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I purchased a Toyota Allex in April 2017 in which the air conditioning was repaired on purchase by the dealer. Within a 6 months it stopped working so they regassed it and shortly after replaced the air conditioning compressor/clutch which had failed and they replaced in Nov 2017. In April 2018 (only 5 months after last repair) the air con stopped working again so I took it back to them to repair. They said they tested it and found no issue, and re-gassed it. So it was working fine again.
Now, 13 months later it has stopped working again and the where the pulley turns the compressor it is rattling, and the air con no longer works at all. I contacted the dealer and their view is I've had the car two years now so it's not their problem.
What is a reasonable expectation for air conditioning for a used car? I specifically asked for the air con to be in great working order when I purchased it and I've had to take it back 3 times in 26 months now. Surely I am right in saying that they have never fixed the air con to proper working order.
What is reasonable for air con? I have cars which it works perfectly for a decade (no re-gassing even). The prospect of having to fix this every 12 months, which is the current rate, seems unreasonable and is not consistent with a normal "wear and tear" type situation.
Any advice or thoughts appreciated.
Hi there,
As the vehicle is an older used import, it would be fairly reasonable to expect that some work might be required. As a guide it could be said that after 7-10 years a vehicle has had its most useful life and further repairs and maintenance could be expected.
However, the key is- that you have had issues (which happened too soon after purchase from a dealer) that the dealer has remedied (as they see fit) and if the repairs they have made are not lasting- then your rights continue. For example if they fixed an issue by replacing a part- that part must be fit for purpose and durable- if it fails in a short time then you have a right to go back. There is no specified time frames given in the CGA and often a dispute tribunal are the only ones who can decide what is acceptable or not. https://www.consumerprotection.govt.nz/help-product-service/cars/solving-issues-car-dealer/