Nightmare - any ideas?

[LukeFR]

Wow...gutted for you mate, that really isn't good news!

All of these stories I keep reading is making me think the PD 170 engines aren't so good afterall....

Hope you get sorted ASAP.

 

[Fisher 2007]

I don't know what I would do. I would probably cry!! And in regards to de-valuing the car, there is no way I would buy a car that has needed its engine replacing (unless it was an old classic car for example).

Are you paying for the car on finance? I'd tell them to **** off and cancel the payments and give them the car back. Not sure if you would have to go to court, but I would at least threaten SEAT UK with it

No, car isn't on finance, I own it out right

I'm thinking I should pay for the new engine and keep the car, I know someone who works ant another garage and they are going to see if they can get it cheaper. I figure that if the engine is new, rather than a recon, I'd expect the chances of any further issues to be minimal and no different to any other car I buy.

The only concern I have is when I come to sell it, would I need to declare the new engine to the new owner? If it was a recon I'd feel obliged but with a new engine I wouldn't have quite the same moral concerns. Plus if I part ex at a dealer I'd be even less worried. I'm just worried about the engine number being different, although I'm told they may be able to stamp the new engine with the existing engine number

 

[Mr Cellotape]

That's called ringing.

 

[Fisher 2007]

That's called ringing.

Really, ok didn't realise that

 

[Fisher 2007]

Ok, based on the above, a new or recon engine will solve the problem but will leave me with a seriously devalued car, I too wouldn't buy a car that's required either. If I'm looking at a £6k repair bill on a car that prior to the repair was only worth £9k or £10k then its just not worth it. I don't want to 'ring' a car amd I'd be worried about the potential for it to come back at me at a later date.

So, I've gone from owning a lovely, well maintained Seat to have a car worth scrap value only, so what is that value? Am I best trying to sell it as it is to someone who wants a cheap car to fix, assuming they have the knowledge to do so or putting it in my garage and taking bits off and selling via Ebay?

I really don't @@@@@@@ believe these

Seats, VW's and Audi's are the cars I love but this has definity changed that. If Seat are not willing to assist on Monday I will never buy another on of their groups cars. If they measure me on brand loyalty then out of principle I will not stay the brand.

I know I've been incredibly unlucky but that's just how I feel!!!!!!!!!

 

[Simes61]

I don't want to 'ring' a car amd I'd be worried about the potential for it to come back at me at a later date.

Seats, VW's and Audi's are the cars I love but this has definity changed that. If Seat are not willing to assist on Monday I will never buy another on of their groups cars. If they measure me on brand loyalty then out of principle I will not stay the brand.

I know I've been incredibly unlucky but that's just how I feel!!!!!!!!!

Good to hear you don't intend to do anything illegal but why do you expect SEAT to do anything since the car is out of warranty and wasn't maintained by their dealership???

True its bad news but that's why you can get 3rd party warranties and why buying a car from a dealer is at a premium!

 

[Fisher 2007]

Why, because this car may not have been maintained by Seat but was maintained to their recommendations and not by some tin pot garage either

As already stated, an engine should be fit for purpose and at 36k I should not find myself in a position where I'm needing to scrap a 4 year old car

 

[andycupra]

EU law would support your opininon that its been maintained as long as the garages used are VAT registered and genuine parts have been used.

Id also ask which part of a seat service could have or would have picked us something like this.

However it is out of warranty and in my excperience Seat are poor. I had an issue when i brought my cupra, which was 2.5 years old from a seat dealer, paid for and receipted for a further year dealer warranty and got nowhere.

Im not so sure what this part is thats failed, is it something that can fail like this? or can it be damaged during servicing? is it even checked during services? could a part thats going to fail be detected or would it look ok then fail immediately?

 

[betty_swollox]

As already stated, an engine should be fit for purpose and at 36k I should not find myself in a position where I'm needing to scrap a 4 year old car

I agree mate, a car with 36k on it shouldn't require a new engine. And in regards to it not being serviced by SEAT, what would/could they have done to avoid that problem happening? As far as I'm concerned, all they do when they 'service' your car is change the oil and try to rip you off by saying you need new tyres and brake pads etc.

If you aren't going to keep it and get a new engine I'd sell the bits off. For example if you have the 18" alloys I'd happily take those off your hands. Also the drivers seat.

There will be a lot of people that could do with some of the other parts of the car, like doors becos ignorant ***** have dented theirs

I'm honestly gutted for you mate, but it's good to see that you are considering your other options and not moping about.

 

[betty_swollox]

EU law would support your opininon that its been maintained as long as the garages used are VAT registered and genuine parts have been used.

Id also ask which part of a seat service could have or would have picked us something like this.

However it is out of warranty and in my excperience Seat are poor. I had an issue when i brought my cupra, which was 2.5 years old from a seat dealer, paid for and receipted for a further year dealer warranty and got nowhere.

Im not so sure what this part is thats failed, is it something that can fail like this? or can it be damaged during servicing? is it even checked during services? could a part thats going to fail be detected or would it look ok then fail immediately?

