# Bought a car but disaster?-emission problem



## pierce (16 May 2006)

Is there anyone can give me advise?

I bought a VW BORA from private about a month and half ago.
But this car has failed in NCT in emissions and brought to mechanic in southside(where the disaster starts) and i had to wait 6 days until it partiallly fixed!The reason why i say partially means he changed timing belt (as it was due---- fare enough)and cealing rocket cover or something as he claims there was oil leaking somewhere!
But he still can't fix the emission problem.Saying:it's a problem with catalytic converter which needs to be replaced and it will cost me around 500 EUR by this stage I found out my bill is already 780 EUR...This post will be deleted if not edited immediately,I was shocked...........I said no thanks,i'll pay the bill so far and collect my car and fix it somewhere else.....

*Now,I'm a Non-National in Eire and it's my first car in the State(well i had a car before in diff countries) I'm helpless!!!!It seems to having a car is so expensive in this country!Insurance,tax,NCT,service cost etc...I feel they give me diff quote on the phone then i go there physically as they kind of think foreigners are easy target or something..... *

By,the way i just found out the Catalytic converter is cost only 118.25 GBP in UK and time consuming to change the converter is only an hour or so!So,why this guy is telling me that it will cost me another 500 eur eventhough i had already profited him nearly 800 EUR*...Has he got a human heart or he replaced an engine instead?*

So,Do you know any cheap and good hearted mechanic in Dublin?
Or shall just drive and risk it without being NCT-d as I noticed 40% of irish cars have no NCT disk .

Please let me know ! thanks.


PS: Do you know what I'm just thinking of :To setting up own car service garage and get these good/cheap mechanics from Poland ,East Germany etc...And start ripp -off people in Ireland, if it's the only way to survive in this society. (As it seems irish people are happy to be ripped-off)


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## monkeyboy (17 May 2006)

I had a 99 BM which failed only on emissions also. Cat convertor and half of the exhasut system replaced. cost an arm an a leg!

Idea about bringing in your own labour and undercutting the irsih garage trade is good too. You could certainly beat them on labour costs and perhaps a less greedy mark up on  parts too. 
Like everythong else competitions is needed!


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## X-Man (17 May 2006)

pierce said:
			
		

> Is there anyone can give me advise?
> 
> I bought a VW BORA from private about a month and half ago.
> But this car has failed in NCT in emissions and brought to mechanic in southside(where the disaster starts) and i had to wait 6 days until it partiallly fixed!The reason why i say partially means he changed timing belt (as it was due---- fare enough)and cealing rocket cover or something as he claims there was oil leaking somewhere!
> ...


 
welcome to ireland!   you need alot of money to live here i'm afraid


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## Carpenter (17 May 2006)

pierce said:
			
		

> By,the way i just Or shall just drive and risk it without being NCT-d as I noticed 40% of irish cars have no NCT disk .
> 
> Please let me know ! thanks.


 
I'm sure that probably 40% of cars on the roads here are now less than four years old and therefore do not require an NCT until their fourth anniversary.


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## joeysully (17 May 2006)

I agree Carpenter but there are many cars out on our roads with no NCT displayed or out of date. and these cars are Definitely due fo it. My own fathers car is out of date since feburary.


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## mc-BigE (17 May 2006)

I'm afraid everyone is been ripped off in this country, not just eastern European's. I would recommend www.otto.ie for the part and buy a www.haynes.co.uk manual for the bora and try it yourself, its the cheapest way.

If you have the number of that Eastern European Garage in Ireland please pass it on! sounds like a good idea!

also can i ask, why did you buy a car 2 months ago without NCT?, you should have got the seller to NCT it before you bought it.


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## pierce (17 May 2006)

Thanks mc-bigE for advise...Yeah ,it seems everyone has same story .I guess we need competition in every sector of the society...Not just in car service...
For the question you asked earlier:It was my stupidiness and pure trust on this guy....I shouldn't buy a car without NCT but..it;s too late now...
Anyway,i will buy parts from German website and change it myself....I will let you know ,if I found any russian or lithuanian garage in Dublin...But I'm not too sure about this...if not i will set up one in the future hehe...;-)For that i have to give up my job first i suppouse...


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## cardigan (17 May 2006)

You don't have to be a non-national to be ripped off, being a woman will do just as nicely! I ended up having to get my husband to bring my car in for a service, the shame of it.

