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Am I within my rights to reject a car with a recurring fault?
I bought a Astra Petrol 1.4T on the 16th March from a dealer. The car cost approximately £9000 and is a 16 plate with 28000 miles.
Within one month I had to take the car back to have the clutch repaired, as it was spongy and unresponsive. The car was fixed under the 60 day warranty, however I had to return the car again a week later as the same fault reoccurred. The car had no further issues for three months before the same clutch issue occurred again. The car was fixed and returned to me the 30th September, however the same day after collection the engine malfunction light appeared on the dashboard. The car is booked in again at the dealer for next Wednesday, however it seems a coincidence that this issue has occurred immediately after being at the garage.
Please could you let me know my rights, as to whether I can ask for a refund, either part or full, for the car? The car has consistently required fixes for issues that should not occur for the age or mileage of the car. I have no confidence that the clutch issue will not reoccur, and the dealer is currently telling me that the engine malfunction fix would cost me.
Within one month I had to take the car back to have the clutch repaired, as it was spongy and unresponsive. The car was fixed under the 60 day warranty, however I had to return the car again a week later as the same fault reoccurred. The car had no further issues for three months before the same clutch issue occurred again. The car was fixed and returned to me the 30th September, however the same day after collection the engine malfunction light appeared on the dashboard. The car is booked in again at the dealer for next Wednesday, however it seems a coincidence that this issue has occurred immediately after being at the garage.
Please could you let me know my rights, as to whether I can ask for a refund, either part or full, for the car? The car has consistently required fixes for issues that should not occur for the age or mileage of the car. I have no confidence that the clutch issue will not reoccur, and the dealer is currently telling me that the engine malfunction fix would cost me.
Asked on 4 October 2019 by Tom Mead
Answered by
Honest John
Unfortunately, you are now just outside the six month limit for liability of the dealer for any fault that could have been present or developing on date of sale. To make a case against the dealer you would have to prove the list of faults. What you have given me are repeated clutch problems (fixed each time by the dealer), followed by the engine malfunction light which occurred at after six months. That said, there has been engine trouble with the 1.4T stemming from early Astra 1.4T models being filled with the wrong oil on the production line, and for that Vauxhall itself could be held liable.
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