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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To part exchange a car that's showing warning lights?

23 replies

MirrorMirror1247 · 22/08/2023 23:03

My car has cost me a lot of money lately. It's 11 years old and failed its MOT three weeks ago because of several brake issues. After a £550 bill for repairs I decided it was time for a replacement, but I had plans in the meantime so wasn't able to start looking straight away.

A couple of days ago the battery warning light started flickering on and off. The car was still working fine as far as I could tell, but I took that as a sign I really needed a replacement, so I test drove a car this afternoon. They offered me 2k for my car as part exchange and I've paid a deposit, it'll hopefully be ready to collect in the next few days. They did start the car when they were looking over it for valuation, so they'd have seen the battery light, although they didn't mention this to me.

This evening I went to get some things from the supermarket, and on the way home both the ABS and steering warning lights came on. Thankfully I don't live far from the supermarket so I was able to make it home, and while the car seemed to be moving fine the steering was very heavy. I've decided I can't risk driving it in the next few days, but I'm concerned how this might affect the part exchange.

The dealership is even closer to me than the supermarket, approximately one mile and it's pretty much a straight road, so I'm hoping I'll manage to get it there, but should I mention these issues to them? I'm a bit worried they won't take the car or offer a lower value for it. I do have enough savings to cover the cost of my new car, but obviously I don't want to eat into them if I can avoid it. Has this happened to anyone else?

OP posts:

Original poster

MirrorMirror1247 · 23/08/2023 07:02

Anyone? Any advice would be appreciated.

OP posts:

FrancisSeaton · 23/08/2023 07:04

They will throughly check it before they take it and obviously you won't be offered the same amount if there are faults

PurpleFlower1983 · 23/08/2023 07:09

You can take it but they may offer you less money. Depending on the deal you got you could try and haggle. They may be minor things and lots of cars like yours just go to auction anyway.

OrwellianTimes · 23/08/2023 07:11

At £2k it’s most likely going to auction, mention it but might not affect valuation.

Theraffarian · 23/08/2023 07:15

I’d be upfront and mention it to them . Quite often on cheaper cars the garage you sell to will put them straight into auction so aren’t too bothered . However since you say this is effecting the steering they might drop the offer . I would want them to be upfront with me about the car I’m buying and be able to go back if anything was wrong with it with a clear conscious about what I’d sold to them .We part exchanged ours with a warning light on earlier this year and they upheld the original offer , but it wasn’t an issue that caused a problem with the driving .

Your other options are getting it fixed yourself , almost definitely an economic waste of time , or trying a we buy any car type outfit . Be aware though , they don’t actually buy any car and wouldn’t take our last one .

YellowChrysnthemum · 23/08/2023 07:16

I part exchanged my 13yo car with a warning light showing earlier this year. I did tell them but they checked it over and ended up offering me 2.5k. If it's worth far more without the warning light (mine was) then I'm sure they've taken it into account. Mine was a general engine warning light which may have indicated a serious fault. At the end of the day they know what they're doing - they're professionals. As pp says - mine at least was destined for auction.

Overdemanding · 23/08/2023 07:18

I don't think they'll care. They haven't really offered you £2k for the car, they're selling you the new one for a price that suits them with plenty of margin.

You could have a look at We Buy Any Car, I've always found them very decent and straightforward to deal with, but I probably wouldn't bother, let the dealer deal with it.

Neerdowell · 23/08/2023 07:19

It might just need a top up of brake fluid and steering fluid

SnackSizeRaisin · 23/08/2023 07:26

I wouldn't worry about this. They are the experts. You are selling a second hand car - it's buyer beware.

It sounds like a lot of problems for an 11 year old car. Did you have it serviced annually? Well worth doing.

CosyFanTucci · 23/08/2023 07:26

A weak battery can cause problems with power steering and ABS. It’s possible that your battery is on the way out or your alternator has died. Not massively expensive to diagnose and fix but if dealer notices, they will prob drop the p/x price.

BarbaraofSeville · 23/08/2023 07:50

Unless £2k already includes provision for a decent amount of repairs, then it's likely they will reduce the price offered.

Have you checked the battery and checked the voltage? That could be enough to make the lights go out long enough to get through the PX, but if not, it could be a new battery, fluid top ups, an new alternator or who knows, so obviously it's going to affect the trade in price. WBAC especially will have given you small print that any defect/warning light not mentioned will cause them to 'adjust' their price.

Original poster

MirrorMirror1247 · 23/08/2023 11:05

I'm thinking that they'll have seen the battery warning light when they started it up anyway, so could well be anticipating further faults, as PP have said they're the experts. I've no intention of using WBAC, I don't believe I'd get a good price from them.

