HOW TO AVOID THE BACKYARD CAR DEALERS

July 19, 2019

Used car buyers should be cautious of buying vehicles from an unlicensed car dealer and the risks involved.  These back yard car dealers will often use free selling platforms such as Gumtree to sell their vehicles and will typically sell from a residential or other type of non-business premise. Make sure you avoid backyard car dealers as often many of the cars of not been mechanically inspected.

Vehicles sold by these unlicensed dealers can be acquired though legitimate private sellers or auctions but may have had inferior repair work carried out to them. Some may even have been purchased as wrecks or ‘for wrecking only’ then cheaply repaired to on-sell to unaware consumers.

In Western Australia all vehicle dealers must be licensed by the Commissioner for Consumer Protection and used vehicles must be sold with a dealer warranty. By buying through an established licensed dealer it means certain statutory warranty regulations will be adhered to, vehicle ownership history will be checked and the vehicle sold on in a condition that makes it fit for purpose. In the event that something does go wrong you will have the peace of mind that you have some protection.

Car buyers should not be knowingly dealing with illegal backyard operators, as protections afforded to them such as warranties, title in the vehicle and consumer guarantees will not apply in these cases, so they are compromising their consumer rights.

If you are considering a used vehicle purchase through a private seller always make sure you check the vehicle’s ownership history through the Personal Property Securities Register to ensure the vehicle is not stolen, does not have money owing on it and is not a write-off.

To check whether a motor vehicle dealer is licensed visit the Western Australian Consumer Protection website.

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