For Sarah, a 29-year-old living in the Île-de-France region, a new-to-her car was supposed to bring relief. She was in search of a model to replace the one she had damaged in an accident a few weeks earlier. On June 12, 2026, she finally signed for a Nissan Juke listed at $5,900 in a used-vehicle lot in the Val-d’Oise. The vehicle was described as belonging to a private individual based in Dijon. A few hours later, while she was driving along the highway toward Nantes, the car suddenly lost power. An engine warning light came on and the Juke lurched. “It was scary. I had just bought it and it already had a problem,” she told Actu.fr.
The consignment shop then towed the vehicle back and kept it for about ten days. Sarah says she was told at that moment there was a possible coolant leak. When she picked up the car, another surprise awaited her: it was impossible to register the car in her name. To complete the transfer on the ANTS site, the owner would need to authorize the procedure. The Dijon-based owner remained unreachable despite the shop’s attempts to contact her. The address on the paperwork pointed to Dijon. Sarah began searching the internet for information. She also checked social networks. She says she found indications that the owner might work in a city public service, but she could not confirm anything. The shop eventually gave her a phone number, but her calls went unanswered. “I wonder if she even exists,” the young woman admits today. A few weeks later, she would discover that her troubles with this Juke were far from over.
A Nissan Juke d’occasion à $5,900 qui tombe en panne dès le premier soir
On June 12, everything moved quickly at the Val-d’Oise consignment shop. Sarah never met the listed owner of the Nissan Juke. All transactions went through the establishment, which presented itself as a mere intermediary. After the breakdown on the highway, the shop came to pick up the car and kept it for roughly ten days at the workshop. Sarah says she was told at the time that there might be a coolant leak, but there were no written details.
When Sarah picked up the SUV, she hoped to start anew. The reality was quite different. She still could not obtain the title. The owner’s approval on the ANTS platform was missing. A few weeks after the sale, the Nissan Juke broke down again, this time near her home in the Île-de-France region. The engine was ruined. She says that a diagnostic revealed numerous major faults, and the car has remained immobilized since.
Used Car That Breaks Down After Purchase : Sarah’s Recourse Against the Consignment Shop
Facing this used-car breakdown after purchase, Sarah is now seeking a full refund of the Juke. She says the shop refuses. The establishment explains it is not the seller, since the title is in the Dijon resident’s name. The young woman continues to pursue remedies. She posted a video on Facebook recounting a story she described as “worthy of a movie.” The video went viral. She eventually deleted it after the consignment shop filed a lawsuit against her, referenced in her posts.
Meanwhile, Sarah says she sent a formal demand letter by certified mail to the alleged seller. According to her, the letter was refused upon delivery. A complaint has been filed against the latter. A new vehicle assessment is scheduled for Friday, September 25, to determine the car’s condition and the origin of the various malfunctions. She says the supposed owner has been summoned, but did not confirm having received the summons. She adds that she has heard from other customers who say they had issues with the same consignment shop. For example, one person reportedly obtained recognition of a latent defect, though those accounts remain to be verified. In the meantime, she sometimes has to drive for Uber to get to her job as a receptionist because a car isn’t available. She confides that she often felt like giving up. “Many people told me to quit, but $5,900 is too much,” she sums up. She also urges buyers not to rush. She recommends getting vehicles checked and, if possible, coming with someone during a sale. These cautions ring especially true when a story turns out as badly as hers.
