i'm guessing that it is a 1.6 diesel ?

It's a 1.6 Petrol Zetec engine

It's a 1.6 Petrol Zetec engine

Definitely a zetec engine? Or seeing as its a C1-platform car, the 100hp (Mazda derived duratec) or 115hp (ti-vct)?

Sorry, of no technical help, just interested to know.

I had a very similar problem with my previous Ibiza TDi Sport that i bought from a Mazda dealer.

Ignition wouldn't recognise the key meaning you couldn't start the car and was stranded on many occasions.

Took it to my local Seat dealer rather than 60 miles back to the Mazda dealer and they change a part and all was fine.....for 2 days.

Mazda were adamant that i had to take it back to them so they could "pass it to the Seat dealr in their group" but i refused and after a month of intermittent stranding I demanded it went it for a complete fix or i'd trailer it to their forecourt and dump it outside until they gave me my money back.

This worked and the Seat dealer conmmenced the work and I even managed to get the Mazda dealer to hire me a car while it was throughly checked and fixed.

2 weeks later and a lot of phone calls (at one point they were even refusing to pay the Seat dealer due to "it not possibly needing so much work")

All was back and sorted.

Not a nice situation to be in but shouting at the right people and talk of refunds and refusals soon got them to listen!

Just want to make sure that you've read the stuff in this link, as it certainly seems that some of the people contributing to this thread haven't. I wasn't sure from what you said at first, however given what you've said since, and given the info in the link, it's clear you have a case under the Sale of Goods Act to reject the entire car. Case law working as it does, don't accept anything less! The only problem is you might have to go to court, although given that you've given them ample opportunity to put the car right, the judge will rule in your favour and so they should have costs awarded against them. The main thing, though, is that you have to bring the action WITHIN SIX MONTHS OF BUYING THE CAR. It wouldn't surprise me if the dealers stall for time seeing how you've already had it five months, because after six months, the onus falls on YOU to prove the car was faulty AT THE TIME OF SALE. Even given your video evidence, you'd find it hard to prove the fault didn't happen at some point after you took ownership of the car.

I appreciate my point of view has changed significantly since I first posted in this thread, but you really need to get your skates on and contact a solicitor...

Using most of the advice you have all given me I made a few calls to the Used Car Sales Manager at Evans Halshaw (St Albans) today and with very little persuasion (suprisingly) they have offered to replace the car with a like for like example, if not better with lower mileage than mine. I have been told this will take anything from between 1-14 days to find me the right model and colour of my choice but no longer!

I think this is a good result and hopefully the next one won't be so much hasle!

Just want to say thank you to all the people that posted advice as I was really unsure to start with whether or not I had reasonable grounds to reject this car but all the posts convinced me to push for a more satisfying result

John

Good on you for sticking with it and getting a good result!

Sounds like a reasonable result, I'd be asking for some warranty with the replacement as agood will gesture. All the inconvienence and stress with being stranded etc.

Just shows you, you need to stick to your guns. shame you have to argue your point so much to get a fair outcome.

Sounds like a reasonable result, I'd be asking for some warranty with the replacement as agood will gesture. All the inconvienence and stress with being stranded etc.

Just shows you, you need to stick to your guns. shame you have to argue your point so much to get a fair outcome.

i totally agree iknew the wouldnt refund and thought this is the route they would take . but push , push , push for warrenty on the replacement stating you have little faith in the product . otherwise they could be giving you a pig in a poke that has sat on another branches forecourt for months...

I think it will come with a 3 month warranty, but I'll definately check when I receive the call to let me know when its available.

John

Might be worth taking a policy out for piece of mind if you only get a short warranty until you're sure it's not a dodo.