Consumer Rights Act 2015 - Used First Car, can I claim?

fuzzycat9812

Hi all,

TL:DR: I recently bought my first car (a 2014 Peugeot 208 1.2l petrol) which had 127,000 miles for £1,495, a few issues with it and now I want to reject the purchase, need to know if its a viable option.

When I drove home with it (18/04/2026), I was sitting in the car letting it idle while I configure the settings when the engine management light came on. I did not drive the car for the rest of that day. The Sunday after (19/04), I plugged in an OBDII computer into the car and got 2 stored codes - P1337 and P0301, and 2 pending codes - P0301 and P0420. On Monday (20/04) I drove the car back to the dealership and rang them - they were on a train doing a delivery so they told me to drive to the garage they use and leave it there which I did. A few hours later after picking the car up at the dealership, they told me they had replaced the sparkplugs (P1337 and P0301). On Tuesday (21/04) I went back to the dealership and asked them if I needed my wet timing belt changing - a common issue with Peugeot 208s that I did not know about before buying the car - they said yes and quoted me £1,100 for the work.

While driving on Wednesday morning (22/04) at 3am, my engine management light came on again. When I got home I had checked the code and found 1 stored code: P0420 - the catalytic converter. Running a home diagnostic with the LiveData function, I found that the O2 Sensor 2 was mimicking O2 Sensor 1, which likely indicates a failing catalytic converter - however there was an advisory for a front exhaust leak in it's most recent MOT. Following this, I called the dealership and said I was unhappy with the car, and that I wanted them to fix these issues (timing belt and cat, I have a 3 month warranty on engine and gearbox) - and they told me to bring it to them on Thursday (23/04). After hanging up the phone I realised this car was a serious mistake and that I wanted to reject it.

I was wondering if with the possible cat failure and timing belt I could argue it was not satisfactory and because it wont pass an MOT it was not fit for purpose?

I am arranging an independent mobile mechanic to come take a look at the car and diagnose the faults - I have only driven it for less than 100 miles. There is no way I caused the timing belt or the possible cat failure. However due to my driving there are 2 minor scratches (happened after reversing in the cramped dealership yard)

Please let me know if I have a leg to stand on if I were to reject the car and try get my money back - and also the process I would go through if possible.

ChatGPT says I have a strong case, however I would like human deliberation on this! I have also involved my insurance legal cover about the scratches and they said to leave it alone as I do have some paint coming.

Aylesbury_Duck

There's a degree of reasonableness that comes with buying a 12 year old car with 127k miles.

The sparkplugs needed changing and have been changed at no cost to you.

The timing belt hasn't failed, and presuming that the seller didn't mislead you and say that it had been changed recently, that's on you to check the service record and what's been done or not done before purchase. I don't see they have any obligation to replace that for you.

The catalytic converter failing after 4 days and less than 100 miles would perhaps give you grounds to reject the car, but it doesn't sound like it definitely has failed - the problem may be that exhaust leak which again, was information available to you before purchase. When was the last MOT carried out?

In my view you're not on solid ground to reject the car…yet. If the cat has failed, that may improve your position, but the spark plugs and timing belt are not grounds for rejection given that the former have been replaced FOC and the latter hasn't failed.

Isthisforreal99

How did you pay for the car, hopefully not cash or bank transfer?

Despite what chat gpt says, having a valid case and enforcing your rights are a different matter. Is the dealer a Ltd company? Have you checked companies house? If there is a history of insolvency/phonexism then you may struggle to get any money back even with legal action.

I would have held off with the insurance claim for the paint for now.

fuzzycat9812

I have not claimed for the paint. I paid in cash. The insurance is the legal cover I have that help for things like this.
The car was not sold to a satisfactory condition - 127k miles or not no reasonable person will expect two check engine lights in less than a week of ownership surely?
1st check engine light came on 2.5 hours after purchase, didnt drive the car until 39 hours later, then 8 hours after that it was in the garage - i've only driven the car for around 3 days.

While the exhaust leak was an advisory on the MOT history, the dealership did not tell me or show me this before purchase. Also, the mere fact it wont pass its MOT due to emissions makes the car unroadworthy, surely this means it was not satisfactory to a reasonable person?

fuzzycat9812

The last MOT was carried out in July 2025. It is due in 2 months. I believe they should have sorted out this problem before the sale surely?

Isthisforreal99

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81974716#Comment_81974716

Why surely? You could have checked the MOT advisory before you bought - did you? And then insisted on a fresh MOT before buying. Why buy a 12 year old car with 2 months MOT on it? Did you test drive it?

The problem is you paid cash so despite any rights you may have, ifvthe dealer tells you to go away then what? Legal action is your only option.

lincroft1710

That would have been the first red flag, only 2 months MOT!

fuzzycat9812

Im ready to go to small claims. I didnt get a car with a fresh MOT due to a prevalence of ghost MOTs in Bradford.

I did check the MOT advisory before I bought it but I assumed they would not sell me a car with emission fault codes and recurring check engine lights 4 days after purchase!

Aylesbury_Duck

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81974714#Comment_81974714

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81974716#Comment_81974716

There are lots of "surely" in those posts. My point is that there's not much you can be sure about.

You've willingly accepted a fix of the first engine light, so that's "done".

MOT history and due date for the vehicle were available to you before purchase. If you were to give me the registration number I could check it now, for example. Unless they deliberately concealed the advisory note in the advertising, e.g. "Current MOT, no advisories" then they've done nothing wrong. It's reasonable that a 12 year old car would have advisories, and reasonable to expect you to have checked it, or asked the seller for the information. You are not getting a pristine vehicle for £1,495. That said, you have some evidence that it wasn't roadworthy if it's clear that the leak identified last June has developed in 10 months and was a defect that made the car unroadworthy at the point of sale.

I'm going to take a guess that your motivation here is that you've belatedly read about wet belts and got buyer's remorse. If that's accurate, then by all means try and reject the car - it might work. Ultimately, if the seller disagrees and you take the matter to court, I can see how the seller would defend themselves, and there's no certainty you'd win. Note also the previous poster's advice about actually getting the money even if you were to win.

born_again

The last MOT was carried out in July 2025. It is due in 2 months. I believe they should have sorted out this problem before the sale surely?

How do you know it had not been fixed in the mean time, so would not be a issue with the next MOT?

Bought in Bradford, forget small claims. They will shut down & reopen. Leaving you with a bill for your claim & no chance of getting the money back.

Did Chat GBT tell you that as well?

sheramber

Please let me know if I have a leg to stand on if I were to reject the car and try get my money back - and also the process I would go through if possible.

Im ready to go to small claims

So you really wanted people to agree with you and Chat GBT .