Will my bad luck ever end

[rainagain]

I bought a car for my OH two weeks ago (~£2.5k), now just over 300 miles one of the big ends has gone, apparently not unheard of with the DCi engine. I looked at the sump last night and it’s clear that someone has had it off recently (marks on the bolt heads and it’s not been resealed properly).

 

The ‘private’ seller who I bought it from who is a mechanic claimed he sourced the car for a friend, fixed the airbag light and glow plugs and MOT’d it and then the friend let him down by buying another car whilst he was fixing it. He said this is the reason why it had not done any miles since the MOT some months earlier.

 

However I believe he bought it with the big ends knocking and stuck on some shells to make it quiet. As this is obviously not a proper fix given the journals will be damaged he didn't drive the car.

 

The bill he included with the car for the glow plug shows he has a trade account with the local motor factors, the account name is his surname and then ‘Autos’. He has also stamped the service book again with his surname and ‘Autos’.

 

I think he’s obviously trading from home, the car I bought wasn't in his name but his girlfriends, I googled his mobile number and noticed he had sold another car previously, this time it was his ‘Uncles’. It looks to me like he is quite clearly buying faulty cars, bodging them up and selling them, whilst pretending to be a private seller. He also insisted I paid for the car in cash rather than bank transfer, again I think to stop any paper trail showing he’s a trader.

 

I'm assuming as this was a ‘private’ sale it’s a case of buyer beware and I'm basically now got an expensive paper weight? Would trading standards, etc be interested in helping me get all/some of my money back?

 

Anyone got a cheap DCi engine?

 

[Albert Ross]

If you bought the car from an address and a person other than those named on the V5C, you is fucked man.

[londonm]

I would go to citizens advice initially, then if that fails suggest he gives you your money back or you'll ask HMRC to check his tax records in connection with his 'motor trading' activities. It also sounds possibly fraudulent, in which case you could get police involved. Get the low down off CAB asap, don't let this twerp mug you off.

[Sean]

Did you get any kind of receipt with the car?

 

Its quite common for people to sell cars on and not be the name on the logbook. It saves the interim period of waiting for the new logbook to come when all it does really is put another owner on there.

 

If it was bought as a private sale and matey is actually a trader then that's illegal.

 

Found this page for you:

 

http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/wales/consumer_w/consumer_cars_and_other_vehicles_e/cars_buying_a_car_e/cars_buying_a_secondhand_car_e/cars_what_to_watch_out_for_when_buying_a_second_hand_car_e/buying_a_car_from_a_private_seller_what_you_need_to_know.htm

 

[Mr_Bo11ox]

I'd probably go and have a word with the CAB too, if that doesn't achieve anything i'd probably just accept that I had been bummed again and put it down to experience

[londonm]

If all else fails, you just say to him 'look mate, I notice you've been selling a few cars like this, but if you don't give me the money back I'm gonna go on the HMRC website and get you investigated. It's your call'

 

To be honest, I'd shop him regardless for being a twat.

[Station]

My brother bought an Astra estate that was a few years old last year. It had been in an accident and was a bodge of welding on the front end and chassis, the MOT wouldn't even touch it.

He bought it off ebay, there was nothing he could do, and the seller blatantly sold the car knowing it was knackered for full price without a word to him. He did actually go round and got his money back by other means though.

[Partridge]

If the recent work was not stated either in the description/advert for the car or the paperwork, can you play the mis-sold card?

[warren t claim]

In all honesty WARCRAFT always states TRADE on any advert but you'd be surprised at the number of punters who simply don't read the advert properly and assume I'm a private seller.

[Lankytim]

Dci a in Renault? I may be able to help you out there...

[Rocket88]

"will my bad luck ever end"?.........................not if you keep buying Renault dci engined stuff it won't.....................

[Junkman]

Yeah, it's a bit like jumping off a two storey building and say 'will my legs ever stop breaking'?

[Sigmund Fraud]

You have my sympathy : spending 2.5K on a car that only lasts two weeks is bad enough without the enormous potential for moaning by the OH.

