Dealer refuses refund of car with faulty injectors

On 18 November 2025 I loaned my niece R75,000 to purchase a Ford Figo from Groenewald Motors in Wellington. However, shortly after purchasing the vehicle the engine did not quite run smoothly and my niece had it tested by Ford. It turns out that the injectors are faulty and the cost of repair is just over R57,000.

My niece contacted the sole proprietor, Christo, but he insists that the vehicle was a private sale, even though he provided an invoice under the name "Groenewald Motors". He has multiple cars listed for sale on his Facebook page. A sole proprietor car dealer is bound by the Consumer Protection Act when selling vehicles in the ordinary course of business, meaning they cannot use "voetstoots" (as-is) clauses to avoid liability. My niece has opted to return the vehicle and has lodged a complaint with the Motor Industry Ombud.

The vehicle is insured under my policy and since I financed it, I have a stake in this transaction. We are trying to get this resolved as quickly as possible but since my niece needs a vehicle we are going to have to get the car in a running condition. We will be claiming any costs from Groenewald Motors, but this is all taking time and money.

This has been a horrible experience for a young lady buying her first car.