The second-hand car market has been booming in recent years – driven largely by shortages of parts for new vehicles, as a flow-on of the pandemic.
But as more people look to second-hand cars in the quest for a good deal, the outcome isn’t always positive.
In fact, second-hand vehicle purchases are topping the list of consumer grievances in Victoria as the state reports a tsuanami of motorists who are reporting buying faulty used cars.
According to the Consumer Policy Research Centre, 41 per cent of Victorians who had purchased a second-hand car had issues with it. Basically, they bought a lemon.
28 per cent of these aggrieved buyers have lodged an official complaint but for more than one in five of these complaints, the issue is still not dealt with.
For one-car households relying on a reliable vehicle, and needing to fork out extra cash on buying yet another second-hand car, buying a lemon definitely leaves a sour taste.
Have you bought a lemon recently? Have you managed to get your money back or are you out-of-pocket? Share your story in the comments below.