Jessica Theobald, a content creator from Melbourne, believed she had found her ideal vehicle when she spotted a Land Rover Discovery Sport for sale on Facebook Marketplace in November 2025. Her optimism quickly soured over the subsequent four months as she battled to recover her money, discovering the car was not roadworthy and suffered from a severely damaged engine.
Ms. Theobald admitted to overlooking several warning signs during the purchase, attributing her naivety to it being her first car bought independently. She recounted that the car dealer assured her the vehicle was in excellent condition during an initial phone call, though he mentioned the motor had recently been replaced. Ms. Theobald interpreted this as the engine being virtually new and proceeded to inspect and test-drive the car.
Further concerns arose when attempting to pay. Ms. Theobald was unable to complete the transaction online due to transfer limits, and her bank was closed. When she contacted the dealer about the payment issue, he instructed her to contact the bank and mention 'fraud' to be connected to someone who could assist. "I rang them back, said fraud, and they put me through straight away," she stated.
A third red flag emerged during the registration process. The dealer claimed he had to transfer the registration to himself before transferring it to Ms. Theobald, stating it would take a few days. Despite these issues, Ms. Theobald purchased a 12-month extended warranty and drove the car home.
Within days of the purchase, the vehicle began malfunctioning. Ms. Theobald reported that shortly after reversing out of her driveway and driving approximately 200 meters, the car accelerated on its own, making loud noises and emitting smoke from under the bonnet. She managed to pull over to the grass and turn off the engine, fearing it would catch fire.
She contacted the dealer, who promised to arrange a tow truck, but received little communication and no assistance for several days. A subsequent mechanic's assessment revealed the engine had exploded. Ms. Theobald later discovered the car had failed a roadworthy inspection due to engine problems.
Advised to contact Consumer Affairs, Ms. Theobald relayed her experience. The dealer eventually contacted her, promising a refund, but the process was prolonged by delays and conflicting information. At one point, another mechanic connected to the engine reached out directly, requesting the vehicle for inspection, while the dealer claimed to be on holiday despite continuing to advertise other vehicles online. "This sent me wild. You're still posting cars. You are not on holidays and you've been ghosting me this whole time," Ms. Theobald recalled.
Under Victorian law, dealers are obligated to repair a vehicle or provide a refund within a three-month statutory warranty period. Ms. Theobald initiated proceedings with the Motor Trader Fund, which assists with claims against licensed dealers. She also found that the dealer had existing license restrictions.
Ms. Theobald traveled four hours to confront the dealer in person, fearing for her safety. She contacted the police to inform them of the situation. She ultimately received most of her refund in cash, with the remainder transferred electronically. Ms. Theobald has since been contacted by others who claim to have had similar negative experiences with the same dealer. "Now hearing from other people that he's done this to them as well is really, really concerning - it's not just me," she stated.
