Is your NEW Caravan BROKEN? How to get your money back! Consumer Law 101

[@FarmersLifeUnscripted]

Hey Dylan, we just finished watching this week's YarnsCast and jumped over to watch this as we heard you mention it. This is really good information. Thank you for your excellent explanation. I did not know about this, and I realised that I have been taken advantage of by different companies over the years, but I can say I will never again let that happen. THANK YOU. 🙏

[@Off.Track4x4]

Happy to share mate, only way we all get our rights is if we start standing up for them. I'm here if you need any advice 😀 Thank you for watching and commenting 👍 😀

[@lr95discov8]

Great episode, thanks for trying to educate people on their consumer rights. I think most people have been ripped off as a consumer at some point In their lives whether they know it or not. As you said extended warranty is a waste of money, as is paint protection and rust proofing sold by automotive dealers. Another company that I have found with follows consumer law is Aldi, if you buy something that is not fit for purchase they replace it or give you your money back no questions asked. Feel free to use if you want and keep up the great work , love the channel.

[@Off.Track4x4]

Thank you for Sharing Aldi, amazing how some companies do it and other just be dodgy as hell. Car dealers got suid for their fake rust protection like 10 years back.

[@mickemery4486]

Great video again Dylan, things were built much better years ago, we live full-time in a 22 year old Coramel which back then was built to a standard not a time frame, not looking forward to when i have to upgrade one day with so many horror stories on new vans these days😮

[@Off.Track4x4]

Mate you you hit the nail on the head!! Its all about time frames. But us Australian just accepting this change has allowed it. I'd definitely be holding onto it as long as you can.

[@DReal_Bull]

Great video I bought a lithium battery from Muller Energy. I had a problem with the battery and they couldn’t be more helpful. I now have 3 of there batteries.

[@Off.Track4x4]

That's perfect, thank you for sharing your positive story

[@6packcrusinAUS]

Thanks for another great topic this week..you guys are really listening to your subscribers and personally engaging with all the comments.... Well done 👍

[@Off.Track4x4]

Hey mate, it's my number one rule. No bullshit replies, take the time and energy and respond properly. Takes us long but we will get to every single comment.

[@Off.Track4x4]

Thanks for noticing 😊

[@gibbosroadtripadventures]

Fantastic Dylan, great topic! 👏👏👏

[@Off.Track4x4]

Thank you, just trying to make a difference 🙏 😌

[@daveclarke5512]

Excellent explanation you have been so helpful. Bunnings no issues on faulty items no problems getting money back or replacement. Option Rv Caravans have been very good to deal with regarding warranty issues. Subscribed

[@Off.Track4x4]

Hey mate, Just trying to help this country be a better place 😊🙏 Glad to hear there is atlest one good caravan company out there.

[@harbour_explore]

Mate bloody awesome video! Honestly you explained this perfectly👏 Cheers brother!🍻

[@Off.Track4x4]

Thanks for watching and commenting mate! Really appreciate it 😊

[@brentonl2631]

Great video on this subject, I studied Australian Consumer Law and Consumer Finance for 25 years and find that most people aren't aware of their rights under the current laws. I also find that businesses themselves aren't aware of their responsibilities to the consumer with warranties and their rights. Very glad you brought this to light as it can be very confusing and confronting when it is expensive purchases require service. Well done guys.

[@Off.Track4x4]

It would be great if our government rain campaigns to promote the information. Easy fix would make it a law that every shop and website has to have consumer rights up in clear sight. Until then I'll push for change 😌👌

[@utilisemedia]

Great video, very informative. Thanks Todd

[@Off.Track4x4]

Thanks Tod really appreciate the support legend 👌 😊

[@JohnEllis-hf3ng]

Brilliant video

[@Off.Track4x4]

Thank mate, Just trying to do my bit. I will have pissed off a few future sponsors and some of my current ones. But any company it offends I don't want to work with anyway.

[@peterleary2389]

Excellent advice, thanks

[@Off.Track4x4]

Thanks mate 👍 👌 🙏

[@WrongTurnAdventures]

Great video mate.

