Does anyone know my rights re second hand car please?

[Pinkbottles]

It’s actually my sons right. He bought a car (first car) just last week from a garage that said it had a 3 month warranty. Test drove and all seemed ok.
Got it home (100 miles from garage) and warning lights came on.
A check in the manual and it says not to drive any distance. He spoke to the garage and they agreed to ask a local garage to look at it but not to do the work, if any, yet.
The garage have found a whole heap of faults including a dodgy break cable.
What are his rights? Can he just return the car? Clearly it’s not road worthy as it is (despite the MOT). Thanks.

That should obviously say brake cable! I can spell, honest!

This is a helpful guide:

www.moneyhelper.org.uk/en/everyday-money/buying-and-running-a-car/your-rights-if-something-is-wrong-with-your-car

Thanks really helpful, thank you!

Within the first 30 days he has the right to return it for a refund. How easy that will be will depend on the selling garage!

I had a very similar thing happen to me. You have a right to reject the car within 30 days of purchase. The must tell the garage of this in writing, stating the reasons why (include a report from the garage that looked at your car as evidence) and the car must be taken off the road from this point. However, if the garage won't take the car back, or argue the issues, then you've got a battle on your hands.
How did you pay for the car?

Sorry that should say *you must

He can return it within 30 days. I spoke to citizens advice and they advised me of my rights when the same happened to me. The garage wouldn't have it to begin with but CA told me which bits of law to quote and to send it in writing recorded delivery and they backed down and refunded me in the end.

Thanks for your replies and advice.
It’s progressed slightly in that the garage he bought from disagree without the report saying that some things were in the paperwork (mot adviseries) so wouldn’t be covered and they also disagree with the diagnosis on the fault saying it’s a much cheaper repair (because obviously they can see a car over the phone). They’ve now just sent through the ‘full 3 month warranty’ and it looks like it’s not worth the osier it’s written on. They’ve basically bought a cheap policy which could cover up to £500 but already it looks like we’re unknowingly out of cover as another garage looked at the car before the policy gave it permission plus a couple of other things inc starting work within 14 days of a fault.
CAB? Unfortunately my only free day (for a lift home or calls) before the 14 days is today and I know they can’t help without an appointment.
He paid with a debit card.

If still within 30 days it’s your right to reject it, you don’t have to give them the opportunity to fix it.

The law is pretty firmly on your side here, I should think, their dodgy warranty doesn't trump the consumer rights act!

Law is totally on your side here - and i think it’s up to six months, not thirty days. I bought a car from a garage a few years ago, it conked out on the motorway about six weeks later. Needed an engine change. Garage had to pay.

@AttaGirrrrl

Law is totally on your side here - and i think it’s up to six months, not thirty days. I bought a car from a garage a few years ago, it conked out on the motorway about six weeks later. Needed an engine change. Garage had to pay.

For clarity, in the first 30 days you have the right to reject the car if it is faulty. After that you must first give the seller an opportunity to repair or replace the car. If the repair or replacement fails, you are entitled to a refund.

For the first six months, any fault is assumed to have existed when you bought the car. After that, it is up to you to prove that the fault was present when you bought the car.

You can check MOT history here, might help establish longer term issues if they have appeared over a few tests:

www.gov.uk/check-mot-history

For clarity, in the first 30 days you have the right to reject the car if it is faulty.

Yes, it’s the rejection without repair I was referring to.