DRIVERS are buying dud cars that break down within hours of being picked up.  

Horrified purchasers have watched their engines seize or blow up as they return home after handing over thousands of dollars.  

Others claim they were duped into buying dangerous vehicles with suspect roadworthy reports, or unknowingly bought cars that had been involved in accidents.  

Hundreds of alleged car disasters are detailed in more than 1200 pages of automotive complaint summaries obtained by the Herald Sun through Freedom of Information.

The "hell on wheels'' claims logged with Consumer Affairs Victoria over a year include:

A USED car bought at auction for $4491 that suffered a seized engine on the freeway on the way home. The BMW was allegedly advertised as driveable and not damaged.



A HOLDEN Barina wrecked three days after it was bought for $1400 when the bonnet flew back and smashed the windscreen.

A NEW car, bought for $36,440, needing repairs about 28 times while under warranty.

A DRIVER who bought a $47,248 imported car that should have been wrecked and only used for parts because it was on a recall list.

A MOTORIST who obtained car finance and then discovered that the engine number had been ground off.

Consumer Affairs spokeswoman Heather Abbott said people buying through private sellers rather than licensed traders had less legal protection.

For example, a private buy did not have a cooling-off period or statutory warranty. With a private buy it was also the consumer's responsibility to check whether the car had money owing on it.

Several consumers alleged that they were not told that vehicles were "repairable writeoffs''.   

Others, including a motorist who paid $1000 by credit card to view a vehicle, struggled to get deposits returned when they decided not to buy.

Another consumer claimed they copped a police fine for driving an unregistered vehicle because of a transfer bungle.  

Read more: http://www.news.com.au/money/hell-on-wheels-for-car-buyers/story-e6frfmci-1226160849563#ixzz1aE5xiLR2