I bought a car through an auction that wasn't as described - can I reject it?
I bought a car from a trader via ASM. The car was listed as starting and driving with an MoT and service history. The transport company picked it up and the company wouldn’t provide support to jump start it saying it was just a dead battery so it was winched onto the transporter and delivered. When it arrived we got it started to find an oil light in and a very loud ticking noise from the engine which would now appear to be a wet belt issue and was not advised to drive. This was not as described. We have tried to reject the car as misdescribed and not fit to drive, missold. The auction company are trying to say we do not have a case. Can you advise please?
Asked on 9 April 2026 by MAG
Answered by
David Ross
Typically the terms and conditions of a sale at auction are determined by the auction company itself, and your rights are considerably more restricted than when purchasing privately or from a dealer. We would suggest looking closely at the terms of sale to determine your position, but a brief look at the auction terms for ASM suggests that your contract is with the seller of the vehicle and not ASM, and that ASM reserve the right to restrict or limit their obligations or liability to you as a buyer. We would suggest making contact with the seller directly, you can read more about rejecting a vehicle in our guide here - www.honestjohn.co.uk/faq/consumer-rights/ but again the nature of the sale via auction will limit your rights.
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