Legal Assistance for Car Purchase Problems

Questioner

I have a question. 4 months ago bought a used car at a Renault garage (Bovag garage) without Bovag warranty. The car was delivered with a major service, including a change of oil. It is a Seat Altea XL 1.8 TSI from 2010 with 70,000 on the odometer. During those 4 months I drove 3000 km. 4 weeks ago I thought I'd check the oil. Now the oil level was lower than the minimum, and I had to top up with 2.5 liters. This is really too much (confirmed by phone by Auto Traa Nijmegen Seat dealer) Our Seat has been at the Renault garage for 2 weeks now and they have performed a diagnosis including advice and assistance from Seat. This resulted in the pistons of the car needing to be replaced (the problem is the oil sheep springs) which comes to a total price of 3850 euros including VAT. As a buyer I am entitled to an obligation to investigate. I did not do this. If I had done this then no one would have been able to find this problem, because it is an internal problem, in the engine. The seller did not tell me anything about this problem. Also the heating does not work properly. There is a Climate control in it, if you put it on the left side on HI (max temp) then it gets warm, if you turn the knob to 26 degrees then it blows cold air. So there is something wrong with the heater panel. Today I received an email that I get a 25% discount on an amount of 3850 euros. We do not agree with this! We paid no less than 11,780 euros for the car. Today I made a concession, and that is that they can better have the car repaired somewhere else for an amount of 1850 excl. VAT. And that I want to pay 25% of that (560 euros), which is actually against my precipe. If they refuse, what can we do?

Lawyer

If the seller refuses your compensation, you can, in the worst case, take legal action. But if I judge your case this way, the seller has delivered you a defective car, where the defects must also be fully repaired/replaced by him. If you have agreed to the compensation in writing, you have less chance of full compensation. Perhaps a letter from a lawyer after studying your case can lead to a different result. To do so, please contact me directly via a private message by clicking on the link in this answer.

Questioner

Good afternoon, Yesterday (January 2) I contacted the garage where our car is located. I have composed an email to them, see below: Hi Jeroen, Same to you! As promised today after our phone conversation I would send an email. We simply cannot afford the costs involved because we have already paid a lot of money for the car. Today we have contacted the consumer association (lawyer) and also our own legal assistance insurance (lawyer) and have concluded that the car falls under the category 'hidden defects'. I did buy the Seat without a guarantee, but this problem is not a one-day problem. The oil sheep feathers are slowly becoming clogged, which is why you get these complaints. This could be a very long and tiring process for both of us that I don't think we're looking forward to. That is why we also want to think along with you to keep costs as low as possible and to arrive at a solution. My proposal is, as discussed by telephone: Have the car made at a company in Geldermalsen that specializes in this. for 1850 excl. VAT or 2238 euros incl. VAT. Where we want to make a contribution of 560 euros. I would like to leave the problem with the heating at this point and take responsibility for it. I hope we can work it out together so that we are both satisfied. When I return the rental car to you, I can, if necessary, take the Seat to Geldermalsen and then take the train back home so that you do not incur any costs. So I made a commitment that I would pay 560 euros and that I would take care of the problem with the stove panel (which I actually don't want, but oh well). Now the question is what they will answer to this. I would like to get in touch with a lawyer Kind regards

Lawyer

Please contact me directly.