The cambelt issue is small bickies if indeed it already has head/gasket/over heating problems, the cost of rectification of problems of that nature on a 1500 dollar vehicle will be in excess of the value of the vehicle with the cambelt and associated issues on the top.
It looks like you have learned a hard lesson the hard way Sully.
Do not buy cheap vehicles sight unseen and do not take the word of the vendor. Either take along someone that knows their stuff or lash out on a pre puchase inspection, it may cost a little, but it will usually save a whole lot more in the long run.
Was the vehicle purchased from a registered motor vehicle dealer !
a.woodrow,
Sep 21, 6:22pm
Is the headgasket leaking oil or is it a coolant/combustion leak!
sully12,
Sep 21, 6:42pm
terafter.I have learnt a hard lesson and no a private seller but he on looking through previous auctions has bought and sold vehicle parts and restored vehicles. a.woodrow not sure.There was no water whatsoever in the radiator.Didn't notice leaking oil in shade but when opened to check for rust repair the sun was shining in and oil leaking out top and side of engine.
motorboy2011,
Sep 21, 7:09pm
That is correct but it would be near impossible to prove the seller knew of head gasket problems, but it CAN be proven the car did not have a new cambelt when the advert stated it did.
snoopy221,
Sep 21, 7:13pm
There IS a positive- at least you got it checked out-and the belt didn't break and bend valves when you pulled out in front of a truck.
therafter1,
Sep 21, 7:16pm
Keeping an eye on the other touristy threads as well are ya mate . lol
mantagsi,
Sep 21, 7:17pm
Time for lemons and lemonade and all that crap. Since you haven't got much to lose, and yes I don't care if you are a lady - thats not a disability despite what most women on this MB seem to claim - this might be a good opportunity for you to have a crack at doing the cambelt yourself as a learning exercise! Sure, the crowd will go mad at me for saying so, but only one way to find out, especially if you know for sure you can't afford to pay someone to do it for you. Good luck either way :)
supernova2,
Sep 21, 7:18pm
Check his listings and feedbacks for other car sales/purchases.If you find any print them out as when you go to the DT you will then be able to prove he "is in the business of buying and selling vehicles"Will put you in a much stronger position.Also agree if you win at DT dont muck about and obtain a Distress Warrent as soon as you can.You need to keep on his back all the way.
ryanm2,
Sep 21, 7:19pm
Off topic slightly - I sold a Subaru Legacy a year or so ago - 110km on the clock - cambelt service hadn't been done. Then i see it for sale a few months back on here and the dude I sold it to was stating the cambelt had been done at 90,000km. It was an auction - should I or should have I not said something on the auction! I have seen it out and about so it hasn't spat the dummy yet.
snoopy221,
Sep 21, 7:20pm
mmkay what have i missed! Fire a link.
splinter67,
Sep 21, 7:21pm
too true great idea if it dosent work when your finished its still worth the same as it now
pebbles61,
Sep 21, 8:24pm
Don't buy a car with a cambelt! =D
kngfhrt,
Sep 22, 5:30am
every time i buy a car with a timing belt i generally end up replacing it along with bearing/tensioner and water pump and seals if need be regardless of what seller has told me unless there's a very clear indication that its already been done (receipts/visual inspection new and old parts) once brought a car that the owner claimed his local garage had recently replaced all the above parts plus i was given the receipts to prove it. within 3 weeks of owning it hello you guessed it, cambelt failure, bent valves etc!upon further inspection i noticed all parts that were said to be replaced were relatively new all that is except for the idle bearing!the receipts indicated it had been replaced but it was obvious that it hadn't been! bearing had collapsed it was dry as a whistle and it was cars manufactured original bearing. it all boiled down to a very lazy dodgy Machanic!been the most difficult bearing to remove he decided not to bother.i never took any action against it i just wore the cost and learnt from it.wish you all the best!
kngfhrt,
Sep 22, 5:33am
i guess thats your next best alternative.
kngfhrt,
Sep 22, 5:45am
personally i think there's a lot of people out there that don't even know what a timingbelt is or the repercussions and the expensive a breakage or a failure can cause. so for them its a lot easier if they are asked about it just to say Yes its been done rather than be questioned about stuff they don't really know about or understand.
