If you bought a used car from a dealer (a business, not a private individual), it's covered by the same Consumer Rights Act 2015 goods provisions as any other purchase — the car must be of satisfactory quality, fit for purpose, and as described, taking its age, mileage and price into account.
| Time since purchase | What you can ask for | Who proves the fault? |
|---|---|---|
| 0–30 days | Full refund (short-term right to reject) | Dealer |
| 31 days–6 months | Repair or replacement, then refund if that fails | Dealer |
| 6 months–6 years | Repair, replacement, or partial/full refund | You |
If it's within 30 days, you have the short-term right to reject for a full refund if the fault is significant enough. Report it to the dealer immediately in writing with details of the fault.
No — the standard accounts for the car's age, mileage and price. A 10-year-old car with 100,000 miles is judged against what's reasonable for a car like that, not against a brand-new one. A clutch or timing belt wearing out roughly when expected isn't usually a fault; a major component failing suddenly and early likely is.
A private sale (e.g. via a classifieds ad) isn't covered by the Consumer Rights Act at all — you rely instead on the car being 'as described' and not misrepresented, which is a different and generally weaker legal position. Buying from a registered dealer/trader gives you the full Consumer Rights Act protection.
No — a pre-sale inspection doesn't reduce your statutory rights if a fault later emerges that wasn't reasonably discoverable at the time, though a fault you were specifically told about and accepted at the point of sale generally can't then be claimed on.
Yes, up to 6 months you can ask for a repair or replacement first (the dealer gets one attempt), then a refund if that fails, with the same burden-of-proof rules as any other goods purchase. After 6 months you carry the burden of showing the fault was present or developing at the point of sale.
If you bought on Hire Purchase or PCP, the finance company technically owns the car until the final payment, so your claim is often against them as well as or instead of the dealer — and under the Consumer Credit Act they can be jointly liable for problems with the car.