Citroen Berlingo Multispace - Refund

Honest John Back Room » Legal matters
View Threaded
Tue 30 Nov 2021 12:43
Citroen Berlingo Multispace - Refund - thesoupdragon

Hi all,

We bought a car from a registered motor dealer last weekend. Test drove it around a residential area and decided to buy it.

On the way home on a the dual carriageway with some fairly hefty hills it became apparent there was an issue. Couldn't get the revs past 3000 in any gear and couldn't get the car at some points over 50mpg ( 1.6 hdi) which was a little scarey. Got home called the dealer and took the car back the same day. They still have it and have said that it has been checked at an independent garage ( sent a random screenshot saying no error codes) and there isn't any problem with it. They said it drives as expected for car of its age ( 2006) and weight.

I said I thought Id prefer to get a refund to which the answer was you can have a refund less £300. I don't want to lose £300 which seems totally unreasonable. They also said they cant issue a refund until the V5 document comes back.

I am a bit peed off.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Tue 30 Nov 2021 15:39
Citroen Berlingo Multispace - Refund - Andrew-T

Did they give the car any warranty (seems unlikely at that age) ? That could cost about £300 and may not be refundable.

Anyway that car is even older than mine so it shouldn't have cost very much - mainly because it's considered to have a limited useful life ahead of it.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Tue 30 Nov 2021 16:40
Citroen Berlingo Multispace - Refund - Bromptonaut

You don't say which 1.6Hdi, IIRC it came in more than one PS output version.

Even if it's the lowest powered it should rev to the red line. If it's only going to 3k rpm that suggests the engine, fault code or not, is in limp mode. I assume the reference to 50mpg = 50mph.

Breezeblock aerodynamics mean the vehicle's not going to have stunning acceleration and if you were getting 50mpg that would be good. We had the same body but with an earlier pre HDi engine with an output of around 70PS. Acceleration was measured with a calendar(!) but it could do 70 all day.

If it wont go over 3000rpm its got a serious fault. Citizens Advice provide a tool for dealing with problematic s/h cars.

www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/buying-or-repai.../

If you need more help the website has contact details for their Consumer Advice service.

Edited by Bromptonaut on 30/11/2021 at 16:41

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Tue 30 Nov 2021 16:42
Citroen Berlingo Multispace - Refund - thesoupdragon

Sorry yes I meant 50 mph

Dealer wont refund until paperwork comes back from DVLA so we are losing more road tax that we have paid out

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Wed 1 Dec 2021 08:43
Citroen Berlingo Multispace - Refund - Cris_on_the_gas

Go back to the Garage and ask for an accompanied test drive. Show the dealer the fault and insist they either fix it or give a full refund of all money paid.

If they don't agree leave the car with them and pursue through small claims court.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Wed 1 Dec 2021 09:12
Citroen Berlingo Multispace - Refund - thesoupdragon

If I leave the car with them do I have to keep it taxed and insured?

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Wed 1 Dec 2021 09:37
Citroen Berlingo Multispace - Refund - Andrew-T

If I leave the car with them do I have to keep it taxed and insured?

In view of today's date, it will have a full month's tax anyway ....

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Wed 1 Dec 2021 12:16
Citroen Berlingo Multispace - Refund - Gibbo_Wirral

It needs to go to a garage with Diagbox. There are loads of codes which can crop up on Peugeot and Citroens that don't appear on generic "scan-any-car" readers.

That's why I'm kept busy freelancing around garages when they get a Pug in and they're stumped.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Thu 2 Dec 2021 17:18
Citroen Berlingo Multispace - Refund - SLO76
Another example of why you shouldn’t buy a cheap diesel. When buying a car on a very limited budget like this stick with simple petrol engined mass market models. Out of curiosity how much did you pay for this 15yr old car?
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Thu 2 Dec 2021 20:42
Citroen Berlingo Multispace - Refund - Bromptonaut
Another example of why you shouldn’t buy a cheap diesel. When buying a car on a very limited budget like this stick with simple petrol engined mass market models. Out of curiosity how much did you pay for this 15yr old car?

Bit harsh there SLO. Those PSA diesels are, with the exception of the 16valve versions, pretty robust. A petrol engine could equally well get itself into limp mode and be hawked via a dishonest dealer. .

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Tue 7 Dec 2021 11:34
Citroen Berlingo Multispace - Refund - SLO76
“ Bit harsh there SLO. Those PSA diesels are, with the exception of the 16valve versions, pretty robust. A petrol engine could equally well get itself into limp mode and be hawked via a dishonest dealer. .”


No, they’re not. Yes earlier 16v versions are far worse but later examples suffer plenty of woe. I’ve a neighbour who tried using an 8v Berlingo as a taxi and suffered catastrophic engine failure at less than 80,000 miles (from memory) he’ll never buy another, nor will my old school friend with his 96,000 mile 1.6 TDCi Mondeo that’s recently expired despite regular servicing. It is not a robust engine which is well known as soft in both the motor and taxi trade. A petrol engine is much less complex and far far less likely to go wrong at this age and money.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Thu 2 Dec 2021 21:45
Citroen Berlingo Multispace - Refund - alan1302
Another example of why you shouldn’t buy a cheap diesel. When buying a car on a very limited budget like this stick with simple petrol engined mass market models. Out of curiosity how much did you pay for this 15yr old car?

