What can I do if the vehicle I've bought has a defect that I didn't notice at the time of sale?

A defect discovered after the sale is known in legal jargon as a hidden defect. You will need to prove that there is a hidden defect. Proof of a latent defect is easier to prove in the case of the sale of a second-hand vehicle than in the case of the sale of a new vehicle.

A legal or amicable expertise is sometimes necessary to find out if the defect was prior to the sale and whether the defect could have affected the use of the property.

In the case of a new vehicle, the hidden defect could be a manufacturing or design fault. For example, theengine defect in a new vehicle attributable to the manufacturer. The action for guarantee of the hidden defects can be brought by the purchaser or even the sub-purchaser (i.e. the person who acquires the used vehicle) against the manufacturer but he will have to prove the hidden defect due to the fault of the manufacturer. The defect must compromise the use of the thing. It the defect must be truly prohibitive for the action to be effective. for latent defects.

Four conditions must be met:

Firstly, The defect must compromise the use of the vehicle, i.e. the purchaser must be unable to use the vehicle because of the defect.

The Law firm of Me ZAKINE is called upon to deal with this type of difficulty. Me Zakine acts throughout France in this type of dispute.

Registered with Grasse BarIt operates in Grasse, Antibes, Cannes, Nice, Cannes, Draguignan and Saint-Tropez, as well as in the Paris region (Villepinte, Pontoise, etc.), Paris 75, Bordeaux, Lyon, Marseille, Aix-en-Provence and Toulouse, Cagnes sur Mer, Saint Paul de Vence, Paris, Villepinte, Bezons, Cergyn Pontoise, Bordeaux, Lyon, Marseille, Toulouse, Ile de France, Perpignan, Mont de Marsan, Rennes, Nantes, Nancy and Metz and Thionville.

For example, a sub-purchaser of a second-hand vehicle buys a vehicle and after 200 kilometres, the vehicle breaks down, which can lead to an action under the warranty for hidden defects.

Secondlythe the defect predates the sale and is revealed after the sale. Often, it is the organisation of a survey that will determine whether or not the defect predates the purchase of the vehicle.

Third, As the name suggests, this is an action for latent defects.
\nLe défaut ou vice est donc caché lors de la vente, c’est-à-dire qu’il n’est pas apparent. Cela ne veut pas dire que le vendeur savait qu’un défaut affectait le véhicule. Cela signifie seulement que l’acheteur ne pouvait pas découvrir ce défaut au moment de la vente.
\nSi le seller was aware of the defect and the purchaser succeeds in proving knowledge of the defect This will give the purchaser a second basis for his action in warranty for latent defects, which will also be based on fraud.
\nLe dol est caractérisé par des manœuvres frauduleuses destinées à tromper pour amener l’acquéreur à acheter le bien.

Apparent defects are therefore excluded.

However, the existence of an apparent defect still allows the lay buyer, i.e. a non-professional, to request that the sale be declared null and void or to claim damages.
\nEn effet, on considère qu’en sa qualité de non professionnel, il ne pouvait pas déceler un problème même après inspection de la voiture.
\nC’est l’expertise qui déterminera si le vice était apparent mais non décelable. Par exemple, un défaut de la pompe à huile du moteur d’un véhicule automobile est un vice ne pouvant être normalement décelé)

Finally, the buyer must not have been aware of the defect at the time of sale. This is quite obvious, since if the purchaser bought the vehicle, he could not have detected a defect before the sale.

The purchaser therefore has two years from the discovery of the defect to take action against the seller or the builder, or both.

The purchaser can choose between an action for rescission of the sale (cancellation of the sale) or for reduction of the sale price (reduction of the sale price is effected by the award of damages which reduce the sale price).

The burden of proof lies with the purchaser. It is therefore up to the buyer to prove that there was a latent defect at the time of the sale, in order to apply either for the sale to be rescinded or for the court to award damages.

Proof may be provided by any means.

Expert appraisal is the best way of proving a case, provided that the evidence is submitted in the presence of both parties. It can be amicable or judicial.

The Cécile ZAKINE can help you on issues of hidden defects that may arise following the purchase of a new or used motor vehicle.

Me Zakine works all over France: Antibes, Grasse, Paris, Bordeaux, Lyon, Marseille, Toulouse, Ile de France, Neuilly sur Seine, Boulogne, Villepinte, Bezons, Pontoise, Toulon, Dijon, Bordeaux, Saint Tropez, le Var, Draguignan, Perpignan, Mont de MarsanRennes, Nantes, Strasbourg, Nancy, Metz and Thionville.

Don't hesitate to contact Me Zakine, who will be able to advise you on all these issues.

Ms Zakine will also be available to you by videoconference, which you can arrange at your convenience via her website: https://calendly.com/maitre-zakine

It will support and guide you so that the proof of a hidden defect, which lies at the heart of an action under the warranty for hidden defects, can be clearly established.