Advice Needed Please :(

[Ken 10]

Hi All,

 

Hope you may be able to help.

 

Purchased a car off Dealer Auction, a Citroen C4 and picked it up this morning. Everything was fine no engine management lights etc on the dash. Anyway, after about 10 minutes of driving, I merged on to a Dual Carriage way, got up to speed, then BAM! The engine stopped and the Engine management light came on. I tried pressing the clutch to start it again whilst coasting, and it was having none of it, so I had to coast it to find somewhere appropriate to stop. Unfortunately at that point there was no where! I very luckily managed to crawl it on to a grass verge about half a mile down the road (at about 10mph by this time). VERY lucky nothing happened to me or anyone else as I could not of pulled in before at all. I stopped completely and switched of the ignition and it started. I drove back VERY slowly, luckily I only had about 15 miles to do. Anyway, I dropped it straight round to my Mechanic who has had a look. Basically, when the car is warm and over 3500-4000RPM even when stationarry, there is fuel starvation issue and the engine is cut by the ECU! He drove it to the top of the road and it did the same to him. It will only start again when you stop completely and turn the ignition on and off. He's also found out that this code has been reset about 8 times in the last 6 weeks or so from the dates that have been registered on the ECU! In short, the problem was there when we purchased it. The customer knowing sold the car in this state to the dealer and I'm not kidding, I was close to getting wiped out on two occasions! It didn't go in to "limp mode", it went in to full on "Kill Ken Mode!"

 

So what can I do? Is there any comeback with the dealer or the customer that Part Exchanged the vehicle? Not sure I can have much more bad luck!

 

I'd really appreciate some guidance with this.

 

Thanks.

 

Ken

[Gavin@Rousdon 137]

I'm afraid trade to trade sales (business to business) aren't covered by the same sale of goods act as retail sales. You could try asking the dealer you bought it off for a goodwill payment or to let you return the car, most likely they will tell you where to go!!.

 

You only comeback is if the car was mis-described, if they claimed it drives prefectly in the advert you may stand a chance.  Proving the dealer knew anything could be tricky as it take 10 mins for the fault to occur. You have no comeback to the customer but it maybe worth a phonecall to him to find out if he told the dealer about it or if he knows what the exact fault is. If you found that the customer took the car into  the workshops of the dealer you got it from you may have a case against the dealer. 

 

Try finding out info from the customer first then call the garage.

[Ken 10]

I'm afraid trade to trade sales (business to business) aren't covered by the same sale of goods act as retail sales. You could try asking the dealer you bought it off for a goodwill payment or to let you return the car, most likely they will tell you where to go!!.

 

You only comeback is if the car was mis-described, if they claimed it drives prefectly in the advert you may stand a chance.  Proving the dealer knew anything could be tricky as it take 10 mins for the fault to occur. You have no comeback to the customer but it maybe worth a phonecall to him to find out if he told the dealer about it or if he knows what the exact fault is. If you found that the customer took the car into  the workshops of the dealer you got it from you may have a case against the dealer. 

 

Try finding out info from the customer first then call the garage.

Thanks Gavin! I appreciate this. Really having a bad day today. The police rang up today about a bout a car we have. They think it may be linked to a armed robbery a couple of weeks before we purchased it! In short, they want to cease the car for forensics Honestly, today carnt get any worse.

[James Baggott 227]

Sorry to hear about your troubles

[Ken 10]

Sorry to hear about your troubles

LOL, seems to happen alot to me I plod on as always At the moment, this is a VERY expensive hobby for me! But we've now been trading for 12 months! I'm determined to turn it around next year

[Wheelerdealer1 91]

Have you tried to contact the selling dealer ?

[Ken 10]

Have you tried to contact the selling dealer ?

Nah, pointless, I know the outcome.  I’m just going to get it sorted.

[Andy Entwistle 96]

I feel your pain Ken, we have 3 trading up cars, none of them in a saleable state at present !!!!

[Wheelerdealer1 91]

I know what you mean Ken but an email or an ear bashing is always worth it!

[sparky 274]

If you think you have been stitched up by the dealer then you should also let dealer auction know. Small comfort I know, but you  at least you know never buy off said dealer again. If ever I see a car on there that I fancy but is located in the Wallasey area by a company whose name has royal links then I know the car has been described by their very own labrador and stay clear.

 

I take it the C4 is a diesel?

[Ken 10]

If you think you have been stitched up by the dealer then you should also let dealer auction know. Small comfort I know, but you  at least you know never buy off said dealer again. If ever I see a car on there that I fancy but is located in the Wallasey area by a company whose name has royal links then I know the car has been described by their very own labrador and stay clear.

 

I take it the C4 is a diesel?

To be honest, we have had about 15 cars off this dealer in the past and this is the 1st one to have real issues. They are one of the better dealers on there.

 

Not had a good run at all on there recently. Went to pick one up recently and the Head Gasket had gone! We obviously point blank refused to take it off their hands as it was not declared. Bought a 1.4 Corsa. Fine when cold, but after about 10 minutes the Timing Chain became VERY noisy. So we have had to change that as it just wasn’t retailable in that condition. Bought the odd one from BCA recently, and they have been spot on (I've jinxed it now lol)

 

The C4 is a dreaded 1.6 Diesel Sparkey. To be honest, we've had a few and had no issues. One was bound to bite us in the bum at some point. I'll get it up and running I'm sure.