Used Car Dealer Dispute — Refund or Repair Demand
Bought a used car from a dealer and it's faulty, not as advertised or broke down within weeks? Formal demand under the Australian Consumer Law and your state's dealer statutory warranty: reject the car for a full refund, or have it repaired properly at the dealer's cost, by a fixed deadline — or face the regulator and the tribunal.
What this document does
- Formal demand under the Australian Consumer Law and your state's dealer statutory warranty: reject the car for a full refund, or have it repaired properly at the dealer's cost, by a fixed deadline — or face the regulator and the tribunal.
- Records the facts that matter on paper: vehicle, seller, purchase date and price, kilometres driven since purchase.
- Sets a clear deadline and spells out what happens if they ignore it.
- Cites the right Act, regulator and tribunal for your state — all eight states and territories covered.
- You review the draft first; we only send it to the other party on your say-so.
What we'll ask you
Plain-English questions, one at a time. No legal knowledge needed — if you don't know an answer exactly, your best estimate is fine.
- Who sold you the car?
- Which dealer sold you the car? Their trading name as it appears on the contract or tax invoice (and the licence number if it's on the paperwork).
- Tell me what happened — what you were told about the car, what the dealer has said or done since, and where the car is now.
- What's the car? Make, model, year, rego, and the odometer reading when you bought it.
- When did you buy it, and what did you pay?
- Roughly how many kilometres have you driven since you bought it?
- Did the dealer arrange finance for the car?optional
- List each fault, when it first appeared, and any diagnosis or quote you have from an independent mechanic (name, date, amount).
- What do you want?
- How many days should the dealer have to respond to your demand?
- What's the total dollar figure you're claiming? For a refund, the purchase price (plus stamp duty, transfer fees and any repairs, towing or hire car you've already paid for). For repairs, the quoted repair cost plus those extras.
- Do you have the dealer's email? We can send the letter straight to them once you approve it.optional
- You approve it before it is sent
- 2 free amendments included
- All Australian states and territories
- Stripe secured · 256-bit encrypted
Used Car Dealer Demand — drafted to the right state law
One document, eight jurisdictions. We only ever cite the Act, regulator and tribunal for your state, so nothing from another jurisdiction bleeds into your used car dealer demand.
New South Wales
Motor Dealers and Repairers Act 2013 (NSW): s 68 dealer guarantee — a licensed dealer must repair defects that appear within 3 months or 5,000 km of sale (whichever first) so the vehicle is in a reasonable condition for its age, for second-hand cars less than 10 years old that have travelled less than 160,000 km.
Consumer regulator: NSW Fair Trading
Consumer money claims: NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT), Consumer and Commercial Division
Victoria
Motor Car Traders Act 1986 (Vic): s 54 statutory warranty — a licensed trader must repair, at its own expense, any defect appearing within 3 months or 5,000 km of delivery (whichever first) in a used car manufactured not more than 10 years before sale that has travelled less than 160,000 km, so as to put it in a reasonable condition for its age.
Consumer regulator: Consumer Affairs Victoria
Consumer money claims: Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT), Civil Claims List
Queensland
Motor Dealers and Chattel Auctioneers Act 2014 (Qld) and Schedule 1 statutory warranty: Class A warranted vehicle (less than 10 years old and under 160,000 km) — 3 months or 5,000 km after taking possession, whichever first; Class B (older or higher-km) — 1 month or 1,000 km.
Consumer regulator: Office of Fair Trading (Queensland)
Consumer money claims: Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal (QCAT)
Western Australia
Motor Vehicle Dealers Act 1973 (WA) s 34 statutory warranty (Form 5A information statement): applies where the cash price is $4,000 or more and the vehicle is not more than 12 years old and has travelled not more than 180,000 km — 3 months or 5,000 km (whichever first) for a car up to 10 years old and up to 150,000 km; 1 month or 1,500 km for a car 10–12 years old or 150,000–180,000 km.
Consumer regulator: Consumer Protection WA (Department of Local Government, Industry Regulation and Safety)
Consumer money claims: Magistrates Court of Western Australia
South Australia
Second-hand Vehicle Dealers Act 1995 (SA): s 23 dealer's duty to repair — for a vehicle sold for more than $6,000, defects appearing within 3 months or 5,000 km after sale (whichever first); for $3,001–$6,000, 2 months or 3,000 km; no statutory duty to repair for vehicles sold for $3,000 or less, or first registered more than 15 years before sale, or driven more than 200,000 km (the ACL guarantees still apply).
Consumer regulator: Consumer and Business Services (CBS) South Australia
Consumer money claims: Magistrates Court of South Australia
Tasmania
Motor Vehicle Traders Act 2011 (Tas): s 42 — the statutory warranty applies to a used car that had travelled less than 120,000 km and was fitted with its compliance plate less than 7 years before sale (motorcycles: under 3 years and 15,000 km).
Consumer regulator: Consumer, Building and Occupational Services (CBOS) Tasmania
Consumer money claims: Magistrates Court of Tasmania, Civil Division
Australian Capital Territory
Sale of Motor Vehicles Act 1977 (ACT): s 23 statutory warranty — a licensed dealer must repair defects appearing within 3 months or 5,000 km of sale (whichever first) so as to put the vehicle in a reasonable condition having regard to its age, for used vehicles less than 10 years old that have travelled less than 160,000 km; the dealer also warrants clear title.
Consumer regulator: Access Canberra (Fair Trading)
Consumer money claims: ACT Civil and Administrative Tribunal (ACAT)
Northern Territory
Consumer Affairs and Fair Trading Act 1990 (NT), Part 10 (motor vehicle dealers).
Consumer regulator: NT Consumer Affairs
Consumer money claims: Northern Territory Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NTCAT)
From your answers to a finished Used Car Dealer Demand in three steps
Answer 12 quick questions
Who it’s about, what happened and what you want. Plain English, one question at a time.
We draft it for your state
Your Used Car Dealer Dispute — Refund or Repair Demand is drafted to the legislation, regulator and tribunal for your state or territory, then formatted as a professional PDF. Usually ready within about five minutes.
Review, approve, sent
The draft lands in your dashboard for you to check. Nothing goes to the other party until you approve it — then we email it on your behalf and record the delivery. Two free amendments included.
Ready? Start now.
No card required until the end. No account needed to start.
Start My Used Car Dealer Demand — $29 →$29 flat fee · You approve it before it is sent · unlimited edits
Everything about the Used Car Dealer Dispute — Refund or Repair Demand
How much does the Used Car Dealer Demand cost?
A flat $29 AUD, including GST. There is no card required to start, no subscription and no hourly rate — you see the full summary of your answers before you pay.
How long does it take?
There are 12 questions, which take a few minutes to answer. After you pay, your draft is usually ready in about 5 minutes, and you can read it and request changes before you approve it.
Is it sent automatically, or do I see it first?
You see it first. The draft lands in your dashboard for review; nothing goes to the other party until you approve it. Once you approve, we email it on your behalf and record the delivery.
What if I need changes?
You read the full Used Car Dealer Demand on your dashboard before anything is sent. You can change the wording yourself or ask for a redraft, with unlimited edits and 2 redrafts included.
Does it work in my state?
Yes. The Used Car Dealer Dispute — Refund or Repair Demand is drafted to the law of the state or territory the matter is in — NSW, Victoria, Queensland, WA, SA, Tasmania, the ACT and the NT — citing the right Act, regulator and tribunal or court for that state.
Read up before you send
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Put it in writing today.
A few quick questions and your Used Car Dealer Dispute — Refund or Repair Demand is drafted for your state. No card required until the end.
Start My Used Car Dealer Demand — $29 →