Dealers must pay up

Consumer Act protects when bought goods are faulty.

- Ina Opperman

The National Consumer Tribunal has ordered two used car dealers to refund two consumers a total of R395 075 for contravening the Consumer Protection Act (CPA). One of the dealers must also pay a fine of R50 000.

In the first case, a consumer complained to the National Consumer Commission (NCC), after buying a used 2015 Audi A3 from Kia East Rand for R245 000.

Just over a month later, the car showed defects, such as overheating and displaying a Low Engine Pressure warning on the instrument cluster.

The car was collected from the consumer to repair the water pump but this did not fully resolve the defects as further inspection revealed that the cylinder head gasket had blown.

After the dealer did more repairs, the oil warning light would still occasionally go on. The car also started smoking and making an unusual noise. Kia East Rand said the car was overfilled with oil and the consumer's brother admitted this was his fault.

The consumer then went to another workshop because it was so expensive to repair the Audi, but this workshop could not repair it.