Length of a car dealership warrenty?
Discussion
Minimum warranty period: 0 seconds.
Sale of Goods Act protection: has to be, at the time of purchase, of satisfactory quality (including durability - so there is some room there), as described, and fit for purpose (i.e., driving, carrying passengers). The burden is on the dealer to show that the fault wasn't there at the time of purchase if it occurs in the first six months; after that, the burden is on the purchaser to show that it was.
So if your £300 p/x to clear needs an engine after two months, but you drove around in it in the meantime, you've no "minimum warranty protection" because it was a £300 car, these things happen, and the dealer can prove that the fault wasn't there because you drove it home.
If your £10k, 30k mile 2008 Passat needs a bottom end rebuild after 7 months, even if there's no warranty, it's probably still not of satisfactory quality. If, on the other hand, the cupholder stops working after six weeks, meh.
Sale of Goods Act protection: has to be, at the time of purchase, of satisfactory quality (including durability - so there is some room there), as described, and fit for purpose (i.e., driving, carrying passengers). The burden is on the dealer to show that the fault wasn't there at the time of purchase if it occurs in the first six months; after that, the burden is on the purchaser to show that it was.
So if your £300 p/x to clear needs an engine after two months, but you drove around in it in the meantime, you've no "minimum warranty protection" because it was a £300 car, these things happen, and the dealer can prove that the fault wasn't there because you drove it home.
If your £10k, 30k mile 2008 Passat needs a bottom end rebuild after 7 months, even if there's no warranty, it's probably still not of satisfactory quality. If, on the other hand, the cupholder stops working after six weeks, meh.
Warranties are quite nasty things for the most part - because they are not required under law and so can cover/not cover almost anything they feel like. Most 'warranties' on used cars are near worthless and even some 'new' car warranties can be shoddy (esp once they transfer from manufacturer provided to dealer-provided as they can then lock you into using their servicing, be non-tranferrable and have other daft limitations).
UK Consumer Law requires that retailers (those who sell to the public) offer basic protection on what they sell of course.
New Cars - minimum of 2 years cover against non-wear-and-tear faults is pretty much required under EU law (must be transferrable to subsequent owners too)
All Cars sold must be roadworthy (or clearly described as otherwise with faults clearly stated) and dealer is responsible for checking car has no accident history/outstanding finance IF ASKED (best to get it put on the receipt, basically).
Even if you don't ask, if a car transpires to have outstanding finance (e.g. it wasn't the dealer's to sell) then you have some comeback (so long as the dealer is still trading) wheras in a private sale you'd be screwed at that point.
and that's about it.
UK Consumer Law requires that retailers (those who sell to the public) offer basic protection on what they sell of course.
New Cars - minimum of 2 years cover against non-wear-and-tear faults is pretty much required under EU law (must be transferrable to subsequent owners too)
All Cars sold must be roadworthy (or clearly described as otherwise with faults clearly stated) and dealer is responsible for checking car has no accident history/outstanding finance IF ASKED (best to get it put on the receipt, basically).
Even if you don't ask, if a car transpires to have outstanding finance (e.g. it wasn't the dealer's to sell) then you have some comeback (so long as the dealer is still trading) wheras in a private sale you'd be screwed at that point.
and that's about it.
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