Delay getting my Clio

[Dan-]

I put a deposit down on a 172 the other week and was meant to pick it up from the dealer today but this morning he rang me saying the traction control light came on when it was being test drove. He then rang back later and said that the whole traction control unit was knackered and they were trying to a source one. Is this a big job? I've never had a car with traction control before. The dealer didn't explain it very well just went on about it needing programming when they do get it because its like the ecu. It all sounds far fetched to me I think maybe they have pranged it and want to sort that first

 

[Dave Hester]

Ask for your deposit back and go and look at a cup instead

 

[GiT]

I bet it was an issue and they are trying a dodgy warranty claim on it with a third party company - Invoice will probably have the date of Deposit on it... seen tis a few times. Ask to see ALL the job sheets for the car - you'll soon see the answer.

 

[Scara]

If you can and the dealer is not far from you go and have a look, you will see then if they have done any damage to it and you can also ask to see exactly what he is telling you, if they refuse or are awkward ask for your deposit back.
Don't be fobbed off by them he needs your business more than you need him !!

 

[TheEvilGiraffe]

Why is it being driven after you've bought it ?

Sirens would be going off in my head... Get your money back then find a better one on here !

 

[Fred@BTM]

I put a deposit down on a 172 the other week and was meant to pick it up from the dealer today but this morning he rang me saying the traction control light came on when it was being test drove. He then rang back later and said that the whole traction control unit was knackered and they were trying to a source one. Is this a big job? I've never had a car with traction control before. The dealer didn't explain it very well just went on about it needing programming when they do get it because its like the ecu. It all sounds far fetched to me I think maybe they have pranged it and want to sort that first

never even heard of that!

 

[Munson]

800% bullshit.

 

[Dan-]

I've only given a deposit that's why it's being driven

 

[Fred@BTM]

get the deposit back then!!! how much is it up for?

 

[TheEvilGiraffe]

Deposit to me says 'off the market'.

Tell them you want out, get money back, go elsewhere.

Definitely smells of rat !

 

[Dan-]

I've already bought the insurance cos I thought it would just be a case of paying for it today n driving off. What do you think is dodgy about it like what do you think they are up to? the dealership is a really well respected place it's Not a dodgy place

 

[Dan-]

get the deposit back then!!! how much is it up for?

All in about 2800 mate 04 plate flame red 58k

 

[TheEvilGiraffe]

14 day cooling off period for insurance... problem solved.

What is dodgy ?! Read above ! If Fred hasn't heard of the problem, there's a very large chance it doesn't exist.

I've no idea what they're up to, that's up to you to find out. You won't get the truth out of them anyway.

I'd be seriously unimpressed if the car had been driven at all after I'd put a deposit down, and for it to develop a fault, imaginary or not, with something like the TC, it means it wasn't the MD's wife popping to Tesco for a pint of milk.

 

[The Fatty]

Deposit to me says 'off the market'.

+1

 

[Dan-]

I'll speak to him tomorrow and get to the bottom of it I was just too busy today to talk to him properly

 

[Fred@BTM]

find out what the EXACT fault is too and report back

is MUST have recipt for cambelt change too (not by a random garage either)

 

[montana]

They are messing you about - go in and try to get your deposit back and walk away .

This time of year it is a serious buyers market !!

 

[Sir_Dave]

Alarm bells ringing.

Get deposit back.

 

[GTA]

Worrying, and even more worrying when they feed you blatant BS.

 

[DrR]

Get deposit back, plenty about.

 

[Dan-]

Probably a stupid question but how does traction control work, is it done with sensors that relay to the ecu or does it have its own computer?

 

[2Damnsly Andy]

Dan speaking as someone who works in the motor trade walk away. If I sell a car it will not be driven even if I get a £50 deposit. The car is sold unless it fails finance and cash is not an option or the customer tells me otherwise. Your insurance can be cancelled within 14 days and as others have said there are plenty of 172's and 182's for sale. No point buying a car that already has issues and can't be properly explained by the dealer. If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck and quacks....its a duck.

 

[jimjim150]

Don't like the sound of that at all mate, having had experience with dodgy traders myself; ask for your deposit back and walk.

Plenty of other cars on the market :approve:

 

[plymcl172]

walk away

 

[lemonnobby]

i would agree with everyone, traction control works though the abs computer

 

[Dan-]

find out what the EXACT fault is too and report back

is MUST have recipt for cambelt change too (not by a random garage either)

Okay I think i need to clear up a few things. Firstly i gave 300 because i gave it them 4 weeks ago as i couldn't take the car at the time they said they would put it in storage for me and i could pick it up on the 14th. Firstly the salesman rang me saying thet were fixing the door open light which was stuck on, I knew about this fault already. Then he rang saying when they gave it a quick test drive the traction control light was coming on, i was really busy yesterday so I couldn't talk to him too much on the phone so I let it go.

