Righto. My Mum's bought a Polo Harlequin (multi coloured horrorbox if you'renot acquainted with the idea). But it's not a Polo Harlequin. It looks verymuch like a red polo that's been resprayed to look like Harlequin by aprevious owner - door hinges etc. where paint has been slightly chipped, redpaint shows through, and it lacks the special harlequin seat fabric. Iexpect that when I check the options codes and chassis numbers with VW thatthey'll confirm that it's not a Harlequin.The other thing is that the car doesn't drive terrifically well. It feelslike it needs new dampers, but it might just be that all Polos drive likethis. OTOH it did seem worryingly able to drift around without being givenany steering input by me when I had a very short drive of it today. It couldbe the super cheapo tyres fitted, but it could be suspension trouble - I'venever had any of my old bangers do this to me...Anyway, my point is this: The dealer almost certainly knew that he wasn'tactually selling a Polo Harlequin (if he can't spot a paint job like that,he shouldn't be in the trade). Just in case you're wondering, VW made theproper Harlequins by making one of each colour and swapping panels. My mum'snot that bothered by this, but I'm bothered by what seems to be dodgyhandling on first impressions (the car managed to go from firmly on theright side of the road to the middle all by itself), particularly when she'sbought this to be more suitable for the motorway than her old car. Money'snot much of an issue for her, but she has paid well over what the car'sworth, and I don't want to see her forking out a couple of hundred forfitting a decent set of tyres and replacing bits of suspension when thedealer should have sorted it in the first place before selling it.So, now that the car's bought, collected and the logbook's been signed over,has she got a leg to stand on if I try to move her towards getting thedealer to take the car back? The car and dealer both give me a very bad gutfeeling, but...

He advertised it as something it wasn't and would be in deep shit ifthis was reported to the local TSO.

Sold a car that's not what it should be / possible suspension trouble - rights?

May 16, 2006 43 Replies

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ThePunisher 20 years ago

I point you to my first question.

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Doki 20 years ago

Spot the bloke who's 36 and still lives with his mum. I'm bothered because I'd prefer it if she didn't buy a shitheap as a) it feels like the suspension is a tad on the lethal side, and b) it's a waste of money.

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ThePunisher 20 years ago

Hey, I'm 35.

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Steve Knight 20 years ago

Ouch. Well over the odds I'd say. At this money, she should expect the dealer to get any mechanical problems resolved.

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