[@Off.Track4x4]

Thanks mate, really appreciate the support legend

[@cranboune1]

Snowy River Caravans and a known axel defect. They are fixing it but 6 weeks stranded in WA waiting for them yo get their act together. Written complaints get crickets.LW & DW.

[@Off.Track4x4]

Axel would be a major fault you can get a refund and get out of that van if you want to mate? They won't make it easy you will have to go to QCAT, but worth considering if they are stuffing you around.

[@nadiapurser4734]

Wow, thank you for this information! Very useful! But I’m struggling with the definition of ‘major fault’. We bought a Delonghi Coffee Machine for $989 in Jan 2022 & paid a $160 extended warranty. In March 2022, the grinder stopped working & they replaced it. In July 2024, it was sent off for repair for the same problem. And again in November 2024. That’s 3 times in 3 years. Would the coffee grinder be considered a “major fault”?

[@Off.Track4x4]

So a major fault is something that stops you using the product for its intended purpose. I'm going so say with out grinding the coffee you can't make coffee, so yes. Ask for your money back under consumer law. If you need any more help reach out on Instagram and we can have a chat 😊

[@nadiapurser4734]

@@Off.Track4x4Thank you SO much!! I posted a bad review for the coffee machine a couple of days ago & Delonghi has replied & asked me to call them. I will assert my consumer rights then🤗 I wish I had known this years ago! Thanks again.

[@klarastrangis6308]

Great video with great information. We have concerns we may have issues with our caravan manufacturer down the track. Can I ask why the limit of under $100k?

[@Off.Track4x4]

So the 100k mark make it a small claim, meaning goes through the tribunal not big court with Lawyers. If your caravan was only $105,000 and your happy to drop the 5k you can still do it through Tribunal, 100k is just the maximum they can get back for you.

[@klarastrangis6308]

@Off.Track4x4 great thank you for your reply, appreciate it.

[@WrongTurnAdventures]

@@Off.Track4x4 it's probably something that needs revision in line with inflation.

[@shanewalker2257]

Mazda, replaced the entire motor of our 2013 cx5 at 120,000km 20,000km and over a year out of warranty 👏👏👏. You just have to explain to the service manager or service adviser your rights, particularly if there is documented evidence of a known issue.

[@Off.Track4x4]

Mate very well done 👏 That's a big scalp, shame they don't do it for eveyone

[@diverstew1]

LDV, T60 multiple rust issues and no joy as they want to repair. First repair a panel beater cut a significant piece out of frond end and replaced as the metal appeared to be low quality. Now we more rust across multiple locations on vehicle they just want to repair, repair, repair. I have lost confidence in vehicle.

[@Off.Track4x4]

Hey mate, This is one of those shit situations, the rust is not a major fault the car still performs as its meant to. In my opinion I don't think you can ask for your money back. Also if you don't let them fix it they can say you let it get worse. If you find rust on a structural part of the car, then that should not be repaired and the car would not be fitted for purpose.

[@diverstew1]

@@Off.Track4x4thanks heaps for the advice, this was a great segment

[@-PORK-CHOP-]

Sorry for the multiple posts, this is an area that really pisses me off, so many companies in Australia offer crap after sales service, there are some great companies but there are a lot of awful companies.

[@Off.Track4x4]

Mate more then happy for you to comment multiple times, he's get the video in more people's eyes 👀 😉 Glad to see someone as frustrated as me. Since covid companies just don't respect the consumer anymore hey.

[@stuartkcalvin]

The minimum warranty period in Australia is one year. Whether something should last longer is pure speculation until you obtain an engineer's report. I suspect that the CAT arbitrator is not qualified to even guess - am I correct?

[@Off.Track4x4]

I believe it's worth off the value of the product, and market. For example most Caravan have a 1 year warranty on some parts yet are work 80-150k a judge will definitely say for 100k the caravan needs to last longer then a year. Say you put a claim in at 10 years the judge my not approve the claim.

[@stuartkcalvin]

@@Off.Track4x4 Caravans have a (predominantly) warranty 'of sorts' on 3rd party parts such as Enerdrive, fridge and so on, they handle the interlocutary process with the OEM that supplied the part - that's fine. My van has an 10 year warranty on structural build and workmanship (made in Australia).

