Giomani

Engine Fault

Recommended Posts

Hi I'm a small trader. I sold a car for £1500 after 2 month the customer contacts me to say that it's burning oil and the garage says it's worn piston rings. My warranty company won't cover as it's wear and tear, so the customer started quoting consumer regs and asked me to get it fixed. I don't think it's worth it the costs would be too high, so I offered to buy back for £1300 which she accepted but now she's offered to fix it herself and wants £600 off me so she can do an engine swap. I only had a small margin in the car anyway as it needed other work in prep. I was thinking of going for her offer as it's less hassle but marking her refund invoice as a resale spares or repair non runner. And noting clearly the engine fault. What do you guys think? Buy it back and stick it in an auction or give her the £600. Either way I lose.. but by how much? The car is a 1.2 vw polo with 70k on it. 53reg.

 

Thanks

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Polo 3 cylinder no doubt there shocking engines, there on ebay from £275 up if you have a local mechanic who could swap it for you i would swap the engine and go again.

 

I have done two this year avoid them big time, the 1.4ltr engine doesnt suffer this common fault.

 

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

So an oil consumption test has been performed!

How many miles before a litre of oil is needed!

Is the oil consumption within the manufacturer's guide lines.

  • Like 2

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

The above is good advice.

The best way to do what your suggesting is a full and final settlement letter - you sign and she signs. This means that your £600 would serve as completion to her complaint and any further issues arising from that car and the engine as it's been sourced elsewhere and a third party, not instructed by you, has fitted it.

  • Like 2

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Its a car that cost £1500, what do they expect...Tell them, it is showing wear and tear commensurate with the 3 cylinder model at its age and mileage, to expect anything else is unreasonable.   

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Piston ring wear and tear for a 3 cylinder Polo of its age and mileage should be expected, the engine hasn't failed its showing commensurate wear. It is proven that engine at that mileage will show the wear indicated, reiterate it should be expected.

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

IMO Its utter bollocks that customers think they can hold us in corners stating CRA15....

 

ITS A 14 YEAR OLD CAR FFS

 

Rant over

 

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Thanks for the opinion guys, I think for the route of less resistance I'll go down the full and final settlement route and wash my hands of it. Ill be murdered on Facebook if i tell her its an old car and not my problem and that's where I do most of my business. I'll stick to my usual price point of 3.5k to 4.5k they are slightly less hassle and I'll steer clear of those 1.2s in future no matter how shiny they are (I've got another one that I'm fitting a new timing chain to and that's a bitch of a job too). Cheers guys. 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

dont want to tell you how to suck eggs, but what ever you do make sure the timing is spot on there murder for timing up correctly.

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now