I have bought a new car this week and traded in my old car. The dealer has given me bottom trade price for trade in without seeing the car or asking about its condition but i know there is a problem with the steering, question is do i need to tell them especially when all they will do is put it to the auctions as i dont wqnt to spend money on something thats not worth a lot?
Cheers
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It sounds to me like it's a done deal.
Unless of course there's any 'subject to' in the small print.
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Sorry Tally, i know others will not agree with me, but i would feel duty bound to either repair the problem or inform the dealer, especially with steering or brakes.
It may be some unfortunate with very little money or mechanical knowledge that buys said vehicle, couldn't afford to get it properly serviced and has some mishap, i could not do it.
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Tally, it depends what the problem is! (What is the problem? And what is the car and its age?)
If you are driving along happily and then without warning the steering suddenly locks up - then you MUST tell them.
If it simply squeeks a bit on a hot day - then don't.
If the problem has appeared after the appraisal date (even if they did not examine the car then) I would suggest you may be obliged to inform them.
GB, the dealer is buying the trade-in, they are the experts, if they sell it on with a steering problem it is their fault and responsibility.
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My view is that honesty is the best policy. Some years ago a dealer I knew took in a P/X without giving it a detailed once over. The idea was to pass it on to a friend. It turned out to have some major faults that the owner must have been aware of. Yes it was a done deal but as the only dealership for miles around when some warranty work came up it always became rather protacted and was never finished on time! If you want to go back there do not start by upsetting people.
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If it is dangerous then yes, you must tell them. If not then it is down to them whether, if they spot it, they take it up with you that you have not disclosed something you must have known about. If it is an old car with a minor fault it is highly unlikely they will.
However, if it is dangerous then even if it goes to auction an unknowing delivery driver is likely to jump in ther car and drive it off to auction. Think about the consequences of what could happen and what you could be responsible for.
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I would say you don't need to say anything to the dealer, and can have a clear conscience. They will be accustomed to buying a defective trade-in. It's just one of the risks they take (and accept) of being in their line of business. They will (or at least ought to) check the car over before they sell it.
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BW you and i know that the dealer will not look at this vehicle apart from valet the thing.
We all know these so many hundred safety point checks are so much sales talk for many dealers, and it will probably get sent straight to auction anyway.
Dealer may well be responsible in law, but someone's beloved daughter might buy this vehicle, and if anything should happen a very aggrieved dad (not a pleasant meeting IMO) may just turn up at OP's door one day.
At the end of the day the OP knows that there is a steering defect, and also knows that the right thing must be done, if the dealer then passes said defective vehicle on with full knowledge of fault, it does become their responsibility. All my opinion, didn't expect many to agree with it.
And i'm not actually talking about legal, but moral responsibility.
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How old is the car and what sort of price are we talking here ?
What is the defect in the steering .... can you be a little more precise?
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Just imagine the boots were on the other feet! You were either the dealer or the next owner. Of course you must tell him about your steering. It may not be major and fixable - there is more to life than just looking after no 1. You owe it to the safety of another driver. There are far too many people around who don't give a damn about others and the fact that your conscience is troubling you says it all. You are obviously a good sort.
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I haven't seen any description of this 'steering problem'. It could be anything from a slight tendency to drift one way or the other hands-off, which is more or less universal, to half a turn of play at the wheelrim or a tendency to lurch suddenly to the right into the traffic coming the other way.
Whatever it is, it is beyond belief that a trader with a name and a premises would sell a vehicle without even letting a grease monkey drive it round the yard. If I were part-exchanging a car for bottom dollar (and even more if it was top dollar) I would say what I thought was wrong with it, but traders know, or ought to know, what they are doing.
I don't think the OP needs to feel particularly guilty. After all he hasn't sold a guaranteed lethal car to someone's naive 18-year-old daughter for a high price. The dealer will do that (or not, as the case may be).
This is capitalism for heaven's sake, not a nursery.
Edited by Lud on 14/04/2008 at 22:18
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I wouldn't feel guilty. I part-exed a car recently to a main dealer. I knew it was a decent car with FSH but they weren't interested in seeing it, saying it would go straight in the auction. They gave me just above Glass's guide part-ex price, £1200. I was a bit surprised to see it on the forecourt the next week for £2999. It did need a couple of tyres and a valet I admit. The bit that bugged me most was that it had 6 months tax left on it and I was assured that I could not have this back because they needed it taxed to put it in the auction. I am happy with the car I got (though there has been a problem with sending on the MOT cert...), but ultimately you are just another 'deal' to them - they would not do the deal if it wasn't to their advantage.
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Don't ever feel guilty. If the dealer was interested in the condition he would have examined it and test driven it. Most likely, he'll pass it on via auction.
A few years ago, I part exchanged a Peugeot 405 diesel which had covered 220,000 miles. The speedo had been replaced, so that it only said 110,000. When I part exchanged it, I made it clear that the mileage was not correct, and I even signed a document which said that the mileage was not correct.
A couple of weeks later, having passed through several hands, it appeared on the forecourt of another local dealer. The mileage was down to 100,000 miles, and the price had doubled.
I last saw the car six years after I had got rid of it being advertised for sale at the side of the road in the 'rough side of town'. The bodywork was still gleaming, but hate to think what state the mechanicals were in.
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Car is a 8 yr old KA and the steering has gone a bit heavy when going from side to side.Power steering fluid is ok but i have no idea about cars so i dont know wha it could be, £1000 trade in againt a new car.
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Probably nothing more then under inflated tyres. Sounds like nothing to me.
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Or the power steering pump, or the rack... slightly heavy steering isn't dangerous, it's just a nuisance. Unless all power assistance is suddenly lost on the move, which can be nasty.
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Let's face it, PAS on a Ka can't be doing much...
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Doesn't sound too much to worry about. On the general note, this thread would be a good read for in the future for anyone deciding to buy a car at auction.
It seems the general consensus is that it's OK for a car to have anything wrong with it "if it goes to auction". With a dodgy car some poor sod will end up stranded with it on a dark cold night 1/2 mile from a BCA site......!
Not the seller's fault really or the dealer's or the auction house but someone will get the problem.
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PD - do you seriously believe that all no-reserve cars at auction should have a full SH, and be good for another 100,000 miles with no more than some water in the washer bottle? Where would the fun be?
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True - take all the fun out of it!
Seriously though, I do find it amusing when half the threads on a forum are recommending people chop their car in whenever there is a problem and the other half complaining about how little they get offered in px and nobody seems to think there is a connection between the two?
I do feel sorry for the honest punter trading in a well maintained faultless car and the dealer assuming it has some major fault and putting an appropriate value on it. They are the ones who lose out but the sad reality is many, many people only trade in their car when it has something expensive wrong with it and the vast majority of dealers just assume that is the case with any car they are offered.
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