Long distance oil leak
Discussion
I bought a second-hand car 2 weeks ago from a car dealer 250 miles / 4.5 hours away as it was within budget (£8000) and being a scarce petrol model in a sea of diesels the availability was limited. I called them after seeing the ad on Autotrader, asked about the condition etc. and was told it had a comprehensive service history (it does).
With just over 100,000 miles it's not blemish-free but I knew that and wasn't bothered as I just needed something to shove the dog/family/paddleboards/bikes/tip-run stuff in and not get precious about it. It's presentable, far from a shed.
We agreed a sale and I paid £260 to have it delivered. This was a Weds and it arrived 8am the following Tuesday.
From the first day i noticed a few drips of oil on the drive. This has now gone from a few drips to a significant area marked by leaking oil. I'm checking the oil weekly and having to top up more than you find acceptable. I did a 300 mile run yesterday with the oil just over half and this morning I did a check and it was showing on the computer as completely empty.
This prompted a call to the dealer who said return it to us (at your expense) and we'll get it checked and repaired. I started to get quotes and it was averaging £450-£500 each way. I thought this can't be right, so went online and contact Citizens Advice who said - amongst other things - you should not be out of pocket trying to remedy problems through buying a faulty vehicle.
I've since emailed the dealer and pointed out the above, and that I'd be happy to take the vehicle to a local garage and have it repaired there if there were happy to pay the bill. Failing that they can either pay for the collection and re-delivery or have the car back and issue a refund.
I do like it and my preference is for a decent repair.
Does anybody have any advice for what my options are if the dealer still insists I have to get it back to them at my expense and refuses any other remedy?
With just over 100,000 miles it's not blemish-free but I knew that and wasn't bothered as I just needed something to shove the dog/family/paddleboards/bikes/tip-run stuff in and not get precious about it. It's presentable, far from a shed.
We agreed a sale and I paid £260 to have it delivered. This was a Weds and it arrived 8am the following Tuesday.
From the first day i noticed a few drips of oil on the drive. This has now gone from a few drips to a significant area marked by leaking oil. I'm checking the oil weekly and having to top up more than you find acceptable. I did a 300 mile run yesterday with the oil just over half and this morning I did a check and it was showing on the computer as completely empty.
This prompted a call to the dealer who said return it to us (at your expense) and we'll get it checked and repaired. I started to get quotes and it was averaging £450-£500 each way. I thought this can't be right, so went online and contact Citizens Advice who said - amongst other things - you should not be out of pocket trying to remedy problems through buying a faulty vehicle.
I've since emailed the dealer and pointed out the above, and that I'd be happy to take the vehicle to a local garage and have it repaired there if there were happy to pay the bill. Failing that they can either pay for the collection and re-delivery or have the car back and issue a refund.
I do like it and my preference is for a decent repair.
Does anybody have any advice for what my options are if the dealer still insists I have to get it back to them at my expense and refuses any other remedy?
It's no wonder people get confused.
Distance sale. From your post you didn't visit the vendor prior to purchase? If so this is a distant sale. You have a minimum of 14 days to return the vehicle and you require no reason to do so. Don't like it? Take it back. If the seller doesn't have a specific DSR time frame written into their t's and c's this time frame can extend to much longer. Is it 14 days or more ?
CRA 15 becomes your next option but an oil leak on a 100k car is unlikely to meet the threshold for rejection unless it renders the car unfit to drive.
Do not allow anyone else to work on the car without the dealers express consent. As soon as you do, they have an out.
Distance sale. From your post you didn't visit the vendor prior to purchase? If so this is a distant sale. You have a minimum of 14 days to return the vehicle and you require no reason to do so. Don't like it? Take it back. If the seller doesn't have a specific DSR time frame written into their t's and c's this time frame can extend to much longer. Is it 14 days or more ?
CRA 15 becomes your next option but an oil leak on a 100k car is unlikely to meet the threshold for rejection unless it renders the car unfit to drive.
Do not allow anyone else to work on the car without the dealers express consent. As soon as you do, they have an out.
DrBrule said:
megaphone said:
Where is the oil leak coming from?
Without getting it on a ramp i can’t pin-point an exact area, but engine bay. The drive was unmarked before, now 14 days later…. 
The only email I received from them was a copy of of the invoice. There are no T&C's attached.
There is no paperwork relating to the T&C's in any of the documentation that arrived with the car.
All that folder contains is the service book and a load of invoices for work carried out over the years.
I've had a look on their site and I can't find anything which relates to T&C's either.
There is no paperwork relating to the T&C's in any of the documentation that arrived with the car.
All that folder contains is the service book and a load of invoices for work carried out over the years.
I've had a look on their site and I can't find anything which relates to T&C's either.
W124Bob said:
"It's a Land Rover sir, they all do that". Seriously what's the vehicle?
Audi Q5 2.0 TFSI.I know the TFSI potentially uses oil; we had the same engine in a 2007 Jetta so I was prepared to keep an eye on that. My partner's Mini is the same. Oil consumption through usage is acceptable.
What I'm not happy accepting is the car dumping it over the floor while unused.
That's some oil leak.
I'll guess that's a leaky sump plug, or oil filter, from where dealer has serviced it. As a previous poster has said. Probably a simple fix.
Get authorisation from the dealer to have it inspected/diagnosed at a local garage to you.
Dealer should agree to that to save them cost of you returning the car (you paid to have it delivered, they're on the hook for return costs)
If dealer doesnt agree to that then I'd be concerned as to why.
I'll guess that's a leaky sump plug, or oil filter, from where dealer has serviced it. As a previous poster has said. Probably a simple fix.
Get authorisation from the dealer to have it inspected/diagnosed at a local garage to you.
Dealer should agree to that to save them cost of you returning the car (you paid to have it delivered, they're on the hook for return costs)
If dealer doesnt agree to that then I'd be concerned as to why.
mcpoot said:
You would be wrong in thinking that.
Can you put some more flesh on that ? So someone could buy a car from the tip of Scotland drive it down the Cornwall, develop a fault and the seller is responsible for the transport costs back to Scotland ?
From my time of selling bikes it was always a return to base warranty
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