More and more Tesla cars appear on the roads. With this, more complaints and claims are accumulating, reports Forbrukerrådet (consumer council).
The general picture of such a situation is based on complaints reported to the Consumer Protection Office in 2023 and growing number of cars in Norway. The complaints concern both new and used car sales, both private sales and consumer purchases. This overview shows how many complaints each brand has against numbers passenger cars that we meet on the roads.
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– Complaint rates are high, and clearly many consumers are having difficulty with Tesla. The three brands that top the list of complaints, all of them have seen an increase in numbers cars - which may indicate that newer car models have some imperfections - says senior advisor Thomas Iversen from the Consumer Council.
Three brands at the top of complaints
Tesla, Audi and BMW top the complaints statistics. At the other end is Toyota - which stands out for its very low dispute rate despite the large number of cars on the road and the high average age of its car fleet.
No more "sold as is"
Od January In 2024, changes to consumer law entered into force. Thomas Iversen hopes that these changes will contribute to a decline in the number of complaints in the coming years.
– Traders can no longer sell cars with the terms "sold as is" and similar terms. This stipulation increased the risk for consumers of receiving a car with hidden defects and deficiencies. We hope that the change in legal regulations will do so purchasing a used car safer in the future, says Iversen.
In addition to the fact that you can no longer sell a car "sold as is", the new regulations have extended the reverse burden of proof from 6 months to 2 years.
– This means that defects and deficiencies occurring in the first 2 years are attributed to the seller. If the seller does not want to cover the repair costs, he must prove that he is not responsible for the defect. This significantly improves the consumer's position in the car market, adds Iversen.
Remember about the technical condition report
If you are considering purchasing a new car used, whether it's a Tesla or a Toyota, the Consumer Council has some good advice for you.
– Read the advertisement carefully. If you miss something in the ad, you won't be able to complain about it later. Check whether the car is imported, whether it has been serviced according to the manufacturer's recommendations and when it was last serviced technical inspection (EU-kontroll). If you have questions about ads, send a message to the seller and ask what it means, advises Iversen.
Furthermore, the Consumer Council strongly recommends that you request a car health report and draw up a contract.
– The Consumer Council recommends using condition reports from NAF, Viking or an authorized service provider workshop automotive. No matter how good the relationship between the buyer and seller is, it is also important to draw up a written contract. All oral arrangements must be included in the contract. Thanks to this, you will avoid a situation in which there is one statement against another, adds Iversen. For electric cars It's also worth considering a battery health test.
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Source: Forbrukerrådet, Photo: pixabay
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