Desperate need of help

[alextyler24]

I brought a Volkswagen Golf 3 months ago in good faith from a dealer and last Tuesday it failed to start. After various mechanics looking at the car I have now been told the fuel injection pump has gone which has caused the cambelt to slip and engine to seize up and the car is unrepairable. The dealer did give me warranty on this car but ive phoned them today to be told they are only going to pay out to a maxium of �1000 per claim if they pay out at all. I paid �1700.00 for the car and when I phoned the dealer he is not interested and just told me to deal with the warranty company.

My question is do I have any statutory rights as a customer? does the dealer have some responsibility for this? or am I just going to loose the �1700.00?

[NORMANTHEDOG]

i know it seems a bit harsh,but as the dealer says,you should deal with the company who the warranty is from,a lot of dealers do this so as not to incur problems like this,surely a �100 would cover a second hand engine for the car

[bigboots]

The dealer sold the car in good faith and i doubt a knackered fuel pump would have lasted so long, so must have been ok when they sold it
The engine may be beyond repare but if you shop around you will be able to find somewhere who can fit a recon engine and deal with the warranty company for you
i guess the golf is a diesel? what year is it?
I know a bloke who runs an engine specalist repaire business and warranty companys send cars from all over the uk to him as this is cheaper than paying dealer prices for parts and labour


Norman the scrappie's around your way must be dirt cheap the last time i payed a 100 quid for an engine it was for an escort cvh oops showing my age now LOL

[TWR]

Hi, with respect to Norman & Bigboots & their answers I would Question the Dealers reply, yes the warrantee is on the car but 3months??? to me this car has not served its purpose of Intension for that short of time you have had it, did they give you the Warrantee or did it cost you? I would also contact the last owner & ask if they had any problems with the pump when they had it , if so you have some Amo. good luck.

[alextyler24]

Well its all changed now as we have since found out it is the bottom cam belt pulley that was loose which has caused it to come off the crank shelf and damaged the engine. The warranty company will only pay repairs up to �1000 But I have to date had mechanics charges of �600 and hire car charges. I have spoken to the dealer who still doesnt really want anything to do with it but when I brought the car, I had a problem with it immediately and the dealer told me to take it into a garage to see what the problem was and then take it back to him and he would fix it. I took it to Nationwide and they said the water pump had gone but also put on their reprot that the bottom cam belt pulley was loose and that issue was in red. I took it back to the dealer 5 days after buying it and gave him a copy of the report. I picked the car up a few days later andhe said he has fixed the water pump and the other issues on the report. Three months down the line, I find out the bottom pulley was loose which has caused the damage. Do I have a claim now? can I ask for my money back as he knew about this problem within a week of me buying the car, said he had fixed it and he clearly hasnt.

[TWR]

Hi Alex, take the car back with the note you have been given make a copy for yourself, If the garage tries to act the goat be as polite as you can wait for their responce if no joy just say that the advise you were given by the indipendant garage that the car was faulty, good luck, do not be fobbed off as they will try to if you are a femail (With Respect to all femails) and reject the car.

[bigboots]

Any garage worth its salt should guarentee any work carried out for 1 year or 12000 miles (most of the garages i have worked at do) therefor it is there resposibility for not reairing it properly, might be worth contacting citizens advice, but for what its worth i think you have a claim atleast for the engine repaires
good luck