Bought a cheap car from a dealer, what are my rights?

Maybe worth a look at the Distance Selling Regulations 2000.

As I understand it, they provide a right to cancel a contract that was formed entirely remotely within 7 days. You dont need to provide a reason to the Trader or rely on the vehicle being faulty. The Trader is obliged by law to inform you of those rights.

If the Trader has not informed you of those rights, the 7 day cooling off period can be extended to a maximum of 3 months (plus 7 days).

A potential sticking point could be any faults that the Trader could claim to have arisen since you collected it or any work that you've carried out / had carried out on the vehicle.

Well regardless of paying for it or not, it might have been an idea to drive it just to check it was as described. Ok, it might be a cheap car at 500 quid, but a 500 quid car that instantly needs the best part of another 500 quid spending on it all of a sudden isn't so much of a bargain.

No, not directly, but there are plenty of half decent cars around that age for that sort of money. Mondeos are a good example. Shouldn't have to pay too much more than £500 for a half-decent R reg Mondeo.

topcat11uk ( snipped-for-privacy@aol.com) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

Lovely, an' all.

Trouble is, he didn't buy it mail order. He collected it, and had ample opportunity to identify the faults then and reject the car. But he didn't.

The contract was formed at a distance so is covered by the Distance Selling Regulations.

Collecting the vehicle happened after the contract was formed so is irrelevent.

No it wasn't.

Tony ( snipped-for-privacy@cooldark.com) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

You did a three hour return journey, to buy a £500 Rover 400 sight unseen?

WHY?

Unless, of course, you live an hour and a half from *anybody* else, there was BOUND to be similar closer.

Because it seemed like a bargain, and usually an hour is what we end up travelling to view cars anyway. We live in a little country town and the nearest city is one hour away.

Picking up parts for cars is a similar nightmare (especially since the auto factor in the town closed due to lack of trade...)

FOFF!

Very fair. It should cover the cost if you get a second hand box.

You can always take him to Small Claims Court.

It only costs £20 to book a hearing.

Chances are the dealer will make a deal, rather than waste 1/2 a day in court.

All you need to do is send a letter requiring a refund within 14 days or face court action, by registered post.

Worked for me.. in another situation.

There is one other thing you can do.

Stand outside the dealer on a Saturday afternoon and hand out flyers telling people how you got ripped off. He'll loose so much business that you'll have your money back with interest. I once did this, and believe me, within 20min I had my cash and was on my way.

No it wasn't.

Oh yes it was!

The OP clearly stated "I bought it over the phone" and "when I turned up to pick it up" Therefore, the contract was formed at a distance as the customer agreed to the purchase at a distance.

topcat11uk ( snipped-for-privacy@aol.com) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

The contract was completed face-to-face, by the OP arriving to collect the car. Therefore it is not a distance purchase.

ON the contrary, the contract was formed at a distance. Are you suggesting that the delivery of goods to you makes a mail-order contract a face-to-face deal?

Paul Cummins ( snipped-for-privacy@spam.vlaad.co.uk) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

No, but if I went to the mail-order company's offices to collect the goods and had an opportunity to inspect them before accepting them, it would.

An opportunity to inspect the goods is irrelevent to the Distance Selling Regulations

The point is that the contract was formed at a distance. It's not relevent where the contract was concluded.