Seat Ibiza 1.4 tdi ecomotive - Help with used car complaint

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Thu 9 Jan 2020 10:34
Seat Ibiza 1.4 tdi ecomotive - Help with used car complaint - Debs Nicholson

Does anyone have any advice for me? I bought a used car for £2000.Seat Ibiza 1.4 diesel ecomotive. 3 months to the day later I was on the motorway and the oil light came on with a warning Alarm. I new this must be serious but was unable to pull over immediately due to road works and no hard shoulder plus heavy traffic on a dangerous spot of road. I pulled over within a couple of minutes just as the car went into safe mode. It transpired that there had been a lack of oil pressure for to (most likely oil pump failure). Because I was unable to stop straight away this caused catastrophic engine issues with big end bearings going meaning a probable engine rebuild or replacement engine. I am currently taking to ombudsman as dealer and finance company are saying tough, you were unlucky. Did anyone know under trading standards whether oil pump failure would be down to dealer to sort, or if they should hold some kind of responsibility?

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Thu 9 Jan 2020 10:50
Seat Ibiza 1.4 tdi ecomotive - Help with used car complaint - 72 dudes

I think you've been terribly unlucky.

First of all it was a relatively cheap used car, an older diesel at that.

As to whether the dealer holds any responsibility for the oil pump failing, in theory yes as it happened within the first 6 months. However, gettting the dealer to admit this and doing anything about it is another matter entirely.

Secondly, even if the dealer agrees that the oil pump failed, he would not be liable for the consequential damage to the engine.

Was the car serviced before you bought it, or did you have it serviced yourself shortly after? How long before the incident was it that you last checked the oil level?

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Thu 9 Jan 2020 10:55
Seat Ibiza 1.4 tdi ecomotive - Help with used car complaint - Bromptonaut

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/buying-or-repairing-a-car/problems-with-a-used-car/

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Thu 9 Jan 2020 11:44
Seat Ibiza 1.4 tdi ecomotive - Help with used car complaint - gordonbennet

Double ad luck in that due to road works you were unable to stop immediately, though the damage could well have been engine terminal anyway even if you had stopped earlier.

Somehow i doubt the dealer is going to stump up for another engine without a battle, but it might be worth trying to negotiate some sort of half n half deal with him for the supply and fitting of another engine.

Without looking i would have thought a decent used engine could be bought for £500, maybe if the dealer fitted it for you and you paid for a used engine? though this has its pitfalls it might be something to work on.

This sounds defeatest i know, and someone might have the magic formula to make him pay the lot, but remember its not his fault where the problem happened which muddies the waters.

If you go legal on him the chances of reaching an amicable agreement vanish completely, yes you might win but also you might lose and then have to go elsewhere for another engine and fitting, by going half n half neither of you win nor lose completely, course if he won't play ball then legal may be your only route.

As an aside, even when the road works are finished it sounds like there will be no hard shoulder and as a bonus the traffic will be travelling faster still, with only the hope you might spot one of the rare refuges (not already with a lorry filling it up), don't you just love the thought that went into our new wonderful infrastructure.

Edited by gordonbennet on 09/01/2020 at 11:46

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Thu 9 Jan 2020 12:42
Seat Ibiza 1.4 tdi ecomotive - Help with used car complaint - HGV ~ P Valentine

I think you have been unlucky, and agree that the legal fees of getting them to admit liability will be far too much, I have always said if a deal looks too good to be true then it usually is, especially with cars.

It is standard that if you break down in roadworks then you will get free recovery, the engine warning light means fatal damage if you continue to drive so they would have a good case for defence if you continued to do it after the light came on.

Red light means stop right away. I once had to stop on the fast lane of the M1 at 1630 because it was too dangerous to try and get to the hard should, and had to sit there in the car waiting for the place to help me.

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