Used cars: your rights
Your rights depend on whether you are buying the car from a trader or from a private individual.
- A trader is generally referred to as a "dealer", and buys and sells cars as part of their business
- A private seller generally has only one car to sell, and is not selling it in the course of a business
In general, if you are buying a car for private use from a dealer, you are fully protected by consumer laws, which also give you the right to take legal action if your rights are not upheld.
Private sales
But the same consumer rights do not exist when you are buying a car privately, as the seller is not acting in the course of a business. So you need to be more careful and well informed before buying a car in this way.
Similarly, if you are buying a car/jeep/van for your trade, business or profession, you may not be covered by consumer law.
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