Nicoletta

Did you test the alternator before changing battery? Could be weak...

Find yourself a good Bodywork guy and a good mechanic. One of the most important parts of this business, you’ll spend more with them than anyone else Trade plates if your only having three to start might just be better taxing them - paying monthly to start

I think the best way forward and to put this does the dipstick go through the guides matter to bed would be for you guys to satisfy your curiosity and go do me and independent inspection of the car - two birds one stone Another thing though finally got in touch with the garage today, refused to answer directly if the dipstick is broken or just can’t be reinserted and if after this issue they started the engine to move the car....refused to answer the bloody question I writing. We all know what that means eh

This is it, he doesn’t want to take us to court, he’s not doing that first off apparently - threatening a social media campaign against the company and its directors.

In writing oil was checked weekly after pos. 26 weeks passed. In writing that customer took for diagnostic not repair (independent inspection as is their right under CRA) at third party garage and that car was driven in. In writing from customer that garage broke the dipstick, verbally from garage that they broke it, in writing from garage that when removed it could not be replaced. In writing from garage that it is a non runner. In writing from customer that it is perfectly drivable as he drove it in. Never mentioned any rattle. Someone who checks the oil once a week I would argue they would notice a rattle. Rattle refered to on estimate from garage after this with the dipstick and it now being a nonrunner.

Garage would not let us look, wouldn’t even allow us to open the bonnet. Garage says removed and cant be replaced. Customer says broken.

Thanks for the clarification. This is my whole issue though, customer drove the car to this mechanic for diagnostic on low power. Diagnostic done, dipstick snapped in process , now timing issue and noise that wasn’t there before and it’s a nonrunner. Customer states he has checked the oil weekly so has removed the dipstick 26 times since the pos. No chain noise just lack of power in lower gears before it went into the garage, it was driving though and now it’s not. Do you know what damage it would do if it got caught?

People who purchase a USED car normally around the £1000 mark, and then three days before warranty is up take it to a main dealer or Halfords for an inspection and tell you it needs rebuilding

Not sure, definitely not even starting. Told us it couldn’t even be jump started as we assumed battery had run flat. The dipstick is in the engine, that was all that was said. Wouldn’t elaborate further as we are not their customer. Exact words Didn’t put on their estimate that they broke it, customer informed us of that. Estimate says ‘when dipstick removed it could not be replaced. The dipstick goes through the timing chain guides so most likely the plastic guide has broken up internally’

That’s my opinion. He should be holding the garage responsible, but I’m not all that sure what damage the dipstick being in the engine could do.... Anyone familiar? Odviously the timing chain guides are next to it and it wasn’t noisy before. Say they pulled with force and engine running either during or after?

Ok from the start. Sold car 20/04/18. 54429, for £3450. Regased the air con and new windscreen as part of that. MOT done 19/04. No advisories. Customer comes back 15/10/18 with estimate for some repairs that need doing. It was loosing power in lower gears. Bought daughter another car so no longer needs it, wants it fixing to sell or some money back for repairs. We agreed amount, went to collect the car from the garage it’s at. Boys show up and garage informs us it’s a non-runner. Dipstick has snapped in engine. Go back to the guy and obviously we are perplexed as to why it’s a nonrunner. It was only a loss of power and struggling to pull away at junctions. His wife informs us in writing that the garage while carrying out diagnostics snapped the dipstick, it was unavoidable and not their fault. Confirmed with the man that the oil was checked weekly, 26 times during the time they had the car. So obviously dipstick was fine up until it went into the garage. Garage reported timing chain noise and due to rocking has snapped the dipstick. No reports of noise from the engine at all. Timing chains when going make a real racket as we all know. Customer never formally rejected the car, misled us in negotiations in a buy back that it was running and now wants to blame us for not collect and breaking agreement as garage told him we were briefed to find any reason not too. They took a garage to a garage for diagnostics, drove it in and now it’s a none runner and somehow we are responsible for that. He won’t have it that the garage was negligent or responsible in anyway. My point is how can we inspect the car now to diagnose the fault they had? The dipstick was snapped by another garage and now it’s not running. We don’t know what else they could have potentially done or what damage the dipstick snapping has caused. I hope thats enough. If not, I’ll add :-)

Oh no, not yet. I could just go home and get this kinda shit. Don’t fancy it on here, thank you :-)

You know you are all abit mean to be honest. I didn’t get that reading through previous. Seemed like a nice bunch....Been reading this forum on and off since AutoTrader killed there’s. My apologises for not introducing myself. I see that must be a big thing but I didn’t realise...I’ve been reading different threads on here for a while. Never contributed or commented as every thing I would have said had been said. Never saw an introduction but maybe they wernt new. Didn’t realise. I tried to correct it, you can see that and then all this shit anyway. Just joined today as had a dilemma over this, thought like minded people going through the same crap might have some opinions....thanks for the help tho and for being stand up gentlemen about it Thank you for that. I’ve heard of them before. Didn’t really look into it, will give it a go now. We provide three months excludes wear and tear - customer signs and dates. As for not fit for purpose that’s customers words. Wasn’t broken when they drove 3000 miles over basically six months but he says it wasn’t fit at the time of sale due to the issues now.

I’m never very good at this. Nicoletta - Used Car Dealerships, 30 - 40 stock, midrange. Assume that’s what you mean?

2007 Mini Cooper Covered 3k since sale, 5 days before 6 months of ownership and a fault develops. Loss of power, struggling to pull away at junctions. Customer doesn’t inform us until take it to an independent garage. Estimate sent over - new timing (chain noise) never noticed or complained about by customer, plugs, coil packs etc, potential vanos fault. Problem is during diagnostics garage snapped the dipstick. Car driven in by customer, now it’s a nonrunner. Customer blaming us, snapping dipstick was unavoidable according to the technician even though he has checked the oil weekly since purchase (25 times) never snapping the dipstick himself but fault was already present, we sold car unfit for purpose etc. Customer’s daughter ran for 5 and a half months, 3k covered. Already bought her another car at the time this low power fault developed and now wants a refund after taking to a garage not us to diagnose, we went to collect told it’s nonrunner. He’s adimant still runs and drives. We just refused to collect. Best route in these circumstances?