Bought Hyundai I30 (2012) from Car City - I'm Not Happy with The Purchase

I bought second hand car from Car City Minchinbury, a Hyundai i30 (2012) with 147000k for $11k. Paid full amount on cash to the dealer last Sunday (21st February) and went to pick-up today (23rd February).

While driving back the car stopped and had to re start the car. So I'm not happy with the purchase. Asked the dealer, he is saying he can't refund the amount once its sold.

Do I have any chance if I go to Fair Trading?

It was my first time buying a car from authorities dealer in car city. So any suggestion or advice will be helpful.

Thanks in advance

Comments

  • +59

    That sucks but you're not entitled to a refund. You should be entitled to 3 months guarantee from used car dealer to repair any eligible issues though.

    The dealer guarantee for a second-hand motor vehicle which had driven less than 160,000 km and was less than 10 years old when purchased is limited to 5,000 km after purchase, or three months after purchase, whichever occurs first.

    https://www.fairtrading.nsw.gov.au/cars-and-other-vehicles/b…

    The dealer is obliged to give consumers a Dealer notice which states there is warranty / no warranty under the Motor Dealers and Repairers Act 2013 and must also provide a Safety Inspection Report issued in accordance with the Traffic Act 1909 stating that the vehicle is roadworthy.

    https://www.mtansw.com.au/consumer-advice/motor-vehicle-warr…

    I don't understand why you would think buying a 150,000 KM 10 year old Hyundai was a good idea, but that's another matter.

    • While driving back the car stopped and had to re start the car.

      What do you think was the cause?
      Automatic or manual?
      GD or FG series?
      Has it happened more than once?

      Edit: was meant to be a new thread. Sorry Hybroid

      • Not sure about the cause.
        New to the car world so i know very little about them.
        Its automatic car and it has happened few times

        • +5

          Get it serviced and look at by Hyundai.

          AS above car will have 3 month warranty so dealer has to fix the issue. I suspect plug and battery need to be changed, alternator needs to be inspected.

            • +34

              @abb: Butt what plug?

            • +3

              @abb: Spark.

              • @Mechz: ahh, thanks. I've changed my own spark plugs on occasion, just had a mental blank!

          • @Bid Sniper: Why? What is the diagnosis for this expensive spend on parts?

            • +1

              @doctordv8: Thats my hunch

              Service techs by Hyundai will be able to give a definitive answer.

              Could be a crank angle or O2 sensor as well. Their OBD scanner tool will be able to quickly diagose where in ignition failure is.

        • +2

          So I had this similar issue with a second hand VW Golf in the past. In my case it was a faulty Crank Angle Sensor. But it could be something else for your Hyundai.

          But as Bid Sniper said you should take it to a mechanic to determine the fault. But before you do anything I would check how to do a warranty claim before spending money on repairs.

        • +6

          Yo 2012 Hyundai for 11k is bit too much. I have 2016 model for sale with 20 days of manufacturers warranty left on it for 11k.

    • Thanks will read on that.

  • +54

    Did it spontaneously catch fire while driving?

    • No the car just stops and engine shuts down and it starts to roll down. So i have to restart the engine again and again to drive the car.

      • +6

        It never happened during your test drive before purchasing?

        • -1

          And it wasn't picked up in the PPI either. Dang!

      • +14

        So take it back it to the dealer and get them to fix it as a warranty issue.

      • This happened to me when my car's gearbox had a problem.

      • +1

        I can share that three decades ago, I had a similar issue. In my case, it turned out to be a partially clogged fuel filter. When to found that and changed out the filter, it was right as rain again.

    • -1

      OP said Hyundai i30, not Ford Escape

  • +7

    Did you test drive? Car should have few months warranty through dealer, get them to fix it.

  • +1

    This is for Vic, unsure if theres a NSW equivelant, if thats where you are?

