chrisgeary
Prominent Member
I bought a car from an independent trader (working from home) back in December last year. A 51 plate Golf TDI Mk4. I paid £3700 which was market value for a dealer at the time. It had 3 months warranty included (although despite promising to send me those details, he never did).
After I bought it, the car quickly (within the first few days and weeks) turned out to have several faults:
1. Battery was dead. I've no idea how he started it when selling it to me, it was dead the next morning. £100
2. Knocking noise from the rear suspension. How I didn't notice this during the test drive I have no idea but the VW garage have never seen rear axle bushes so broken. £250.
VW found these additional faults when fixing 2:
3. Alternator belt slipping. £100
4. Turbo hose split. £100
5. Mid-section of the exhaust was an MOT failure. £100
Also:
6. Driver's heated seat dead. £275.
Initially, I replaced the battery. I figured oh well but then as the bills started to rack up, I contacted the seller. He said the warranty would pay out and he should hear back within the week. Two weeks passed. Nothing. I rang back. It will take 6 weeks, he then said. 8 weeks later, I rang back. They won't pay out, it's wear and tear, he said. I'm furious at this point. I'm nearly a grand out of pocket and he's messing me around.
He doesn't respond to my emails, barely to my SMSs and he now won't answer my phone calls. He keeps telling me 'wear/tear'. According to the sale of good act, and from conversations I've had with consumer direct, he should pay out for all the faults listed above.
My next step is to send a letter recorded delivery. After that, court I guess (is it even worth it for a grand?).
Are there any other steps I should take?
The dealer is "Heathrow High Performance".
After I bought it, the car quickly (within the first few days and weeks) turned out to have several faults:
1. Battery was dead. I've no idea how he started it when selling it to me, it was dead the next morning. £100
2. Knocking noise from the rear suspension. How I didn't notice this during the test drive I have no idea but the VW garage have never seen rear axle bushes so broken. £250.
VW found these additional faults when fixing 2:
3. Alternator belt slipping. £100
4. Turbo hose split. £100
5. Mid-section of the exhaust was an MOT failure. £100
Also:
6. Driver's heated seat dead. £275.
Initially, I replaced the battery. I figured oh well but then as the bills started to rack up, I contacted the seller. He said the warranty would pay out and he should hear back within the week. Two weeks passed. Nothing. I rang back. It will take 6 weeks, he then said. 8 weeks later, I rang back. They won't pay out, it's wear and tear, he said. I'm furious at this point. I'm nearly a grand out of pocket and he's messing me around.
He doesn't respond to my emails, barely to my SMSs and he now won't answer my phone calls. He keeps telling me 'wear/tear'. According to the sale of good act, and from conversations I've had with consumer direct, he should pay out for all the faults listed above.
My next step is to send a letter recorded delivery. After that, court I guess (is it even worth it for a grand?).
Are there any other steps I should take?
The dealer is "Heathrow High Performance".
