Car needs looking at one month after buying it.

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Please excuse the fact my car knowledge is limited.

We bought a 15 plate car with 27000 miles on the clock a little over a month ago.

It was mot’d shortly before we bought and the garage also serviced it.

Last week I was driving home and the breaks started making a bad noise.

Partner looked and turns out the left side breaks and discs need replacing.

But I’m baffled. We’ve only had it a month. It was mot’d with no advisories on the breaks. What can cause them to go so soon??!

There is a warranty buy the garage is an hour away and I am not sure we can get it there plus r need it fixed ASAP so OH is taking it to the garage near his work tomorrow.

Would you call the garage up on this or is it something that could have happened due to our fault??

Funnily enough we had to keep replacing the break pads on our old Peugeot.. we’ve not had much luck. Maybe we should have avoided them.

I am pretty sure it’s not my driving style. I’ve been driving for 10 years 🤦‍♀️

Was it the garage you bought it off that did the MOT? Are you driving with a foot resting on the brake pedal? Even if you aren't pressing the brake.

The service report should indicate wear levels on items such as brake pads, tyres etc. However it does seem a coincidence that your previous car also wore excessively.

Brakes will be considered consumable items. Unlikely the warranty will cover that.

Unusual for them to wear to a critical level and not to have been highlighted at least as an advisory on the MOT. No harm in getting in touch with the garage who sold you the car and see what they say.

As an aside, I would say it's unusual for the brakes to wear just on one side (as you state in your OP). I'd expect the right side to be equally worn tbh.

My break pads on all my cars have always worn out quickly. However, I drive an automatic and live in a rural hilly area.

What did the dealer say when you raised the issue with them?

didn't you look to see how much was left on the brake pads before buying it? Basic check.

it is odd that it is only one side. And that you had the same problem on your previous car. Do you do a lot of stop-start traffic?

anyway, pads and disks should be around £250.

Type in you number plate on the Gov.uk site to check past Mot's.
I would definitely contact the garage where you bought it from plus keep recipes of any work/ costs incurred in fixing the problem.
They must have already been faulty when they sold you the car.

*receipts

Is it within a month or not? That's important as you can reject it for a full refund up to one month later.

Within one and six months, they have one attempt to repair as its assumed the problem was there at handover.

After six months, you have to prove the fault was there at handover, so if you're within a month, reject.

I’ve never driven with my foot resting on the break 😀 neither does my partner. Precious cars in the past has never done it so I don’t think it is my driving style. We both also drive my partners work car which doesn’t have the problem.

It’s only had two MOT’s I believe. First passed. The recent failed on bulbs.

I will get my
Partner to dig out the paperwork we were given. It was Mot’d and serviced a few days before had it so didn’t check to think. They said they were stripping the breaks. I think they had the car for a few months before selling.

we haven’t been able to contact as seemed to be closed until tomorrow for Christmas/New year.

However, yes I do live in a very rural hilly and bendy area with a fair few stop and starts! 😩

Definitely contact the garage. If they fail it on bulbs they're not going to ignore a braking issue, I supply these parts to the trade and the cost to them isn't much. Could be a sticky caliper if just the one side. But please, give them the opportunity to rectify it for you

If you repair them at your own garage you aren’t giving the seller garage the opportunity to rectify the problem. Perhaps they changed them on one side and somehow forgot the other side or something bizarre and it’s been a genuine mistake? I doubt it but who knows.

If you do take it to your own garage get them to look over it for anything advisory or a fail that they feel is clearly a long standing issue and would be obviously there months before you bought the car. I’d there is, you may have to speak to trading standards about the seller and mot station if they are appearing to be dodgy.

Have you googled either the car seller or the mot station to see if there is any interesting info about them?

I second the above poster about a seized calliper!! I’ve had this before.

I would phone the garage and explain the issue with the brakes. As it’s only been several weeks they should look at it FOC. I understand you’re an hour away but that’s the risk you take when you buy a car from a garage not nearby. It may be worth asking for the vehicle health check and see if they’ll give it to you. They probably will alter it before they give it to you.
If they’ve stripped the brakes it indicates they were binding out. The car could have been sat on the forecourt and not driven for months, brakes could be seized on and binding.
The garage should have put a warranty on your car which could be universal, usually with MB&G. Any vat registered garage can claim from this warranty.

If it had a full service the brakes would have been checked as well as being checked in the mot. We do the service first. This means that any issues which may fail an mot will be noticed and addressed so all work gets done before mot.
If it had an interim service they will have only checked levels etc.
I think the brakes probably should have been advised on the mot if they have packed up a month after. You could ring vosa for advice or seek advice from a different garage for their advice, there may be a charge for labour.

Personally I would get them done at a better garage and chalk it up to experience, if they are questionable would it be worth the argument? Some of our customers have been through the same as you and simply never went back to the garage that let them down.