Car Issues and Warranty Concerns

Sorry for the earlier call, Nils. We didn’t know it was a holiday and that voice messages were the only option. Our current situation involves a car we bought from Steve about a month ago. We’ve encountered several issues since then, including dashboard problems, motor control light, and most recently, noises when steering and braking.

– Dashboard problem: Occurred on the day of purchase; required three visits to the repair shop for battery and alternator replacement before resolving the issue.
– Motor control light: Turned on a week after leaving Auckland; Steve suggested driving on and clearing the error message before selling the car.
– Oxygen sensor defect: Identified through self-diagnosis; Steve provided a link for purchasing a new sensor but didn’t commit to covering costs.
– Noises when steering and braking: Started a few days ago; cleaning brakes as per Steve’s suggestion did not resolve the issue.

We visited a mechanic who identified play in the steering gear as the cause of the noise. However, Steve dismissed this diagnosis and maintained that his breakdown warranty only covers the engine and transmission. He offered two options: continue driving with the problem or return to Auckland for his mechanic to inspect, at our expense.

We’re seeking clarification on how the breakdown warranty applies to these issues and what our options are moving forward. Communication with Steve has become increasingly aggressive, leaving us unsure how to proceed.
We are currently dissatisfied with the communication and handling of our car issues. We have a ferry booked for Thursday, but we’re unsure about what to do since we don’t feel safe driving the car in its current condition. We’re seeking advice on how to proceed, as well as clarification on the breakdown warranty, as we couldn’t find information on whether we need to return to the dealer or if a local workshop can handle it.

Issues:
1. Poor communication and evasive answers to our questions.
2. Feeling blamed for problems with the car.
3. Unsure about how the breakdown warranty works.
4. Concerns about car safety, particularly brakes and steering.
5. Repeated visits to the workshop and doubts about the value of purchasing through a dealership.
6. Disagreements with some advice given by Steve, such as ignoring faults or lying about dashboard function during resale.

We apologize for the lengthy message and hope you can address these concerns at your earliest convenience.

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