Avoiding Used Car Pitfalls

When you're buying a used car, it's essential to check that the vehicle you're thinking of buying is in fact what the seller says it is. If you unwittingly buy a stolen car that is later recovered by the police, you'll lose the car and the money you paid for it. A few simple rules can save you a lot of bother:

Dealer or Private Sale?

There are a number of dealers working from home pretending to be private sellers. When phoning about a car you've seen advertised as a private sale, ask about "the car you have for sale" without specifying which one. If they ask: "Which car?", be on your guard; they've clearly got several vehicles for sale.

Contacting the Seller

• Be very wary of someone who will only give you a mobile phone number; if anything major goes wrong, they are virtually untraceable.
• Be suspicious if you are given a very specific time to call, as this could indicate that the seller is using a public phone box. Give them a call outside the specified time and see who answers.

Viewing the Car

• It's always a good idea to take someone else with you to the viewing; fraudsters often try to draw buyers in emotionally; someone less involved should be in a better position to spot anything odd.
• Always insist on seeing the car at the seller's house so you can be more certain the car is not stolen. When you get there, check that the address is the one shown on the registration document. Never agree to view the car at a public place such as a motorway service station, or allow the buyer to bring the car to your house.
• Ask the seller plenty of questions about their time with the car and why they are selling it. Make sure that they are the owner and they are familiar with the vehicle and its controls. If they are not the owner, check that they have the owner's permission to sell.

Vehicle Checks

Along with the basic checks to make sure the car is in good condition internally and externally, there are also a number of other checks to carry out to make sure that the car is not stolen. 

• Before you view the car, find out where the vehicle's identification number (VIN) should be so that can check it easily and ensure that it has not been removed.
• Make sure that the 17 character VIN matches the VIN on the registration certificate, and that it shows no signs that it has been tampered with.
• If the registration mark or part VIN is etched on the windows, make sure that it matches the registration certificate. Check carefully underneath stickers, as these may be used to conceal etching.
• Are there any signs of forced entry? Does the locking petrol cap look as though it has been forced and replaced?
• Check to see if any of the locks differ; thieves will usually only replace the locks they have damaged.
• Look carefully at the V5C (the vehicle's logbook) and other documentation. Does the engine number match the registration certificate? Do all the details tally with what you know about this brand of car?
• Examine the service history, and note the locations of the garages that have carried out work. Does this match the rest of the car's history? Check invoices to see if any other work has been carried out.
• You may also want to pay for a professional vehicle history check to see how many owners the car has, if there is any outstanding finance on it or if it has been written off.