Alfa GTV shite bought. Broken down already.

[CortinaDave]

He 100% knew the car wasn't charging IMO. The battery had clearly just been out (its hidden in the boot under a panel else I'd have noticed when i was checking it over) Plus he made a point of leaning in to switch off the lights as I drove away. Too much of a coincidence I suspect.

 

I know its a cheap car. I get that. I fully expect to find issues and I'm not exactly banging down his door yelling about the sale of goods act and having a transit full of bad dudes beat him up.

 

Personally I describe my cars honestly when I 'bay them and hope for the same in return. I wouldnt cover up a major fault and knowingly let someone break down, possibly in the middle of nowhere just to save myself losing a few quid. But thats just me.

 

As buyer your eye is your guide etc. So seems he lied to get his sale on an el cheapo and I had to walk home,Shit happens. but I think its fair enough that I make a throwaway comment and call him a cock on the internet without being seen as totally unreasonable!

 

Jeez!

 

Remind me never to buy a car off you Breadvan if thats how you roll when selling!

[scooters]

always willing to give useless advice concerning alternators!

[dave21478]

Aren't there some cars where if the dash bulb for the battery blows the alternator doesn't charge because it's in circuit?

 

Yeah the warning bulb is an integral part of the charge circuit on some cars - perhaps worth checking on this.

[cort16]

I was going to say was this car previously owned by scooters, Edinburghs alternator king?

[Lankytim]

CortinaDave is right, the seller sounds a right cock.

[Parky]

Can you wire up a bicycle dynamo to each wheel plumbed directly into the battery as a short term measure?

[Junkman]

Aren't there some cars where if the dash bulb for the battery blows the alternator doesn't charge because it's in circuit?

 

The Rover P6 is such a car.

[CortinaDave]

I see theres a GTV in U Pull it.. havent had a chance today but hopefully tomorrow I can go liberate it of some fuses and relays and the headlight switch.

 

Battery light is a good theory.... I'll go check

[Rusty_Rocket]

I think I'd be a bit peeved the previous owner didn't even mention the fact the car wasn't charging.  Sounds like he knew of the problem.  It's a bit of a safety thing- headlights getting dimmer, car cuts out in the middle of no-where  

The stupid thing is, I would have probably still bought the car with the fault disclosed anyway, but would have equipped myself with another charged battery and my jump-pack for the journey home!

[Mr_Bo11ox]

Moral of the story is..... always take a multimeter when buying old shite and check the alternator

 

Just jump start it and check the battery voltage when its running, if its less than 12.5v or something the alternator is shafted

[andy18s]

Aren't there some cars where if the dash bulb for the battery blows the alternator doesn't charge because it's in circuit?

This is mainly a Ford thing but it could be as simple as this

[Guest Breadvan72]

 

 

Remind me never to buy a car off you Breadvan if thats how you roll when selling!

 

That comment was uncalled for.  I invite you to withdraw it.  

[carlo]

You should have seen the list of faults 'forgotten about' on my 406 Coupe I bought off ebay earlier in the year.  Totally kippered radiator, warped discs, water in the PAS fluid, innumerable bits of trim falling off... respectable middle aged man as well.  Part of it's my fault for not checking thoroughly, but really quite saddening.  

[CortinaDave]

That comment was uncalled for. I invite you to withdraw it.

Well... Sellers covering up major faults is absolutely fine in your book it seems... So much so that I'm the bad guy for simply calling him a cock for doing so. Ergo I wouldn't want to buy a car off you if you think that's ok. Fair comment I think.

[Guest Breadvan72]

What are the chances that alternator went only as you drove it away Dave? Exactly.

 

The guy knew very well it was duff. What goes around and all that...

 

 

Did it fail (assuming that it has failed) as CortinaDave drove the car away from the purchase?  The opening post doesn't suggest that to me.  It suggests that it failed on a drive one evening some indeterminate time after the purchase. That might have been an hour later or a day later or whatever.   It's easy enough to accuse people of being dishonest, but I tend to hesitate before doing that.  Hey, Cortina Dave just accused me of being dishonest as well.  It seems to be his way.

[spike60]

I've lost faith  in buying blind from Ebay, too many faults just not declared if not actively hidden.

