Used vehicles that broke down nearly instantly and others broken by floods within the jap states have fuelled a giant soar in complaints in Western Australia.
Consumer claims about faulty second-hand autos in WA have jumped by 730 per cent over the previous 5 years to a excessive of 431 final 12 months.
That in comparison with simply 52 in 2018.
In many instances, the autos broke down inside a number of days of buy and, in some, quickly after they had been pushed out of the automobile yard.
The improve has additionally been attributed to gross sales of flood-affected autos and the surge in demand for used vehicles as COVID-19 restrictions and manufacturing shutdowns minimize the provision of latest vehicles.
“The strong demand has enticed some sellers to offload vehicles that may be defective but unsuspecting buyers may not find out until it’s too late,” Commissioner for Consumer Protection Trish Blake stated.
“While specific warranties related to used vehicles may not apply or have expired, consumer guarantees under the Australian Consumer Law may still apply.
“So do not take ‘no’ for a solution when asking the vendor for a refund, restore or substitute within the occasion of defects being found.”
Ms Blake also urged buyers to be patient.
“Even although used autos are promoting like hotcakes in the intervening time, do not be hasty and take the time to get the car inspected to verify it is mechanically sound,” she stated.
“Also do checks to seek out out extra in regards to the car’s historical past, corresponding to if it has been written off or has cash nonetheless owing on it.
“These checks are essential, especially considering that written-off vehicles from flood-affected regions in the eastern states are being sold in WA.”
The commissioner cautioned these shopping for privately, the place shopper legal guidelines do not apply.
“Buyers who choose this option need to exercise extra caution before making a purchase, as there will be no recourse available to them if something goes wrong,” she stated.
Among these patrons who lodged complaints final 12 months, 427 obtained refunds value $2.4 million.
Both costs and demand for used vehicles rose considerably through the top of the COVID-19 pandemic, as the provision of latest autos was restricted and as extra individuals directed discretionary spending into updating their autos.
Prices have dropped steadily over the previous six months however stay nicely above pre-pandemic ranges.
Demand has additionally declined however the market is anticipated to stay sturdy in coming years.
