Problems with recently bought car - opinions please

FionnB

I bought an 07 car 2 months ago and had problems with the brakes in the past couple of weeks. I brought it to a mechanic I've used before and he had to replace the brake pads and discs. I'm not impressed as I've only done a few hundred miles so the pads must have been worn when I bought the car. I rang the dealer I bought from and he told me the car was checked before I bought - this is rubbish as they would've spotted the problem then. He then said there's nothing he can do as I already got the car fixed. Now I realise I should've contacted the dealer first, but I honestly didn't think of it as they are a small dealer and not a garage. The point is that I am out of pocket now because of something the dealer should have checked and fixed before I bought. I had to get it fixed in a hurry as don't want to take chances with brakes, esp when I have small kids in the car. Do you think I am entitled to anything back from the dealer and should I push for this?

Ozziej

Did you have a warranty from the dealer? Was it only gearbox or full?

Brake discs and clutch etc aren't usually covered by warranty in any case due to possibility of them going from wear and tear. But IMO you don't have a leg to stand on because you only brought it to Dealers attention after it was fixed.

robtri

since you had it repaired elesewhere, without contacting the dealer first, you are going to be out of pocket.

You can not expect a dealer to pay for that without being given the oppurtunity to examine the car and fix it himself first..

personally take this as a lesson and learn from it

Alanstrainor

Even if you had gone to the dealer first, i would think you'd be very lucky to get disks and pads fixed under warranty. They're wear and tear parts.

sean1141

did you get anyone to check the car beore you bought it??

Atomic Pineapple

Alanstrainor wrote: »

Even if you had gone to the dealer first, i would think you'd be very lucky to get disks and pads fixed under warranty. They're wear and tear parts.

+1 unless you asked for them to be replaced as part of the deal when buying the car then you have no comeback here

FionnB

But I wouldn't expect it to be covered under warranty - the point is that I certainly didn't cause enough wear and tear to lead to this much damage in the space of a few weeks so they are lying about the car being checked.
Anyway, the dealer's attitude will certainly ensure I don't recommend him and he is very local. He was quite happy to slag off other garages, but I might as well have bought from one of them.

Atomic Pineapple

FionnB wrote: »

But I wouldn't expect it to be covered under warranty - the point is that I certainly didn't cause enough wear and tear to lead to this much damage in the space of a few weeks so they are lying about the car being checked.
Anyway, the dealer's attitude will certainly ensure I don't recommend him and he is very local. He was quite happy to slag off other garages, but I might as well have bought from one of them.

Did you ask them to check the brakes? When a garage says checked the car it doesn't mean a fully comprehensive check of every wearable part.

yop

If you don't check it before you buy it then I'm afraid its your loss.

As said wear and tear isn't covered.

kildare.17hmr

This is typical of people, they bitch and moan about a dealer fobbing them off or not treating them right when they have not even givin them the chance to put it right like others said he probably would not have covered it for you but i would suspect you would have been looked after on the price somehow

Shoddy on his part but tough sh1t really, if the tyres were almost down to 1.6mm when you bought it and you didn't spot it would you expect him to cough up for a new set ? Car was in roadworthy condition when you bought it.

mickdw

Im a bit surprised by many of the replies here. He bought the car off a garage. IMO, any car of that age being sold should be serviced or at least not in immediate need of any service work. To send our a car with 300 miles (ZERO) wear left on the pads is pretty shocking unless the OP means that the pad wear light just came on - If that is the case, well it may not be so bad as there would be thousands of miles in the pads still at that stage.
I have a feeling the dealer didnt want to stump up for new disc especially so sent it out as was. I would be pretty pissed if I bought a car and it needed pads after 300 miles - this could be one days driving.
Anyway, having paid someone else to do it, there is no comeback anyway. Perhaps he woud look after you for next service or something.

Bobo78

+1

SouperComputer

You are "entitled" to nothing, zero, nada. As pointed out, brakes are considered a consumable item. You might get something out of goodwill.

FionnB wrote: »

I bought an 07 car 2 months ago and had problems with the brakes in the past couple of weeks. I brought it to a mechanic I've used before and he had to replace the brake pads and discs. I'm not impressed as I've only done a few hundred miles so the pads must have been worn when I bought the car.

It is a three year old, used car. Yes the pads, disks and other items will have wear and require replacement are varying periods. Onus is on you to inspect the car (or have it inspected) to determine what will need to be done and when.

FionnB wrote: »

The point is that I am out of pocket now because of something the dealer should have checked and fixed before I bought. I had to get it fixed in a hurry as don't want to take chances with brakes, esp when I have small kids in the car.

If safety is a concern, get a professional to check out the car in the future. had you done this they would have spotted that the pads were due for replacement shortly. When the dealer sold the car the brakes were working fine. You mentioned this yourself. A dealer isnt going to check (well most anyway) them if there is no problem. Anything beyond this is considered maintenance which is your responsibility.

I know this reads kind of harsh, and I get what you are saying. Its a crappy situation, but you cant rely on a deal to cover your best interests. You spent a good portion of cash on a car and now then needed to put brakes on it. When it comes to your family's safety you need to take the reigns make sure you have it inspected.

Think about it, if you buy a used toy and the batteries die after a day it hardly the sellers fault. I know this is a simplification, and that brakes are a safety item, but that makes it even more important to do your own checks.

On the upside, you now have an 07 with brand spanking new brakes for winter.

FionnB

Thanks, mickdw. It wasn't that the warning light came on - as you say, there was no wear left on the pads. Yes, he could have made some kind of gesture but his attitude was just so defensive.

kildare.17hmr

FionnB wrote: »

Thanks, mickdw. It wasn't that the warning light came on - as you say, there was no wear left on the pads. Yes, he could have made some kind of gesture but his attitude was just so defensive.

I reckon he would have had a better attitude if you contacted him first. Something like this happened to me once, the customer had a job done, that would have been covered under warranty, by a different garage and sent me a bill over double what it would have cost me to do it. they would not accept half the bill so in the end got nothing. Really what im trying to say is you didnt give him a chance to help you and if you had things might have worked out different

SouperComputer

Can you get the old disc and pads off the mechanic that changed them? If so you could show them to the dealer and see what he says.

Right now i'd be more concerned about the warning light not coming on though. If the brakes only have 300 miles on them they should have been squealing for a while as they have a piece of metal designed to make noise as they get close to their wear limit.

Anan1

SouperComputer wrote: »

Can you get the old disc and pads off the mechanic that changed them? If so you could show them to the dealer and see what he says.

I'll wager they're 'long gone' by now. As I see it, there are two possibilities here - the car was sold needing pads & discs, or the parts were replaced unnecessarily. The second is IMO as likely as the first, a friend recently had a main BMW dealer tell him he needed new pads & discs when both were fine.

SouperComputer

Fionn what was going on with the brakes that prompted all of this?

Zubeneschamali

FionnB wrote: »

The could have made some kind of gesture

I'm afraid you mightn't like the gesture he'd make in your direction :pac:

FionnB

I actually DO have the damaged pads and disks, SouperComputer and Anan1.
The brakes were making scraping noises etc. I don't know why the warning light didn't come on which is something else I will have to check.
Kildare17.hmr - at least you offered half the bill. I would have been happy enough with that.