£18k repair quote after 3 months ownership

[MGmike]

It doesn't seem right that you can spend £30k and end up with potentially needing £18k of repairs. Not selling it with a mechanical warranty rather suggests that they may have misrepresented the sale of the vehicle.

Unfortunately not!

If I understand the OP correctly, he purchased a camper conversion "based on" a used vehicle sourced as a "private buyer". The nuance is not lost on me and I don't see how the seller of a conversion can be responsible for the "old" mechanical under pinning's of their conversion.

I get that they have a moral responsibility to ensure the base of their conversion is in good order, as it was when it left, but to "warrant" a van in the same way as a manufacturer or a used van dealer is probably expecting a little to much unfortunately.

Also, if the service work to replace the timing belt was carried out by an other at a date after picking up the camper, any warranty could be consider void!

[Rhothgar]

Here is a more conciliatory version:-

Thank your for your posts - very helpful. I’ll send you a message.

OK. Nothing received as yet.

[PaulC5]

MGmike, interesting thoughts, we need the op to say who provided the van for converting. If bought by the trader then I would still think they are responsible for the van. If bought by the op for the trader to convert then that is different. Similarly, if you buy a second hand car from a car dealer they are still responsible for it.

Possibly the trader is trying to suggest they are not a trader, just a private person who buys vans, does them up and then sells them on, like somebody who decides to change their car and sell it.

[Rhothgar]

MGmike, interesting thoughts, we need the op to say who provided the van for converting. If bought by the trader then I would still think they are responsible for the van. If bought by the op for the trader to convert then that is different. Similarly, if you buy a second hand car from a car dealer they are still responsible for it.

Possibly the trader is trying to suggest they are not a trader, just a private person who buys vans, does them up and then sells them on, like somebody who decides to change their car and sell it.

Guy is most definitely a trader. His FaceBook page says he is a dealership!

I've just spoken with my diagnostics mate and he says once the fault has been reported then they must deal with it. If it goes past the 6 months, they are still liable if it is the same fault. I think under CRA 2015 they have to give the seller the right to repair it first of all. If that fails, then a second repairer could get involved.

From a PM sent by flyfaster, it seems that he is getting his ducks very much in order!!!

Reading between the lines, he bought the van with a full service. I would assume, rightly or wrongly, that that service was undertaken shortly before sale. So seller should really be getting on to his garage to repair the issues. It definitely doesn't sound terminal but even if it turned out to be £1000-£2000 to repair, it's not something that the OP should have to fund.