Right so I tried ringing him today and he wasn't answering which pissed me off so I went down with my Dad. He wasn't there he was at a funeral, but i spoke to this young lad who said the car had something wrong with the ecu. That wound me up because its not what i had been told yesterday. Anyway i found what garage the car was at.

I went down and saw the car and to be fair the mechanic cleared things up a lot better than the salesman. He said he got the car yesterday with the traction control light on. He is trying to trace a fault with his diognostic kit but it isn't bringing anything up. So at the moment he is trying to find the fault and may need his friend with a Renault clip to help. He said that if no fault can be found then it will need a new BSI unit so that would mean he has it till next week. I got them to start the car to make sure it wasn't a snapped belt and i had look round it for a prang and there wasn't any. The only thing got me was the car had rain on it even though it was inside and the guy who was inside it was just messing about with the diognostic kit that was obvious. So clearly he hasn't been rushing to fix it and when i said i was going round the car sales must have rang to warn him.

I know that you all have said leave it alone and you get annoyed when people don't but the car seems sound and if they are fixing the fault then i can't really complain and ask for the deposit back.

 

[.Andy.]

Yeah, they are fixing THIS fault, After all of this, how can you be sure there wont be another problem next week, or the week after that. I know you could say this with any second hand car, but most sales dont go down this route.

Im with everyone else on this, Walk away. The markets flooded with clio sports at the moment.

 

[The Fatty]

the belt comment wasnt related to your problem, it was a precautionary as they are best replaced by renault specialists. Simply running the engine will tell you nothing. You need to see the receipts to proove it was done and where it was done...

 

[The Fatty]

P.s, are they sure the switch isnt just stuck in the 'in' possition? That could cause that fault...

 

[TheEvilGiraffe]

They sound like muppets.

It's hardly an F40. There is probably another 5 for sale within 20 mins of your house !

However, if you end up buying it, and something else goes wrong, don't come crying to us... CS never forgets

 

[Dan-]

the belt comment wasnt related to your problem, it was a precautionary as they are best replaced by renault specialists. Simply running the engine will tell you nothing. You need to see the receipts to proove it was done and where it was done...

No the belt has been done i got them to start the car to prove it could run and the belt hadn't snapped. They don't have a Renault clip so they think this giving them the problem finding the fault. They are going to get one before they replace the bsi unit.

 

[GiT]

This aint going to end well...

 

[lemonnobby]

no dan if thats your name. he meant who has done the cambelt in the past? you could get it and have it a month and the belt break cos billy bob down the road done it

 

[dudes45]

Dan, sounds dodgy mate - Leave it, trust the guys on here. They shouldn't be test driving it in the first place.. Sounds like funny business...

 

[Bluebeard]

I'm lol'ing at everyone saying it sounds dodgy.

When I sell a car, I take a £xxx deposit and agree a date for the customer to collect.

24 hours before they collect, I drive the car to the petrol station (2 mile ish round trip) to check the air/water/oil and to put a bit of fuel in it. I also use this journey to make sure the car is as it should be.

Is that dodgy? No.

This garage could have done that and the fault then happened on that drive as it obviously didn't do it when this guy test drove it.

Also, if that scenario had happened in a 'proper' dodgy garage, they'd have removed the offending warning bulb on the dashboard and the customer would have been none the wiser.

You lot prey on other peoples misfortune and seem to enjoy it.

 

[The Boosh!]

I'm lol'ing at everyone saying it sounds dodgy.

When I sell a car, I take a £xxx deposit and agree a date for the customer to collect.

24 hours before they collect, I drive the car to the petrol station (2 mile ish round trip) to check the air/water/oil and to put a bit of fuel in it. I also use this journey to make sure the car is as it should be.

Is that dodgy? No.

This garage could have done that and the fault then happened on that drive as it obviously didn't do it when this guy test drove it.

Also, if that scenario had happened in a 'proper' dodgy garage, they'd have removed the offending warning bulb on the dashboard and the customer would have been none the wiser.

You lot prey on other peoples misfortune and seem to enjoy it.

Tell me about it. Proper scare mongering half of it. I'd just be happy they're fixing it and it happened when it did.

 

[The Fatty]

Tell me about it. Proper scare mongering half of it. I'd just be happy they're fixing it and it happened when it did.

I dont think anyone has a problem with it being driven by the garage for testing, we originally thought it was being test driven by other potential customers! Also, advising that Dan checks for the proper documentation for the cam belt isnt scare mongering, its just s precaution...

 

[Fred@BTM]

anyone know what a BSI unit is as i have no idea!

 

[Bluebeard]

anyone know what a BSI unit is as i have no idea!

On a peugeot, its the body computer.

(I've been dealing with the main dealers for weeks, I just had to fork out £££ to get one on a 206 that had been destroyed by mice, don't ask!)

 

[The Fatty]

BSI = Built-in Systems Interface, its like the hardware version of an API