If the exhaust was not held up with anything at one of the support points, it would fail an MOT. Without seeing what was meant by "wire" I can't pass a definite opinion but it sounds like one person reckoned it was good enough and one person didn't. Brackets, mounting blocks and rings to hold up exhausts cost pence and they take seconds to fit. If it was held on firmly enough for one mechanic, that would be good enough for me. If the other mechanic's opinion was that it wasn't fitted well enough to last a year, I'd be happy to either let him fix it there and then or to wait until it came undone and get it fixed then (or at the next MOT). It's not a big issue. Most exhausts have several support points and, if one support comes undone the exhaust will wobble but it will normally stay in place long enough to reach a garage. If more than one support comes undone, the exhaust could drag along the ground and if it got damaged before you tied it up, you may need to spend £100 on a replacement.

You do not need to sign anything to enter into an agreement. If you said that you would buy the car then paid a deposit then changed your mind you will normally lose part or all of the deposit unless something else was agreed.

If from the start they said they were selling for a friend, suggests that they knew there was a problem maybe. I dont think you will have come back.

Yes it was on retail garage premises but they told me it was not their car and that they were selling it for a friend. they told me it was mot'd but guy at other garage said the exhaust was held up with wire so i should not have been mot'd. they do mot's at the garage.Nothing was signed by me.

Was it on retail premises, was also anything signed? If it was on retail premises it should of been displayed as a none trade car. Also their would be issues as defects not advised of.

The faults that you mention would not be expensive to fix and they should not put you off the car if an experienced mechanic could find nothing serious wrong with the vehicle.

I doubt that you will get the £300 back if you have changed your mind. You paid the deposit, presumably, so that the garage wouldn't sell the car to someone else while you sorted out insurance, finance, etc.. They have done this and, if you change your mind, you are liable for storage and readvertising costs and the garage could justify charging £300 for this. A lot depends on what, if anything, was agreed when you paid the £300.

I went to see a car (v reg) and thought i wanted to buy it. I was not asked for a deposit but gave £300 towards payment of car. Not being sure about it , i took it out for another test drive and took it to another garage to have a look. I was told this car had an new mot but the guy at other garage said the exhaust was hanging with wire, one tyre was almost illegal and brake pipes were needing renewed. I took car back to garage and told them i was going to hospital next day and was still thinking about it. Anyway was told next day that because of medication i was unable now to drive for at least a month. I called the garage and told them i was unable to buy car as i was now unable to even drive it for a while. Now they won't give me the £300 back. They also told me that they were selling this car for a friend so it was not part of the garage. Please help,