People selling cars are not always truthful. Well, I never...

Author:Paul Cartwright

Posted:19th December 2011

Category:Van Insurance

According to a recent survey of 2000 motorists carried out by trusteddealers.co.uk one in five people lie in order to sell their car. The survey revealed that one in ten sellers is prepared to lie about the car's mileage and one in twenty concealed the vehicle's accident history from the prospective purchaser.

The extent to which sellers will go to conceal or fabricate the history of a vehicle was highlighted this week by HPI, the vehicle-check company, who stated that six out of every hundred customers ask them to check if vehicles have a mileage discrepancy. A further four in every hundred have been declared an insurance write-off, which means the vehicle has previously been damaged beyond economic repair in the opinion of the insurance company.

When buying a used car it is always worth engaging the services of either HPI or Experian who will advise you regarding the correct details of the vehicle you are interested in buying. Not only will they tell you if the car has been "clocked" or "written-off", they will also let you know if the vehicle is still subject to a Hire Purchase agreement which accounts for one in four of the checks made. If it is, the Finance Company retain ownership of the vehicle until the outstanding balance is paid. You will also be advised if the car has been stolen, in which case you are likely to lose both your money and the vehicle when it is returned to the rightful owner.

Buying a car privately can make you a saving on its full retail price if you are lucky and choose the right seller and the right vehicle. If you are unlucky it can prove a very expensive experience. If you purchase from a respectable dealer you will have the protection of any trade associations they belong to and also the law. The principle of Caveat Emptor, translated as "let the buyer beware", applies more to deals between private individuals than it does to purchases from professional and experienced traders.

Staveley Head is a leading provider of Van Insurance in the UK.

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