Nemo EGR Valve 4 days out of warranty

[ontoplums]

I'm hoping you guys can offer some sound advice here. I'm posting on behalf of my mother as I think she may be being taken for a ride by the stealers.

She bought a Citroen Nemo from a stealer 3 months ago for around £6k. My step-father is bed-bound with MS so she needs something she can get a wheelchair in and out of.

Last week the car cut out and wouldn't start again so she had it recovered and taken to the stealers to have a look at. At this point, she was out of warranty by 4 DAYS.

They've had a look at it and advised that it needs a new EGR valve which they have ordered and is due in tomorrow at a cost of £160 + fitting (that could be anyone's guess).

Funnily enough, she bought her last car from the same stealer and that also ended up needing the EGR valve replaced, coincidence?

Is there anything that can be done here? Having paid £6k just 3 months ago I don't want these bar stewards taking advantage of her and taking another small fortune off her for the sake of 4 days.

I'd quite happily take the car to another mechanic to have any work done rather than have them do it.

[SwissSPEC]

I'd ask them to waive the labour to fit as a gesture of goodwill, or if you're feeling brave give them the hard luck story & that she's a good customer who's likely to buy a car from them again in the future. Not sure about Nemo's EGR valve, but if its vacuum driven, is it possible there is an issue with the vacuum rather than the egr itself? The only way of finding out is to take it somewhere else, but if the car isn't driveable, then thats a no go either. Best bet is to see if you can get some money off etc....

[RichardW]

Never mind the warranty - this will be covered under sale of goods act, whereby faults within 6 months of purchase are deemed to have existed at time of sale. So, unless it's done mega miles since the sale, should be to the dealer's account. You will need to push hard though, as they will stonewall. Threatening Trading Standards spurs them into action sometimes....! Do a bit of google research before you go in heavy handed though.

On the other hand, I can't see the EGR valve causing it stop, and I suspect the fault lies elsewhere.

Welcome along, by the way!!

[ontoplums]

Thanks for the responses and the welcome guys, appreciate it.

I did look into the Sale of Goods Act (actually found this forum whilst googling it), my understanding was it was a 3 month period rather than 6 months, can you confirm? I'll look into it further in any case. Must mention that this is in Scotland and I believe the Sale of Goods Act is slightly different up here.

Very interesting that both you guys feel the fault lies elsewhere, will look into this further also.

[ontoplums]

From here - http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1979/54" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

(1)This section applies if—

(a)the buyer deals as consumer or, in Scotland, there is a consumer contract in which the buyer is a consumer, and

(b)the goods do not conform to the contract of sale at the time of delivery.

(2)If this section applies, the buyer has the right—

(a)under and in accordance with section 48B below, to require the seller to repair or replace the goods, or

(b)under and in accordance with section 48C below—

(i)to require the seller to reduce the purchase price of the goods to the buyer by an appropriate amount, or

(ii)to rescind the contract with regard to the goods in question.

(3)For the purposes of subsection (1)(b) above goods which do not conform to the contract of sale at any time within the period of six months starting with the date on which the goods were delivered to the buyer must be taken not to have so conformed at that date.

(4)Subsection (3) above does not apply if—

(a)it is established that the goods did so conform at that date;

(b)its application is incompatible with the nature of the goods or the nature of the lack of conformity.

Repair or replacement of the goods



(1)If section 48A above applies, the buyer may require the seller—

(a)to repair the goods, or

(b)to replace the goods.

(2)If the buyer requires the seller to repair or replace the goods, the seller must—

(a)repair or, as the case may be, replace the goods within a reasonable time but without causing significant inconvenience to the buyer;

(b)bear any necessary costs incurred in doing so (including in particular the cost of any labour, materials or postage).