Hi
I wondered if I could ask your advice over a problem that I am having with a car dealership.
Last Friday night, I took delivery of a Honda Civic 1.8i Sport VTEC from Arnold Clark in St Helens, an 06 plate with about 7,777 miles on the clock. This was given to me on a straight swop from another Honda Civic they had provided a few days earlier, but which was in breach of warranty as hadnt had its first service.
The car was sold to me after allegedly having a "Pre-Delivery Inspection", which amongst other things includes an oil check.
On the following Tuesday morning, the vehicle oil level warning light came on (I estimate I would have drove about 100 miles in the interim since picking it up) which concerned me enough to reject the vehicle, on the grounds that it may be compromised and engine damaged as it had been running on extremely low levels of oil for at least a few days and possibly some time before.
They confirmed to me that they wouldnt accept the rejection until they had had time to check the vehicle over and "send it away for a diagnostic" to a n other location. This would be happening on the Wednesday, but they told me that they had spoken to another Honda dealer who confirmed that the Honda burns more oil before first service due to additives in the oil and just because it was at a low level wouldnt have damaged the engine. Researching this myself though, there are differing opinions as the only way to really avoid engine wear is to have the oil regularly topped up?
Can you advise if there is any substance to this response from them?
On another point, I have asked them to supply a copy of the diagnostic report, and they said it wouldnt have one as it was OK. Is this statement likely to be true?
Trading standards tell me that unless I can prove the engine is damaged, I am stuffed on rejecting the car in a nutshell.
Is it possible the car be damaged due to running on low levels of oil? Dont want to accept the garage's "word" for it, seeing as they cant even be bothered to put oil in!
I wondered if I could ask your advice over a problem that I am having with a car dealership.
Last Friday night, I took delivery of a Honda Civic 1.8i Sport VTEC from Arnold Clark in St Helens, an 06 plate with about 7,777 miles on the clock. This was given to me on a straight swop from another Honda Civic they had provided a few days earlier, but which was in breach of warranty as hadnt had its first service.
The car was sold to me after allegedly having a "Pre-Delivery Inspection", which amongst other things includes an oil check.
On the following Tuesday morning, the vehicle oil level warning light came on (I estimate I would have drove about 100 miles in the interim since picking it up) which concerned me enough to reject the vehicle, on the grounds that it may be compromised and engine damaged as it had been running on extremely low levels of oil for at least a few days and possibly some time before.
They confirmed to me that they wouldnt accept the rejection until they had had time to check the vehicle over and "send it away for a diagnostic" to a n other location. This would be happening on the Wednesday, but they told me that they had spoken to another Honda dealer who confirmed that the Honda burns more oil before first service due to additives in the oil and just because it was at a low level wouldnt have damaged the engine. Researching this myself though, there are differing opinions as the only way to really avoid engine wear is to have the oil regularly topped up?
Can you advise if there is any substance to this response from them?
On another point, I have asked them to supply a copy of the diagnostic report, and they said it wouldnt have one as it was OK. Is this statement likely to be true?
Trading standards tell me that unless I can prove the engine is damaged, I am stuffed on rejecting the car in a nutshell.
Is it possible the car be damaged due to running on low levels of oil? Dont want to accept the garage's "word" for it, seeing as they cant even be bothered to put oil in!
