Page 4273 - Week 12 - Wednesday, 23 October 2019
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Braidwood on his way to the coast when, as he puts it, the whole car just broke down. He could not restart it. It was 8 pm on a Friday night. Luckily, Byron knew the warranty included roadside assistance. Unluckily, he soon discovered it was only available Monday to Friday between 9 am and 5 pm, because cars only ever break down during business hours, right?
Byron ended up camping on the side of the road. The next morning, he phoned the dealership. While they did eventually offer to cover half of the towing expenses, they said the breakdown simply was not their problem. It got worse. Byron decided to take the vehicle to an independent mechanic. The verdict: the whole underside of the car was a big problem. As Byron said, at any given point it could come apart. Two mechanics said they would not drive this car because of safety issues.
This is when the warranty also became a problem. On face value it seemed to be relatively comprehensive, but as more faults emerged it became clear that there were also many exclusions. Fast forward to about four weeks ago and Byron’s car broke down again. Byron was travelling at 100 kilometres an hour when one of the tyres sustained a puncture, or so he thought. As Byron explains:
I went to change the tyre and could see the whole front side of the car was broken and leaning on the tyre.
It soon became clear that further repairs would cost more than the car was worth. Byron had already forked out thousands of dollars. Now he is selling a vehicle that will probably be used for parts, rather than reliable transportation.
These experiences not only highlight the need for greater consumer protections for motorists but highlight how manoeuvring through the world of motor vehicle sales and warranties can be challenging and stressful for consumers. So today I am simply calling on the government to review the existing legislation and consider expanding the consumer protections for people buying second-hand vehicles, particularly ones that have been driven a bit further or are a bit older.
One possible measure I have highlighted in the motion is introducing 30-day warranties for second-hand motor vehicles that are 10 years old or more or have been driven more than 160,000 kilometres. This could include second-hand motorbikes as well as other vehicles like cars, caravans and motorhomes. I am not wedded to 30 days, but it seems to strike the right balance for these older or more driven vehicles, giving consumers the protection and confidence they need when they make this very significant purchase, while not placing an unfair burden on car dealerships.
Consumers expect older cars to have normal wear and tear, and by no means am I asking dealers to take responsibility for vehicles for an unreasonable period. A warranty in the vicinity of around one month is about making sure cars are simply in proper working order. Another possible measure is introducing a limit on the number of faults a motor vehicle can have or how many times the same fault can be repaired before a replacement is necessary. Many people who have ended up with a lemon will appreciation the frustration of a seemingly never-ending cycle of repairs.
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