14 day return policy on second hand cars??

Transportation, Travel and Trips
1
Hello,

Does anyone know what the Swiss rules are on returning a second-hand car that develops major problems during the first week of owning it? I heard that there's a 14 day period where any car sale contract can be cancelled, but I'm not sure what the conditions are. If the car was bought from a private seller, and the car had major problems which were undisclosed at the time of sale, is the buyer covered by Swiss law if anything goes seriously wrong in the first two weeks?

Thank you!

2
Private sale, very little, Caveat Emptor. If a car has been in a major accident, it is noted on the registration document.

From a garage you may have a possibility providing it is pre-negotiated for a return and exchange for another car, a lot depends on the fault and if it can be input to negligence.

At very best you could expect an exchange, but not to be re-imbursed fully otherwise it would turn in to a giant free car rental operation.

3
I would advise you to contact the consumer protection agency:

http://www.frc.ch/ for the romandie (in french)

and

http://www.ktipp.ch/ for the german speaking part.

They usually have forums or even support by phone.

4
There is no 14-day or similar rule in Swiss law and sales contracts are binding in principle (pacta sunt servanda), there are only a few exceptions without relevance to your situation. In principle, yes, limitations on or even exclusion of warranty are common though. Did you conclude a written contract and do you have any other written proof of your transaction, in particular with regard to the condition of the car?

Martin

5
I don't think you can return a second hand car within 14 days or even within 1 day ... Usually all private sellers says "I am not a garage, so I don't provide garanty that the car is OK". When you sign a "selling document" usually it is written there "selling in actual condition with no garantie" ...

Tell us more what's wrong with the car? Maybe I will be able to help with advices. I know a little about cars.

P.S. If you were given a warranty on a second hand car and it broke, you can ask to repair it.

However, recently I bought a Honda CBR motocycle. And after some time I started to hear some bizzare noise coming from cam chain. So I came to garage (I had warranty). They tested and said "well, it happens, noise is nothing you can scare of " ...

So on my own costs I am now going to buy a cam chain tensioner and change it. Yes, the garagists are busdarts. I know.