garage problem

teednab-el

Ok guys here is my story. I bought a car from a garage back in mid August. The vehicle was imported so It had to do the NCT before It could go on the road. The day I bought the car the garage dealer told me that there would have to be a few things done to the car before it could do the NCT such as oil and filter, new tyres and a CV joint in the front of the car. I assummed the car was properly serviced as it wouldnt pass NCT otherwise and I assummed the CV joint was also done as it passed NCT and the dealer told me that everything was done that needed to be done and it was ready to go. Two and a half months later I was turning right coming out of a junction and strange enough I heard some thing like a joint or bearing rattling as I accelerated on to the main road. Everytime I turn the steering wheel to the right and accelerated this noise could clearly be heard. I was thinking it must be the CV joint. I took it to a local mechanic there last week to change oil and filter and he gave my car a full service. I couldnt believe the things he found wrong with the car, gear oil was low, tracking was out that it was wearing inside tyres, (which it may happen anyway due to the roads I accept) rear brake pads were very worn that they had to be replaced immediately (could they be at that level in 3 months?), coolant sensor faulty and worse than all he told me that the car needed a new CV joint, which the mechanic taught should be covered under my warranty as it would cost a good bit to put in a new one. I might be wrong here but I felt there were too many things found wrong with the car after the service, it makes me wonder if anything was ever done before I became the owner of the car. My mechanic is a good friend of mine so he is telling me the facts as they are and he is very cheap for parts and labour. He was thinking they may have put grease on the CV joint or something along those lines to help it get through the NCT without getting noticed. I am annoyed at a few things though. I am afraid did the garage do anything to my car before I bought it? I have been driving this car for more than 3 months now on a worn CV joint and I didnt know until recently that it actually wasnt replaced in the first case. I wouldnt like to be driving a car that wasnt serviced properly.

I am goin to the garage next week with the car to sort this out once and for all but before I end up f**king one of them out of it, Is there anything Im forgetting to ask them? I was told it was done by the garage when it actually wasnt.

Cheers in advance.

WestWicklow1

Maybe it was the other CV joint that the garage replaced.

corktina

i could be wrong, but couldnt it be the OTHER cv joint followed the first into oblivion? I assume there are two CV joints....(im used to RWD you see) I think all the other things COULD have occured in the time since it went on the road...

you beat me to it whilst I typed

Avns1s

Going through the items one by one:

1. gear oil was low,

It could have gone down in the 4 months since you bought the car. It would necessarily be something that would be checked in every service unless there was some sign of leakage etc.


2. tracking was out that it was wearing inside tyres, (which it may happen anyway due to the roads I accept).

You have answered this yourself.


3. rear brake pads were very worn that they had to be replaced immediately (could they be at that level in 3 months?),

Were the NEW when you bought the car? If new then unlikely they would be this low since August, well, depending on your driving of course, but unlikely. But, you bought a second hand car, so you would accept that the brake pads were worn to some extent. They were obviously servicable in August even if they need replacing now.


4. coolant sensor faulty

Would not be checked in a service and even if it was, could well have gone faulty since August.


5. and worse than all he told me that the car needed a new CV joint,

Maybe the other CV joiint was replaced in August. Even if it wasn't and the gaiter burst, a CV joint can start to rattle in a very short time once water and grit starts to enter.



In summary, unless you have a warranty from the garage that might (just might) cover the CV joint and the Coolant Sensor, you're wasting your time going back to the garage. Next time you buy a car second hand, get someone who knows something decent about cars to give it a good going over, even if you're buying from a dealer.

In other words, chalk this up and move on!

teednab-el

Avns1s wrote: »

Going through the items one by one:



Maybe the other CV joiint was replaced in August. Even if it wasn't and the gaiter burst, a CV joint can start to rattle in a very short time once water and grit starts to enter.

No its the same one because the dealer showed me the one that was getting replaced and amazingly the same one is gone 3 months later, well 2 and half months to be exact as I didnt drive the car much in August as I was off work. I find it hard to believe that the same joint would go in that time space and the price of them and all. Now im not a mechanic but I know enough to sugguest something aint right.

The Muppet

The car passed the NCT since the garage did the work on it, you don't have much of a complaint. Did they tell you they were putting a new cv joint or just replacing the boot? A new cv should not go in 3 months. If they did fit a new CV they may help if approached properly. Did you get any warranty with the car?

oregano

I hugely doubt the seller of the car would cover the CV. The car passed the NCT, you have driven it for 3 months, that can be quite some wear and tear... have you done many miles? Generally when going down the legal route it is mileage, not time, that matters...

teednab-el

The Muppet wrote: »

The car passed the NCT since the garage did the work on it, you don't have much of a complaint. Did they tell you they were putting a new cv joint or just replacing the boot? A new cv should not go in 3 months. If they did fit a new CV they may help if approached properly. Did you get any warranty with the car?

Yes they told me that they were putting in a new one before the NCT. It wouldnt pass NCT if they left it the way it was. I got a warranty alright.

teednab-el

oregano wrote: »

I hugely doubt the seller of the car would cover the CV. The car passed the NCT, you have driven it for 3 months, that can be quite some wear and tear... have you done many miles? Generally when going down the legal route it is mileage, not time, that matters...

I know that. I noticed the problem early October but not as bad as now. I had approx 75k up on it then, I got it with almost 74k on the clock. If a CV joint goes every 1k miles, then there is something REALLY wrong.

Avns1s

A new CV joint will be about €70 depending on the car. Fitting should be in the region of 30 mins. With your mate providing cheap labour, I'd just get a new one fitted and chalk it up.

The other items are cheap and quick fixes too.

lifer_sean

It's funny, a worn CV joint is NOT a NCT fail item, but a split CV joint boot is. Try explaining that one ! So to make a car pass the NCT, it's possible to just pack the joint with fresh grease and replace the boot. If you have the gear (stretchy type boot) you don't even have to dismantle the driveshaft.