Urgent (possibly legal) advice needed - 172 has just come back from mechanic...

[adams172]

So I'm about to take the car back to the dealership because the car has a failed dephaser pulley and also there is something else screwed which is causing a creak when the engine is revved. The mechanic comes back to me and says: he has noticed some slightly different coloured panels on the car, and that above and below both doors on the chassis there are welding marks which run horizonally in a line across the car - just thought I'd check, this isn't normal on a Clio, no?

It's a ph2 172, '52 plate.

I'll try and get some pictures up soon, car is at parents' atm. Does this sound like a cut / shut job? Mechanic said to me that it looks like it has been welded.
Dealership never told me anything like this, and I didn't see any oddities initially but now that I think about it the front and rear bumpers appear to stick out slightly (rear bumper on driver's side, front bumper on passenger's side), also there was a cracked rear spring and leaking suspension damper found when I took it in for new tyres which I knew would need to be done.

Feeling so stupid but it really did look good when I bought it, plus they told me it was HPI clear and had the year's RAC warranty, recently passed MOT .etc

What can I do?

Thanks in advance for all the help, just in shock atm to be honest!

 

[Bluebeard]

Was it a renault Main Dealer or just a random used car garage?

What was agreed prior to collection? New MOT? Service? Pre-sales inspection?

We need a few more details really.

 

[adams172]

It was a used garage in Purfleet, Essex. I'm not sure what you mean agreed prior to collection, I asked them to fix a couple of interior bits so picked it up the next week and that was it really
MOT had been just a few months prior to me picking it up

 

[Bluebeard]

If its not a main dealer then you will struggle to get anything out of them. (Unless they're good and in the minority)

If I was you, take it to a proper garage and have it independantly inspected. Maybe even a decent AA inspection or the likes. Give that report to the garage you bought the car from and see what they say. If the car is a cut/shut then they will have to give you your money back. If its just damaged/repaired and its not on HPI then there will be nothing you can do unfortunately.

 

[.Andy.]

Where exactly are these welds your talking about?

 

[.Kev.]

Sounds bad mate...... Did you not carry out your own HPI check?

 

[Cup172LEE]

Id do a hpi check and see if it comes up with anything and if it does take the report with you. Also might help if you could get photos of the welds to show people on here.

 

[.Kev.]

Please tell me you forked out the £5 or so it costs and checked it yourself?..........

 

[adams172]

Yeah I did an HPI check myself and that came back 100% clear - all that there was was a plate change many years ago

Going to post pics asap, I was told that they're on both door frames and they also line up (top and bottom)

 

[Adam.]

Renaults have a join on the sil under the doors iirc.

 

[Cup-pa]

Renaults have a join on the sil under the doors iirc.

Yep, mine has the joins too, think it is normal.

 

[J.B.]

Yes I have these welds too, normal I think. Perhaps the bumpers have just had a respray.

Also if a HPI check that gives you the green light turns out to be wrong you get up to £30k back, no worries.

 

[kerry-w]

Ive got the weld marks too as I recently had to sand that area down and respray it as it was bubbling. Try getting pictures of the marks though incase they are different, When I was viewing saxo's sometime last year I noticed some odd weld marks on the one of them, as there were two of the same model and year parked next to eachother with the bonnets popped it was obvious the one was a cut and shut as it had weld marks all over the strut tops going along the length of the car and overspray around the engine bay.

Again this one was HPI clear and never been in an accident, all VIN plates matched too.

 

[pendulumx]

It was a used garage in Purfleet, Essex. I'm not sure what you mean agreed prior to collection, I asked them to fix a couple of interior bits so picked it up the next week and that was it really
MOT had been just a few months prior to me picking it up

s**tting hell, that'll be the one I went to see, I started a thread about it here - another member had gone to look at it and thought it was rough and warned me off. I went to see it anyway and it was rough.

http://www.cliosport.net/forum/showthread.php?591610-Is-this-car-alright&highlight=pendulumx

Unfortunately the link on Autotrader is dead now because you bought the car! Wright car company if I remember correctly?

 

[Andyman]

I thought garages by law had to sell roadworthy cars? Can you not reject it ? - Sure these days you have rights with this kinda thing.

Might be worth a shout to trading standards.


It won't be a cut and shut. Cars these days are worth more in parts especially Renault

 

[Munson]

I can't be sure but I seem to remember that mine had these joins. I put it down to it not being a one-piece bodyside skin IIRC.

 

[Andyman]

Forgot to add, these came with a 12 year rust and anti-perforation warranty from Renault. Might be worth going into your local dealer with this

 

[Andyman]

Yeah there's a sort of join at either side of the lower doors.

 

[adams172]

pendulumx - yeah it was The Wright Car Company - I bought the other 172 that they had in iceberg silver, I know the car you're talking about though, it's still up there!
This one had 69k miles on the clock and seemed to be in really good nick

Pictures coming asap courtesy of the brother! Thanks for all the advice so far

 

[.Andy.]

Yeah I did an HPI check myself and that came back 100% clear - all that there was was a plate change many years ago

Going to post pics asap, I was told that they're on both door frames and they also line up (top and bottom)[/QUOTE]

That's why I asked, those welds are supposed to be there

 

[adams172]

Ah wicked! Cool, that's one thing off my mind - now to get the garage to help me out with the broken dephaser and the suspected dodgy mounts. I guess when you buy a 172 for £2.5k you've gotta expect problems! Glad I checked on here first before I went down there

Thanks for all the advice people of CS!

 

[TheEvilGiraffe]

Not at all...

Plenty of 172s on here for that price. £1500, you're in trouble. £2500, normal price.

 

[adams172]

Not at all...

Plenty of 172s on here for that price. £1500, you're in trouble. £2500, normal price.

Well I'm going to get onto the dealer about the dephaser, and get the car fixed up good as new - pics will follow once it's ticking over nicely again!
So relieved, first 172 and love driving it, was gutted when I thought I was going to have to get rid!