I hate cars! Legal Question!

[mcnaughty]

Does anyone out there know if I have a scoobie's chance of getting any come-back on a private sale of a car.

Purchased Monday - Friday find out head gasket gone :-(

Googled it and basically it is a big NO!

 

[Tinypony]

If it was gone when you did a test drive then you'd have probably had some warning signs. So it's probably packed in since.
I don't think you have any come back on a private sale unfortunately.

 

[Gluttonforpunishment]

Only experience I've had was when the head gasket blew on our petrol freelander, no warning, fine one day then spat out blue smoke and died the next. Found out subsequently that the petrol freelancers are know to blow their head gasket at around 75k miles. Seriously bad luck for you but I don't see any way of recouping loss as it was a private sale. No harm checking with CAB though for advice.

 

[Pipkin]

Not much help but if you want it to last a wee bit longer before taking it to a garage steelseal works wonders

 

[alainax]

Sometimes they have a mayo type gunk in the header tank cap, or even a bit of oil in the header tank when the HG is on the way out. Did you get someone to check the car for you?

As far as I know, with private sale its buyer beware unfortunately.

 

[shellonabeach]

Have you checked that the seller is private and not some kind of dodgy driveway seller? Google the phone number and see if they have sold other cars... If not then I think it would be a case of buyer beware

 

[Sandylou]

Did you get any kind of receipt?

 

[DabDab]

No, you won't have any comeback. That's just the chance you take when you buy from a private seller. There would be comeback if they had sold you a car that wasn't in roadworthy condition, but a head gasket going a few days after you got it wouldn't fall into that category, sorry.

 

[Freddie19]

Citizens Advice Bureau and then Small Claims Court, will cost you almost nothing..and if you have kept all paper work, you never know you might just get some money back...It Is Not Always Buyer Beware in our modern world!! Good Luck and do not give up.

 

[DabDab]

Citizens Advice Bureau and then Small Claims Court, will cost you almost nothing..and if you have kept all paper work, you never know you might just get some money back...It Is Not Always Buyer Beware in our modern world!! Good Luck and do not give up.

Yes, that's all very well if the head gasket was gone before the op bought the car and they have solid proof of that and the fact that the seller knew it was gone.
As long as nothing has cracked from the engine running dry then replacing a head gasket isn't exactly expensive - hardly worth the bother of even going to the CAB.

 

[Tinypony]

Citizens Advice Bureau and then Small Claims Court, will cost you almost nothing..and if you have kept all paper work, you never know you might just get some money back...It Is Not Always Buyer Beware in our modern world!! Good Luck and do not give up.

If that was the case then private sellers would be terrified to sell.

 

[Always_A_Moody_Mare]

I had exactly the same problem! There was nothing that could be done, we were just lucky that the car wasn't expensive but even so, it was all that we could afford at the time!

 

[JennBags]

Oh Mcnaughty, you're not having much luck transport-wise at the mo

As far as I know, you have no re-dress whatsoever, unless you could prove that the seller knew the head gasket was going, even then, it's usually sold as seen.

 

[smellsofhorse]

No I don't think you have any come back.
Its just bad luck.

Its not that big a deal.
The cost it the taking of the engine apart the actual part is quite cheap.
So if you know of anyone.
Speak to them before taking it to a garage!

 

[foraday]

No you will not have ANY come back!

However a little known fact that if you had bought from a second hand car dealer did you know that the vehicle must be able to run for 6 months! If it dies within this time you can get them to repair it free of charge!!!

I can recommend these people though

http://www.cylinderheads.co.uk/index.php

They guarantee their new head to you for 12 months plus they don't surcharge you for the return head (your old head) and they pick it up via their courier!

 

[WelshD]

I'm sorry but I wouldn't entertain someone coming to me for a refund on something that was sadly not easily predicted I'm afraid

I think if it's a genuine buyer you dont have a leg to stand on but as someone suggested do check it's not a dealer just in case

 

[HBM1]

I am confused by your post when you say "find out Friday the head gssket is gone" .. do you mean it went, then a mechanic told you it had? I just ask as a head gasket is not something that just ticks away..when it goes it goes big time. Did you have the car checked when you bought it? The seller may have had no clue it was about to go.

 

[indie999]

Sorry would say buyer beware and bought as seen! If you need it to work you may just be better to get it fixed(at least you know its done).