Ask Honest John

Honest John Ask Honest John » I bought a used car privately and the engine needs replacing - do I have any comeback against the seller?

I bought a used car privately and the engine needs replacing - do I have any comeback against the seller?

I purchased a 2012 Land Rover Defender in a private sale. Within 30 days there was a warning light for the oil pressure followed quickly by engine failure. The car now requires a new engine at approximately 50% of the cost of the vehicle. I have not yet spoken to the previous owner, but is there any comeback? I did ask at the time if there were any mechanical issues and they confirmed that there were not.

Asked on 2 September 2019 by Giles Lang

Answered by Honest John
I don't think so. If you can prove that the owner knew of an issue with the engine by testimony from a garage that has been working on the car and then lied to you about it you might have a case for breach of contract, but it's a long shot.
Similar questions
I bought a 10 year old BMW 3 Series cabriolet from a private seller two days ago. It had 74,000 miles on it and nearly full service history (missed 1 in 2013). I drove it for two days with an intermittent...
I bought a used car privately and it developed a fault when I drove it home, can I do anything about it?
I've agreed a price with a private seller for a car I want to buy and am happy to proceed with the sale. They've asked me to pay by bank transfer and I can collect as soon as it's cleared. As the amount...