ADVICE
‘Problem’ car replacements are rare, says ombudsman
The MIO is there to help with motoring disputes, but do your homework first
Car consumers who feel they’ve bought a “lemon” and aren’t getting satisfaction from the dealer can turn to the motoring ombudsman for help, but they need to be aware that being given a refund or a replacement vehicle is a rare occurrence.
“When you buy a car there is no cooling-off period to cancel the sale on a whim,” says motor industry ombudsman Johan van Vreden. “The components that make up a vehicle are separate products, so if there is a faulty part the part gets replaced instead of the whole car. The exception is when it was deemed a direct-marketing sale, where a consumer was solicited to buy the vehicle.”..
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