Vehicle purchases
Bought a faulty car? Put the history and evidence in order.
Prepare a focused complaint about a vehicle bought from a dealer, including the advertised condition, faults, inspections and attempted repairs.
Points you may wish to consider
Your rights are usually stronger when you buy from a dealer than from a private seller.
A car bought from a dealer should be in reasonable condition, do what it is meant to do and match its description.
What you can ask for may depend on when the fault appeared and whether the dealer has tried to repair it.
Information that may help you explain your complaint
These are examples only. Other information may also be relevant.
- Advertisement and sales invoice
- Finance agreement if applicable
- Inspection or diagnostic reports
- Photographs, videos and warning messages
- Repair invoices and dealer correspondence
Possible next steps
- Separate faults that were present when you bought the car from problems that appeared later.
- Create a dated list of repairs and conversations.
- Say what you want the dealer to do and why.
- Get specialist advice if the car may be unsafe, the amount is large or there is a dispute about what caused the fault.
Important context
Your options depend on who sold the car, its age and description, when the fault appeared and what the dealer has already tried to do.