As ever, this tool is quite useful:

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/buying-or-repairing-a-car/problems-with-a-used-car/

Maybe too late to register a complaint about the MOT test that came with the vehicle.

If your vehicle has passed but you do not think it should have, you need to report this to the DVSA within 3 months of the test if the fault is a corrosion-related problem or within 28 days if the fault is for any other defects

https://www.themotorombudsman.org/knowledge-base/what-to-do-about-a-poor-mot

You already have a mechanical report by the sound of it? Don't get another MoT. If it fails on items that preclude its being driven you will need to pay to have it transported from the MoT station.

Keep it simple and use the evidence you already have to reject the car.

Good luck.

Thanks everyone, I appreciate all your advice, including the constructive criticism from one user. I think in future I will always get the car professionally inspected before buying. Has anyone else used this type of service to avoid the situation I'm now in?

Thankyou too for taking that criticism in the way it was meant, most of us have been caught out once or several times so we arn't preaching because we're too clever by half (if only), but because we too learned the hard way that highly polished turds are not what they appear.

I've never used an inspection service, and suspect like mechanics and people in general the quality varies.

If you trust your indy, presumably local to you, and he's the one going to be working on a car you buy, you could provisionally agree to buy a car subject to approval by your indy, the dealer if he and the car is genuine might run the car over, meeting you there so the inspection can take place with all present and if all good, you go back with the dealer or his driver to the garage and pay up, alternatively agree a deal subject to your indy's approval, you'll have to pay for the indy to appraise the vehicle at the dealership asap at mutual convenience.

A dealer baulking at the latter method would tell you all you need to know and you can walk away having avoided a lemon, a dealer keen enough for the former method would give me confidence, the dealer might agree for the inspection during a longer test drive, knowing you are serious enough to pay a mechanic to appraise the vehicle fully.

The way things are at the moment, i would expect a dealer keen to stay in business to bend over backwards to see sales go through.

You'll pay slightly more one way or the other, the dealer may give a better price for you to pay up there and then and go away, or you'll pay the mechanic for his time and possible travel ex's.

You can do a lot of this yourself by spending several hours researching possible purchases for the pitfalls before ever looking at the car itself.

Edited by gordonbennet on 25/05/2020 at 10:13