New mbr - need advice before paying today

[convertiblefan]

Hi I just registered to be a member of this site, I'm about to pay for the car I saw in the garage. Can someone tell me what I need to tell the garage to fix before I collect the car.

It's a 2005 2.0 model but lack of service history, garage told me 2 lady owners and last one traded for another car. External all look fine I just cant tell the mechanical side. I used to have an older convertible Italian one which almost everything fell apart though I loved the car. I just don't want to get into the same situation.

The car has done 74k mileage and I believe a cambelt change is due but garage said usually done at 100k.
Although they agree on a 3 mth warranty, I still prefer to get the cambelt changed before I collect the car. I didn't negotiate the price because i'm on a hired car and want to get over with it and like the look and size of the car - typical woman!

Can someone tell me whether the garage should do the cambelt change as well or I should pay for it. I do want to get it done before I collect it. I'm due to pay the deposit today. In fact they are Vauxhall dealer not Peugeot dealer, so they are not very keen on any service offer. How should I talk to garage?
Please help..... Many thanks c
convertiblefan Posts: 1Joined: Wed Sep 25, 2013 10:34 am

[mark farrier]

Sounds as if cambelt is due a change, better safe than sorry. peugeot dealer will charge around
£200 I would guess. I'd ask the garage if they could inspect the belt, if it has a 3 month warranty
and goes then you are covered but make sure it is included in the cover.
If you are with the RAC they will do a check.

[Capncol]

Firstly, welcome to the forum.

I suggest you have a look at the Buyers guide as the cambelt and servicing are only a small part of buying a car.
If you prefer, you can have the AA / RAC check the car over for you.
Try not to let your heart rule your head. Make sure the price you are paying reflects the lack of service history and lack of cambelt change.
It should be changed at 80,000 not 100,000, so it is due very soon.
Search our site for average cost of the job but I think you will find it is around £400

Have a look at this site http://www.mytimingbelt.com/Results.aspx?ModelId=20

And Auto data confirms it

[GrandadMonkey]

Wise words from Capncol. Read that Buyers Guide thoroughly and heed it. Bear in mind that it is good practice to renew the associated pulleys and the water pump at the same time as the timing belt. Otherwise you might have two expensive bills in quick succession. Negotiate £400 off the price and get a Peugeot specialist who knows these cars to do the work for you.

Bear in mind that the value of these cars falls dramatically once summer is over.

[Capncol]

Wonder if she bought it?

[convertiblefan]

Thank you all. I do know the Cambelt is a big job and that's why I mentioned to the dealer. They agreed to check with the dealer of the previous owner to check if that's been done, if not they will change it for me.

They seem genuine when they wanted me to buy the car. I did pay the deposit to hold the car so they can go for a health check, they said if i'm not happy they can refund the money to me. I extended my car at heathrow and dealer said I should be able to pick up the car on Friday, i'm a bit worried if they could turn around with all fixed in such a short time.

As I just returned back to the UK, the no claim bonus I got from overseas would not count till I pay a higher premium for the first year. I did check if I bought an old (1999)Toyota under 1000cc I still have to pay over 620 pounds for the insurance, I might as well get something I like and feel happy to drive and get in everyday.

I think it's human nature you like something good looking.. like a beautiful woman or a cute guy! There are many other same models less mileage but not the colour I like, I don't think I would feel happy driving it. Sorry, yes my heart went over my head, can't help it.

Now i'm waiting for the sales to call me back. Hopefully they won't ask me for more money as I didn't negotiate the price as they said the price is everyday's low price. I just want to get over this, very tiring looking at cars and most are over 100 miles away and I wouldn't go anyway.

After looking at this site, I did mention to them the water pump needs to be changed as well. The sales is quite junior hope she will pass on the message to the service centre.

Fingers crossed. Will update, thank you guys.

c

[gazza82]

Belt change for someone that knows what they are doing is only a few hours ... so if they do it today, it will be ready tomorrow.

[GrandadMonkey]

Make sure they put 12 months MOT test on it too, before you take it. If they don't, chances are there'll be something it would fail the MOT on.

[convertiblefan]

Thank you guys, yes they showed me they have renewed the MOT till summer of 2014. Dealer called and said likely all get done and fixed by Monday and I can collect the car from tue onwards.

One more thing, When I started the car for a test drive, the airbag fault light came on and I was concerned about this the sales said they will fix it and likely only electronic faults that's why the light was on.

Should I be worried or leave it as long as the light is off when I pick up the car?

Thank you all.
c

[Capncol]

If you read the buyers guide you should be concerned.

