Answering all your motoring queries this week is MICHAEL MCALEER
From D Buckley: I bought a 04-registered BMW 520d in November 2007 at Kearys of Cork. It was part of the BMW’s Premium Selection scheme for approved used cars. Once purchased I noticed the switch on the passenger front window wasn’t working. This was fixed within two weeks. Sadly it was only the start of my troubles. Here is a select list of problems encountered since purchase:
Passenger window switch broken when I got it. Was back in garage numerous times for ECU issues.
Screeching noise in reverse.
Failed to start in March 2008.
Failed to start again, January 2009. Following week it failed to open and wouldn’t start.
When playing CD it can change to radio without pressing a thing.
In 2008 windows started to open by themselves.
Easter 2008: boot wouldn’t close. Problem with boot lock and suspected issue with boot alignment.
Car consumes two litres of oil in less than 5,000 miles.
Anti-trap window function broken on driver side.
“Dynamic Drive Failure” notice on dashboard computer; recurs on multiple occasions.
June 2009: failure in power steering rack. Leak also found in thermostat.
Failed to start in December 2009. Told needed new battery. Bought one; still didn’t work. Back into garage for Christmas.
Car back January 10th. Told it’s perfect; new starting motor. I noticed a scuff on the bumper. Kearys cover the repair.
Rear brake-light failure in February 2010.
Issues with quality of paint repair on the bumper, attributed to an earlier repair before I bought it. Assessments show panels on car resprayed prior to my purchasing the car.
By this stage I contacted BMW Ireland to say I’d lost all confidence in the car. A motor assessor I employed reported: “It does appear that there is substantial problems with the engine due to burning oil.”
He also estimated 75 per cent of the car’s bodywork has been touched up and repaired, the worst of which is the boot area . . . I was not aware of it when I bought the car.
According to Michael Nugent, sales director of BMW Ireland: “We are working with Kearys to address this issue. Mr Buckley purchased the 2004 BMW 5-Series in November 2007 and has covered in excess of 43,000km since then. While the original purchase included a 12-month used-car warranty, the dealership resolved any warranty-type issues outside of this warranty period at no cost to Mr Buckley. They also endeavoured to keep him mobile when his car was in the workshop to minimise any inconvenience.”
There has been a change of management at the dealership and the new dealer principal, Kevin Hilliard, says he has made several offers to replace Mr Buckley’s car with another used car of a similar age.
Hilliard says the age and mileage of the car need to be considered when reviewing the issues with the car in question. He also defends BMW’s Premium Selection scheme as being one of the most rigorous in the industry.
Buckley is now pursuing the matter through the motor industry standards tribunal of the Society of the Irish Motor Industry (SIMI). He says he will accept either a replacement car worth €25,000 – which is what he says he owes on his 520d – or that his car is taken back and the remaining debt cancelled. He says any future owner of the car must also be fully informed of its history.
While this case awaits settlement, the lesson from this is that you should always get an independent inspection before purchasing a used car.