Ethical or not.

[Drillman]

I recently viewed and bought a machine from a large and well known (no not that lot) used tractor dealer in North Yorkshire.

it was an older machine bought sold as seen. I had no issue with that as viewed it and established it had a few faults which was what I expected.

however

since then I have learnt that the machine was sold to the dealer with a known engine fault that I only discovered after taking delivery. the dealer was well aware of the fault I am told.

At the time I took it on the chin and had it fixed and am generally happy with what we bought.

But considering I was a new customer to them and they also stock many tractors that are in the 10s of thousands to buy and which I may be interested in in the future should they have disclosed the fault or not?

Going forwards do I approach them about this as I believe the machines previous owner has had words with them about it as he told Them it was faulty and expected them to punt it away into the trade not to a local.

And should I name names and share my experience with anyone asking about the dealer in questions reputation?

For now at least I won’t name names on a public forum.

for reference were not talking about a 10 minute repair either.
£700 of parts involved. Plus labour

 

[Netherfield]

Have a word first before naming names, and no it's not ethical if they'd been told about the problem and stupid way to lose a potential customer.

 

[michael N123]

Is it QF tractors Agri sales ltd or whatever new name there dealing with now

 

[Drillman]

Is it QF tractors Agri sales ltd or whatever new name there dealing with now

No

 

[40 series]

Id say a wide birth from now on. If they cant be straight in the smaller stuff you wouldn't have much confidence in the bigger gear

 

[fendtfiasco]

The old saying is if you want a friend in business buy a dog. Very true .

Ultimately as i get older i find there are fewer dealers to deal with due to bad experiences, and even some people that work for machinery manufacturers are the worst.

Admittedly my first post ended up naming names not by intention but we never know where these posts go but ultimately in the words of a song the names have been changed to protect the guilty.

If they were aware of a fault then you should have been told, however that would likely have resulted in a 50/50 split in the repair bill and a reduction in their profit.

 

[box]

Everything I've bought like that over the years, I've bought on the assumption that something will be wrong with it. A very very thorough and very harsh PPI generally bring up the problem, if not you find a mountain of other issues that you can go back with and use to bring the price down. After you sign the purchase agreement, hope for the best, expect the worst.

If you don't want to take that risk, buy a proper machine off the lot and pay thousands more for the benefit of not buying someone elses problem (theoretically).

It was sold as seen. You saw it. You bought it. You failed to find the problem. You lose.

Now, I don't know what UK law is like, but down here a dealer can't legally get out of any obligations whether they sell it on the lot or sell it "as is where is" - the vehicle/machine still has to be fit for purpose. Many have taken matters to court and it has almost always gone in favour of the buyer.

As far as I'm aware, the only way they can get out of such obligations is if they sell it on behalf.

 

[Drillman]

Everything I've bought like that over the years, I've bought on the assumption that something will be wrong with it. A very very thorough and very harsh PPI generally bring up the problem, if not you find a mountain of other issues that you can go back with and use to bring the price down. After you sign the purchase agreement, hope for the best, expect the worst.

If you don't want to take that risk, buy a proper machine off the lot and pay thousands more for the benefit of not buying someone elses problem (theoretically).

It was sold as seen. You saw it. You bought it. You failed to see the problem. You lose.

I won’t disagree. I expected I had missed something so got the chap who does our spannering work to cast his eye over it as soon as I got it.

More the fact a supposedly reputable company knew of and didn’t disclose what would be considered as a major mechanic fault that they knew about. The smaller bits that need attention I expected due to the machines age.

 

[box]

Well, I guess we need to know, what exactly is the major mechanical fault?

 

[Drillman]

Well, I guess we need to know, what exactly is the major mechanical fault?

Seized turbo

and had been for some time.

And yes in the confines of the dealers yard test drive and a rummage under the bonnet I missed it.

 

[Dave W]

Hmm. Pretty sure I know what the machine is and who it was bought from. And the rough cost.
a £700 repair bill could easily have been absorbed or added on to the profit margin.
it's a company I've always thought to be reputable.
Very disappointed to read this tbh.

 

[Drillman]

Hmm. Pretty sure I know what the machine is and who it was bought from. And the rough cost.
a £700 repair bill could easily have been absorbed or added on to the profit margin.
it's a company I've always thought to be reputable.
Very disappointed to read this tbh.

Yes your right on all counts

 

[Kiwi Pete]

Oh, sh!t, yeah that casts a different light on things @Drillman

Yes, you probably have to take it on the chin to an extent, but what a quick way to lose a customer!

£700... in their shoes, I'd put a reco turbo on it and jack the sale price by a grand, call it an investment?

 

[Drillman]

Oh, sh!t, yeah that casts a different light on things @Drillman

Yes, you probably have to take it on the chin to an extent, but what a quick way to lose a customer!

£700... in their shoes, I'd put a reco turbo on it and jack the sale price by a grand, call it an investment?

We’ve fitted a recon turbo and new feed pipes etc among other bits to make it right. Fortunately no lasting damage appears to have been done. Tough old Perkins motor.

 

[Kidds]

How is "punting into the trade" any better, or does that just mean it would have been some other poor bugger rather than you?
I have fallen for such shite myself and if I got chance to get even I bloody well would, it is a rubbishy kind of person to do such a thing.

 

[Farmer_Joe]

I won’t disagree. I expected I had missed something so got the chap who does our spannering work to cast his eye over it as soon as I got it.

More the fact a supposedly reputable company knew of and didn’t disclose what would be considered as a major mechanic fault that they knew about. The smaller bits that need attention I expected due to the machines age.

thats really poor,

sold as seen is fine but failure to disclose a known fault by a dealers is another level, its a disgrace really especially when the person px-ing it has told them.

i for one would be grateful if you named said dealer so i can avoid them in the future being local to you, i would certainly avoid them knowing this information.

 

[Drillman]

How is "punting into the trade" any better, or does that just mean it would have been some other poor bugger rather than you?
I have fallen for such shite myself and if I got chance to get even I bloody well would, it is a rubbishy kind of person to do such a thing.

At end of day the machine has cost me a dollop more £££ than I was hoping but I’m happy with it so far. I will admit it was a gamble as it’s a long way from new and I was clearly told I was buying it sold as seen.
However a dealer I believed to be reputable who has a lot of decent tractors on there website I thought would have owned up to such a fault at the outset. Or not even told me about the machine in the first place when I was asking about one.

It was never advertised on the dealers website. I approached them asking if they had a machine like I was after in stock and pictures were sent to me of it.

 

[box]

Seized turbo

and had been for some time.

And yes in the confines of the dealers yard test drive and a rummage under the bonnet I missed it.

Well that's a bit more black and white than I expected. Go have a word with them.

You should've driven it on the road, not much testing can be done in a yard.

 

[Chae1]

We’ve fitted a recon turbo and new feed pipes etc among other bits to make it right. Fortunately no lasting damage appears to have been done. Tough old Perkins motor.

In my opinion it depends what you paid for it. If it was very cheap it was obviously for good reason. If you paid more than what you would have privately or at a farm sale. I would be expecting some comeback from them.

 

[Kevtherev]

They should cover the cost of the turbo if they knew about it.