How long a used car should last is how long is a bit of string.

Obviously with things like tyres, brakes etc. they will always be part worn. If the tyres have 2mm on them and the pads 1mm then obiously they will need replacing soon. That isn't a "fault" it is just part and parcel of a worn device. It is up to the buyer to look at the tyres or ask at point of sale if they're worried about such things.

I always look at cheap cars this way: A one-way no restriction 1st class ticket from London to Edinburgh costs £311 and is about 400 miles. Therefore, if a £650 car lasts 800 miles you're already ahead of the game....

As a general guide, in practice, it is very difficult to claim anything on a car below £2k after the first few days and then only on a major fault.

Last for a reasonable length of time in a reasonable condition

The Sale of Goods Act 1979 doesn't say exactly how long goods should last. The general rule is that goods should last for a reasonable time and in reasonable condition. For example, a new car should last for several years in a reasonable condition but you may need to replace some of its parts over time.

If goods don't last as long as they should, they probably weren't of satisfactory quality when you bought them. For example, if the sole on a shoe comes away after a few weeks of normal wear, this suggests that it was never of satisfactory quality.

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Please see my highlight in bold. Six months is never mentioned.

Yes it is!

(My bold)

From the same site:

The responsibility is normally on you rather than the dealer to prove that a car is faulty in some way. However, the responsibility is on the dealer to prove that the car was of satisfactory quality when you bought it, if you discover the fault within the first six months and you are asking for:

• a repair or
• a replacement or
• a full or partial refund where a repair or replacement isn't possible, would cause significant inconvenience to you as the buyer or would cost a disproportionate amount to the dealer.

Where the dealer is responsible for proving the car is of a satisfactory quality, they have to prove the fault wasn’t present using evidence such as an independent report into the car’s condition.

If you discover the fault after the first six months, you should contact the dealer you bought the car from, to give them the opportunity to inspect the car and where possible put the problem right. The responsibility is on you after six months to prove the car was faulty when sold, so you may have to provide evidence to support your claim.

You can do this by getting a report from another garage. However there may be a cost,so always check first. You can then provide the dealer with a written report of the other garage's findings. If it supports your claim, you will be in a stronger position.

You will need to get a second opinion before you get the work done at another garage if you want to claim the costs back from the dealer.

You may also be able to claim compensation for any other loss you've had as a result of the fault,

If the garage refuses to put things right, check whether they belong to a trade association with a code of practice setting out standards of service they must follow. You can use this to show the garage that they must put the problem right.

If negotiations fail, you could consider using an alternative dispute resolution scheme. Check to see if the trade association has such a scheme.

• How to get an independent report into a car’s condition
• Find out whether your garage is a member of a trade association
• What to do if the fault is persistent or you are getting nowhere with the dealer
• If you need more help

Citizens Advice