[@WrongTurnAdventures]

How does it work with electronic items that can't be tested in store?

[@Off.Track4x4]

I can't say I've had anything electrical that wasn't obvious. Normally electrical is quite clear. But it's up to the customer to prove it has a fault, if they can't prove it then would have to be set back. Unless you have an independent review from a qualified person.

[@IanClimas]

I I have a Jayco caravan with with a water leak Jayco will not fix it. What do I do?

[@IanClimas]

Sorry, great video. Lots of help.

[@Off.Track4x4]

Hey Ian, send me a message on Instagram and I'll help you out 👍

[@BundyToo]

Most of the products my parents bought were made in Australia, not spat out of slave labour factories in third world countries.

[@Off.Track4x4]

That is a very good point mate!! The quality was so much better back then.

[@nadiapurser4734]

Yep! My mother bought a fridge in 1970 & it was still working in the 1990s! I think manufacturers purposely build white goods with a short life because they would rather consumers buy every 5 years instead of every 20-30 years! It would certainly be better for the consumer, & the planet if they did last a long time! And imagine how much less waste. But consumers have also been conditioned to want to constantly upgrade to newer & better things especially with technology.

[@nadiapurser4734]

Yep! My mother bought a fridge in 1970 & it was still working in the 1990s! I think manufacturers purposely build white goods with a short life because they would rather consumers buy every 5 years instead of every 20-30 years! It would certainly be better for the consumer, & the planet if they did last a long time! And imagine how much less waste. But consumers have also been conditioned to want to constantly upgrade to newer & better things especially with technology.

[@stevemoyse6454]

So if the caravan is over 100k , is the process harder? Because 150k caravans definitely still have plumbing issues from new and silicone jobs done by hungover apprentices on their first day on the job by the looks of things

[@Off.Track4x4]

Hey Steve Sadly it makes things alot more difficult 😞 Anything over 100k is not a small claims matter. I believe this means you have to go to normal court and they would be allowed to bring a lawyer.

[@stevemoyse6454]

@@Off.Track4x4 thanks Mate, the caravan industry is so shonky aye, there are so many horrible stories, my in-laws had a van from one of the most expensive brands, that was truly crap quality, he owns a caravan storage business & it’s eye opening enough to send you back to sleeping in a Kmart tent 😂

[@filthyoffroadadventures]

@@Off.Track4x4correct. Under in through for example QCAT which is not a court it is a tribunal and over you would need up in a magistrate court and you will face significant costs due to lawyers.

[@OZLAPN]

Good information guys, we have also used the ombudsman when we have had a little push back. We were given good advice, try to solve the problem at the lowest level before pushing higher. Cheers Graham and Jo OZLAPN. P.S. (P.S. who remembers that acronym? ) Keep up the good work while enjoying your own adventure......

[@OZLAPN]

P.S. we didn't skip the adds....

[@Off.Track4x4]

Mate thank you for sharing your story, glad you have stood up for your self. And thnk you for not skipping the adds 🙂

[@-PORK-CHOP-]

Aliexpress courier company Fast Horse is the WORST delivery company in Australia, they commonly leave parcels in the rain, throw them in the garden, dump them on the front fence or lawn for anyone to knock-off they have a 1.3 star rating from over 1500 reviews, reviews show them caught on camera throwing parcels 20ft to the front door because they are too bloody lazy to walk 5 meters obviously damaging whatever is inside, I know it's real hard to open the letterbox and simply place the parcel inside, but they are obviously so stupid they can't even do this, awful company and you have no choice as this is who they use.

[@Off.Track4x4]

Mate freight is the biggest black hole ever! Some how legily a freight company is not responsible for your package. Ether the send or receive in responsible and has to take put insurance. Biggest bullshit thing I've ever hear.

[@-PORK-CHOP-]

@@Off.Track4x4 Correct, I hate it when you purchase something then pay for freight, then they try to hit you for insurance on top, just make the bloody postage price include the insurance, or you purchase something and it says delivered price, then the item comes damaged when you contact the seller, they say sorry insurance was not included, well I didn't have a chance to pay or reject insurance costs because there was not an option to do this as it was just a delivered price, this pisses me off.