From July 31, 2026, car buyers in Croatia get stronger protection: after a repair of a recognized defect, the complaint period can be extended by an additional 12 months, and the dealer must inform you of the choice between repair and replacement.
Buying a car, especially a used one, often carries the risk of hidden defects that only surface after the vehicle leaves the dealership. New rules on the right to repair, which apply to contracts concluded from July 31, 2026, bring significant changes in favor of buyers in Croatia and the rest of the European Union. They cover both new and used cars purchased from a dealer, and a key novelty concerns situations where a defect is resolved through repair.
If the dealer repairs a recognized defect, the deadline for exercising rights due to that defect can be extended once by an additional 12 months. This gives the buyer a significantly more favorable position than before, especially in cases where the same fault recurs after the service has already intervened. For example, if the same problem with the gearbox or electronics returns a few months after the service has carried out a repair, the buyer still has a basis for a complaint.
The change is not only about the duration of liability. Before remedying the defect, the seller must inform the consumer that they can choose between repairing the product and, if legal prerequisites are met, replacing it. The new rules aim to avoid the buyer being automatically offered only one solution, which is usually more favorable to the seller.
Under the rules applicable from July 31, a vehicle should, where possible, have the characteristics normally expected of comparable cars in terms of repairability. If there are significant limitations, the seller should draw the buyer's attention to them. This is particularly significant in an era when vehicles contain more and more electronics, software, and expensive built-in components, so even a minor fault can result in a very high cost.
The new rules do not, however, mean that every car manufacturer is suddenly obliged to repair every fault indefinitely. According to ADAC, there is no universal new obligation for manufacturers to carry out vehicle repairs under any circumstances. The novelties mostly relate to consumer rights vis-à-vis the seller if the purchased vehicle shows defects.
For buyers, the most important practical advice is therefore very simple: keep all documentation about the defect and every repair. The date of reporting the fault, the work order, and the service invoice can become crucial if the same problem recurs. Without that paper trail, it will be difficult to prove that it is the same defect that has already been repaired once.
