If I buy a car that's advertised with no faults, but one develops and wrecks the car - is this covered by the Consumer Rights Act?

Let's say I bought a car and three months into ownership, the timing belt snaps and destroys the engine. Perhaps the water pump fails or a gearbox failure or the head gasket blows. Would these examples be covered under the Consumer Rights Act upon which the dealer would have to fix the issues? It's hard to gauge exactly what is covered and what is not. The car I am interested in is an Alfa Romeo 159 1.9 JTDM Turismo with 100,000 miles on it. The dealer selling the car is an AA-Approved dealer and there is no mention of any existing faults.

Asked on 4 March 2020 by JAMIE NEWMAN

Answered by Dan Powell
The Alfa Romeo 159 is a great car, but the 1.9 JTDM has an awful record for reliability. I would recommend getting a comprehensive breakdown policy if you decide to take the plunge. However, to answer your original question, a car trader/dealer can generally be held liable for any faults that develop within the first six months. For your consumer rights, see: www.honestjohn.co.uk/how-to-reject-a-car-your-cons...s
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