Bit long winded but bear with me...
MY 2010 3.0 was bought from a used car lot specialising in RR sports on 1/7/19, it had 72k on it and 1 previous owner. In the 4 months I've owned it it's been back to them 5 times as of this week. The first 3 occasions, within 3 weeks, were for small issues, PDC's not working, door lock faulty, but at the same time a repair to the rear brakes binding and the air compressor misbehaving. These were all fixed pretty quickly, including complete new rear discs n pads and a new air compressor.

At the end of Aug it spun a shell on the crank so had a new crankshaft fitted, from the breakdown to getting the car back it was off the road 7 weeks. Basically in the 18 weeks of ownership it's been off the road about half that time.

4 weeks have passed since the crank work was completed and I got the car back then yesterday it was losing oil from the front for fun so it's back with the selling garage again ! All this work has been done either through the supplied warranty or in the case of the crank, done by the garage despite the warranty firm refusing to fund it. I haven't paid a penny in warranty excess or such like, just taxi fares back home each time it's gone back.
Question is, do I look into trying to get them to take the car back and refund me or do I persevere with it? Have I just been unlucky or have I bought a lemon ? I have 2 months left on their warranty then my 12 month bought warranty kicks in. Your thoughts ???

Sorry to read of your woes

It's a tricky one. Usually, I would say once the parts have been replaced with new, you are better off. However, as you did have a turned bearing on the crank and you say they have fitted 'a new crank' - do you know exactly what they have done?

Genuine new cranks are not available for the TDV6. So the question is, what have they fitted? Or have they done a regrind?

Given it is leaking oil, obviously the job is not up to scratch and their workmanship is under question. I'd be tempted to refuse the vehicle and get a refund. Kev

MY2014 L405 RR Vogue SE 4.4 SDV8 in Corris Grey
MY2010 L320 RRS HSE 3.0 TDV6 in Stornoway Grey

It's not had a regrind I'm told, they showed me the old crank and told me they had hoped to have it reground but it was too far gone, where they've sourced the crank from I don't know. I don't yet know what has caused the oil leak so can't question their workmanship yet and as I say the other jobs have all been done without issue or repeat. I'll await their response to what this fault is and go from there. It's a lovely car and I love being in it but it's getting a bit of "what next?"

Hard to say as it’s your decision. It’s a question of do you trust them and the car? Just as in any car purchase the honeymoon period ends and you get to know what you’ve got. If it were me I’d be looking for a refund and start looking again, there are plenty out there and even buy one from a Forum member if you can hold out. Ultimately it’s down to you...... 2006 2.7 TDV6 HSE in Cairns Blue.

I’m no expert but if you have an oil leak I’d be thinking it’s a crank shaft oil seal gone or crank moving in the seal, or the oil pump has fractured (is the pump on the front?)

I also wonder if a failing pump could cause the shell/crank to heat and bind causing the shell to spin in the first place, fix the result but not the issue... 2019 5.0 SC SVA (Current)
2012 5.0 SC AB. Sadly written off by a campervan
23 plate Focus ST (Current)
1942 VEP Ford GPW Jeep (Willys) (Current)
1943 Whites M16 Halftrack (Current)
16 plate Eurofighter Typhoon, 2 x Eurojet engines with 20,000lbs thrust each. 1380mph

One thing you can be sure of is that you have not had a new crank fitted, you can’t get one, so you have an unknown secondhand crank.

Failure such as the one your engine has suffered don’t just affect the crank they can warp the block and that is where you might be. Hope I’m wrong but you could be looking at a replacement engine.

I think fair play to the garage, they are getting on with it and not complaining or fighting you.

How much did you pay for this back in July? You’d not get the full amount back because you’ve had several months of “enjoyment” of the vehicle.

When does the warranty expire (or the consumer protection, which ever comes last)? In some respects I’d be tempted to soldier on now you are this far into the journey, assuming the car had a convincing full service history. If it did not have that then I’d run for the hills now while consumer protection might be on your side. L405 P400e Autobiography (MY2020)... Silicon Silver / Espresso
RRS TDV6 HSE Lux (MY2011)... Nara Bronze / Arabica - now gone!

LandPhil wrote:

One thing you can be sure of is that you have not had a new crank fitted, you can’t get one, so you have an unknown secondhand crank.


Failure such as the one your engine has suffered don’t just affect the crank they can warp the block and that is where you might be. Hope I’m wrong but you could be looking at a replacement engine.

As others have already said, it is ultimately down to you. However these cars have plenty of capacity to throw expensive problems at you once your an established owner so buying one with ongoing problems when you have the option(?) to back out of the deal then back out sounds the better way out to me. There are plenty of other RRSs out there to choose from so I'd be inclined to cut your losses now before they go stratospheric. Of course if you know something we don't about its history, then that might alter your decision.

My previous Jag seemed to be in the repair shop more than it was on my drive, in spite of me meticulously spending through the nose to fix every issue when it arose. Finally when one of the head gaskets went I decided enough was enough. Robin
2008 Range Rover Sport TDV8
Gone:
Jaguar S-Type V8 4.2 Sport
MGZTT 190 2.5

Thanks for your comments, all valid of course. I take the point that a new crank, or replacement crank is possibly not the best solution however from the garages perspective they're going to do the cheapest option to get it back on the road. Albeit it's been back 5 times in 4 months I have had all issues resolved and some of these have been done at a cost well above the warranty limit or outside the warranty agreement completely, at no cost to me, except for inconvenience.

I've not properly explored the position of handing the car back as far as consumer rights go but given the service I've had so far and I have a full 12 month warranty beginning after this one expires, I'm inclined to stick with the vehicle. I feel the vehicle is worth me keeping it due to it's full SH, 1 owner and low mileage for it's age, I think I've simply been unlucky with the major fault it developed and given the tales you read on here it could've been far worse financially.

I think the only thing we can do it wish you the very best of luck with it.

I've had similar decisions to make in the past and I appreciate that they are not easy ones! I very much hope that when you get it back,it will all be good and fingers crossed, you will not have any more issues to contend with. Kev

MY2014 L405 RR Vogue SE 4.4 SDV8 in Corris Grey
MY2010 L320 RRS HSE 3.0 TDV6 in Stornoway Grey

Thanks, I picked the vehicle back up last Friday, I was shown an oil seal that basically slides over the front of the crank, this is what was leaking the oil, somehow it had come lose. Whilst in there they replaced the timing belt so I guess that's one less thing to be concerned with. I have 2 months left on the sellers warranty so hopefully I'll not need to call on it.