Any comeback from a private sale?

Hi guys thanks all for your comments I'll pass them on.

I believe it was running rough and only on 3 cylinders but it still felt quite nippy. My friend who had never driven one before (I guess) just assumed it was normal.

It went in for a service it was due to a garage he knows and trusts (family friend I believe) I think they were investigating a slight oil leak when they started to discover signs of engine damage. which is why they started stripping things back and investigating further. I think they recommended having the cylinder bored out. I'm probably missing huge details here so i apologise if this doesn't make a lot of sense :)
 
Jamesyboyjim said:
Agreed, he's let his heart rule his head I'd say.

But to be honest, I would probably not have known either, he said it was still smooth and still very nippy.
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Jamesyboyjim said:
I believe it was running rough and only on 3 cylinders but it still felt quite nippy
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So which is it - was it rough or smooth whilst running on 3?

Tbh I’d hate to see his idea of rough if he thinks a 4 pot running on 3 feels smooth to be honest!
 
Jamesyboyjim said:
Well, to him it seemed smooth, not everyone knows much about cars. But the garage knew it was rough when he left it with them.
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True enough, not everyone knows cars for sure, I must say though I’m still very surprised he felt it smooth given what’s - potentially- up with it, well, I hope he gets a good outcome but, from what you say it does sound like my mates 520, I hope he ends up with a better result!
 
Why do these people not just use the RAC or whoever to give it a once over before buying it would certainly uncover this sort of problem.
 
robj20 said:
Why do these people not just use the RAC or whoever to give it a once over before buying it would certainly uncover this sort of problem.
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Yep considering an RAC basic inspection is what £100.

£4k is quite a bit of money to throw at a car if you're unsure of some of the basics to check for.
 
Semple said:
Yep considering an RAC basic inspection is what £100.

£4k is quite a bit of money to throw at a car if you're unsure of some of the basics to check for.
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Exactly, surely they do a compression test and what not.
I like to plug an OBD reader in these days before and after a test drive see what's what takes seconds.
 
This is the problem with private car sales. Most of the time you are OK, but if you get a bent owner or someone who takes the common advice of motoring forums of "sell it and make it someone else's problem" then you are left with the problem.

I'd "sell it and make it someone else's problem"
 
acemastr said:
If it dropped a valve... you'd know it by the plumes of smoke out the back and the spanner in the engine sound. No way you'd not notice it running on 3... impossible.
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Won't have dropped a valve (to me that's always classified as a failure of the valve retention mechanism) but it could have just chipped one (or two, etc.) or bent a few. The garage that did the repair might have thought they'd got away with it so just replaced the chain (particularly given that it doesn't sound overly severe; if it had broken a head off a stem then it would likely be a very different story).

Engine would otherwise run but that cylinder would be down on power and wouldn't necessarily smoke heavily, or noticeably all, either. Might make a light tapping if it had clipped a few valves but that could be it.

You say 'no way you'd notice' but you have to remember not everyone knows their way around these things, nor what they're supposed to be like. If you'd never driven a 1 Series, or you were coming from something with a triple... Doesn't take much. If they drive it and find it fine then some wouldn't really question it any further.
 
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