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Hi Legal Beagle members,
I have issues with a car trader who is ignoring my complaints about a car I purchased from them on 02/12/18. The car trader is a private limited company registered on company house.
Method of contacting them:
- In person, got thobbed off
- Letter recorded delivery, ignored
- Email, ignored
Issues:
- Corroded brake pipes, within the first week of ownership had a brake pipe burst - Paid £454 to get it back on the road
- Propshaft entering gearbox, requires replacing, unknown damage to gearbox. - Found on 05/03/19 after having issues. They also found a blow in the exstaust, corroded brake discs, stabiliser link requires replacing. - Estated cost to get it safe for the road, £1003.
Car:
- Vauxhall Vectra 2006 - Paid £1300
Within 3 months of ownership the car is turning into a money pit and sitting on the drive as its unsafe to be on the road.
Break down of the last 3-4 months of ownership:
Brought the car to replace my old Yaris as I was doing more motorway commutes. Wanted a cheap diesel which I could do the miles on.
Within the first week I had the brake pipes burst, I took it to a garage and had them repair it. I was silly enough not to reject to request the dealer to repair the car or refund it as I had a new job and wanted to be back on the road ASAP so I could get to work. I never pushed it at the time because I understood it was an old car and would have its odd issues, even though the trader told me it was fully serviced and MOT a week prior to selling me the car.
During late february an intermittent droning sound kept happening while driving on the motorway. I got it booked in for a inspection so I could keep ahead of it. Got an estimated repair cost of £1003 to get it back on the road. The issue was is apparently the propshaft is going into the gearbox, and they don’t know the damage done to the gearbox, which could occur extra cost depending on the damage. The inspection was done on 05/03/18.
I tried ringing the garage but nobody picked up, so I wrote them a letter recorded delivery explaining them the situation. I also mentioned the brake pipes. I was ignored. So after giving them 2 weeks to respond I drove down to the garage and tried talking to them about it. They sounding interested to help, claimed they never received the letter and asked me to email them with the issues, and the invoices. So I went home and did just that. A week later and got no response.
My understanding from reading online is that I’m entitled to some protection within the first six months of ownership and it's up to the trader to prove these weren’t existing issues when the car was sold. Naturally I don’t expect any help from them in regards to the brake pipes as I never gave them the opportunity to repair it, or see the corrosion but with regard to the propshaft, do I have any recourse to get them to assist me with it?
If so, what would my next step be? Are these issues reasonable to expect from a car of this age?
I would appreciate any advice given.
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