A mother has vented her frustration after she was duped into buying a lemon car that came riddled with problems and broke down on her just days after.

Melbourne content creator Jessica Theobald thought she had found her 'dream' Land Rover Discovery Sport after spotting it on Facebook Marketplace in November 2025.

Ms Theobald had no idea that over the next four months she would have to fight to get her money back, after discovering the car was not roadworthy and the engine was so damaged that it would explode when she drove it.

She admitted missing several red flags during the purchasing process, but explained it was the first car she had bought for herself.

'I was very naïve,' Ms Theobald said.

She said the car dealer assured her the vehicle was in great condition during the initial phone call, despite admitting its motor had recently been replaced.

Ms Theobald took it to mean the engine was essentially brand new and went in to inspect and test-drive it before deciding to buy it.  

The next red flag came when she tried to pay for the car, but was unable to do it online due to the transfer limit, and the bank was closed so she couldn't raise it over the phone. 

'He said, "No, just ring them back and say 'fraud' and they'll put you through to someone",' Ms Theobald recalled.

'I rang them back, said fraud, and they put me through straight away.'

The third red flag came when she tried to organise registration. 

'He was transferring the rego over and something happened,' Ms Theobald said.

'He said he had to transfer it to himself first and couldn't transfer it to me, and that he'd have to do it in a few days.'

Ms Theobald splashed out on a 12-month extended warranty before driving the car home without a hitch.

But within days, her excitement turned to panic.

'I reversed out and drove maybe 200m down the road and the car started taking off on its own,' she said.

'The car was accelerating on its own and then it just made like all these bangs. Really bad sounds and smoke began coming out of the bonnet.

'I went over to the grass to pull over and turned the car off. I was freaking out and there was just smoke coming from the bonnet. I thought the car was gonna catch fire.'

Ms Theobald said she immediately contacted the dealer, who promised to organise a tow truck but days passed with no sign of help and little communication.

A mechanic later delivered the devastating verdict: the engine had exploded.

The biggest shock came when Ms Theobald uncovered what she says was a critical detail - the car had failed a roadworthy inspection due to engine issues. 

'I was advised to contact Consumer Affairs, which I did, told them the whole story and they said they would reach out to him,' she said.

When the dealer eventually got back in contact, he claimed he would refund her, but delays and conflicting messages only dragged out the saga.

At one point, another mechanic linked to the engine contacted her directly, asking for the vehicle to be brought in, while the dealer later claimed he was 'on holiday' until mid-January despite continuing to advertise cars.

'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 said.

Under Victorian law, car dealers must either repair the vehicle or provide a refund within a three-month statutory warranty period. 

Ms Theobald began proceedings with the Motor Trader Fund, which exists to help cover claims against licensed dealers.

All licensed Victorian car dealers must hold a Motor Car Traders Licence and comply with strict consumer protection laws. 

She also discovered the dealer had licence restrictions, including conditions on where he could operate and advertise.

'He's done the dirty before,' she said.

But the drama still wasn't over.

Despite her misgivings, she travelled four hours to confront the dealer in person, fearing the worst as she attempted to get her money back.

'I felt sick, I was shaking when we pulled up. I rang the police and I said just making you guys aware this is happening just in case I have to call you,' Ms Theobald said.

'I was thinking the worst.'

She was eventually handed most of her refund in cash, with the remainder transferred online.

Now Ms Theobald says she's been flooded with messages from others claiming similar experiences, raising serious questions about the dealer's conduct.

'Now hearing from other people that he's done this to them as well is really, really concerning - it's not just me.'