What are my rights as a used car buyer?

jackmeehan

Hi,

I'm just wondering what my rights are as a used car buyer. I recently bought a car from a private individual (not car dealer), only to discover 4 weeks later that the drive shaft is falling apart. I personally don't know much about cars but my mechanic says that the person who sold the car to us knew about the problem, because they had apparantly tried to hold it together with cable ties, yet the seller did not tell us about the problem at the time of purchase.

Do I have any consumer/statutory rights in this case?

Thanks in advance,

Jack

hobochris

unfortunately for you, private sales are sold as seen.

which means your stuck with no comeback.

sean1141

did your mechanic not spot this when he was looking at the car before you bought it..??

if you bought the car without getting anyone to look at it im sorry to say its tough luck

Carstuck

Usually when cars are bought privately its a case of 'buyer beware' on defects. You don't have many rights in this case unfortunely.

murrayp4

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/categories/consumer-affairs/motoring/advice_on_buying_a_used_car_in_Ireland

"Vehicles are often advertised by private individuals on the internet and in the ‘small ads’ section of newspapers. If you buy a car from a small advertisement or on the internet from a private individual you are generally not buying from a person whose normal business it is to sell cars (although sometimes used car dealers do advertise in this way). Again in this case you have very little legal protection if you find that the car that you have bought is faulty. Your only right to redress is if the car is sold with a defect that would endanger people driving it. It is important that in this situation you protect yourself from unscrupulous people. It may be worthwhile to employ the services of a trusted mechanic who may be able to advise you on the mechanical state of the car."

bazz26

It is up to you as the buyer to have the car inspected prior to purchasing it especially when it comes to a private purchase. Unless you can prove that the previous owner knownly sold you the car with the problem then it is a case of "Caveat Emptor" or buyer beware.

OP, sounds like you didn't get a mechanic to inspect the car before you bought it. A decent mechanic would have spotted a worn drive shaft. Very risky when buying private not to have the car inspected, to be honest I think you can count yourself lucky that you are only getting stung for a new drive shaft and not something really expensive like a new engine, etc.

A valuable lesson to learn for next time me thinks.

jackmeehan

Thank you all for your comments. Next time we wont rush into buying a used car without getting it checked out first.

jock101

What was the car make? Thats why I always buy from a SIMI Dealer, even though I pay more for the peace of mind.:(

jackmeehan

It's a 04 Renault laguna 1.9 diesel