    A purchaser (not being a motor car trader or a body corporate) under an agreement for the sale of a motor car may, at any time before the expiration of three clear days after the purchaser signs the agreement, terminate the agreement by giving to or serving on the motor car trader or an agent of the motor car trader notice in writing to the effect that the purchaser terminates the agreement.

    http://classic.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/vic/consol_act/mcta19…

    Check that you didn't waive this though? And that there isn't any other catches?

    —- edit

    Looks like there's a 1 day cooling off period if seller

    arranges your loan for the car, or
    supplies application forms for, or a referral to, a credit provider. This is called a linked credit arrangement.

    I could be wrong though (not a lawyer), but looks like as you paid cash, you might be out of luck cooling off period wise :( https://www.fairtrading.nsw.gov.au/cars-and-other-vehicles/b…

    • Cash as in i used my bank card (debit card ) to pay full amount on sunday. Im in nsw so do you think there is cooling off period in nsw as well? And does it starts from date of purchase or date of pick-up

      • +12

        Cooling off period expires once the car is picked up. You cannot use the cooling off period as an excuse to return the car after you have taken delivery of it. And this applies to any state that has a cooling off period.

        It’s a contract of sale cooling off, not a “take the car for a few days and see if I want” it cooling off..

        They are not going to give you a refund, but they are obliged to rectify any issues with the car under Australian Consumer Law and other consumer protections.

        If they cannot fix the car, then you have the right to ask for a refund.

        Make sure you document the issues. Time, locations and exact nature of issue and how long it lasted. Make sure this is in writing and emailed to the dealer. If they tell you anything regarding the issues, make sure to get them to send it to you in an email. If the make any promises about it, get them to write it down or email it. Keep a paper trail.

        At least give them the opportunity to rectify the problem. If it cannot be rectified, then you will need to contact Fair Trading in NSW or NCAT and ask them to step in and help.

  • +8

    Wonder if it's worth checking the battery strength and the connections

    • +2

      … and alternator?

      The dealer should fix it in any case

      • +2

        I don’t have much technical knowledge on cars, but restarting after the car has stopped isn’t the issue. So, probably the battery is charging and the alternator is working. Unless, the car has auto stop when stationary, and the secondary battery which fires the auto start is not doing it’s job. Although, if that is the case wouldn’t it simply mean that the car will continue to idle whilst stopped instead of switch off.
        Probably the OP needs to get some more information on when the car stops. If it stops whilst running, it could be a safety issue, similar to the Volkswagen DSG saga. Then they might have further consumer recourse even possibly via Hyundai. Also, isn’t some Hyundai’s have 7 year warranty? Probably worth exploring if any residual warranty exists.

        • 9yo i30's don't have stop start.
          What's is this secondary battery you speak of?
          9yo i30's had a 5 year warranty so no chance of a claim.
          Agree with the safety issue though especially if it dies while in motion.

        • +4

          I don’t have much technical knowledge on cars

          You probably should have stopped there. The rest was wildly inaccurate.

          • +3

            @[Deactivated]: Sounds like OP needs to replace the flux capacitors :)

      • +1

        Statutory warranties (at least in WA), aren't bumper to bumper and only cover certain bits.

        Battery isn't covered (in WA)

  • +2

    No fire, no refund

  • Sorry to hear Jan.

  • +35

    $11k for that? Holy crap, what a ripoff. Youy can get a 2010 Mazda3 with same kms for $6k…

    • +3

      according to redbook the price is about right

      https://www.redbook.com.au/cars/details/2012-hyundai-i30-act…

      • -1

        Maybe so, but cash is king (so vehicle price vs financing should be less) unless financing… so it must be mostly dealers selling these things to have that average range.

    • +4

      A few months ago, I privately sold my i30 active 2014 with 90k for 12.5k, I think I got ripped off compared to this deal

  • +12

    Yeah I wouldn't be happy with 11k for a 2012 i30 either, despite the issue you noted.

