CONSUMER ADVICE PLEASE

[Where's Punk]

Hi, I bought a second hand car at the end of December last year so I've only had it two months. However today when I was driving along my back windscreen window made a loud bang and caved in. There were no chips in it and I have had the window heater on before and it has been OK. I've took it back to the garage I bought it from and he said he's never known such a thing to happen and would look into it.

The thing is I want to know if I'm entitled to my money back? It's never been a great runner, the brakes are sometimes really sharp and other times it feels like it won't stop when I press them. Also the EPC light has been coming on since I bought it ( I notified him of that in December) he said he would have a look at it in the new year.

Any advice would be gratefully appreciated

[Stooo]

Possibly if you bought it from a dealer but doubtful if you bought it privately. Caveat emptor I'm afraid...

[Guest]

Possibly if you bought it from a dealer but doubtful if you bought it privately. Caveat emptor I'm afraid...

Thank you for replying. Yes it was from a garage so I think I have some sort of guarantee at least for the first few months? I'm not quite sure, that's why I'm asking on here

[Stooo]

Possibly if you bought it from a dealer but doubtful if you bought it privately. Caveat emptor I'm afraid...

Thank you for replying. Yes it was from a garage so I think I have some sort of guarantee at least for the first few months? I'm not quite sure, that's why I'm asking on here

You'd be better off contacting trading standards at your local council. I'm not sure that a back screen blowing out after three months would constitute a defect though and not liking it is a bit of a dark area as well. Even M&S has a time limit for returns.

[Guest]

Possibly if you bought it from a dealer but doubtful if you bought it privately. Caveat emptor I'm afraid...

Thank you for replying. Yes it was from a garage so I think I have some sort of guarantee at least for the first few months? I'm not quite sure, that's why I'm asking on here

You'd be better off contacting trading standards at your local council. I'm not sure that a back screen blowing out after three months would constitute a defect though and not liking it is a bit of a dark area as well. Even M&S has a time limit for returns.

Good idea, it's been nine weeks two of them xmas and new year. I'll see what he says to me after he's looked at it and work it from there. Thanks stoo

[Stooo]

Possibly if you bought it from a dealer but doubtful if you bought it privately. Caveat emptor I'm afraid...

Thank you for replying. Yes it was from a garage so I think I have some sort of guarantee at least for the first few months? I'm not quite sure, that's why I'm asking on here

You'd be better off contacting trading standards at your local council. I'm not sure that a back screen blowing out after three months would constitute a defect though and not liking it is a bit of a dark area as well. Even M&S has a time limit for returns.

Good idea, it's been nine weeks two of them xmas and new year. I'll see what he says to me after he's looked at it and work it from there. Thanks stoo

Hope it helps

[Guest]

More than likely a sniper took out the rear window. Punk does piss a lot of people off you know.

[Stooo]

More than likely a sniper took out the rear window. Punk does piss a lot of people off you know.

OP isn't Punk, sorry Starbold...

[Guest]

More than likely a sniper took out the rear window. Punk does piss a lot of people off you know.

Punk tries his best there's no need for snipers ffs

[Guest]

OP. How the fuck can the dealer be blamed for the back window suddenly breaking?
Did he fit a small explosive device on it with a timer set to blow 2 months after you bought it?
Are you going to blame him if you get a puncture?
Use your common sense ffs!

This is from someone who generally doesn't trust car dealers, but also has some common sense.

[Punk]

Hi, I bought a second hand car at the end of December last year so I've only had it two months. However today when I was driving along my back windscreen window made a loud bang and caved in. There were no chips in it and I have had the window heater on before and it has been OK. I've took it back to the garage I bought it from and he said he's never known such a thing to happen and would look into it.

The thing is I want to know if I'm entitled to my money back? It's never been a great runner, the brakes are sometimes really sharp and other times it feels like it won't stop when I press them. Also the EPC light has been coming on since I bought it ( I notified him of that in December) he said he would have a look at it in the new year.

Any advice would be gratefully appreciated

Did you get a RAC check on the car before you bought it? New Sales of Goods Act means they have a duty to repair before any exchanges/refunds can be assessed. I would write a formal letter stating each and every one of your concerns on different lines of the letter, for example,

back window caving in

brakes not working as well as should

etc etc

rather than in one sentence. Give them 14 days to respond stating that you are well within your rights to go to your local Trading Standards after such time if contact is not made and repairs booked in. Was there any guarantee? There are letter templates on the Consumer Action Group website, search garage letter templates as well on google.

Good Luck.

[Guest]

Hi, I bought a second hand car at the end of December last year so I've only had it two months. However today when I was driving along my back windscreen window made a loud bang and caved in. There were no chips in it and I have had the window heater on before and it has been OK. I've took it back to the garage I bought it from and he said he's never known such a thing to happen and would look into it.

The thing is I want to know if I'm entitled to my money back? It's never been a great runner, the brakes are sometimes really sharp and other times it feels like it won't stop when I press them. Also the EPC light has been coming on since I bought it ( I notified him of that in December) he said he would have a look at it in the new year.

Any advice would be gratefully appreciated

Did you get a RAC check on the car before you bought it? New Sales of Goods Act means they have a duty to repair before any exchanges/refunds can be assessed. I would write a formal letter stating each and every one of your concerns on different lines of the letter, for example,

back window caving in

brakes not working as well as should

etc etc

rather than in one sentence. Give them 14 days to respond stating that you are well within your rights to go to your local Trading Standards after such time if contact is not made and repairs booked in. Was there any guarantee? There are letter templates on the Consumer Action Group website, search garage letter templates as well on google.

Good Luck.

Thank you Punk for your most informative and helpful reply. The garage was very helpful and has sorted out the EPC light and the brakes, he contacted the manufacturer regarding the back windscreen and they had never heard of it happening either. What he did say was that my insurance should cover it and that I shouldn't lose my no claims bonus. I haven't got my car back yet so I don't know how well it will run, I should have it back in a couple of days and will then call my insurance about the back windscreen.

Thanks again for all helpful replies

[Frank39]

Wild leap in the dark here, and it won't help with the repair you seek from the garage, but is it possible some scrote threw a stone at the rear window as you went past, it broke the glass but fell on to the road?
Alternatively, maybe a vehicle going in the opposite direction to you threw up a stone from one of its tyres and did it?
As I said, it won't help with any recompense, but it may clear up the mystery of suddenly 'blowing out.'

[Guest]

Wild leap in the dark here, and it won't help with the repair you seek from the garage, but is it possible some scrote threw a stone at the rear window as you went past, it broke the glass but fell on to the road?
Alternatively, maybe a vehicle going in the opposite direction to you threw up a stone from one of its tyres and did it?
As I said, it won't help with any recompense, but it may clear up the mystery of suddenly 'blowing out.'

The insurance guy said it could have been a stone thrown up from a vehicle on the opposite side of the road too, I looked in the road when it happened and couldn't see any stones so who knows. But thanks for replying, it's cost me my £75 excess but I'll just be glad to get the car back on the road again. Thanks again

[Sundaze]

Wild leap in the dark here, and it won't help with the repair you seek from the garage, but is it possible some scrote threw a stone at the rear window as you went past, it broke the glass but fell on to the road?
Alternatively, maybe a vehicle going in the opposite direction to you threw up a stone from one of its tyres and did it?
As I said, it won't help with any recompense, but it may clear up the mystery of suddenly 'blowing out.'

That's what I was going to say..someone lobbing a stone as you drove by