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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Desperately need your help

54 replies

TwittyMcTwitterson · 04/03/2014 08:40

So i'm cursed...

I part ex'd my old shit Picasso for an old BMW that drove fine on the test drive. I was assured it was an amazing at and really would lay me well. As I drove away from him it bunny hopped so I out petrol in and hoped for the best. Next day it happened again. And every day since. It simply can't get power and this has twice led me to enter motorways at a dangerously slow speed. I want to take it back.

I'm about to make the call... How the hell do I word it???

OP posts:
Squirrelsmum · 04/03/2014 08:45

Does it start ok? What about when it is idling, does it cough and splutter even when you are parked and just rev the engine? Hopefully it is a simple issue of having dirty fuel.

JeanSeberg · 04/03/2014 08:46

Was it a private sale or from a garage?

Original poster
TwittyMcTwitterson · 04/03/2014 08:59

From a garage. Well a dealer who sells from his home but was as professional as you an be. He had an office etc.

Starts fine but I've driven almost 400 miles on it and put premium unleaded in it so it should have cleared by now I'd have thought

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Original poster
TwittyMcTwitterson · 04/03/2014 09:01

Sorry my boss walked in before I could proof read OP and I just panic posted. Sorry about typos and bits that don't make sense... Hmm

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brightspark2 · 04/03/2014 09:02

If you still trust him, say what has happened as above and ask him to get it fixed = or if not, get another garage to diagnose it first - then ring him with the result and say exactly what you did above...plus ask for full refund and start again..

JeanSeberg · 04/03/2014 09:03

First step is to ring him and see what he says. Hopefully he will be reasonable and agree to have it repaired free of charge.

You could also take it to another garage and ask them to check the fault and give you a free quotation so you know what you are dealing with.

If the person you bought it from doesn't play fair, you have the law on your side to protect you. But let's wait before we get to that stage.

Original poster
TwittyMcTwitterson · 04/03/2014 09:05

I already told him of the problem and he said his mechanic would look at it today if still happening. Never mentioned free or charging. I'm going to take it to a garage on my dinner break but I'm not sure if I should save all time and effort and just say I want us to swap back Hmm

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HairyPotter · 04/03/2014 09:09

I had this problem last month. I bought a 3 yr old Corsa and within 2 weeks it lost all power on the motorway. I took it straight back and told them I was rejecting the car under the sale of goods act. Ie, not fit for purpose (getting from A to B safely). It wasn't easy, they tried to insist on a repair but I stood my ground and got all my money back.

Mine was from a large dealership of cowboys so I'm not sure if your smaller scale garage will refund. I supposed its all down to the owner. You might need to accept a repair.

Original poster
TwittyMcTwitterson · 04/03/2014 09:18

I've had a glance in trading standards website and it says for a short time you are allowed to take it back.

I bought it Wednesday and on his advice have kept driving it. Good for you to get money back!!!!

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HairyPotter · 04/03/2014 10:24

If you want to reject the car, you must stop using it. We took ours straight back to them and refused any offers of repairs/hire cars. Kept repeating we were rejecting it and wanted our money back.

Good luck. I feel for you, I felt sick when ours broke down. I had visions of paying for a crap car for the next 3 years Sad

BuzzardBird · 04/03/2014 10:29

I had this problem, it was the air flow meter. You need to take it back and get him to fix it as parts are very expensive for BMW's regardless of how old they are.

BuzzardBird · 04/03/2014 10:31

...if you get any reluctance from him then you need to impress that the car is not 'fit for purpose' as I know I had a couple of close shaves when trying to overtake and the car loosing power when other cars were approaching.

BuzzardBird · 04/03/2014 10:32

losing Grrr! Blush

mrssmith79 · 04/03/2014 10:35

I've just sold my 3 series and I had that very problem last year. Was the MAF sensor that had gone, coupled with the fact that dh had filled up with super unleaded and added tank cleaner. Must've dislodged all of the accumulated crap in the tank and fuel line as I'd only ever used regular. Perhaps switching back to normal unleaded would help, especially if the car has ran on it before you bought it.

ENormaSnob · 04/03/2014 10:41

I had similar issues with a citroen from a main dealer.

They were fucking awful.

I contacted trading standards who helped me compose a letter outlining the sale of goods act.

They eventually took the deathtrap back but it was very stressful.

Hopefully your seller will be a bit nicer.

HauntedNoddyCar · 04/03/2014 10:48

They have a limp home mode so it could be anything that affects the normal operation of the engine such as a sensor or something more fundamental.
It manifests itself as reduced power when accelerating. Driving for a week and doing 400 miles won't have done it or you any favours.

Did you have it checked over beforehand?

BuzzardBird · 04/03/2014 10:53

That's what I said mrssmith...the air flow meter. It seems to be too much of a coincidence doesn't it?

Original poster
TwittyMcTwitterson · 04/03/2014 11:06

Buzzard and mrs smith do u remember how much it was?

Haunted, no lights come on but it is very similar to limp mode.

I checked it over as much as I could and test drove it. It was fine on test drive but he'd warmed it up an I didn't thrash it. When I picked it up I just tootled along but did it straight away and I rang him straight away. I think I was just unlucky that it didn't do it on test drive.

I'm going to call him in about 15 mins and I don't think I actually dare say I want my car and cash back Hmm

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HauntedNoddyCar · 04/03/2014 11:09

Don't think any lights came on for us either. What plate is it?

Original poster
TwittyMcTwitterson · 04/03/2014 11:19

It's old... S reg. First of the e46s. I thought it would be more reliable than a 53 Picasso which I had to buy as I had the dreaded 1.6 tdci 55plate focus and the turbo went. Twice. I mean it when I say I'm cursed... Hmm

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BettySwollocksandaCrustyRack · 04/03/2014 11:20

Seems a bit mad to me going backwards from a 53 plate to an S reg??

Original poster
TwittyMcTwitterson · 04/03/2014 11:21

From my experience of shit cars, which is clearly vast a light will come on if it goes into limp more

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Original poster
TwittyMcTwitterson · 04/03/2014 11:22

53 plate Shitroen. It had 152k and issues but none dangerous like this. BMW has less miles and well looked after... It made sense at the time

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mrssmith79 · 04/03/2014 11:52

Great minds BuzzardBird , think it was about £70 plus labour but don't quote me OP. That was on an X reg 316i. Like I said earlier, if you keep the car, check with the seller whether it's been ran on normal or super unleaded before you got it - dh thought he was doing the right thing by switching to super but it caused us no end of problems!

HauntedNoddyCar · 04/03/2014 12:15

We've not long sold an S plate 3 series. It was a totally solid car and if the choice had been a Citroen of any age we'd have kept the BMW.

Does sound like limp home probably caused by a sensor. Needs plugging in to the computer to say which one. Might be what's already been mentioned. Cannot remember what ours was - coincidentally it went not long after we had it.