    • +1

      Thats not too high a price in todays market…. according to carsales thats about middle of the road for same year/k's, so from dealer not bad.

  • +25

    That's what you get for buying from CarCity. They're well known about being one of the more dodgy, sleazy dealers in the Sydney area. Should've done some better research my friend. There's a reason most salespeople there are "Billy from Bankstown". Literally a google review check would give you everything you needed to stay away.

    Been there once just to see around, and was constantly harassed by salespeople from the individual dealer on site asking about my budget and randomly pointing out cars when I was just looking around.

    I think a car like that is good vehicle and kms wouldn't fuss me but you've overspent and its most certainly had a history of poor maintenance (likely ex. rental/ambulance).

    I never really understood why people trust (used) dealers so much. A lot of people offload problematic cars (I'm a culprit of this) as trade-ins, so that they don't need to deal with private buyers chasing them up later, Brand-Name dealerships if they notice these issues typically auction off these vehicles and places like 'Car City" buy these for their lot.
    Further, you literally have no idea of the history of the type of person who drove it before you (stamps can be forged in), and I always buy privately to gauge the personality of the seller and whether they would have taken care of the car - or tell if they're lying. Added bonus is its usually a few grand cheaper and better condition.

    If you're not car-wise there's always buyers agents who help people buy privately (they typically focus on one owner cars) and you can spend $200 on a car before purchasing to have a mechanic run through the car and diagnose any potential issues. Honestly you should get (should've gotten) a mechanic to check any vehicle prior to purchase if you're not savvy. At a minimum while scouting around, you could've gotten a car savvy (enthusiast) friend to accompany you and they at least could've helped weed out cars with blatant issues and stop pesky dealers from taking your money.

    • Agree 100%. Reviews indicate that OP is up the road with no way back.

      Looks like a call to NSW dept of fair trading is required as to what your rights are and what needs to be done so Op gets it fixed ASAP under warranty (not wait three+ weeks like other people have put in their reviews).

      • +1

        Yet another culprit to the dodgy car buying system. I feel like the government needs to put out some basic information about this on MoneySmart to give people some idea of WTF is going on. If you're buying a car for the first time on your own and have no friends with experience, you're screwed.

        Giving $11k to a used car dealer for an almost 10 year old car with 150k kms is a mistake.

        Most people are under this false impression that buying from a registered business is the safer choice but that's bullshit. Go private. You can set your own terms, haggle all day long, and usually grasp the personality of the owner.

  • +9

    Crikey you pretty much paid double for a clapped out old Hyundai.

  • Get it sorted immediately.

    What if you are travelling at speed and lose or have reduced braking?

  • I thought $1.1k were about right…

  • +1

    Sell it again, or take it to the mech to fix it. There is normally a statuatory 3 month warranty from dealers on used cars.

  • +1

    Did you have a pre-purchase mechanical inspection? If not, why not?

  • +6

    I'd be pissed.

    Life lesson here is if you don't know what you're buying, take someone with you that does.

  • Hey strange one but check your bonnet see if your battery terminal cables are Loose.
    You should not be able to remove them by hand.
    If they are loose vibration can knock them around causing bad connection.

      • +3

        You should check yours with 2 spanners and your tongue in the middle.

  • Doesn't sound like a big deal to me, but i could be wrong. Just sounds like bad battery and/or alternator and/or connections /all of this is possible.

    If there is no check engine light on, or flashing, it is probably just something relatively simple.

    BUT not all ECU's are programmed the same, some are lazy as hell and won't post codes until the damn car is near destroyed. There's a difference between a well programmed ecu and a bad one by vehicle manufacturers.

    For reference, my partner paid 11k for a 2014 GD i30 diesel wagon at the end of 2019, it had 80k on the odo and was a hospital lease vehicle.

    At 100k the shock absorbers are done for, both ends, it's about right. Put some KYB's in it, front and rear. Just the normal twin tubes.

