Just bought a car from an auction advice needed

[Mr serge]

I just bought a car from an auction, once i drove off i noticed the gearbox would not change gear, i bought the cars sold as seen so i cannot get my money back from them,
i was going to take it to we buy any car but i reckon it will fail the inspection and i will just have wasted my time. any suggestions? what are my options?

[DJC]

Repair it?

Sell it as spares or repair?

[MarsellusWallace]

put it back through the auction

[retrorider]

MarsellusWallace said:

put it back through the auction

+1

[Parrot of Doom]

You should post the marque, model and gearbox type of the car. It may be a common, simple to repair fault. Some automatics will default to "limp home" mode if certain conditions are not met.

[Mr serge]

Parrot of Doom said:

You should post the marque, model and gearbox type of the car. It may be a common, simple to repair fault. Some automatics will default to "limp home" mode if certain conditions are not met.

Its a mercedes a class a170 auto 2002

[TankRizzo]

Do you have an F on the instrument panel showing? If so then the gearbox is in limp mode.

[Mr serge]

TankRizzo said:

Do you have an F on the instrument panel showing? If so then the gearbox is in limp mode.

yes it has an f on the instrument panel

[Mr E Driver]

TankRizzo said:

Do you have an F on the instrument panel showing? If so then the gearbox is in limp mode.

I always thought it stood for fked mode!

[rolando]

Mr serge said:

TankRizzo said:

Do you have an F on the instrument panel showing? If so then the gearbox is in limp mode.

yes it has an f on the instrument panel

Viagra

[TankRizzo]

Mr serge said:

yes it has an f on the instrument panel

You'll need to have the fault code read to see what, if any, error the problem is throwing.

My mother used to have an A-class and had the same problem - she had to have the PCB on the gearbox replaced. It was under warranty though.

This site is quite useful about the A-class: http://www.aclassinfo.co.uk/mypage.1.htm

[Garlick]

Sounds like all might not be lost

[PaulFontaine]

Its always a roll of the dice at an auction but from what I;ve gather your "breakers" pay a great deal more than scrapyards either that or sell it to a mechanic

[Mr serge]

PaulFontaine said:

Its always a roll of the dice at an auction but from what I;ve gather your "breakers" pay a great deal more than scrapyards either that or sell it to a mechanic

What do you mean by "breakers"?

[Parrot of Doom]

If it's in limp-home mode it could be as simple as a faulty MAF, or a missing signal from the gearbox. You might try disconnecting the battery for 20 minutes or so, to see if the problem clears temporarily.

Try asking on either of the two excellent UK-based Mercedes forums.

[Mr serge]

Parrot of Doom said:

If it's in limp-home mode it could be as simple as a faulty MAF, or a missing signal from the gearbox. You might try disconnecting the battery for 20 minutes or so, to see if the problem clears temporarily.

Try asking on either of the two excellent UK-based Mercedes forums.

cheers for your advice

[Chodosh Corvette]

I just had to repair the notorious 'F' mode problem my mum's A140... Best part of 1600quid .

It can either be something simple, or whole new ECU / clutch and all that. Take it to a good indi and they can run a diagnostic test for about 40 quid

[Jimmyarm]

There is a reason that car was at auction.

You will probably find the gearbox being fked is the first of a long list....

[markmullen]

That's why buying at auction is a gamble if you're not 100% sure what you're doing.

Even the trade gets caught out at auction from time to time.

[Mr serge]

markmullen said:

That's why buying at auction is a gamble if you're not 100% sure what you're doing.

Even the trade gets caught out at auction from time to time.

I am hoping its not bad news tomorrow, oh well,