it repaired. Take it to an expert and ask.
There is a new MLS head gasket kit for the K-series engine which is supposed to cure the HGF problem. I'm guessing you paid about £4-5k for the car, so it may just be worth getting it repaired. Take it to an expert and ask.
the head gasket may have been changed but has the head warped or becoume pourous, remember with the K skimming isn't reccomended for anything more than a gnats nuts.
Head, MLS gasket, revised land rover bottom engine bracket, good flush through on oil and OAT coolant new plugs and Rogers your mothers brother
Head, MLS gasket, revised land rover bottom engine bracket, good flush through on oil and OAT coolant new plugs and Rogers your mothers brother
djt100 said:
The law is there to protect you, but in all honestly it will fail you. Sorry to say it, but this could end up costing you. Had a friend in the same situation a couple of years ago, cost him a fair amount to take the dealer to court, he won, but has never seen a penny from the dealer, he just changed co.name and carried on. Nothing he can do, entered up selling the car he paid £3k for for £700 after it sitting dead outside his house for a year he just wanted to see the back of it.
Correct.If the trader is a decent type (I know that's an oxymoron) then he will fix it. Now, moving swiftly on to reality, if the trader decides to stick up two fingers then you are screwed.
Trading Standards will take a cursory interest but will be no help at all. Consumer Direct will advise about SOGA and little else. They will tell you what a great case you have but it will be down to you to force the case. Both are toothless quango's.
You will go to Small Claims Court (up to £5k) and you will win if it goes that far. And you will end up with feck all because the scumbag dealer will have shut down his business and be trading under a different name in the blink of an eye.
If the dealer doesn't want to play ball all you will get is a load of ag and stress and nothing in compensation and it will cost you more money.
Just cut your losses and get on with your life. Never buy from a dealer again and use the money you saved, on the obscene level of profit the dealer makes, to fix anything that comes up.
There is also the option of popping round with a couple of heavies but that is illegal.
Fort Jefferson said:
Crash1Burn1 said:
He replaced the head gasket at cost of parts (£180)..........
Who is "he"?If "he" is your mate, you no longer have a warranty. If "he" is the dealer, you do.
If the mechanic / friend, had repaired the head gasket failure to a high standard, then the car would run as it should and without any further issues.
IMHO, the OP should have taken the car back to the trader, however now the trader can and should decline to pay for the mess caused by the friend / mechanic. You have a government imposed 3 months warranty on the running gear of any used car sold by a trader in the UK.
Gassing Station | General Gassing [Archive] | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff