{"id":5129,"date":"2026-07-26T09:03:54","date_gmt":"2026-07-26T07:03:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/knowledge-base\/defective-car-germany-transport-costs\/"},"modified":"2026-07-26T09:03:54","modified_gmt":"2026-07-26T07:03:54","slug":"defective-car-germany-transport-costs","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/knowledge-base\/defective-car-germany-transport-costs\/","title":{"rendered":"Defective car from Germany: the engine failed after purchase \u2014 who pays to transport it back to the seller?"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n<div id=\"progress\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/div>\r\n\r\n<!-- EN version of reklamacja-auta-z-niemiec-koszty-transportu. Sources verified 26.07.2026:\r\n     LG Saarbruecken 22.01.2021 - 13 S 130\/20 (full text), BGH 19.07.2017 - VIII ZR 278\/16 (dejure),\r\n     ECJ 23.05.2019 - C-52\/18 Fuella (dejure), \u00a7\u00a7 438, 439, 475, 475d, 477 BGB (gesetze-im-internet.de,\r\n     as of 26.07.2026 - one-year presumption and \u00a7 475(5) advance codified since 1.1.2022). -->\r\n<header>\r\n  <div class=\"wrap\">\r\n    <a href=\"\/en\/\" class=\"brand\" aria-label=\"BWLAW \u2013 home\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/wp-content\/themes\/bwlaw-child-1\/assets\/img\/logo-bw.png\" alt=\"BWLAW \u2013 law firm in Germany\" width=\"42\" height=\"28\"><\/a>\r\n    <nav aria-label=\"Main navigation\">\r\n      <a href=\"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/practice-areas\/construction-law\/\">Construction law<\/a>\r\n      <a href=\"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/practice-areas\/debt-collection\/\">Debt collection<\/a>\r\n      <a href=\"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/practice-areas\/company-formation\/\">Corporate law<\/a>\r\n      <a href=\"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/practice-areas\/employment-law\/\">Employment law<\/a>\r\n      <a href=\"\/en\/defective-car-from-germany\/\">Cars<\/a>\r\n      <a href=\"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/knowledge-base\/\" class=\"active\">Knowledge base<\/a>\r\n      <a href=\"\/en\/#zespol\">Team<\/a>\r\n    <\/nav>\r\n    <div class=\"lang\" role=\"group\" aria-label=\"Language\">\r\n      <a href=\"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/knowledge-base\/defective-car-germany-transport-costs\/\" class=\"active\" lang=\"en\" hreflang=\"en\" aria-current=\"true\">EN<\/a>\r\n      <a href=\"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/wissen\/gebrauchtwagen-motorschaden-gewaehrleistung\/\" lang=\"de\" hreflang=\"de\" aria-label=\"German version of this article\">DE<\/a>\r\n      <a href=\"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/pl\/baza-wiedzy\/reklamacja-auta-z-niemiec-koszty-transportu\/\" lang=\"pl\" hreflang=\"pl\" aria-label=\"Polish version of this article\">PL<\/a>\r\n    <\/div>\r\n    <a href=\"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/defective-car-from-germany\/#kontakt\" class=\"btn\">Contact a lawyer <span class=\"arr\">\u2192<\/span><\/a>\r\n    <button class=\"burger\" aria-label=\"Menu\">\u2630<\/button>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n<\/header>\r\n\r\n<section class=\"shero\" style=\"padding-bottom:3.5rem\">\r\n  <div class=\"glow\"><\/div>\r\n  <div class=\"wrap\" style=\"grid-template-columns:1fr\">\r\n    <div>\r\n      <nav class=\"crumbs\" aria-label=\"Breadcrumbs\"><a href=\"\/en\/\">Home<\/a><span>\/<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/knowledge-base\/\">Knowledge base<\/a><span>\/<\/span><b>Cars<\/b><\/nav>\r\n      <span class=\"eyebrow\">Cars<\/span>\r\n      <h1 style=\"max-width:32ch\">Defective car from Germany: the engine failed after purchase \u2014 who pays to transport it back to the seller?<\/h1>\r\n      <p class=\"lead\">The dealer is happy to repair your faulty car \u2014 but \u201eonly at my workshop&#8221;, and getting the vehicle there is supposedly your problem and your expense? You do not have to accept that. The Regional Court of Saarbr\u00fccken confirmed that the transport costs of a defective car belong to the seller. Even when the car broke down thousands of kilometres away and the seller refused to pay an advance.<\/p>\r\n      <div class=\"art-meta\">\r\n        <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/wp-content\/themes\/bwlaw-child-1\/assets\/img\/dr-artur-barczewski.webp\" alt=\"Dr. Artur Barczewski\" width=\"46\" height=\"46\" loading=\"lazy\">\r\n        <div><b>Dr. Artur Barczewski<\/b>Rechtsanwalt \u00b7 attorney-at-law<\/div>\r\n        <div style=\"margin-left:1rem;border-left:1px solid rgba(255,255,255,.25);padding-left:1rem\">\u2248 8 min read<br>updated: July 2026<\/div>\r\n      <\/div>\r\n    <\/div>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n<\/section>\r\n\r\n<article class=\"sec\">\r\n  <div class=\"wrap\">\r\n    <div class=\"prose rv\" style=\"font-size:1.02rem\">\r\n      <h3 style=\"font-size:1.35rem;margin-top:2.2rem\">Engine failure ten days after purchase \u2014 three thousand kilometres from the workshop<\/h3>\r\n      <p>The buyer purchased a used BMW X3 from a German car dealer for 7,900 euros. Ten days later, on holiday in Turkey, there was a bang at 120 km\/h and the engine died. A local workshop found metal shavings in the oil filter \u2014 the engine was beyond repair.<\/p>\r\n      <p>The dealer demanded that the car be presented at his premises in Germany. He refused to fund the transport from Turkey and offered only to collect the vehicle from the buyer&#8217;s home address in Germany. So the buyer arranged the transport himself and paid <strong>2,354.31 euros<\/strong>. The dealer replaced the engine, but labelled it a goodwill gesture (Kulanz) and even invoiced the buyer 208.48 euros, which the buyer paid subject to reimbursement (unter Vorbehalt).<\/p>\r\n\r\n      <h3 style=\"font-size:1.35rem;margin-top:2.2rem\">First instance says no, appeal says yes<\/h3>\r\n      <p>The Local Court of Saarlouis awarded only the refund of the 208.48 euros. In its view, given the enormous distance, demanding repair at the seller&#8217;s seat was unreasonable for the buyer \u2014 he should have had the car repaired locally and claimed those costs as damages.<\/p>\r\n      <p>The Regional Court of Saarbr\u00fccken saw it the other way round (judgment of 22.01.2021, 13 S 130\/20). The buyer recovered <strong>the full transport costs \u2014 2,354.31 euros plus interest \u2014 and an additional 334.75 euros for pre-litigation attorney fees<\/strong>. The seller also had to bear the costs of the entire lawsuit.<\/p>\r\n\r\n      <h3 style=\"font-size:1.35rem;margin-top:2.2rem\">Repair under the statutory warranty must be free of charge for the buyer<\/h3>\r\n      <p>The basis is \u00a7 439(2) BGB: the seller bears the expenses required for repair or replacement \u2014 the statute expressly lists transport, travel, labour and material costs. The place of repair (Erf\u00fcllungsort der Nacherf\u00fcllung) is, as a rule, the seller&#8217;s place of business, which follows from the general rule of \u00a7 269(1), (2) BGB \u2014 so the Federal Court of Justice in its judgment of 19.07.2017 (VIII ZR 278\/16). At the same time, EU law requires that bringing the goods into conformity be free of charge and without any significant inconvenience to the consumer \u2014 so the ECJ in its judgment of 23.05.2019 (C-52\/18).<\/p>\r\n      <p>German law combines both requirements in a simple mechanism: the buyer delivers the car where the seller demands, but at the seller&#8217;s expense \u2014 and may request an appropriate advance payment up front. At the time of the case the advance followed from BGH case law, and <strong>since 1 January 2022 the consumer&#8217;s right to an advance on transport costs is written directly into the statute (\u00a7 475(5) BGB)<\/strong>.<\/p>\r\n\r\n      <h3 style=\"font-size:1.35rem;margin-top:2.2rem\">The transport cost advance \u2014 the tool that makes the difference<\/h3>\r\n      <p>Four practical lessons follow from the judgment.<\/p>\r\n      <ul>\r\n        <li><strong>Before you pay for a tow truck yourself, demand an advance<\/strong> on the transport costs from the seller (\u00a7 475(5) BGB).<\/li>\r\n        <li><strong>Refusing a justified advance puts the seller in default<\/strong> (Verzug, \u00a7 286 BGB). From that moment he is also liable for your lawyer&#8217;s fees \u2014 here 334.75 euros.<\/li>\r\n        <li><strong>Even if the car has not been transported yet because the advance never arrived, your repair demand remains fully effective<\/strong> (BGH VIII ZR 278\/16). The seller&#8217;s inaction does not cost you your rights.<\/li>\r\n        <li><strong>The argument that a dealer \u201ecannot refund transport from anywhere in the world&#8221; failed.<\/strong> His protection against excessive expenses is the defence of disproportionate costs (\u00a7 439(4) BGB), assessed case by case. Here it went nowhere: the car was worth 7,900 euros, the defect made it entirely unusable, and the repair itself (5,125.25 euros) was covered by an external warranty provider.<\/li>\r\n      <\/ul>\r\n\r\n      <h3 style=\"font-size:1.35rem;margin-top:2.2rem\">The presumption of a defect \u2014 today it runs for a full year<\/h3>\r\n      <p>The seller argued there was water in the engine, so the buyer must have overheated it. The court was not convinced. In a consumer sale, a defect that shows up within a defined period after handover is presumed to have existed at the time of purchase \u2014 and it is the seller who must prove otherwise. At the time of that case the period was six months, and <strong>since 1 January 2022 it is a full year (\u00a7 477(1) BGB)<\/strong>. An engine failure after ten days fell within it with room to spare. We cover the burden of proof in detail in our article on a <a href=\"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/knowledge-base\/car-from-germany-broke-down-after-purchase\/\">car from Germany breaking down after purchase<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n      <p>Watch out for the word \u201eKulanz&#8221; on an invoice. A repair under the statutory warranty is the seller&#8217;s obligation, not a favour \u2014 and he may not charge for it. If you pay a disputed invoice, always do so subject to reimbursement (unter Vorbehalt), as the buyer did here.<\/p>\r\n\r\n      <h3 style=\"font-size:1.35rem;margin-top:2.2rem\">Living abroad, car bought in Germany?<\/h3>\r\n      <p>This judgment matters most to buyers from abroad. If the seller had to bear the transport costs from Turkey, the same logic covers a tow truck from Poland, the Netherlands or anywhere else to the German workshop. Step by step:<\/p>\r\n      <ul>\r\n        <li>report the defect in writing (M\u00e4ngelanzeige) and set the seller a reasonable deadline for repair,<\/li>\r\n        <li>demand an advance on the transport before paying for it yourself,<\/li>\r\n        <li>document everything: the workshop diagnosis, transport invoices, all correspondence,<\/li>\r\n        <li>pay disputed invoices only subject to reimbursement,<\/li>\r\n        <li>do not commission a local repair without setting a deadline first \u2014 only after the deadline passes or the seller refuses may you claim the costs of a substitute repair as damages or withdraw from the contract without further deadlines (\u00a7 475d(1) BGB),<\/li>\r\n        <li>watch the clock: warranty claims become time-barred, as a rule, two years after delivery of the car (\u00a7 438(1) no. 3, (2) BGB).<\/li>\r\n      <\/ul>\r\n    <\/div>\r\n\r\n    <div class=\"hl rv\" style=\"max-width:760px\">\r\n      <span class=\"eyebrow\">Checklist<\/span>\r\n      <h3>Claiming a defective car against a German seller<\/h3>\r\n      <p>Written notice of defect with a repair deadline. A demand for a transport cost advance (\u00a7 475(5) BGB) before you pay for the tow truck yourself. Documentation: workshop diagnosis, invoices, photos, correspondence. Disputed payments only subject to reimbursement (unter Vorbehalt). If the seller stalls or refuses: withdrawal from the contract, price reduction or a substitute repair plus damages. And keep an eye on limitation \u2014 two years from delivery of the vehicle.<\/p>\r\n    <\/div>\r\n\r\n    <div class=\"prose rv\" style=\"font-size:1.02rem\">\r\n      <h3 style=\"font-size:1.35rem;margin-top:2.2rem\">Frequently asked questions<\/h3>\r\n      <p><strong>Do I have to deliver the car to the seller&#8217;s workshop in Germany?<\/strong><br>As a rule yes \u2014 the place of repair is usually the seller&#8217;s seat (\u00a7 269 BGB). But it happens at his expense. You may make the transport conditional on an advance payment and you lose no rights by doing so.<\/p>\r\n      <p><strong>Who pays for the tow truck from abroad to Germany?<\/strong><br>The seller. Transport costs for the repair are expenses the law assigns to him (\u00a7 439(2) BGB). The Regional Court of Saarbr\u00fccken awarded transport costs even from Turkey.<\/p>\r\n      <p><strong>The seller refuses the advance. What now?<\/strong><br>Demand it in writing with a deadline. An unjustified refusal puts him in default (\u00a7 286 BGB) \u2014 from then on he is also liable for your lawyer&#8217;s fees. You may then lay out the transport costs and claim them back, as the buyer in this case did.<\/p>\r\n      <p><strong>The seller calls the repair \u201egoodwill&#8221; and sends an invoice.<\/strong><br>Do not accept that framing. If the defect existed at handover \u2014 and within the first year the presumption works in your favour \u2014 the repair is the seller&#8217;s duty and free of charge. An invoice paid subject to reimbursement can be recovered.<\/p>\r\n      <p><strong>How much time do I have?<\/strong><br>Claims become time-barred, as a rule, two years after delivery of the vehicle (\u00a7 438(1) no. 3, (2) BGB). A defect appearing within the first year is presumed to have existed at purchase (\u00a7 477(1) BGB).<\/p>\r\n      <p><strong>Can I just repair the car at home and send the seller the bill?<\/strong><br>A risky shortcut. Without a prior deadline the seller can refuse reimbursement \u2014 his right to cure comes first. A substitute repair is an option only after a fruitless deadline or a clear refusal (\u00a7 475d(1) BGB).<\/p>\r\n\r\n      <p style=\"font-size:.85rem;color:var(--ink-soft)\">Sources: LG Saarbr\u00fccken, judgment of 22.01.2021 \u2014 13 S 130\/20. BGH, judgment of 19.07.2017 \u2014 VIII ZR 278\/16. ECJ, judgment of 23.05.2019 \u2014 C-52\/18. \u00a7\u00a7 438, 439, 475, 475d, 477 BGB.<\/p>\r\n    <\/div>\r\n\r\n    <div class=\"mini-cta rv\"><b>Bought a defective car in Germany and the seller keeps stalling?<\/b><span style=\"color:var(--ink-soft);font-size:.92rem\">Send us the contract, the workshop diagnosis and your correspondence \u2014 we will assess what you can claim and how to recover the transport costs. In English, Polish and German.<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/defective-car-from-germany\/#kontakt\" class=\"btn\">Send documents for review <span class=\"arr\">\u2192<\/span><\/a><\/div>\r\n    <div class=\"prose rv\" style=\"margin-top:1.5rem\">\r\n      <h3 style=\"font-size:1.1rem\">Related topics<\/h3>\r\n      <div class=\"chips\" style=\"margin-top:.8rem\">\r\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/knowledge-base\/car-from-germany-broke-down-after-purchase\/\">Car from Germany broke down after purchase \u2192<\/a>\r\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/knowledge-base\/rolled-back-odometer-car-from-germany\/\">Rolled-back odometer on a car from Germany \u2192<\/a>\r\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/knowledge-base\/warranty-exclusion-used-car-germany\/\">Warranty exclusion on a used car \u2192<\/a>\r\n      <\/div>\r\n    <\/div>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n<\/article>\r\n\r\n<section class=\"sec alt\">\r\n  <div class=\"wrap\">\r\n    <div class=\"lawyer rv\">\r\n      <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/wp-content\/themes\/bwlaw-child-1\/assets\/img\/dr-artur-barczewski.webp\" alt=\"Dr. Artur Barczewski \u2013 author of this article\" loading=\"lazy\">\r\n      <div>\r\n        <b>Dr. Artur Barczewski<\/b>\r\n        <div class=\"role\">Rechtsanwalt \u00b7 attorney-at-law<\/div>\r\n        <p>Author of this article. Represents clients before courts across Germany. <a href=\"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/team\/artur-barczewski\/\">Meet the author \u2192<\/a><\/p>\r\n      <\/div>\r\n    <\/div>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n<\/section>\r\n\r\n<section class=\"cta-end\">\r\n  <div class=\"glow\"><\/div>\r\n  <div class=\"wrap\">\r\n    <span class=\"eyebrow rv\">Contact<\/span>\r\n    <h2 class=\"rv d1\">Does your situation look similar?<\/h2>\r\n    <p class=\"rv d2\">Every case has details that change the outcome. Describe yours \u2014 you will get a concrete answer and a cost overview.