A judge has told car buyers not to trust everyone they meet on garage forecourts. The warning was handed down yesterday in the Circuit Civil Court by Mr Justice Esmond Smyth, who was referring to two Dublin car sales outlets he said had taken car buyers for a ride.
Mr Justice Smyth said that if there was a regulatory authority with regard to the motor trade it should look into this type of exploitation of the public by some garages.
"People should be alert and have cars examined before they buy them and make sure they are getting the proper documentation. There are clear statutory duties on people who sell motor vehicles to ensure they are of marketable quality and in a roadworthy condition," he said.
Fowlers Motors Ireland Ltd, of Millennium Business Park, Cappagh Road, Finglas, had sold an "entirely defective, unroadworthy and probably dangerous vehicle", the judge said when he awarded hackney driver Ken Harvey €16,000 in damages for a defective Citroen Synergie.
Bolands Motor City Ltd, Kingswood Cross, Naas Road, Dublin, had to pay €4,560 damages for having sold Finbarr Hennerty an Opel Corsa which led to his almost immediate detention by gardaí, who told him it was on their stolen cars list.