Head gasket failed 12 minutes after buying car

[beverleyaddick]

Hi there

I've just last Friday bought a 2003 Leon Cupra T. 55,000 miles, looks the biz. I pked it up froma main dealer at 2.40 - and after only TWELVE minutes of driving temperature gauge was at max and beeping, inside windows steamed up... I pulled over and tried to cal the showroon without success, but as I had to get home to pick my lad up from School kept driving (only another 10 minutes or so.)

Anyway, it's been collected and I am driving a courtesy car (Fiesta!) . Problem? The head gasket has blown. Now, I reckon that it had already gone and the previous owener traded it due to this and just gort a back street Johnny to patch it up, but my question to the experts on here is - should I keep it after its been repaired or decide that no, if the gasket has gone then it's knacked, cut my losses and walk away?

Opinions really gratefully recieved. Cheers!

 

[traumapat]

not had a head gasket done, but id be concerned about warping if driven whilst overheating. but at the same time if its repaired correctly it shouldnt cause a futher problem?

 

[ArosaRacer]

get them to fix it and keep it! just been without my LCR for just over a month and i missed it something rotten!

 

[m0rk]

When you say Main Dealer - you mean Main SEAT Dealer?

 

[OFI]

If it was a main dealer i'd expect a proper job done with a warranty make sure they don't just slap a new head gasket on it without checking the head for damage.

 

[ibizacupra]

was there a test drive before buying it?

 

[truCido]

Make sure the head gets skimmed, you want to make sure it wont do it again

 

[beverleyaddick]

Sorry, I meant main car dealer, not SEAT - as in, Evans Halshaw who were CD Bramell/Dixons before they got taken over.

Yes, test drove it and it was beautiful -as in, oh wow, this is the car I want...

but to go belly up so quick.......


It's got a years warranty so if anything should go wrong then I should be ok. However, my heart feels like its ruling my head here because I just love the car, hence asking for expert advise. My gut feeling is to keep it though....

 

[RikH]

Sorry, I meant main car dealer, not SEAT - as in, Evans Halshaw who were CD Bramell/Dixons before they got taken over.
.

the names say it all
number of horror stories from these places

given its under warranty id be sure to get it fixed, whether i trust these clowns to do it right is another story.

 

[ibizacupra]

if its warranteed then you should be covered then no?

 

[Mike H]

Absolutely no doubt that it would be covered by any warranty, and that the repair should also be warranted.

If the job is done properly, there's absolutely no reason why it shouldn't lead a normal life . Also bear in mind that dealers price their cars to cover any warranty claims.

When you consider, for example, the number of (Rover) K series engines that have had HGF repairs and are still running happily (including those used by Lotus), it really shouldn't be an issue if it's done properly and the head checked and skimmed, if necessary.

 

[RobboR]

If the jobs done properly like everyone says itll be fine.

I would still try an seek some sort of "gift" out of them for the trouble!

They probably new it had gasket failure aswell

 

[PhilW]

How do you know its a head gasket failure?

Could be a CTS or waterpump gone?

 

[DPJ]

How do you know its a head gasket failure?

Could be a CTS or waterpump gone?

It wouldn't have been headgasket failure originally.

But by the time he'd stupidly driven it for another ten minutes.............

 

[traumapat]

How do you know its a head gasket failure?

Could be a CTS or waterpump gone?

i was going to say water pump but the windows steamed up?

 

[PlatCupraJedi]

if you are not happy just ask for your money back !

 

[DPJ]

i was going to say water pump but the windows steamed up?

Boiled up as a result of running after warning lights etc

 

[andycupra]

or heater matrix has gone.

are/were the carpets wet at all?

Id move on to another car if you have that option, i dont like the sound of the temperature being at maximum with another 10 mins of driving on top of that.

 

[traumapat]

Boiled up as a result of running after warning lights etc

could be. but... i drove my car over 100miles to get my pump done (dont ask)

worked on the idea of keeping oil below 110 as a gauge to overall engine temp. drove like a nun and pulled over several times to cool the engine. i guess it depends how dead the pump is but i got away with it.

unless the pump completely failed id reckon youd be driving it around for a while with the alarm screaming to affect the head?

funny my local dealer reckons its quite common for the hg to fail.... yet thats not mirrored by this forum

 

[beverleyaddick]

It was the garage who said head gasket. However, have just spoken to garage who have said that cylinder has gone.. They're going to replace it and the cambelt, skim gasket etc (I haven;'t a clue what all this means, BTW, which is why I ask experts!) - going to be without car for a week or so. As for driving it for ten minutes while overheating, I needed to pick my 10 year old up from school. to be honest at the time I tried to call garage but couldn't get through so though "well sod it, I'm not keeping it anyway."

However, even the 12 minutes I drove it were better than any car I've ever had- Alfas, Audis, Chryslers.......not a patch on the Cupra.

Many, many thanks for advise