• Ventura Autos Pty Ltd continues to sell unroadworthy vehicles to consumers.
• 136 complaints received by Consumer Protection from WA consumers since 2016.
• Five compliance visits have resulted in 43 defect notices being issued.

Consumer Protection warns WA consumers to exercise caution when buying vehicles from a licenced car dealer in Welshpool, after receiving 136 complaints relating to it selling unroadworthy vehicles which is a breach of the Australian Consumer Law (ACL).

A warning has been issued against Ventura Autos Pty Ltd, with the business failing to meet ACL consumer guarantees, particularly the guarantee of selling vehicles of acceptable quality, and the reluctance to engage with consumers to provide suitable remedies.

Of 136 complaints received by Consumer Protection since 2016, 46 have been received from January 2022 to May 2023, making Ventura Autos the third most complained about licensed car dealer in WA.

Ventura Autos has also had five compliance visits by Consumer Protection since January 2021, with a total of 43 defect notices issued regarding vehicles being sold. Reasons for defect notices included non-compliant tyres, windscreens, oil leaks and seatbelts.  

Commissioner for Consumer Protection Trish Blake said that the consumer guarantee of acceptable quality requires, at a minimum, that a vehicle be roadworthy at the point of sale.

“When purchasing a vehicle from a licensed car dealer, consumers rightly expect that they are able to drive their new car away with no significant problems.

“This has not been the case for many consumers who have purchased an unroadworthy or faulty vehicle from Ventura Autos – which is highly concerning.

“Ventura Autos continues to sell defective vehicles to consumers and appears reluctant to assist us in our conciliation process.

“Consumers should exercise caution when purchasing a vehicle from this business and make sure they get an independent mechanical report. If you have purchased a vehicle that has issues, immediately report it to us so we can investigate.” 

Further complaints against Ventura Autos Pty Ltd can be lodged on the Consumer Protection website and enquiries can be made by calling 1300 30 40 54 or by email consumer@demirs.wa.gov.au. Information about what consumers should check before buying a used car can be found on Consumer Protection’s buying a car webpage.

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Media Contact: Frankie Pennington, (08) 6552 9410 / 0423 846 397 cpmedia@demirs.wa.gov.au