Probs with a used car dealer

Zumpel

Mornin' All ,

I think I just have been royaly screwed by a used car dealer. Lovely ride, but now, after two days the motor isnt running round any more and rattles something fierce when in idle. Had a mechanic look at it and he thinks its the gear box. Called the dealer and he's giving me a spiel about the mechanic being on holidays and blablabla so he would only be able to get a slot sometime next week, and no they dont do replacement cars and "the car was driving well when they sold it" and I should continue driving the car until next week...

well, I need that car for the daily motorway commute and dont think further torturing the parts that are bad is a wise move (call me crazy, but the thought of having car troubles at 120 kmh on a rainy day puts me off). Renting a replacement car , taking days off to bring the car to the dealer etc will effectively be just as expensive as getting the car fixed at me own cost, since the warranty they give is parts only... surprise surprise.

Ok, sorry for the long text... just .. venting....

I'm just wondering what options I have (assuming they know how to screw people over, I imagine not many) to get something out of them.

They dont belong to any professionel organisation (SIMI or whatever) that I could approach and "hey , the car was second hand and fine when we sold it.."...
I assume they can always claim that the gearbox magically broke just after I bought the car, word against word and hard to prove etc. etc.

Is anyone aware of a consumer protection agency that can help, does the AA take in interest in this kind of fun ? I know I was an idiot to buy at a non SIMI dealer in the first place and am now paying the dues... but... hey... I can't/don't want to believe that in this day and age it can be so easy to screw people out of their money and getting away with it.

MunsterCycling

SIMI don't give a flying funk, they are a talking shop for motor related vested interests.

dilallio

Did you buy the car with a guarantee, and if you did,
a) Was it a written guarantee
b) Were any items excluded from the warranty

If you have a warranty which doesn't exclude the gearbox, then he has to fix it.

dudara

Better suited to the Motors forum TBH

dudara

glic83

i thought when you buy a car from a dealer/garage it had to have some sort of warrenty 3 months min,no?

dr.fuzzenstein

I had two issues after buying my car, thankfully my dealer set me right no problem and even put the car through the NCT for me, they're a main Ford dealer and in the SIMI, so despite all the shortcomings of dealers and SIMI, it worked out a treat for me.
don't despair, you still have rights, check out these links:

http://www.consumerconnect.ie/eng/Hot_Topics/Guides-to-Consumer-Law/Buying-a-car/wrong.html

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/categories/consumer-affairs/motoring/advice_on_buying_a_used_car_in_Ireland

I think even in cases of "Sold as Seen" you have some comeback, things aren't as bad as they used to be. At least in theory, this guy looks like he'll be dodging and weaving.
Private sales may be different, but dealers (people who are in the business of selling cars as a definition) have some responsibilities if things go bang.

fletch...

Are used cars not coverd by the same consumer rights that a product sold must be fit for its purpose, in a cars case it must be fit for drive'ing? Or am i wrong?

Del2005

fletch... wrote: »

Are used cars not coverd by the same consumer rights that a product sold must be fit for its purpose, in a cars case it must be fit for drive'ing? Or am i wrong?

Nope your correct.

OP get an engineers report done on the car. They should be able to tell if you broke it, unlikely, or the dealer "fixed" it for sale. Go back to the dealer with the engineers report and get then to fix it.

If the car cost less the €2000 you can bring them to the Small Claims Court, if it's over €2000 you need to do as dr.fuzzenstein said.

Where is the dealer, without naming in case of further claims?