Um, Advice...

The Black Oil · 03-03-2007 8:27pm #1

I'll try and keep this short.

A friend of mine recently got a second hand 06 car from a main dealer. Anyway, they were out driving the other day when someone behind started flashing, so after much of that she stopped and pulled over. The person in the other car told her that car used to belong to her and she had brought it back to the garage 8 (eight) times in the time she owned it. She claims to have an AA report with the details of the problems, mobile numbers were exchanged so hopefully we'll get to see the report. I'm guessing it's one of those vehicle inspection things, doubtful she got it done for the laugh... I guess if it's bad we'll have to get rid of the car...

There is a bit of a rattle in it at the moment, probably something loose under the dash.

We don't know this woman at all, for all we know she could be a motoring hypochondriac, said she was with this brand all her life but never again. She happens to live just down the road, pure luck she spotted my friend.

Is it worth speaking to the Consumer Affairs people or the AA for advice? Comments would be appreciated.:)

Supercell · 03-03-2007 8:33pm

Doubt she did it just for fun. Sounds like she was concerned that someone else was lumbered with the lemon she got rid of and thought was consigned to the scrapyard.

Is this a French or Italian car?, vary curious (going with Renault or Fiat theory).

OfflerCrocGod · 03-03-2007 8:53pm

Longfield wrote:

Is this a French or Italian car?, vary curious (going with Renault or Fiat theory).

Wow, you read my mind

03-03-2007 9:02pm

Longfield wrote:

Is this a French or Italian car?, vary curious (going with Renault or Fiat theory).

It may come as a shock to you, but pretty much every car can break down!

Supercell · 03-03-2007 9:07pm

ronoc wrote:

It may come as a shock to you, but pretty much every car can break down!

Lol, It may come as a shock to you but..I'll leave that to the OP to fill in heheh

The Black Oil · 03-03-2007 9:25pm

It's of the Italian variety...

The tax man · 03-03-2007 9:37pm

The Black Oil wrote:

It's of the Italian variety...

D'OH!!!!!!!:D

DonJose · 03-03-2007 9:54pm

The Black Oil wrote:

It's of the Italian variety...

Those Ferrari's are nothing but trouble

Supercell · 03-03-2007 9:56pm

Ronoc..as much as i'd like to be dignified and restrained..your sig

Protip: Impress everyone with your vast motoring knowledge by posting in every fiat/alpha thread saying how unreliable they are

Has put me over the edge here - Mwahahaha!!

03-03-2007 10:14pm

The Black Oil wrote:

It's of the Italian variety...

Those Damn Maseratis why do people buy them if they break down so often

unkel · 03-03-2007 10:28pm

ronoc wrote:

every fiat/alpha thread

You might want to spell-check your sig there, ronoc

03-03-2007 10:33pm

unkel wrote:

You might want to spell-check your sig there, ronoc

The Black Oil · 04-03-2007 4:16pm

Apparently the door once opened on a roundabout, problems with the electrics (surprise surprise), and it leaked 14 litres of oil (something like that) and the front grill fell off twice.

Some info from the AA report (Oct 06):

Paintwork repairs are to be seen at the roof, left wing, and the left front door. The presence of repairs was confirmed with a paint thickness gauge; and by visible inspection; where defects such as the presence of dirt nibs were noted. An orange peel text is to be seen at the windscreen aperature at the front of the roof panel.

The underbody structure is in sound condition.
The check strap on the front right door is loose.
Rattle from the right front dash area.
The window winder handle was not fitted to the left rear door.
Sand particles are to be seen on the fuse board.
The cover is not fitted over the positive terminal connection of the battery

Most of the sections say 'no defects are apparent'.

Guy:Incognito · 04-03-2007 5:36pm

The Black Oil wrote:

The underbody structure is in sound condition.
The check strap on the front right door is loose.
Rattle from the right front dash area.
The window winder handle was not fitted to the left rear door.
Sand particles are to be seen on the fuse board.
The cover is not fitted over the positive terminal connection of the battery[/I].

To my untrained eye that list would suggest crash damage, no?

Sand in the fusebox? Maybe the woman (or someone else, her son/daughter?) was messing with it on a beachand buried it into a sand dune?

I'm going to guess the window winder missing was someting to do with the owner as if I bought a new car and it was missing I'd notice it fairly sharpish.

The Black Oil · 04-03-2007 6:53pm

She was adamant the sand wasn't to do with her...

johncm · 04-03-2007 7:38pm

looking at the post about the report it has all the signs of a crash. Ask the woman did she crash it and does she live by a beach. I ask this because i once left the window of my car down for a few hours when at the beach and sand got in everywhere!
I think she might be over exaggerating with the oil. 14 liters is 4 times the oil thats in the car!

Guy:Incognito · 04-03-2007 9:50pm

Theres a chance though that a crash that may or may not have involved a sand dune and possiblely rocks could have torn a small hole in the sump or maybe damaged an oil line somewhere that was'nt apparent and some eejit just kept filling up the oil.