Standing next to the car, lean in through the window or door and switch on the ignition and make sure all warning lights illuminate and then extinguish. Pay special attention to ABS and airbag warning lights. If these don’t come on and then extinguish, it’s an MOT failure and possibly an expensive fix.

Airbag light is MOT failure. Did they carry out the MOT themselves?

It should come on with the ignition and then go out a few seconds later. If it doesn't do this, it's a failure.
Make sure that's what it does when you pick it up.

[convertiblefan]

Oh no, they showed me the MOT renewal then I tested the car. As soon as I started the car the light was on, cant remember it was on all the time or just the beginning.

I'll make sure I look at it when I pick up the car. Thank you very much.

[gazza82]

It could be as simple as a dodgy connection, but equally expensive. The 2005 uses the multiplex electrics and I had to replace a part behind the steering wheel on our 2002 hatch and that was well over £100 a few years ago.

You need to get this sorted properly .. not just the fault cleared to possibly come back ... and also make sure you get several months warranty to cover any further faults.

I'd be wary now though. If the air bag light was on when the mot was taken, what else have they missed or covered up ... garages use particular mot stations as they can put business their way ... given the MOT only covers things at that time, as soon as it leaves then they can claim it was ok when they saw it. Challenging an MOT with VOSA will cost YOU money, and your mot could be invalidated. Which is my many people don't complain or report dodgy garages.


I'd think carefully about an independent check before you part with any more cash.

[GrandadMonkey]

C,
The airbag light could well be something simple like the car battery at the end of its life. If it is on its original battery then it will be 8 years old. On these cars you get spurious faults and warnings coming up when the battery is on the way out. Our car is an 05 plate too and had to have a new battery earlier this year. See
http://www.peugeot206cc.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=14224
If it does need a new battery bear in mind that the correct one for the 206cc is taller than the one for the hatchback. I bought an Exide 079TE EA530 which fitted perfectly - but ours is a 1.6. Cost me £59.99 delivered. The one for the 2 litre car may be bigger capacity. There are specific battery disconnection and reconnection procedures for these cars too. Let's hope a Vauxhall garage does it right - a Peugeot specialist would. If it is on the original battery I'd definitely insist that the garage replaces it with a brand new one of the correct size and spec before accepting the car. Otherwise when the weather gets colder in October you'll need a new battery then. Don't let them put a 175mm tall hatchback battery on it - it must be the 190mm taller one. Finally, as it is a 2.0 litre engine do make sure that it starts and runs properly from stone cold. If it doesn't it could have hydraulic tappet issues which will cost an arm and a leg to put right, (Search on "hydraulic tappets" on this forum).

[convertiblefan]

Oh dear, i'm so looking forward to my convertible with nice weather like this but getting depressed after reading you guys feedback and the buying guide.

Personally I don't trust MOT cert very much from my own experience, I was always asked to get something fixed when I sent my old convertible for MOT until I knew a garage well enough and they sent it for me and always went through MOT with no problems.

The Vauxhall dealer has its service centre next to it and when I asked to see the car, I told the sales lady that the tires needed air pumped before I could drive it so she took it to the next door service centre and she started the car not me.

Battery - not sure the age but I don't know if they are willing to change it for me and how to tell it's time to change? Should they replace it for me as well. I feel like I'm asking for too much, they didn't bother to serve me in the beginning because it's not a Vauxhall car nor a car with reasonable good price. I feel like i'm asking them to change everything to be a new car for me.

I don't mind to pay for the battery if it's due for replacement. I was more worried about the timing belt and they agreed to replace it. The sales lady called and said all should be done by Monday and ready for pick up on Tuesday.

Should I still get an AA man to go and have a look? She kept saying there are regulations bound them to sell cars that are free from defects before giving to customers. She told me not to worry about it though I know that's sales usual talk. What else is likely to wear out in the next 6 mths for a 206cc at this age?

I just want to get over with it - everyone is telling me to buy a sensible car and if this one turns out to be lemon. They would say --- Didn't I tell you?!

Not fun..c

[GrandadMonkey]

Don't get depressed. You get a warranty with any second hand car don't you? If it goes wrong within 3 months you'll take it back for them to sort it won't you.

You asked us for advice and we are telling you. They said they would fix the airbag light. We are just telling you what probably caused it to come on.

When you are paying £2,200 or so for an 8 year old car you want it to be right don't you?
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/ ... 8298517573

You asked what else is likely to go wrong - you have checked that the roof works perfectly haven't you? Oh, and read the owner's manual thoroughly because many problems can be self-inflicted by new owners who don't bother to.

Good luck. If you do get any issues, just ask.