'Criminal cars’ rife on UK roads

One in three vehicles on the road today has an adverse history that could put the owner or driver at risk of an accident or financial loss, according to statistics released by MORE TH>N.

And with an estimated 2.8 million second-hand vehicles sold privately every year in the UK, this means that almost a million people (946,000) could be at risk over the next twelve months.

Of those vehicles with an adverse history, outstanding finance is the most common peril, affecting almost a third (29 per cent) of the vehicles, according to MORE TH>N. Owners purchasing a vehicle with outstanding finance owed do not acquire the legal title to it unless the finance has been settled, despite shelling out their hard-earned cash. The car can be repossessed at any time, leaving the buyer high and dry with no rights to recover the money they paid.

Other common issues include cars that have been written off and declared unfit to be repaired by the insurers, which could mean a potentially dangerous car is being bought,and cars reported as stolen being sold on illegally.

It seems that Brits like to do their homework before buying a vehicle, with over 60 per cent of car buyers using the internet to research the car they buy. However, when it comes to carrying out a history check, MORE TH>N’s statistics reveal that only one in 10 (11 per cent) of those buying a second hand car bother to carry out the proper checks before handing over their money. And if the car has been sold privately, there is no punishment for the seller who may have sold the car without disclosing its history. In contrast, traders who sell a car with an adverse history can be prosecuted under the Trade Description Act.

To help buyers make a safe vehicle purchase, MORE TH>N has teamed up with Experian to offer all car buyers a quick, simple and affordable online vehicle history checking service. AutoCheck researches 28 different aspects of a vehicle’s past, from ownership changes and mileage history right through to whether it is recorded as an insurance write-off or if it has been reported stolen, and produces an easy-to-read report highlighting any potential concerns. All that’s needed to check a vehicle is its registration number, and the report is produced in under a minute. And to guarantee reliability, AutoCheck offers up to £30,000 vehicle data insurance on the information provided.

MORE TH>N also understands that people often look at more than one vehicle before deciding which to buy, so AutoCheck offers a multi-check option allowing up to five separate checks within a 60-day period, saving up to £170 compared to some other providers.