I asked him to replace the wiper blades before I left. They had put some which were falling apart. I saw the tyres were not the ones I had seen when I had paid the deposit but his attitude made me not mention it.When I tested the car, the wiper blades and tyres were in good condition. When I had the MOT done today, I also got nearside front tyre thread depth below requirements of 1.6 mm. I am not imagining or looking for trouble.

Read the tiltle, How on earth can an MOT fail? Did the paper crease or the ink fall off the certificate?

The MOT is just a statement that at the time the car was presented for inspection it was roadworthy. Nothing more. It is no guarantee for 12 months or three years of even three minutes afterwards.

Your beef is with the dealer under the Sale of Goods Act. In your circumstances take the car back get a refund then run... don't walk away.

Please tell us how much the car cost.

Nearly every reply has told you to take the car back and get a refund. This is your right under the law of the land. If you feel uncomfortable confronting the dealer why not take a friend along with you.

I've re read your posts and you still have not been back to talk to the dealer. How on earth can you sort this out if you do not go to the dealer???

It's good to talk.

Edited by quizman on 08/01/2014 at 18:14

I will go to the dealer tomorrow. I work during the day so I could get there. VOSA hasnt replied yet.

Most insurance policies state that if you drive a car in an unroadworhy condition state you would invalidate your insurance.

Not true- the insurance company may try to wriggle out of the comprehensive part of the policy but there is no way they can evade their liability to third parties, EU law states that they cannot, since 2009 as I recall.

I drove the car from Wakefield to Leeds, then to Bradford. I made one return journey Bradford- Manchester.Then I went to the garage to have it tested after being on the motorway and felt like the wind will sweep me away at 50mph.

When I turn right, there is an annoying noise, too.

I have done my research in the meantime and I will pay less for the repairs.

Halfords do charge a lot.

I bought the car because it has a cheap insurance and it is the right time I am insured. It is a Ford kA, 2003.

A bit of both, you should expect the worst from an old car, but on the other hand it should leave their forecourt in a safe and generally good condition.

Small dealers usually buy these cars very cheap from auctions (being in Sheffield you've got a few on your doorstep). They in turn usually come from bigger garages who've taken them in part exhange from a new or almost new car and either don't want the hassle of selling an old banger, or have inspected it and find it needs more on repairs than their profit margin will give them on said car.

These smaller dealers probably give it a valet and quick once over from a junior or a mechanic mate and sell them, knowing full well that you won't get much comeback from Consumer Direct because you have to expect an old car won't be perfect.

Any problems are then their word against yours and its then down to you to get it checked by a third party, pay the costs for rectifying it if they refuse and then trying to get your money back in the small claims court. Most people won't want the hassle.

You've learnt the lesson of a main chain MOT - its the same with Kwik Fit. Their MOTS might be "cut price" but I bet they always find things that need doing. That's the problem with "advisories" and a company witha vested interest in advising them!

Now we find it's a 11 year old Ford Ka which has a design life of about 7 years. You gave them a deposit of £100 which is all it is worth.

Good God man you have bought a wreck, whatever do you expect?

You are lucky that an 11 year old Ka was still more steel than rust, they are usually in need of lots of welding by that age.

A lot of MOT items which are marginal passes are the opinion of the tester.

One tester saw a worn bush, decided it was a pass and made it an advisrory. Another tester saw a worn bush and failed it. MOT's are done by humans and are not always consistent.

Of course, it might the in the interests of Halfords to be stricter because they want to generate some business.....

To be honest, the dealer has fixed a few minor things on a cheap old 11 year old Ka. If the only quesiton mark is an iffy bush one tester thinks is a pass and another doesn't and an iffy alternator then you have got a result.

I think the dealer has been quite reasonable here.

What by changing the tyres for some poorer ones?

Sounds more like taking advantage of someone who is vunerable.

Have they? The OP seems unclear. It would cost more to change a tyre on a Ka then the tyre is worth. It doesn't add up.

Last time I looked a Ka doesn't use 265/40/19 runflat Dunlops. :)

Dont try to remove the spark plugs if its petrol, they usually rust solid.

Not in an 11 year old KA, it will have an old iron head. Its the alloy head models that can have issues if the plus are not removed annually.