Used car woes

punisher46 · 2 Feb 2006 at 18:38

Just after a bit of advice really.....

Bought a ford focus collection x reg from a well know reputable ford dealer back in november 04. To cut a long story short the work he said would be done when I went to collect the car wasn't, but it was a 80 mile round trip and I didnt notice he hadnt done the work unti lthe drive home. No worries I thought, they have another dealership locally. They did sort out the problems for me but since then it has gone down hill.

In the last 3 months it has need over £1,100 of repair work doing to it. On one occasion it went in for a service, and after I noticed that the water tank was leaking. They denied that it could have been done during the service, since which I have paid to get it repaired as I dont want a faulty car.....

Question is, how do I stand on thingsl ike this? Surely a thorough check should be done when the dealer buys it in (I know, please humour me).....and over £1000 worth of repair work in one year is unreal.....

Nozzer · 2 Feb 2006 at 18:39

Did you not have a warranty?

Scottland · 2 Feb 2006 at 18:46

Statutory rights suggest that if the part has gone wrong in an unrealistic timescale, then you can ask the dealer to fix the problem IIRC.

This might be some use, walks you through your rights etc.

Also, give Consumer Direct a call, and they can be of help to you.

punisher46 · 2 Feb 2006 at 18:47

Thanks...

I took out an mbg ford warranty which Im finding most things are not cover. The steering colum was at £396, but the other £600 odd quid wasn't...

Trouble is, only topped up the water once or twice in 9 months, after the service/steering column replacement it needed filling up every 5 days, and there was no mention of this or an oil leak when it went in for itsservice, which leads me to believe they were done accidently during the service/steering column replacement......but when someone is reeling off saying that the work they did wouldn't affect that, its hard to call them a liar...

They did offer me a winter care kit.......

[TW]Fox · 2 Feb 2006 at 18:57

Errr hang on you've been 'topping up the water'?

It's a Focus - it should have Ford's longlife coolant system, not water, and should not need 'topping up' unless there was a problem, please don't tell me that instead of have the issue investigated you just topped it up continually with water?

punisher46 · 2 Feb 2006 at 19:05

I havnt had chance to get to the garage until today and I didnt notice the problem until mid decemember, and presumed by keeping it topped up with antifreeze and water it would be ok until I took it in for the brake pads to be replaced....

theyve topped it up with:
F1336799 Anti-Freeze 3 x 3.23 = 9.69

[TW]Fox · 2 Feb 2006 at 19:06

So what did you do, go out one day, notice the level was down, and just top it up with water and antifreeze? Didn't you think to find out why the level was down or why the water and anti freeze you put in was a totally different colour to the coolant already in the car?

blueboy2001 · 2 Feb 2006 at 19:10

You've had a 5 year old car for well over a year, and expect the dealer to pick up the bill for repairs? I think you're being unrealistic. Even the most thorough check in the world can't forsee failing parts 15 months down the line. Mechanics are not clairvoyants. If you want all your problems fixing free of charge then you really should buy new or nearly new.

If its been leaking coolant and thats got worse, I can't see how that is the dealers fault either. If it had been perfect before and started spewing coolant out immediately after a repair then you would be well within your rights to complain but if it was already leaking thats your problem. I've never topped up the coolant in any of the cars I've owned becuase the level shouldn't change.

punisher46 · 2 Feb 2006 at 19:10

Blueboy, I think you may have misread somewhere. There was no leak with the collant until after the service/steering column...

I appreciate that it is a 5 year car, and as with anything you cant predict whats around the corner. But for them to blatantly say its not there fault when the problem with the collant only happened after they'd serviced it, to me is a little out of order. I'm not expecting them to pay for all the repairs. I just feel that they they should pick up the cost for at least the collant thermostat....

I know a lot of people will say it's my own fault and I should have checked the cra more thoroughly, but not really knowing a lot about cars thats why I went to a main dealer.

[TW]Fox · 2 Feb 2006 at 19:31

punisher46 said:
Blueboy, I think you may have misread somewhere. There was no leak with the collant until after the service/steering column...

So why did you say you've topped the water up a few times in 9 months?

punisher46 · 2 Feb 2006 at 19:43

Sorry, my mistake.....It had gone down very slightly on a couple of occasions so I had topped it up. But a few weeks after the service/steering column replacement it was empty when I came to check.....

I was told the work I had done is not covered by my warranty (going to give them a ring in the morning to check):

they have fitted:
housing - thermostat £130
warranty book states colling system (parts and labour) thermostat as covered
could these be different?

Gasket - Valve rocke
Warranty book mentions various gaskets

Knuckle - Front whee
Not sure what that is exactly but warrantly book has no reference to a knuckle....

[TW]Fox · 2 Feb 2006 at 19:48

punisher46 said:
Sorry, my mistake.....It had gone down very slightly on a couple of occasions so I had topped it up.

Why did you do this and not get it checked out? Like I said, the Focus (unless its a 1.4, not sure on those) uses Fords longlife coolant - it's bright red or orange, and never needs to be changed for the life of the vehicle and IMHO you should not 'top it up' using water and antifreeze, you should get the car checked out to find out why it needs topping up, and top it up with more longlife coolant if it needs so.

It sounds like you ignored an early warning sign of problems?

And OMG, £130 for a Thermostat housing? Does that sound extortionate to anyone else?

punisher46 · 2 Feb 2006 at 19:53

I know that now, and yeah, I do feel a prat......

I had an old 93 fiesta before and I was shown how to top the water up, and this needed doing quite often. So when a little was gone fro mthe focus, I jus tost presumed it needed topping up. Seems I was shown to put the wrong stuff in.....

I know, and I should have took it in straight away.....

Looks like £60 for the part and £70 for the labour. But for all the messing around taking it somewhere else and sorting out transport, it didnt seem worth it, at the time....obviously does now...Id ask you to recomened me a garage but plymouths a long way, but I suspose it woudl still be cheaper than these cowboys...