My son bought a car about 2 years ago and the way the car is handling and behaving, we,re both convinced the car has been involved in an accident prior to him buying it. He has had an H.P.I. check done on the car, but this has came up negative. Is it possible that it could have slipped the net, and what course of action can he take .
Asked by mr. c. faulkner
Could a car bought two years ago have been involved in an accident?
Under the sale of goods act, faults that come to light in the first six months are assumed to have been present at the time of sale – the burden of proof is with the dealer to prove that they were not. After six months and up to six years (5 in Scotland) the burden of proof is with you.
So if you can prove that the fault existed at the time of purchase then you may be able to require repair or replacement from the dealer on the grounds that the vehicle was not of satisfactory quality.
However this might be difficult as, after two years all sorts of things could have become worn and be affecting suspension, steering, braking etc. First step would be to have the vehicle thoroughly inspected and then, depending on the findings, have a chat with your local Citizen’s Advice Bureau.
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