Mk6 Golf GTI advice sought

[Klein]

Hi,

As a new member I would first like to thank all of the members on this forum for all the excellent advice and information made available.

I started searching for a Mk6 Golf GTI about six months ago. After arming myself with information learnt from this forum I viewed several cars locally but was dissapointed by the condition the cars were in. I increased my search area and eventually found a car which I purchased from a franchised dealer under the approved used scheme. I picked the car up two and a half weeks ago.

The car was first registered in March 2011, one owner and is very low mileage, the general condition could only be described as outstanding - on first impression!

I spent last weekend detailing the car and started noticing indications that parts of the car have been repainted - masking lines on the underside of window seals and fuel filler, overspray on the inside of the headlight enclosure and on the underside of the car. I did not notice these things when viewing the car and I checked carefully! The actual paint finish and colour match are excellent.

As far as I can determine, the entire offside, bonnet and front bumper have been repainted. I have contacted the supplying dealership and obviously they deny all knowledge of repainting. The car was supplied and serviced from new from the dealership.

So, my options are:-

Keep the car and live with the fact that it has non original paint. The OCD side of me will not allow this!

Under the approved used car scheme exchange the car. The problem here is the dealership has no cars I would want to exchange for!

Under the Sale of Goods Act 1979, section 14 (of unsatisfactory quality) ask for a full refund.

Any opinions and advice you may have would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Klein


 

[Jimmymature]

If it were me, I'd be walking away from it. A pain I know but it would annoy the hell out of me and impact the value when you come to sell also.


Cheers,


Jim

[golfhappy]

Use the 30 day exchange if applicable. You know that it's been repainted. When you trade a car in to a VW dealer and many others they ask the present owner if it has had any accidents, so even that get a refund. Thats one thing about a dealership they will bullsh!t you as long as they get the sale and after that they don't want to know! Thats not all of them though. Get poor service never go back and ensure everyone knows about them.

[Booth11]

If it's possible I would walk away from it also and get your money back, then just start over with your search.  If your suspicions are correct, that's a hell of a chunk of the car that's been repainted 

[charlie]

+1 walk away get your money back my 3 door had been repainted only the drivers door but I could tell and that was used approved as well.  You would be surprised how many nearly new cars are repainted if it is done well not a prob.   Hope you get it sorted

[Klein]

Ok, thank you for the replies so far.

Deep down I know what I have to do, you have all just confirmed this.

I received some legal advice today and was advised against rejecting the car straight away. Although the dealership have no equivalent cars to exchange for under the 30 day/1000 mile exchange agreement, I have to give them time to source one. If they cannot do this within the 30 day time frame I can then reject the car, although it was made clear to me that if it went to court I would not stand much chance of a favourable outcome!

So, this evening I will write a letter to the dealership principal outlining my intention of exchanging the car for a suitable replacement, if one cannot be found I will reject and ask for a refund.

@charlie, nothing suprises me with what goes on in the nearly new used car market, new cars as well!

Upsetting because in every other way the car is awesome.

[ajmoir36]

I agree, if you can reject/replace/refund for a non-damaged car then do it. I have just spent 8 weeks looking for an Audi Quattro A4 Diesel for my brother and we have looked at so many cars we were losing faith that any of them were going to be straight and undamaged.  Then suddenly, out the blue one turned up that was virtually immaculate (only stone chips) and full Audi service no previous owners. They do exist there are just rare I read somewhere that 9/10 have had some paint damage at some point in their lives. To me though paint damage will end in rust eventually at an earlier age unless of course its just the plastic bumpers. Mechanical things on the other hand can be fixed or replaced regardless of seriousness.

Fingers crossed it all goes well and there will be a straight one out there.

[RedHP]

Also, if you think that the o/s area has been repainted i.e. repaired then have a look at the chassis/structural detail under the bonnet for signs of damage. You might find damaged/crumpled metal.
But I also agree with the others................get your cash back, you are well within your consumer rights to do so


Red

[Dipesh2031]

I bought my GTD and it had had its front bumper and bonnet resprayed, the job was great and the paint matches spot on which is hard with red, just the panels were out of alignment and overspray on the fog light which I still haven't sanded out, of course my car only had 2 items resprayed due to stone chips so it doesn't bother me too much as in the end its gonna need paintwork with stonechips etc
but at the start I was very annoyed, If you cant live with it, I would get a new car, I know exactly how you feel!

There are so many cars out there which have been sprayed, borrow a paint gauge or have a pro detailer look at the paint, mine was very helpful in assuring me the paint used was high quality next to oem, which put my mind at ease

[Klein]

Quick update...

E mailed my letter last Friday morning and received a call from the sales manager in the afternoon requesting that I bring the car in Tuesday morning to be checked by the body shop manager.

He measured the paint thickness all over the car. The near side, roof, bonnet, tailgate, front and rear bumpers all measured between 125 - 150 micron which he said was average and within spec. The offside front wing and rear quarter panel measured a consistant 290 micron indicating repainting. The drivers door adjacent to the front wing measured 290 micron and faded to 125 micron by the end of the panel. The rear offside door started at 125 micron adjacent to the drivers door and increased to 290 micron by the rear quarter panel.

He suggested because there are no large fluctuations registered on the paint thickness gauge no filler has been used, more than likely the front wing and rear quarter panel have been vandalised, repainted and blended into the doors. Colour is candy white.

I have spent hours checking the car over for accident damage, I have not found any.

The sales manager said it is not a problem to exchange the car except he would not be able to find one as good!

I went there with the intention of handing the car back but this car is stunning.

I have until the weekend to decide.