In terms of maintenance it's generally just the MOT and any issues I notice in between. Given it was so recent though I'm not sure how any issues with the battery weren't picked up, but I've put quite a lot of miles on it since then due to visiting family which might have worn it down?

While I was waiting I was speaking to one of the guys who worked there and told him about the repairs to the brakes, he told me that if I'd brought it to them before that, they'd still have offered me the same and I'd have saved myself the money. This makes me think it won't make any difference, so the only issue is getting it to the dealer.

OP posts:

junglejane66 · 23/08/2023 11:21

It could be the alternator, especially if there are other lights showing up as the battery drains. If it is the alternator the it will either stop when you're driving it or it wont start. You need to put a multi meter on the battery terminals when it running, it should read 13.5v to 14.5v if the alternator is ok.
Alternators are expensive these days ~£650

Ottercarboot · 23/08/2023 11:31

I'm sure they won't be that bothered as they'll have made you a low offer anyway and want to sell the new car.

I once part exchanged a car I could barely get to go when it was time to drop it off. I drove all the way there avoiding putting it back into first gear in case if wouldn't pick up and when I got there they said they could have collected and transported it.

Summerrainagain1 · 23/08/2023 11:32

I wouldnt' say anything, it's a garage they should be able to assess a car themselves, caveat emptor and all that.

xILikeJamx · 23/08/2023 11:39

As someone else said - it's all just smoke and mirrors to get you to buy the new car. Much like deposit contributions and 0% finance etc - shuffling things about the place but they'll be well aware of their margins.

They almost certainly won't be selling your old car and will be palming it off to auction somewhere. Just go in as planned and let them decide what to do with it.

mewkins · 23/08/2023 12:30

I don't think they'll care. I've part exchanged a few old cars in my time and they only really care about bodywork. I don't think they've ever even turned the engine on.

CallumDansTransitVan · 23/08/2023 12:46

I'm in the motor trade. Sounds like your alternator is on it's last legs. Put your battery on to a trickle charger & charge it fully. Then just drive it (providing it isn't far) to where you are trading it in. Any trader worth his salt will only offer bottom book price for your car, working on the assumption it needs work.

Original poster

MirrorMirror1247 · 23/08/2023 13:12

@CallumDansTransitVan it literally has to go one mile. I'm hoping there might be enough charge to get it there, it's pretty much a straight road so minimal steering needed. I'm sure I could get a jump off someone if I really needed to but keeping fingers crossed that it can do it under its own steam! I'm letting it sit until the time comes.

OP posts:

FrillyGoatFluff · 23/08/2023 13:41

Not your problem if they didn't check it thoroughly and build in a margin for potential issues bearing in mind the age when they made their offer.

Say nothing, drive to the dealership carefully, hand over the keys, breathe a sigh of relief and enjoy your new car.

Original poster

MirrorMirror1247 · 27/10/2023 09:25

Well, this has come back to bite me a little bit!

The engine management light came on in my new car, after I'd had it for about 6 weeks. It's under warranty for 3 months, but I couldn't get it looked at straight away due to work and family issues. The car was otherwise running fine so I carried on using it.

A couple of weeks later, driving back home at about 9pm, about 40 miles to go and another light comes on. I thought it was the brake light (turned out to be tyre pressure, misread the manual) so stopped at services and called the RAC. After waiting a few hours, they couldn't get anyone to me so sent a taxi to take me home. Got home at 3am and had to get back to the services the next day to get my car.

RAC diagnosed intermittent issues with the catalytic converter (which looked like there'd been some work done on it) and a faulty tyre pressure sensor, as the tyre pressure was fine. It's safe to drive, which is good.

I called the dealer, but they said that since the car I'd traded in needed over £1k of work done before they sold it on, they weren't prepared to honour the warranty. They didn't do any additional checks on the car before the final sale went through, so the verbal agreement of the price stood. Annoyingly I didn't get a copy of any paperwork other than the V5, though I did read it before I signed it and don't remember reading anything that says they have a right to refuse repairs on this basis.

BIL is fuming about this and has encouraged me to speak to Citizens Advice to take this further, as seemingly trading in the old car and buying the new one are two separate transactions, and they are obliged to honour the warranty. I've emailed Citizens Advice, but does anyone know how likely it is that I'll get my car fixed by them?

OP posts:

Theraffarian · 27/10/2023 16:53

You need to get a copy of the warranty that went with the new car , they exclude a lot of things so you may just not be covered . Although I can understand why the garage is not happy , in reality you need to check also if the warranty was just an agreement that the garage itself would fix certain things for 3 months or if they outsourced it to a warranty company .

margotrose · 27/10/2023 16:57

Don't you have a copy of the warranty and sale paperwork anywhere?

I'm not sure the garage can just refuse to honour the warranty unless there's a valid exclusion clause written in there.

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