Car advice, major defects found on car bought 6 months ago.

[Carhelpsos]

I will start by saying I know nothing about cars so if I get any terminology wrong or if I’m a fool for even asking the questions, apologies. I have also changed names so this is not outing.

We bought a big car (truck) about 6 months ago, we need a bigger car for towing and we waited a long time to be able to buy, in the end parents helped us out and I don’t think I have ever seen my lovely DH happier when he drove it out the car dealership.

It’s been in the garage for a few things over the last 6 months, something to do with the electrics and a new tire.

However it went in for its MOT a few days ago and result has been a bill and list of damage and defects which for us is fairly catastrophic. There are several dangerous defects including serious control and steering issues and corrosion of the cab to an extent that it was close to causing a serious accident. Also a handful of major defects.

The figure they have some back with, is eye watering and poor DH is absolutely devastated.

It had apparently sailed through its MOT last year with just advisories and had regular service history now a year later, with us buying 6 months ago and in terms of it being a “work vehicle” having quite an easy life, it’s almost a write off.

Im so angry, I definitely feel like we were done over and feel so upset for DH who works so hard and our DC who we have put in the car every day without even thinking about it.

Is there anything that can be done? I understand there warranty policy will be sugar tight but surely this breeches some kind of safety law, is there a way to prove this damage must have been there when we bought it.

Did you get an independent inspection when you were buying? If not, there's nothing to prove that it hasn't deteriorated in your ownership.

It's unlikely that you'll have any comeback, unfortunately. There's nothing that would confirm these faults were present when you bought it.

But you've said it's been serviced regularly and the MOT history is sound with just advisories - it seems almost impossible that so much could go wrong in 12 months that the car's now in such poor condition that it's not economically viable to repair. Is the garage doing the MOT reliable and trusted? I'm not doubting there's work that needs doing, but for an MOT to throw up so many major faults I'd probably want a second opinion.

Where did you buy it from OP?

Have you used the garage before? Is it worth getting a different garage to have a look and see if they identify the same issues

Thanks for the replies, I thought as much regarding any responsibility taken by car sales people.

We are the South West but we bought and picked up much further up North. It was small business in the middle of quite a sketchy area but with the clear previous MOT, apparent good service history, reviews of the garage being good and my FIL going with my DH and having a good look at the car we thought we could trust, seems naive now.

Interestingly the business that we bought it from were who put it through its MOT 6 months prior so both DH and I suspect some kind of dodgy arrangement going on.

It was a garage near to us (village with good rep) who did the MOT this time but the things that are needing done are just not stuff you could exaggerate or take a risk on.

DH now home and gutted but still think the work is worth doing compared to the overall value of the car just need to work out now how we are going to pay it.