Major rust issues - recent Tuv - intermediary company responsibilities

[pec1710]

Hi all, last month I saw a good offer on an Alfa 145 Quadrifoglio and decided to buy it from an intermediary company without inspecting it first (some 400km away from me).

As an Alfa fan, I know these cars don't age too well, so I was most definitely happy to spend some money on it, and seeing that the car had received a new HU/AU in February of this year, I assumed it did not have any major structural-rust issues. All the rest I can live with - this is not meant to be a daily driver anyway.

I finally got the car to my mechanic for a check-up, and he could not believe his eyes (a couple of pics attached, but the rust runs also through the whole length of the door sills). Sure the Tuv was six months old, but the car is from 1999 so this kind of structural issue doesn't just happen overnight.

I got back to the intermediary company that as expected told me to suck it up and that I bought it from a private person... I did sign a contract with them and paid them though... but they won't do anything about it. Other than putting me in touch with the seller if I want to.

Do I have any claim here? I spent just short of 3000€ of this, and could probably get back half of it just by selling exhaust, wheels and interior... But I am really annoyed, other than being stuck with a car literally not worth fixing according to my mechanic (who could really just make money by doing so!).

The role of intermediaries is really interesting here, because throughout to the end you have a feeling you're dealing with a dealer, but then eventually sign a contract where the name of another private person appears.

Any help welcome!

[negon]

But what was the job of the intermediary? What were they supposed to do on your behalf ?