NickReve

Hi all
I bought a car from a authorized car dealership. After a couple of weeks I found out that the car has some problems, like it needs 4 shock absorbers and a door lock doesn't function and air-condition stops off and on. I checked the problems with another car repair shop and it might cost over 1000,- euroes. The dealer gave me a one year written warranty but it says only for the engine and gearbox.

Do they have the right to give me only warranty on engine and gearbox or I have right to complain and get these problems fixed.

Thank you for any help!

amideislas

I'd expect that a warranty covering engine & gearbox would not cover shock absorbers or air conditioning.

€1000 sounds like a lot for shock absorbers and air con recharge. But the branded garages are always OTT on pricing. Try going to a "smaller taller". Bet you get it half that.

Mitzyboy

I paid €700 for a Suzuki alternator once, because I neglected to tell the garage NOT to go for Suzuki parts!

You'll get much cheaper shocks that are not manufacturer parts, which are probably just as good.

Your warrantee document should be specific about what was and wasnt covered and if it shows the suspension is covered then you have a good case.

Even in the these extended warrantees have all kinds of get out clauses unfortunately.

Fredbargate

What car / model / year is it?

Aircon recharge €35 although it may be more serious.

http://www.norauto.es/producto/carga...0AAAFOLmtaeYsZ

NickReve

The Air-Condition works just fine off and on. It stops when the car stops and starts again when you drive. I'm not sure it needs charging.

NickReve

There are more than that. A door doesn't lock off and on and some small parts for stearing wheels. I have tried smaller repair shops with almost same price!

Mitzyboy

The door lock is normally just the small motor that is inside the door. Fixed one of my old cars for £4.99 when that happened (Maplins :-) )

If you cant sort it with the manufacturer then two options. Find a scrap yard and hope you can get them, or head for ebay and find someone that will ship to Europe. I actually bought 4 alloys and got them shipped to Spain from the UK without too much hassle

Mitzyboy

Also, a reply from a mechanic for you. If the aircon re charge doesnt work then:

"The AC needs airflow over the condenser to cool the refrigerant. When you are moving the air is pushed through, but when you are stopped the electric cooling fan (behind the radiator) is needed to maintain the air flow and cooling. I would bet that the fan is not working, and there is either a problem with the fan itself, or with power to it.

Start the car, open the hood and then turn on the A/C. The fan(s) should come on, if they do not that is the problem"

NickReve

Thank you all for your help! Appreciate it.

Countryboy1

Car warranties are riddled with get out clauses. Many only cover engine and gearbox which are the parts less likely to be subject to normal wear and tear. Many only cover parts and not labour.
When buying a car it's essential to study the terms of any warranty and during the purchasing deal try to negotiate a more comprehensive warranty If you're not happy with it or walk away.

olivefarmer

I think you need to go back to basics with this car and its problems.

Did it come with a new ITV? If (and it is a big if) it needs new shock absorbers then the ITV should have shown that up. They fail either due to leaks (and if one is leaking you need to replace in pairs- i.e. front end or back end) or they fail to damp and so the car is very wallowy after hitting a bump. I would be very surprised if it needed 4 new shock absorbers. maybe the garage was touting for business? Does it drive alright i.e. handle alright

Air con. All this talk of a recharge is just a red herring. If it works sometimes then it doesn't need a recharge. Reading what you have said. It stops when the car stops and starts again when you drive. Well that sounds fine to me. The engine needs to be running for it to work and it needs to be switched on. Simply put, As soon as you switch the engine off the compressor stops running. The cooling fan for the air con rad can and often does run on for a while after you have switched off. That is normal in hot weather, air con on coldest setting and labouring up hills or stop start in traffic etc.

So a few suggested ways forward.

1. Join an (English speaking unless your Spanish is good) car forum for your vehicle. They have a wealth of info and you will be able to do some of the jobs you identify yourself and maybe source S/H parts from other forum members.

2. If you still are concerned that your shock absorbers are a problem after having a look at them for leaks and doing a bounce test then replacement is often doable yourself. e.g. rear shocks for a Corsa C £40 off Ebay and £20 carriage. just a top and bottom fixing. Fronts can, on some cars,be a bit trickier as some cars suspension geometry is tied to the shocker. Can't advise without knowing the vehicle.

3. air con. Has my earlier statement cured that problem? If not why not drop into a specialist air con taller and ask them to check out the operation.

4. Ask around for recommendations and find a good mechanic/taller for your vehicle. Any jobs like door locks that you don't feel confident to tackle put on a list and get an estimate.

5. warranties. My experience is these are sales gimmicks and as others have said are riddled with get out clauses. The longer you leave it to go back to the dealer the less likely they are to offer to fix any problems whether covered by warranty or not.

Fred James

Having read through this thread again, I note that the OP never said that it was a second hand car, although it was fairly obvious.

I just want to make the point, for any members that join at the end of this thread, that manufacturer warranties on new cars are very different and that if you purchase a second hand car from a main dealer, the warranty often conforms to the same conditions as it would on a new car.

Buying a more than 4 year old car will almost certainly mean that you only have a dealer warranty and that could be good or bad depending on the dealer, as this thread indicates.