By Deanna Harris
Online car buyers are being urged seek an experts opinion before bidding, as the number of complaints to the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) increases.
NZTA Access and Use manager David Pearks says there is a growing number of cases where, despite having a current Warrant of Fitness, buyers are finding that the actual condition of the purchased vehicle differs from how it is portrayed on the internet by the seller.
“There seems to be an increasing number of people who see a car on the internet for sale, and think the photos displayed are sufficient enough to give an indication of the condition of a car.
“We would urge all buyers of vehicles over the internet to carry out an on site pre-purchase inspection of the vehicle before committing to buying it, or to use services of an expert to do this on your behalf,” says Mr Pearks.
He says this is a less expensive option than being left with a vehicle that is worth much less than what it was purchased for, or needs significant work to be brought up to a road worthy standard.
And Trade Me is fully behind the NZTA’s advice.
“Any blatant attempt to mislead buyers is a pretty dumb thing to do online because it’s easily traceable,” says Trade Me’s head of commercial Jimmy McGee.
“If buyers are misled about the condition of the car they also have rights under the Sale of Goods Act, Fair Trading Act and Consumer Guarantees Act.”
Trade Me can also provide an audit history of the transaction which a buyer is able to use at the Motor Vehicle Disputes Tribunal or at the Courts Disputes Tribunal, he says.
3 Newssource: newshub archive
