CASE sees rise in complaints over pre-owned cars; mileage tampering among issues flagged
Some buyers turn to lawyers after dealers fail to act, even while the car is still under warranty. “It’s always very similar – the engine stalls, it’s a faulty vehicle. I have to get a tow truck to come, and then I approach (the dealer) and say, ‘Look, the engine is faulty, can you fix it?’ They don’t answer. They don’t do anything.” A lawyer can send a letter of demand, giving a dealer an opportunity to resolve the dispute without going to court. But Mr Roy said the dealers in the cases he has handled did not respond to such letters. “I will have to advise my clients – look, if they are not scared enough from a law firm’s letter of demand, means they just don’t care. They will do something to evade liability – sell the company, sell their assets, all that, they will disappear.” Dealerships can also change their names. Of the car dealers registered from 2020 to 2025, 174 had changed their names by May this year, according to ACRA …