In what way does it show that cheap diesels are no good? Could easily have had the same issue with a petrol car. The dealer has sold a faulty car and the buyer should be given a full refund but it does not show anything else.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 3 Dec 2021 13:01
Citroen Berlingo Multispace - Refund - Engineer Andy
Another example of why you shouldn’t buy a cheap diesel. When buying a car on a very limited budget like this stick with simple petrol engined mass market models. Out of curiosity how much did you pay for this 15yr old car?

In what way does it show that cheap diesels are no good? Could easily have had the same issue with a petrol car. The dealer has sold a faulty car and the buyer should be given a full refund but it does not show anything else.

Less likely, given older (but not that old) petrol cars don't have DPFs to clog up and newer ones with PPF work far more effectively due to the higher temperatures involved in the 'passive' regens. Plus they generally (comparing to common rail diesels) are far less complex engines for the most part. Petrol-engined cars are also generally far more suited to regular short-range driving from cold than diesels.

As is often said here, a cheap (cheaper than expected for its age) diesel-engined car is a good sign of one with a problem such as a clogged up DPF and/or oil dilution problems caused by failed (interrupted) active regens.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Tue 7 Dec 2021 11:36
Citroen Berlingo Multispace - Refund - SLO76
“ In what way does it show that cheap diesels are no good? Could easily have had the same issue with a petrol car. The dealer has sold a faulty car and the buyer should be given a full refund but it does not show anything else.”


A modern and much more complex turbo diesel is far far more likely to go wrong. Ask any mechanic or salesman (that’s not busy trying to flog you a diesel) what’s better for reliability when buying an older car and every last one of them will tell you to avoid a cheap diesel.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Tue 7 Dec 2021 11:58
Citroen Berlingo Multispace - Refund - galileo
“ In what way does it show that cheap diesels are no good? Could easily have had the same issue with a petrol car. The dealer has sold a faulty car and the buyer should be given a full refund but it does not show anything else.”

A modern and much more complex turbo diesel is far far more likely to go wrong. Ask any mechanic or salesman (that’s not busy trying to flog you a diesel) what’s better for reliability when buying an older car and every last one of them will tell you to avoid a cheap diesel.

SLO, did you ever see the Monty Python sketch where Michael Palin wanted an argument?

John Cleese explained that as a professional arguer, his default position was to take a contrary position to anything the client said.

There are some contributors on here who remind me of that sketch.

Edited by galileo on 07/12/2021 at 11:59

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Tue 7 Dec 2021 12:58
Citroen Berlingo Multispace - Refund - SLO76
“ SLO, did you ever see the Monty Python sketch where Michael Palin wanted an argument?”

Be boring if everyone shared the same opinion but I’d hold the experience of those who’ve sold or fixed said vehicles over a period of many years ahead of that of someone who’s not even owned one or perhaps ran a 2/3yr old example for a while.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Tue 7 Dec 2021 13:14
Citroen Berlingo Multispace - Refund - alan1302
“ In what way does it show that cheap diesels are no good? Could easily have had the same issue with a petrol car. The dealer has sold a faulty car and the buyer should be given a full refund but it does not show anything else.”

A modern and much more complex turbo diesel is far far more likely to go wrong. Ask any mechanic or salesman (that’s not busy trying to flog you a diesel) what’s better for reliability when buying an older car and every last one of them will tell you to avoid a cheap diesel.

SLO, did you ever see the Monty Python sketch where Michael Palin wanted an argument?

John Cleese explained that as a professional arguer, his default position was to take a contrary position to anything the client said.

There are some contributors on here who remind me of that sketch.

No need for a Spanish Inqusition about what people post!

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Tue 7 Dec 2021 14:51
Citroen Berlingo Multispace - Refund - Tester

'No need for a Spanish Inqusition about what people post!'

I never expected that!

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Tue 7 Dec 2021 19:48
Citroen Berlingo Multispace - Refund - bathtub tom

'No need for a Spanish Inqusition about what people post!'

I never expected that!

No-one expected it!

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Tue 7 Dec 2021 13:13
Citroen Berlingo Multispace - Refund - alan1302
“ In what way does it show that cheap diesels are no good? Could easily have had the same issue with a petrol car. The dealer has sold a faulty car and the buyer should be given a full refund but it does not show anything else.” A modern and much more complex turbo diesel is far far more likely to go wrong. Ask any mechanic or salesman (that’s not busy trying to flog you a diesel) what’s better for reliability when buying an older car and every last one of them will tell you to avoid a cheap diesel.

That's not what I was disputing - and I agree an old diesel is more likley to have issues.

Just that this case does not show that a cheap diesel is bad - the dealer had sold a faulty car. If that had been a petrol car would you then think it shows that old petrol cars are not reliable?

Reply | Report as offensive | Link