You beat me by 1 minute haha, just what I was going to say

 

[Fisher 2007]

Thanks guys, Seat did say they need to see the car, obviously, but the question I asked was am I likely to get anywhere by paying for it to be towed to their garage? I don't want to be a in position where I pay for it to go there, they say no, and I have to pay for it to be returned

Betty_Swollox, the car does have 18's which are in good condition, albeit slight scuffing to the front to (nothing major and not by me I should add, prior owner), drivers seat is also in excellent condition

Well, fingers crossed for tomorrow..................!

 

[betty_swollox]

Thanks guys, Seat did say they need to see the car, obviously, but the question I asked was am I likely to get anywhere by paying for it to be towed to their garage? I don't want to be a in position where I pay for it to go there, they say no, and I have to pay for it to be returned

Betty_Swollox, the car does have 18's which are in good condition, albeit slight scuffing to the front to (nothing major and not by me I should add, prior owner), drivers seat is also in excellent condition

Well, fingers crossed for tomorrow..................!

Hopefully they won't be pricks about it. Good luck, hope you don't have to scrap it.

 

[Nath.]

Delete this thread, tow the car to a carpark with no CCTV and set light to it. Claim on your insurance and take the much smaller hit on loosing your NCB (if it's not protected that is). If it's protected you're laughing.


Or have it stolen

 

[Hugo Nebula]

I'm thinking I should pay for the new engine and keep the car, I know someone who works ant another garage and they are going to see if they can get it cheaper. I figure that if the engine is new, rather than a recon, I'd expect the chances of any further issues to be minimal and no different to any other car I buy.

The only concern I have is when I come to sell it, would I need to declare the new engine to the new owner? If it was a recon I'd feel obliged but with a new engine I wouldn't have quite the same moral concerns. Plus if I part ex at a dealer I'd be even less worried. I'm just worried about the engine number being different, although I'm told they may be able to stamp the new engine with the existing engine number

A new engine could be an advantage at resale. The new engine would have done 36k less miles than the odometer. Whilst this wouldn't be worth as much as if the car had done 36k less, it should still be worth a bit more. Your V5 would be reissued with a new engine number.

What you should do depends on how much you would get for your car in its current condition, how old it is, and how long you are prepared to keep it for.

I would suggest that keeping the car with a new engine for a few years is the way to take the smallest hit. You'd be spreading that £6,000 loss over, say, three years.

Alternatively you could cut your losses now by getting as much as you can for the car now (i.e., selling for parts or to a mechanic), and buying a replacement with whatever you get + the £6,000 you would spend on the new engine.

 

[Hugo Nebula]

Delete this thread, tow the car to a carpark with no CCTV and set light to it. Claim on your insurance and take the much smaller hit on loosing your NCB (if it's not protected that is). If it's protected you're laughing.

When they come to examine it, they'll find that the engine doesn't work, so how did it get to the carpark under its own power, eh?

Or have it stolen

Cars need to have the keys stolen to be stolen these days. This involves burglary or mugging, both of which involve police time, so perverting the course of justice, wasting police time, etc.

Not worth the risk.

 

[dalegolf215]

When they come to examine it, they'll find that the engine doesn't work, so how did it get to the carpark under its own power,

how would they turn an engine over that has no wiring left in it and why would they even try?

 

[Nath.]

When they come to examine it, they'll find that the engine doesn't work, so how did it get to the carpark under its own power, eh?



Not worth the risk.

An engine fire will almost always destroy a cam belt. Even a Rozzer could work that out.


When was the last time a torched £9k car was examined to see if it started? They would need a very clever mechanic/electrics expert to attempt to start a car that had been torched or even genuinely cough fire due to an electrical fault. All they do is send a guy round to see if it's worth attempting to repair it, if not you get a pay out. 100's of cars are torched or genuinely catch fire every month.

Deffo well worth the very small risk IMO. I would not pay 6k ro repair a 9k car, END OF.

 

[Marshall]

After reading this thread something doesn't add up. I can't understand if a manifold flap comes adrift and goes in to cylinder 4 that could cause head damage and piston damage.
Nothing at all to do with the bottom end and the lubrication system. The only way the engine can seize is to overheat or lose oil pressure which the oil light would be on and it was be knocking like hell before it stopped.
I know the rac said the fuel was correct but if it did have petrol instead of diesel in the engine would vibrate and lose power and combustion temps would get so high that the engine could seize.
Just my opinion after being in the trade 19 years something doesn't add up.
Keeps us posted mate but you need to discover the cause before you repair the damage or it may happen again.

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[red line fun]

really sorry to read about your engine woes. following on from kevs fr reply, and given that you're potentially facing a bill of thousands, what about getting an independant specialist to look at it and give his/her opinion on what has caused the total failure of the engine? even if this costs a few hundred it 'might' be worth the cost if their report states the part/s that failed shouldn't have given mileage, service history etc. it's a gamble of course because if it doesn't help then you've just incurred another cost on top of everything else.

tbh if it were me i wouldn't pay all that to repair a car that isn't worth a fair bit more. 'if' you can get an independant person to back up your thoughts and/or 'if' seat reduce the repair cost then maybe worth it, but a £6k repair, don't think i'd be doing that. easy for all us to say though.

best of luck on the outcome.

 

[Marshall]

If you were thinking of taking it any further by claiming off seat or anyone an independent engineers report is required anyway.
Also if you decide you are repairing it yourself what about a second hand engine out of a write off?
As above I wouldn't part with 6k when the 2nd hand engine route maybe 2.5k

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