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Your rights when buying a car are largely determined by who you havebought the car from. Buying from either a “trader in the course of theirbusiness” or from a “private individual” will largely effect this.

From a Dealer

Buying a car from a dealer means that the law provides maximumprotection and is regarded as the safest way of buying a car. Its important toremember though that you will only be protected against business’s that arestill in existence so if the dealer has gone bust or has vanished you wont becovered. So if you do purchase from a dealer go for a established, reputableestablishment.

Your Rights

Any car purchased from a dealer must confirm to the description ithas been given regarding its condition and history. If a misrepresentation hasbeen given such as the car has a complete service history and does not then aclaim for compensation may be made. The representation must have been madeprior to the sale and have been a factor in persuading the buyer to purchasethe car.

The car you purchase must be of “satisfactory quality and fit forthe purpose intended”. This means that the car should perform to the standardsexpected. For example if you have bought a used car which is used but only ayear old and it picks up a major problem within a few days of purchasing it thevehicle does not meet the standard. In these instances take the car back to thedealer and they should fix what ever problem the car has encountered. Failureto comply with this requirement is a breach of consumers rights and thereforecompensation or money back will be entitled.

Most cars bought from a dealers normally come with warrantybreakdown insurance. The terms can vary from dealer to dealer. However manyoften exclude “wear and tear” as well as limiting the value of each claim andthe number of claims in a warranty period. Before making any purchase it isbest to check the terms of the warranty so you know what you are getting.