On the other side of the coin of the last 2 cars I sold the first paid and signed before getting the keys for a £700  200k car to drive 120 miles on a dark wet night with not a glance at anything, the 2nd paid after a little glance around before setting off in a 20 year old car, - for Stuttgart! .

[EssDeeWon]

Ok lets assume something failed when he drove away and the seller was just being helpful by reaching in and turning the lights off before Dave drove it away. There was no evidence of the battery being previously removed for a re-charge prior to the sale either.

 

Over and out for me on this one.

[CortinaDave]

Jesus H Christ. The battery lasted just short of an hour after purchase. Its my problem to deal with. I really dont give that much of a shit. I was a bit disappointed thats all.

 

Im sorry I didnt fully outline the precise timescales on my first post so everyone could fully consider whether the seller is a cock or I'm a cock.

 

And cheers for the PM threats Breadvan.

[Lankytim]

To be fair BV did sell a car with a borked engine.....

 

....although he did tell the buyer about it.

[Cavcraft]

Hopefully your mate can fix it for you, Dave. It seems a bloody good offer (i.e cost to replace) to be fair, so I reckon it should turn out ok for you. Can you ask him to come to Chester and do the same for my Saab please?!

[cort16]

The 320d I bought recently seemingly shit itself out it's exhaust yesterday and I'm simply overjoyed.

[crapcarcollector]

On a lighter note, I love these 916 GTV's, and seriously, whilst they love TLC (and therefore money) they are usually dead reliable. 

 

I'll buy it off you when you are finished. 

[CortinaDave]

The 320d I bought recently seemingly shit itself out it's exhaust yesterday and I'm simply overjoyed.

 

yes, Upon reviewing the situation I realise I was wrong. I'm absoloutely delighted the car stranded me within an hour of purchase. I'm going to buy the seller a pint to thank him. I needed the exercise of the walk home.

 

Billy - He's a properly good mechanic. Just a young guy but he's saved my ass on numerous occasions. I'm going to get him to sort the Alfa out (hopefully!) and play with it probably til pay day as per my original plan, then look again for another ZT, I'll stick it up for sale on here when i'm done. Not withstanding the issues its a bloody lovely car. A really fun wee toy.

[cort16]

It'll be worth it when it's fixed they're nice cars.

[Cavcraft]

It'll be worth it when it's fixed they're nice cars.

 

I invite you to remove that remark.

 

 

They're VERY nice cars, actually

[Guest Breadvan72]

Well... Sellers covering up major faults is absolutely fine in your book it seems... So much so that I'm the bad guy for simply calling him a cock for doing so. Ergo I wouldn't want to buy a car off you if you think that's ok. Fair comment I think.

 

 

I have said nothing of the sort.  I simply queried the rush to judgment.   You then decided to question my honesty.  That is nothing like a fair comment.   

[aldo135]

Im sorry I didnt fully outline the precise timescales on my first post so everyone could fully consider whether the seller is a cock or I'm a cock.

 

And cheers for the PM threats Breadvan.

Can we just agree that you're both cocks?

 

Good luck with sorting it out mate, it looks lovely.

 

I bought an MGZS a few years ago and had a similar problem that ended up being a loose wire, so it does happen sometimes!

 

Rise above the threats, remember you're kind of a big deal up here!

 

 

Sent from my Hoose Phone

[stormee]

The faulty alternator maybe just worn out regulator brushes, which would explain the off light. Had this on my BMW, no big deal.

[Guest Breadvan72]

I gather that it's OK here for one member to accuse another of dishonesty.  I thought that this place was rather better than that, but I see that it's just  a typical internet place after all.    Cheerio.

[CortinaDave]

the alternator itself is cheap enough, its just in the most inaccessible place possible. My mate put it up on his ramp and even then we could only barely see it let alone get to it,

 

i've ordered one off ebay so I'm just going to go ahead and get him to change it. Cant get to the alternator itself but as near as dammit is still showing no charge so its a best guess scenario. Its going to all have to come to bits to test it anyway, may as well put a new one on.

 

Im actually hoping its that and not a bad wire buried somewhere deep in the engine bay which would be hellish to trace with zero access.

 

Worst case ill sell the wheels and lusso trim and weigh it in, it was cheap enough that I shouldnt be massively out of pocket. Would be a real shame though.