Vauxhall Astra H Estate 1.7 cdti - Fulham Car Auction

Honest John Back Room » Legal matters
What is life like with your car? Let us know and win £500 in John Lewis vouchers | No thanks
View Threaded
Wed 3 Sep 2014 07:10
Vauxhall Astra H Estate 1.7 cdti - Fulham Car Auction - kzu

Hi all. It is my first post asnI can't find similar problem in the forums.

I went to car auction in Fulham yesterday.

Car arrived in the cue. I should be a normal running car. Everything looked good and sounded good. I did bid an I've won. I've paid, collected keys and to my surprise car won't start. They told me that I can't receive my money back as cars are sold as seen. Is it legal? I know they have put 'easy start spray' in to the air intake manifold to start it before auction but can't prove it. What are my legal rights? I feel I've been cheated as car was not starting before auction so was a non runner effectively and worth much less money.

I appreciate all your views

Kind regards

Konrad

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Wed 3 Sep 2014 07:14
Vauxhall Astra H Estate 1.7 cdti - Fulham Car Auction - Armitage Shanks {p}

"When you buy a used car at auction you have very limited legal rights.

Though the Sale of Goods Act generally applies to cars sold at auction, auction houses are allowed to exclude its main conditions (such as being of satisfactory quality, as described and fit for the purpose) if they put a notice on display in the catalogue or on the wall.

Make sure you check the auction house conditions before you bid. When you buy at auction, your rights are against the seller, not the auction house.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Wed 3 Sep 2014 07:49
Vauxhall Astra H Estate 1.7 cdti - Fulham Car Auction - kzu

Thank you for quick reply,

Is it normal at auctions to sell car as runner when effectively it is not runner? How can I chack who is the vendor?

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Wed 3 Sep 2014 12:21
Vauxhall Astra H Estate 1.7 cdti - Fulham Car Auction - pd

Non-runner in auction term means it can't make it through the auction hall. If it made it through the hall, it was running even if it needs 17 goes to start, has a knocking engine and only has 1st gear.

Did you not see it start up?

Sorry, but sold as seen really means sold as seen at auctions. You saw it, you bought it I'm afraid.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Wed 3 Sep 2014 12:31
Vauxhall Astra H Estate 1.7 cdti - Fulham Car Auction - gordonbennet

Auctions have always been a bit of a lottery, and those without sufficient car knowledge or repair facilities...or persistent enough to be lurking about to watch a car they fancy being started and driven to the hall at the very least...would do best to avoid them.

I've had my fingers burned, and i've bought some very good cars very cheaply, from auctions, and some in between but doubt i'd bother going there again, cars are too difficult to diagnose cheaply now.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Wed 3 Sep 2014 14:01
Vauxhall Astra H Estate 1.7 cdti - Fulham Car Auction - RobJP

Unfortunately for the OP :

You have virtually no legal rights at all. When the car went through the hall, the engine was running, and the car was moving under it's own power.

Why did you think auctions were cheaper than buying retail ? The phrase "cheap for a reason" should ALWAYS be in your mind when buying a car, from anywhere. If it's cheap, then ask why. If there's nobody really selling it (like at an auction), then you have to ask yourself why it's cheap. If you don't know the answer, then you don't know enough to be bidding.

Like gordonbennet, I've had various experiences with auctions. Some good, some bad. These days, if I was bidding, I'd be buying something with manufacturer's warranty still remaining, or else I'd want it for a silly cheap price to allow for repairs.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link