<\/p>\r\n    <div class=\"row rv d3\">\r\n      <a href=\"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/defective-car-from-germany\/#kontakt\" class=\"btn\">Describe your case <span class=\"arr\">\u2192<\/span><\/a>\r\n      <a href=\"tel:+4933555310969\" class=\"phone\">\u260e +49 335 553 10969<\/a>\r\n    <\/div>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n<\/section>\r\n\r\n<footer>\r\n  <div class=\"wrap\">\r\n    <div class=\"foot-grid\">\r\n      <div>\r\n        <div class=\"foot-brand\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/wp-content\/themes\/bwlaw-child-1\/assets\/img\/logo-bw.png\" alt=\"BWLAW logo\" width=\"38\" height=\"26\"><\/div>\r\n        <p>Kanzlei Dr. Barczewski &amp; Dr. Wr\u00f3blewska GbR<br>Rudolf-Breitscheid-Stra\u00dfe 10<br>15230 Frankfurt (Oder), Germany<br><a href=\"tel:+4933555310969\">+49 335 553 10969<\/a> \u00b7 <a href=\"mailto:info@bwlaw.de\">info@bwlaw.de<\/a><\/p>\r\n      <\/div>\r\n      <div>\r\n        <div class=\"foot-h\">Practice areas<\/div>\r\n        <ul>\r\n          <li><a href=\"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/practice-areas\/construction-law\/\">Construction law \/ VOB\/B<\/a><\/li>\r\n          <li><a href=\"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/practice-areas\/employment-law\/\">Employment law<\/a><\/li>\r\n          <li><a href=\"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/practice-areas\/debt-collection\/\">Debt collection<\/a><\/li>\r\n          <li><a href=\"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/practice-areas\/company-formation\/\">Corporate law<\/a><\/li>\r\n          <li><a href=\"\/en\/defective-car-from-germany\/\">Defective car from Germany<\/a><\/li>\r\n        <\/ul>\r\n      <\/div>\r\n      <div>\r\n        <div class=\"foot-h\">Legal<\/div>\r\n        <ul>\r\n          <li><a href=\"\/en\/\">Home<\/a><\/li>\r\n          <li><a href=\"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/knowledge-base\/\">Knowledge base<\/a><\/li>\r\n          <li><a href=\"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/impressum\/\">Legal notice (Impressum)<\/a><\/li>\r\n          <li><a href=\"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/privacy-policy\/\">Privacy policy<\/a><\/li>\r\n        <\/ul>\r\n      <\/div>\r\n    <\/div>\r\n    <div class=\"foot-bottom\">\r\n      <span>\u00a9 2026 BWLAW \u00b7 Kanzlei Dr. Barczewski &amp; Dr. Wr\u00f3blewska GbR<\/span>\r\n      <span>Rechtsanw\u00e4lte \u00b7 attorneys-at-law \u00b7 Frankfurt (Oder)<\/span>\r\n    <\/div>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n<\/footer>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"sticky-cta\">\r\n  <a href=\"tel:+4933555310969\" class=\"call\">\u260e Call us<\/a>\r\n  <a href=\"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/defective-car-from-germany\/#kontakt\" class=\"book\">Describe your case<\/a>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\">\r\n{\r\n  \"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\",\r\n  \"@graph\": [\r\n    {\r\n      \"@type\": \"Article\",\r\n      \"headline\": \"Defective car from Germany: the engine failed after purchase \u2014 who pays to transport it back to the seller?\",\r\n      \"description\": \"Engine failed days after purchase and the dealer wants the car at his workshop? LG Saarbr\u00fccken 13 S 130\/20: the seller pays transport and owes an advance.\",\r\n      \"inLanguage\": \"en\",\r\n      \"author\": { \"@type\": \"Person\", \"name\": \"Dr. Artur Barczewski\", \"url\": \"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/team\/artur-barczewski\/\" },\r\n      \"publisher\": { \"@type\": \"LegalService\", \"address\": { \"@type\": \"PostalAddress\", \"streetAddress\": \"Rudolf-Breitscheid-Stra\u00dfe 10\", \"postalCode\": \"15230\", \"addressLocality\": \"Frankfurt (Oder)\", \"addressRegion\": \"Brandenburg\", \"addressCountry\": \"DE\" }, \"name\": \"BWLAW \u2013 Kanzlei Dr. Barczewski & Dr. Wr\u00f3blewska GbR\", \"url\": \"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/\" },\r\n      \"datePublished\": \"2026-07-26\",\r\n      \"dateModified\": \"2026-07-26\",\r\n      \"mainEntityOfPage\": \"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/knowledge-base\/defective-car-germany-transport-costs\/\"\r\n    },\r\n    {\r\n      \"@type\": \"FAQPage\",\r\n      \"mainEntity\": [\r\n        {\r\n          \"@type\": \"Question\",\r\n          \"name\": \"Do I have to deliver the car to the seller's workshop in Germany?