What claims are immediately ineligible?

Not every problem with a car can be claimed after the sale. The agreement excludes some categories completely, which means they are not covered even if the buyer has receipts, photos, or a mechanic's opinion. If the work is on the exclusion list, the claim stops there. Otherwise, the buyer can move on to the usual questions about eligibility and evidence.

What is excluded straight away

The agreement excludes the following items from the start:

• Bodywork, paint, and lacquer are excluded.
• Interior trim, upholstery, carpeting, and floor mats are excluded.
• Lights, tires, windscreens, and mirrors are excluded.
• Cosmetic dents, scratches, and scuffs that do not affect mechanical function or structural integrity are excluded.
• Number plates and plate holders are excluded.
• Any cost arising from a vehicle collision is excluded.
• Any fitting cost above the vehicle's specification is excluded.
• Any fault, defect, or condition already disclosed by the seller is excluded.

Consult the contract you have signed to get the most accurate information, as this information may deviate from your contract.

How to use this list

Use this as a first filter before spending time on receipts or evidence. If the problem falls into one of the excluded categories, it is not worth building a claim around it.

If a garage invoice includes both covered and excluded work, only the covered part can be considered further. That is where evidence and apportionment start to matter.

Two points people often get wrong

• Cosmetic damage is not the same as functional or structural damage: A scratch, scuff, or small dent is excluded, but damage that genuinely affects the vehicle's operation or structural integrity is a separate question. That distinction is explained further in the cosmetic-versus-mechanical article.
• A disclosed issue has to be clearly identified: A seller cannot rely on vague wording. The issue has to have been described clearly enough before the sale.

If the item is on this list, the claim is excluded. If it is not, the next step is to check whether it is otherwise eligible and whether the buyer can prove the cost properly.

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