kngfhrt,
Sep 22, 5:49am
but then again Im sure there's others out there that like to deceive. buyer beware!
therafter1,
Sep 22, 5:56am
Nah, no link, its just that you mentioned "pulled out in front of a truck", and I had just posted in a thread in general on that very subject, so put 2 + 2 together and got 1 lol
kazbanz,
Sep 22, 6:13am
OP lets be clear here. You payed $1200 for a car.Because you are a student and showed due dilligence you had a complete pre purchase inspection done and that showed none of these faults! Ohh you DIDDN'Tget a PP inspection done! Ok but you ensured you had someone with you with mechanical knowledge to look the car over before paying for the car diddn't you! Ohh you diddn't do that either. Ohh but wait the guy is a dealer so you have full cover under the CGA! AHH but no it turns out its not a dealer so by bye cover under the CGA. You being a student made sure that the cambelt was replaced by sighting the receipt for the work or by making sure its in wrighting on the complete receipt! Ahhh you diddn't Yet somehow this is all someone elses fault.
lets for a second say you get him to small claims.What is he going to be held liable for! -something that MIGHT happen! YOU are now aware there is an issue with the cambelt. Drive the car untill it snaps and YOU havent shown due dilligence. If I seem arrogant Im sorry but you get tired of hearing this sort of story -usually by the same people who refuse to buy from a reputable dealer because the car is "too expensive" when you have all the protections of the soga,and CGA
a.woodrow,
Sep 22, 6:16am
Kaz, A young! student bought a car, trusting the seller who told her that the cambelt had not long been replaced. turns out the seller lied, would that not be misrepresentaion!
kazbanz,
Sep 22, 6:29am
Or did he lie! a leaking cam end seal or crank end seal would kill a belt pretty fast.Said student is happy to yell about her "rights" but diddn't do anything to protect herself before hand. If using the washing machine senario.-Ahab buys a washing machine with a fried motherboard.replaces the motherboardChecks the machine and its running perfect.Keeps it and uses it for awhile. But a leak develops in a hose thats slowly killing the motherboard. The machine is still working fine and he sells it to sally. sally doesn't get it checked but takes it to Joe blow who takes a look and despite the fact the machine is still running fine tells sally the mother board needs replacing.
intrade,
Sep 22, 6:33am
He or she will have to talk camly on monday with the seller and go from there as i posted before. you soon see if the cambelt was changed or not on the sellersface. when he geniuenly surprised then he probably did get somone to do the job and got charged for it and the job was done insufficient. If he however goes on defense then you know he probably sold you the car with a lie.
intrade,
Sep 22, 6:38am
price wise you cant ever expect the car to have the cambelt done but that is not the point that was raised the point was telling the cambelt wasjust done when it was done incorrectly or not at all with or without the sellers knowlage. thats the part that makes or brakes the cort order if he was to take him to court. Like i be peed off if i paid somone to change belt then sell the car for few dollers and then i have to go to court over something that i could not know and possibile even pay again, that would be the worst case for the seller. If however he lied then its a different story its all about this exact fact here nothing else.
dr.doolittle,
Sep 22, 6:44am
I havent read the whole thread but $600 will fix a lot of rust. (I'm not including the pretty paint job in that $600). Why dosent the OP spend the $600 on getting the cambelt done & any left on rust! Just a thought.
therafter1,
Sep 22, 6:48am
Not much point in replacing a cambelt on an engine when head gasket / head issues have already been mentioned by the OP !
kazbanz,
Sep 22, 6:49am
intrade but doesn;t it drive you nuts hearing this when a decen't PP inspection would have picked up the oil leak/lack of water etc! Thats my point. If the seller lied is going to be pretty hard to prove. OP says the seller said "the cambelt was replaced"The seller says "I said I thought it should have been replaced or was replaced at 120k but I have no receipt" Then its his word against hers. _Which is why I always show the receipt or personally put a statement on the VOSA when I know a belt has been done
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