\",\r\n          \"acceptedAnswer\": { \"@type\": \"Answer\", \"text\": \"As a rule yes \u2014 the place of repair is usually the seller's seat (\u00a7 269 BGB). But it happens at his expense. You may make the transport conditional on an advance payment and you lose no rights by doing so.\" }\r\n        },\r\n        {\r\n          \"@type\": \"Question\",\r\n          \"name\": \"Who pays for the tow truck from abroad to Germany?\",\r\n          \"acceptedAnswer\": { \"@type\": \"Answer\", \"text\": \"The seller. Transport costs for the repair are expenses the law assigns to him (\u00a7 439(2) BGB). The Regional Court of Saarbr\u00fccken awarded transport costs even from Turkey.\" }\r\n        },\r\n        {\r\n          \"@type\": \"Question\",\r\n          \"name\": \"The seller refuses the advance. What now?\",\r\n          \"acceptedAnswer\": { \"@type\": \"Answer\", \"text\": \"Demand it in writing with a deadline. An unjustified refusal puts him in default (\u00a7 286 BGB) \u2014 from then on he is also liable for your lawyer's fees. You may then lay out the transport costs and claim them back.\" }\r\n        },\r\n        {\r\n          \"@type\": \"Question\",\r\n          \"name\": \"The seller calls the repair goodwill and sends an invoice. Is that right?\",\r\n          \"acceptedAnswer\": { \"@type\": \"Answer\", \"text\": \"No. If the defect existed at handover \u2014 and within the first year the presumption works in your favour \u2014 the repair is the seller's duty and free of charge. An invoice paid subject to reimbursement can be recovered.\" }\r\n        },\r\n        {\r\n          \"@type\": \"Question\",\r\n          \"name\": \"How much time do I have?\",\r\n          \"acceptedAnswer\": { \"@type\": \"Answer\", \"text\": \"Claims become time-barred, as a rule, two years after delivery of the vehicle (\u00a7 438(1) no. 3, (2) BGB). A defect appearing within the first year is presumed to have existed at purchase (\u00a7 477(1) BGB).\" }\r\n        },\r\n        {\r\n          \"@type\": \"Question\",\r\n          \"name\": \"Can I just repair the car at home and send the seller the bill?\",\r\n          \"acceptedAnswer\": { \"@type\": \"Answer\", \"text\": \"A risky shortcut. Without a prior deadline the seller can refuse reimbursement \u2014 his right to cure comes first. A substitute repair is an option only after a fruitless deadline or a clear refusal (\u00a7 475d(1) BGB).\" }\r\n        }\r\n      ]\r\n    }\r\n  ]\r\n}\r\n<\/script>\r\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Construction law Debt collection Corporate law Employment law Cars Knowledge base Team EN DE PL Contact a lawyer \u2192 \u2630 Home\/Knowledge base\/Cars Cars Defective car from Germany: the engine failed after purchase \u2014 who pays to transport it back to the seller? The dealer is happy to repair your faulty car \u2014 but \u201eonly at [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":4417,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"template-bwlaw-page.php","meta":{"footnotes":"","rank_math_title":"Defective Car From Germany: Who Pays Transport? | BWLAW","rank_math_description":"Engine failed days after purchase and the dealer wants the car at his workshop? LG Saarbr\u00fccken 13 S 130\/20: the seller pays transport and owes an advance.","rank_math_focus_keyword":"defective car germany transport costs","rank_math_robots":[]},"class_list":["post-5129","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"bwlaw_import":{"lang":"en","template":"template-bwlaw-page.php"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/5129","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5129"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/5129\/revisions"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4417"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5129"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}