Quick advice please

[Mightyquin]

Bad news - hope the dealer is cooperative but you've been more than reasonable in letting them inspect the car and trying to solve the problem but it's clearly burning oil at a serious rate, so remember your consumer rights! Good luck.

[Wabbitkilla]

A sad story, to be fair the dealer isn't going to commute a few hundred miles to assess oil use before selling it. Remember they aren't going to be experts with the MR2 either so could easily be mistaken that a reset will fix a sensor code.

They are a dealer and should take responsibility and accept a risk when selling cars. Some will be fine and they make a profit, others will not be fine and may destroy the profit from that car. It's a risk they have to accept, and it's how they deal with it after the sale which marks them out as a good dealer or bad.

You have been more than reasonable about this situation, and the dealer sounds like he's been quite co-operative, if only a little too relaxed in dealing with the issues. A mechanic could easily be fooled into wanting to believe the oil loss is from the tensioner but we have the benefit of experience on here. This is a service clubs like this provide that people probably don't realise.

Considering your reasonable behaviour, the dealers co-operation, and what we have experienced in the area of oil consumption here then we know the engine is in need of a stripdown and rebuild at least. I would suggest your best course of action is to talk to the dealer and point out due to the oil use you just can't trust or rely on the car in the way you would expect or need. It is really not fit for purpose and you reject the car expecting a full refund.

Take what you have learned now and use it to your advantage identifying and buying a better example elsewhere. Remember these cars are getting old anyway and the closer to £1000 the price is, the more likely they are going to need mechanical work.

[Mightyquin]

Not getting old, becoming classic!

[Wilderman]

Thanks for the encouragement chaps. Ill send him an email tonight then give him a ring tomorrow. I do feel a bit sorry for him really because as you say, he couldnt have known about the issue before selling it but im pretty sure he's more able to afford the loss then I am.
Mattperformance; the car is a 2003 with 87000 miles.

[Mightyquin]

How are you getting on?

Just a thought, assuming the car has been returned, would be helpful to post a pic and/or reg number so that anyone reading this won't end up buying it next! (Unless the engine has been sorted of course).

[Wilderman]

I was going to wait until I had more a more definate result but since you asked...
The dealer has thankfully agreed to take the car back and refund me, BUT he's said he needs to sell a car to get some funds in before he can do it. Maximum wait of two weeks. I know it sounds dodgy but I have to say he's been true to his word so far, if a little slow. He also said once he gets it back he'll put it through an auction as it is and see what he gets for it..unless some one on here wants to make him an offer?
Good idea on reg mightyquin, its LE03 OUG. Sable grey.

[mrzwei]

Well done!
Keep your hands on the V5.

[Mightyquin]

Well sort of good news, at least he's not tried to say you can't have a refund or whatever. Of course some other poor sod will go through the same headache assuming another unsuspecting dealer buys the car at auction and sticks it on their forecourt!

Hopefully this hasn't put you off buying another MR2!

[Wilderman]

Just spoke to dealer and he said i can return car on saturday and get a full refund. I wont be breathing a sigh of relief until I actualy see the money in my account but im close to putting this sorry tale behind me. I must admit this experience has put me off buying another '2 a bit. For pure driving fun its the best car ive had but the whole piston oval/pre cat thing would play on my mind a lot if I got another. I should of done more research as I thought it only affected cars made before 2003 DOH! The best thing to come out of it though is that I found another great owners club forum. You've all been very helpful and supportive so i'll still be checking in from time to time and if someone from here is selling a well sorted '2 localy i'd be very interested...after Christmas

[2003bluecat]

Matt on here (Mattperformance) sells cars with rebuilt engines, which might put your mind at ease a little regarding the engine failure issue, if you do decide to get one. I understand your concerns though, it's almost getting to the point where an engine rebuilt is to be accepted as a possible maintenance cost, although I still think, even allowing for that, they are good value. Or you could buy a cheap one with a broken engine and get it rebuilt, at least then you'll know it's good to last a while and it may even work out cheaper.

P.S. I know people keep on about how good Matt is, but that just shows that he IS really good.

[Mightyquin]

Good advice from Bluecat.

I started looking for a small inexpensive s/h soft top and thought I'd get an MX5 or an MGF. Every MX5 I looked at had rotten sills and other body rust issues. I heard about the MGF head gasket problem and sure enough a car I almost bought suffered HGF the day before I was due to test drive it!

The mechanic I use suggested the MR2 - he didn't know about/warn me about the engine and pre cat issues but I did some research on the web and fortunately seem to have found a decent example (pre face lift) although I must admit I've yet to check the manifold to see if the pre cats have been taken out....

There's few cars out there which won't have some issue or other at this type of age. You're pretty much an expert on the MR2 now  s:) s:)  so use that to your advantage and look for another one, and enjoy it.