Former car dealer pleads guilty following CCPC investigation
October 1, 2024
Patrick Doyle, a former car salesperson, has pleaded guilty to misleading a consumer about the history of a crashed second-hand car.
In a ruling at Gorey District Court last week, Mr Doyle was ordered to pay €1000 towards the legal costs of the CCPC.
The CCPC brought a case against Mr Doyle, a former employee of Byrnes Garage, located in Tinnock, Gorey following an investigation which established that Mr Doyle had sold a vehicle to a consumer without sharing the car’s full history.
In August 2020, the consumer purchased a Ford Fiesta from Byrnes Garage for his daughter to learn to drive in. The consumer inquired whether the car had ever been involved in a crash, and Mr. Doyle provided a car history check printout, which indicated no damage alerts.
However, the car had been imported from the UK in 2017 and Byrnes Garage only presented a history check based on the Irish registration. A subsequent history check on the UK registration revealed that the Ford Fiesta had been damaged in the UK, and on 8 September 2016 was classified as a Category D Insurance Loss, meaning it was considered an “insurance write-off”.
It is illegal for traders to give false or misleading information about the history of a car. Unless otherwise stated, a motor trader should take all reasonable steps to ensure a car is safe and roadworthy, including completing a car history check, before making a car available for sale to a consumer.
While the law sets out the rules for traders, consumers should also take a proactive approach when buying a car and use the CCPC’s online information and checklist to ensure they are getting what they pay for.
Consumers who believe they have been misled by a trader can make a report to the CCPC helpline on 01-402 5555 or use the online contact form on CCPC.ie.
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