Campaign to tackle used car faults

A NEW INITIATIVE by the Trading Standards Institute (TSI) to help the public avoid the dangers of buying a used car has been launched. It comes after research by the TSI that shows a half of all used cars show up with a fault within a month of being bought by a new owner.

In the past 12 months, the TSI has received 84,000 complaints about used cars. Of this number, 83% were about faults with cars and four of out five of these needed essential repairs. Also, 139 cars were found to be dangerously faulty and only fit to be scrapped.

Citizens Advice Chief Executive Gillian Guy said: ‘People are spending, on average, over £5,000 on a second hand car with many drivers saving for months on end or taking out expensive finance packages in order to afford it.

‘With rising day to day costs putting extra pressure on already tight finances, people cannot afford for such pricey purchases to go wrong. Not only could it cost families money but it can mean their car is off the road because it is unsafe. The second hand car industry needs to put the brakes on malfunctioning motors by making sure the cars they sell are in good working order. That way people aren’t wasting their time or money trying to fix issues that should never have been there in the first place.’

The campaign aims to raise awareness of the key points to remember when buying a used car. They are the car must be roadworthy, have a service history, come with the V5 registration document, is not a write-off, has had a finance and history check carried out, is reasonable value, matches the description given by the seller, is fit for purpose and is fair value.

David Bruce, director of AA Cars, says that there is no room for complacency when buying a used car. He added: ‘I fully support this campaign. Too many people buy a used car with their heart rather than their head. A second-hand car that is not up to scratch and is littered with faults can be a danger to the driver and other road users.’

By Press Association reporters