Car Bought and turns out its a flop. What can be Done?

Londoner1234

My family recently purchased a new car, everything seemed in order
NCT checked with tax office
car running fine.
Few problems with electrics but nothing that wouldnt be too hard to fix
But it seems that the car had a engine warning light covered up on the dash with something as simple as black tape.
Taking it in to a dealership who specialized in electronics revealed this along with the surprise that it hasnt blown up in the few days we have been driving it.
And the electronics being manipulated to hide problems with the car
Now it seems we dont know where to go from here.
We have a receipt and know where this person lives what can we do ?
The car itself is a 2002 Opel Astra, Purchased in Athlone
How does something happen like this happen with an NCT in as recent as last January and how was it allowed to pass in the first place.

Edit: Car was bought private unfortunately
im also unsure as to when the NCT was put on the car, Im guessing January but have not got the car itself in front of me. Since it expires in January 2015.

quadrifoglio verde

Private or dealer?
If private, then nothing as it's buyer beware.

Stheno

Last January is four months ago, plenty of time for something to go wrong.

If you bought it from a private seller, you've no comeback, it's buyer beware I'm afraid

whomitconcerns

in short nothing you can do as it was a personal sale.

However, depends on how literal the dealership was when they said "blow up" as I believe if the car was known to be dangerous you may be able to do something.

quadrifoglio verde

whomitconcerns wrote: »

in short nothing you can do as it was a personal sale.

However, depends on how literal the dealership was when they said "blow up" as I believe if the car was known to be dangerous you may be able to do something.

Known to be dangerous to the seller is the key here.
It's nearly impossible to prove whether the seller knew it was dangerous. For all he knew and can claim, a previous owner put black tape there.

Londoner1234

quadrifoglio verde wrote: »

Known to be dangerous to the seller is the key here.
It's nearly impossible to prove whether the seller knew it was dangerous. For all he knew and can claim, a previous owner put black tape there.

I assume it was known due to why else try to sell the car in the first place and not mentioning an issue such as this which we figured out in the past few days.

Also thank you for all the replies

JC01

An NCT does not necessarily mean a car is mechanically sound at all!! I can never understand why so many people think it does.

Unfortunatly for you if it was private sale as it sounds there's nothing really you can do bar learn an expensive lesson and bring a mechanic next time

whomitconcerns

proving it would be difficult (as quadrifoglio mentioned) but may be helped depending on how serious the issue was. How long do you own the car? How long did the previous owner own it? How serious (really) is the actual problem?

quadrifoglio verde

Londoner1234 wrote: »

I assume it was known due to why else try to sell the car in the first place and not mentioning an issue such as this which we figured out in the past few days.

Also thank you for all the replies

It's proving it that is difficult.
Was the seller a private seller or was he a dealer posing as a private seller?
If the latter you have better chance of getting your money back. If it's the former it'll be tougher.

Londoner1234

quadrifoglio verde wrote: »

It's proving it that is difficult.
Was the seller a private seller or was he a dealer posing as a private seller?
If the latter you have better chance of getting your money back. If it's the former it'll be tougher.

Private seller unfortunately

whomitconcerns wrote: »

proving it would be difficult (as quadrifoglio mentioned) but may be helped depending on how serious the issue was. How long do you own the car? How long did the previous owner own it? How serious (really) is the actual problem?

I say just over a week now.
And the owner said he put it through the NCT himself, so more than 4 months I say

Preset No.3

Londoner1234 wrote: »

engine warning light covered up on the dash with something as simple as black tape.

And you STILL bought the car!?

How do you not notice black tape on the dashboard of a car?:eek::eek:

visual

Engine warning light can be on for many reasons

did the dealer tell you what the fault code is ?

Londoner1234

Preset No.3 wrote: »

And you STILL bought the car!?

How do you not notice black tape on the dashboard of a car?:eek::eek:

First mechanic didnt notice it either.
Its hard to see unless you actually got a full on view of the dash taken out.

visual wrote: »

Engine warning light can be on for many reasons

did the dealer tell you what the fault code is ?

Im not sure, I wasnt the one to bring it in this morning I could probably find out later on

mickdw

Id blame whoever bought this every bit as much as the seller. See how much to fix, if too much keep driving if it's going ok.

Bravobabe

Hi,
Sorry to hear your unfortunate news.

(Interesting my elderly in-law traded in a 2003 in a garage outside Athlone and got €500 allowed against it. It got it's NCT last month and only had 55000 mile on it, but the body had a number of scrapes. I thought €500 was woeful, but was not my decision.)

Realistically you probably have no comeback against the seller (did you contact them?)
The Black tape was a nasty trick.
I believe Dash lights can be reset (turned off), if you have the right diagnostic software. (Basta*ds)

There is a few posts on here about sensor light problems on Astras (EGR valve or Air/Oxygen sensors). Have a look there, you might get some useful information.
Hope you get it sorted

visual

Londoner1234 wrote: »

Im not sure, I wasnt the one to bring it in this morning I could probably find out later on

Its bad forum to tamper with warning lights. Only horrible people do things like that,
but it might just be a sensor and a cheap fix.
Any mechanic should be able to read the OBD codes and give you an estimate of what it will cost.