  • +5

    11K for a 2012 i30? WTF

    • https://www.redbook.com.au/cars/details/2012-hyundai-i30-act…

      Price When New $27,590 Price Guide
      Private Prices $10,800 - $12,900
      Trade In Prices $8,500 - $10,600
      Average Km 230,000 km - 140,000 km

      That doesn't even account for second hand covid price jacking

      • an i30 should really have covid prices…. I think op just paid top dealer prices

        • "Shouldn't"

    • -1

      Exactly and at 140000km, would only go diesel or toyota at that range.

  • +2

    Car sales offered me 9k quote for my 2012 nissan x-trail 105,000km.
    U should go for second jap car.

    • +8

      A 2012 Nissan X-Trail is an excellent car. So much better than an i30. People on this forum love i30s, Yaris, Corollas. All the shittiest cars on the road. It is like they want to lead mediocre lives and drive shitboxes.

      • Except batteries and tyers. I did not change any parts from my Xtrail in last 9 years.
        For me, korean cars did import a lot in last decade. but i still wont buy second hand Korean cars.

      • +4

        Can you explain how Yaris/Corollas are 'shitboxes' i don't own one but they are decent cars. Ignorance is obviously being applied here.

      • Nissan's are endless money pits as they age. Super dodgy company too. Lol

      • +7

        What a weird take. Nissan X-Trails aren't exactly known for their reliability or handling prowess. While Corollas aren't the most inspiring cars on the road, they have a bit going for them in terms of reliability, reputation and resale.

      • Depends on your viewpoint. I'm completely utilitarian about cars, so what I want is safety AND lowest total cost of ownership (purchase cost + all service & maintenance costs over say 8 years + insurance costs + fuel costs). That safety + value approach is what leads to i30s / yaris / corollas (pretty reliable, lots of mechanics know them, not typically driven by hoons, fuel efficient). And if that upsets you, here's something else that may trigger you: if the cost was the same, I would happily get a white one, because the insurance is slightly cheaper on white cars than on other colours ;-) Call it mediocre if you like, but frankly, it's water off a duck's back, and I'd rather be accused of that and then use the money saved for something either fun or financially sensible, that than the people that pay the extra for SUVs and then only use them for shopping trips/school run, and never take them off road.

  • Shame your not in VIC https://www.consumer.vic.gov.au/cars/buying-a-used-car/cooli…

    I'd take it to a mechanic for a full condition report ( tell them you need it to sell the car - that way they'll list everything ) and if it has significant issues refer to

    https://www.fairtrading.nsw.gov.au/cars-and-other-vehicles/b….

    • Shame your not in VIC

      Still wouldn't work out:

      However, if you choose to accept delivery of the vehicle during this three-day period, you will automatically lose your right to cool off.

  • +1

    This might be a stupid comment and feel free to neg this into oblivion but I only mention this because you said you are new to cars.

    I'm pretty sure that the i30 has a stop/start feature to save fuel - i'm not sure if this is the case with your year/model but could it be it's just this feature working as intended?

    Stop/starts tend to work by turning the engine off automatically when you brake to a stop, then automatically restarting once you take your foot off the brakes.

    • A quick search on google seems to indicate stop start was introduced to the i30 in 2012, at least int he UK - not sure if that is true for the Oz model

    • Some Diesels had isg

    • Seems like OP's car is missing one part of that feature.

  • I paid 11k for a i30 Elite (2012 model) with ~74000kms at the time about 1.5 years ago, you got ripped dude. Don't think you can ask for a refund, you can ask them to fix any existing issues though.

    • +1

      It is covid times so more expens

    • +1

      A quick check on carsales shows this price is about right. Doesn't mean he couldn't have bargained down (or maybe he did). Not sure why the hate in this thread. He should just take it back and demonstrate the issue happening.
      edit: wanted to add I do think that price is too high for this car/age, but what he paid is in the range of what's being asked. Much better buys out there.

