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Faulty DSG gearbox - shouldn't the trader pay for the repairs?

Five months ago I bought a 2011 Volkswagen Golf 1.6 diesel DSG from a trader. Three months after purchase it starting giving me trouble and losing power. I called the trader and he told me to take it to a Volkswagen dealer, who diagnosed a gearbox fault.

The car needs a new gearbox (£5000) but most of that will be paid by Volkswagen as a gesture of goodwill, although they still want me to pay £575 towards the repairs. I’ve spoken to the trader and he’s offered to pay £300 towards the repairs, with my paying the remaining £275.

Why should I have to pay £275 towards the repair? The trader says “he can’t pay anymore” and the Volkswagen dealer says the gearbox will take four weeks to arrive. It doesn’t seem very fair to me.

Asked on 8 January 2015 by Raj

Answered by Honest John
Eventually you can legally compel the car dealer to pay the £275 as well as the £300 he has offered because he sold you a car with a fault and he is liable for that for 6 months from date of sale. Law here: www.honestjohn.co.uk/faq/consumer-rights/

But to get things moving you need to pay the £575 to the Volkswagen dealer and then use small claims to get the whole £457 back from the trader after the work is done.
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