 

The seller sounds very shady and I suspect it will be difficult to get any of your money back from him (by utilising civilised, legal means). However, I agree with everyone else that it is worth pursuing the matter. The CAB should be able to help and HMRC will probably have a keen interest in this gentleman's* undeclared, untaxed income.

[cort16]

Did you get it off gumtree? Is it a 1.5 dci?

[rainagain]

Thanks for the replies everyone, I checked the service book today when I was draining the oil. One of the big ends is definitely gone as I could see flakes of bearing in the oil. Annoyingly he hasn't actually stamped the service book with his surname and 'Autos' as I initially though but with just his full name and address.

 

So the only evidence I have he's a trader is the previous ad on Gumtree saying he's selling a car on behalf of his 'uncle' and the invoice showing he has a trade account at a auto parts factor.

 

One thing good thing is I found a cached copy of the original advert in which he states the car has a 'smooth engine' even if he is classed as a private seller I believe the car has to be properly described, which 300 miles after I bought it it certainly wasn't smooth! Or does it only have to be 'smooth' at the time or purchase?

 

I also called CAB today who passed me to consumer direct, they took all my details but wouldn't confirm if in their opinion he was a trader based on what I told them. I was told to send him a letter recorded delivery rejecting the car and asking for a refund. I've just tried to call him to say the same and threaten him with being reported to HMRC and trading standards, but complete anti climax, I got his answering machine! So I'll try again later/tomorrow. In the words on my farther when I told what happened "you get some right ruthless bastards in the world son and you've just met one"

[warren t claim]

Tell him if he doesn't refund you he's going to be found by his family, face down, nailed to his living room floor with his teeth pulled out, after a couple of crackheads ripped to the tits on Viagra straight out of prison have had their way with him?

 

That's the WARCRAFT customer service promise.

[Rocket88]

How did you hear about the car? How was it advertised?

[gary_davidson]

I don't think you will get anything back from him, chances are he has already spent your money.

 

So on to being a pain in his arse. If he is a trader then chances are he will have a traders insurance policy, this proves he is a trader so have another look through the paperwork for anything related to that. Also keep an eye out for more adverts by him, if you can find a few then also report him to trading standards, the name on the bill for the glow plug might be enough for this though. Also keep driving past his house (not twenty times a day though), see if he has any cars for sale parked out on the road, if so then make a quick call to the local council complaining about them. Absolutely call HMRC about him, even if he isn't a trader, chances are he made some money selling you that car - money he should pay tax on. 

[Lankytim]

Have you tried talking to him about it?

[londonm]

Gary, all the more reason to tell HMRC about him in my opinion. They'll bumrape him for for their money.

[rainagain]

Have you tried talking to him about it?

Tried tonight but got voicemail. When I first called him the same thing happened, I left a message and straight away he phoned me back, Which suggests to me he screens his calls. I'll try again tomorrow with my number withheld.

[barefoot]

Have you jizzed through his letterbox yet?

 

I understand from another forum that I frequent,

that this will result in him refunding your money almost immediately

and something about a meat pie.

[Hertz]

What did the receipt say you got from him out of interest? Sorry to hear your woes, there is nothing worse than that gut wrenching feeling of being done over...

[cort16]

Have you tried talking to him about it?

I was thinking this earlier . Have you spoke to him and said I bought this car and the big ends knocking on it? I bought it in good faith i see you trade other cars can you contribute something to the repair. He might well tell you to jog on but he might not.

 

It's probably worth talking to him sensibly before plotting some kind of James bond baddy type revenge plot.

[rainagain]

I was thinking this earlier . Have you spoke to him and said I bought this car and the big ends knocking on it? I bought it in good faith i see you trade other cars can you contribute something to the repair. He might well tell you to jog on but he might not.

It's probably worth talking to him sensibly before plotting some kind of James bond baddy type revenge plot.

I agree, tried to call him again this morning this time with my number withheld. Again I got his voicemail.

 

I've been doing some more reading of the car's paper work. It was mot'd in january and only covered 250 miles between then and me buying it. Also I noticed that he included the new keeper part of the last v5. the bit at the top you fill in when you are a trader was missing. Can you the dvla tell if the guy purchased it as a trader or private individual?