  • +15

    i had a bran new i30… my car did the same thing.. it would stall and stop and i would need to restart it..

    THIS WAS A NEW car and only a few weeks old…. i found out it was because i used ethanol .. i stopped using ethanol and 5 years later never a single issue.

    The car was a 2014 i30 Trophy Auto :) lol Hope my post helps you.

    • +6

      This might be the best answer in this thread 😆

    • Interesting maybe the knock sensor was shutting the car down? Did you hear any pinging? Rough idle? Does the car say it can use ethanol fuels?

      • the car does support ethanol. most cars since 2000s do

      • The engine sounded like it was a manual and the clutch was being depressed to the point of stalling… But it's an Auto so that shouldn't be happening lol… The dealership wanted to clean out the fuel tank thinking it was a bad batch of fuel…I said let me run it down with some highway KMs and then fill up with unleaded … That fixed it. After that it never had a single issue until it was written off in a 8 car pile up lol.. not at fault. I got paid out $14300 for it from insurance. I only paid $20,400 drive away from Bankstown Hyundai I. 2014. All up awesome car.. I got myself another new one for the same delership for $20,800

    • +1

      Ethanol wouldn't do that, but a bad knock sensor or water in the fuel would. Could have even been an intermittent ecu issue, bad battery connection etc…

      Chance happening.

  • Had the samw problem with the subaru

    Either replace the spark plugs or do a reset of the car (turn off tdisconnect batteru etc)

  • +4

    Check indicator fluid level.

  • What vid_ghost said above migit be true. I have a Veloster with perhaps the same engine (1.6GDI - 2014). I initially used E10 and even though it did not stop, it always ran very rough and felt it was going to stop when idling. I thought it was engine issues. Hyundai says it is E10 compatible. The Hyundai technician at Hyundai Castle Hill advised that I use PULP 95. Never had any issues after. Mind you my car only has 45K km.

    Also, I found Hyundai Castle Hill master technicians to be pretty good while a bit pricey when out of Warranty ($165 ph). Never had out of warranty service with them but because of feedback and information they shared, I would consider them if going for Hyundai check in Sydney.

  • That is a point!!

    Is the car Stalling or cutting out at speed?

    There is a difference….

  • My old Excel's engine used to cut off randomly at any speed. I would just clutch in, turn the key and resume driving.

    My first car, I couldn't afford to fix it on KFC wages.

  • what people don't know is that these cars at Car City are bought from auctions for stupid cheap.. quickly fixed so it runs. Some of these cars don't even have a proper log book

    • There's a reason why cars are sold at auctions… So generally, almost always, there is something up with them… But other times its because a company wanted to offload a bunch and recoup some $, and the vehicles are in good shape. Buyer beware as always, but it really is a crapshoot at auction houses (and the dealers who buy them and spend $0 getting any issues sorted….they leave it to the customer to carry that burden and hope you don't get the vehicle inconveniently sorted within the 3 month 5k km window *at dealer cost)

  • Any update op?

  • -1

    Don't buy Hyundai second hand. They are only good first hand with 7 year warranty.

    Yes you should go fair trading as still within 3 months

  • Dealer should fix it as per first comment. However if you want to have a crack yourself, get an obd Bluetooth dongle off ebay (about $20) and read out the fault codes. Would be good to learn and you can use it on any car in the future.

    • use it on any car in the future.

      use it on any most cars in the future.

      FTFY

  • -1

    147,000K for $11K, WTF were you thinking?

    Check out this link I hope it's still current and can help you. https://www.carsguide.com.au/car-advice/q-and-a/cooling-off-….

  • +2

    I was watching TV last Sunday afternoon (Channel 9 Rush) and the program is inundated with Car City Ads. I do recall one of the series of ads (they have several different ones) stated that if you are not happy with the car purchase you can return it.

    You may want to mention that to them. ACCC perhaps? Misleading advertising?

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