Anyway, not that I know a lot about cars, just make sure (if you can) that it is the catalytic convertor that is the problem before you replace it. I had several parts replaced in my old car before the mechanic discovered what the problem actually was. Maybe someone on AAM can recommend a good inexpensive mechanic in your area?


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## Rokenna (1 Jun 2006)

Hi,
I was just wondering what is a resonable price to pay for a catalytic converter? I failed my NCT on emissions too, replaced the exhaust and failed again so now it looks like i need a new catalytic converter!
I know that they are cheaper if you buy them second hand - i have been told about €300 for a second hand one - is this about right?
Thanks
Rokenna


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## bacchus (1 Jun 2006)

pierce said:
			
		

> I bought a VW BORA from private about a month and half ago.
> But this car has failed in NCT in emissions and brought to mechanic in southside


 
Why did you buy a car few weeks before the NCT was due? That's looking for trouble.
There is often something very fishy when somebody sells a car just before the NCT due date...  And there are 1000s of cars for sale at the moment on the second-hand market.


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## bond-007 (2 Jun 2006)

joeysully said:
			
		

> I agree Carpenter but there are many cars out on our roads with no NCT displayed or out of date. and these cars are Definitely due fo it. My own fathers car is out of date since feburary.


The NCT is barely enforced by the Gardai. You don't need it for tax or insurnace renewals. Gardai just wave you on at checkpoints. I had a car on no NCT for 18 months not a problem.


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## bacchus (2 Jun 2006)

bond-007 said:
			
		

> I had a car on no NCT for 18 months not a problem.


 
That does not make it right... NCT is there for a good reason: your safety, my safety, protect the environment.

Did it also cross you mind that no having a valid NCT invalidates your insurance cover? so you may as well, not insure you car while you are at it.


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## bond-007 (2 Jun 2006)

I checked with the insurance and they didn't care. I had the car up to standand required. I refused to do the NCT as a protest against the govt and to prove the Gardai didnt give a toss about it.


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## mc-BigE (2 Jun 2006)

some insurance co's put a line in their policies, where they ask whether the car is NCT'd, and if you lie, then your insurance is invalid.

bond-007 "I had the car up to standand required" what standard is that? the only standard i know of is the one set by....................NCT.


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## bacchus (2 Jun 2006)

bond-007 said:
			
		

> I checked with the insurance and they didn't care.


 
....until you make a substantial claim or a substancial claim is made against you.

Do you have it in writting that they do no care?


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## bertson (2 Jun 2006)

Pierce - While I feel for you regarding the car, and the problems it has etc, but in fairness, would you purchase a car in this way in your own country??. Everyone should exercise caution when buying a car, especially 2nd hand, get a mechanic to check it out etc. Purchasing with no NCT only makes matters worse
So its not an excuse besause your a non national,
Anyway best of luck, and foward on any details of cheaper garages

Good luck

In relations


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## bond-007 (2 Jun 2006)

bacchus said:
			
		

> ....until you make a substantial claim or a substancial claim is made against you.
> 
> Do you have it in writting that they do no care?


I sure do.


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## bacchus (2 Jun 2006)

bond-007 said:
			
		

> I sure do.


 
Do you mind me asking with insurance company are you using?


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## bond-007 (2 Jun 2006)

bacchus said:
			
		

> Do you mind me asking with insurance company are you using?


Royal and Sun


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## DrMoriarty (2 Jun 2006)

Off the top of my head, I think the small print in my own policy (and a few previous ones, with different insurers) reads something like 'the Insured shall take all reasonable steps to ensure that the vehicle is in a roadworthy condition', or something similarly vague.

Amazing, I'll grant you, that the insurance companies' 'claim adjustment' departments haven't yet seized on NCT non-compliance as reasonable grounds for refusing liability. I've heard anecdotally of claims being turned down because an assessor's report showed that the brakes were shot, tyres were bald, etc., so it would seem like a no-brainer for them to write in some or other condition requiring the vehicle to have its NCT, where applicable...

None of which musings help the OP with his immediate predicament — sorry!


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## Qawra (5 Jun 2006)

Then only way to get anything at value in this society where we live the 'Gringo' dream is to know somebody who knows somebody. Ask around your friends/work colleagues. There is always a person who has a relation or friend who is a mechanic.


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