Don't let car cheats take you for a ride

By JO THORNHILL, MAIL ON SUNDAY ASSISTANT PERSONAL FINANCE EDITOR
Updated: 23:56 BST, 6 February 2010

Used car sales are 推定する／予想するd to rise this spring as the 政府’s ‘cash for bangers’ 計画／陰謀, which 仲買人s say has 抑えるd the second-手渡す market, comes to an end.

But with one in five 消費者s 報告（する）／憶測ing problems after buying a secondhand car, and personal 貸付金 率s rising, drivers need to do their homework before buying new wheels.

The scrappage programme, which the 政府 last week sai d will be 延長するd to the end of next month, is one of the main 推論する／理由s that secondhand car sales fell last year as 買い手s took advantage of the chance to buy new 乗り物s at a 割引.

Good 取引，協定: Richard Quadling took out a car 貸付金 using Zopa

The 計画／陰謀 許すd owners of older cars ? at least ten years old ? to 貿易（する） them in for £2,000 に向かって a new car. 専門家s 予報する that once the 計画／陰謀 勝利，勝つd 負かす／撃墜する, cash-strapped 消費者s will turn 支援する to the used car market.

About seven million second-手渡す cars are sold each year in a market 価値（がある） £35 billion.

運転者s can often 捕らえる、獲得する a 取引 if they buy second-手渡す and 価値低下 losses are also 減ずるd compared with new cars.

But 専門家s say 買い手s must have their wits about them and carry out the 権利 checks.

The Office of Fair 貿易（する）ing 報告（する）／憶測s that almost 20 per cent of those who buy a second-手渡す car experience problems, with 86 per cent arising within the first three months.?

Of those who 支払う／賃金 to 修正する the problem the 普通の／平均（する） cost is £465. 専門家s say 買い手s should always get a used car checked by a mechanic, such as one from the AA or RAC.

They should also take a car for a 実験（する） 運動 ? 供給するd they have 保険 ? and listen for 半端物 noises or 動揺させるs. It is just as important to 調査／捜査する the paperwork.

によれば the AA a third of all second-手渡す cars have a ‘ hidden history’. A credit and data check for one 乗り物 will typically cost about £20 although most 機関s will 供給する a 割引 for 多重の car searches.

Data checks are 利用できる from credit 言及／関連 機関 Experian, the AA, RAC and autotrader.co.uk.

A data check will 最高潮の場面 whether a car is stolen, written off, has had the mileage changed or if there is any 優れた 貸付金 against it.

These data providers also 保証（人） to cover any losses a car 買い手 may 背負い込む in the event that （警察などへの）密告，告訴（状） 含む／封じ込めるd in the data check is 誤った or incomplete.

But be 用心深い of low-cost data checking services as 料金s often 増大する quickly if その上の （警察などへの）密告，告訴（状） is needed and the 保証（人）s to cover losses are usually いっそう少なく generous. 買い手s should ask to see the 販売人’s V5 登録 文書, also known as the スピードを出す／記録につける 調書をとる／予約する.

If it is a 私的な sale make sure the 指名する an d 演説（する）／住所 on the V5 match the 販売人 and the place where you are 見解（をとる）ing the car.

And 確実にする the 文書 has the 実証するing watermark. If no V5 is 利用できる, walk away. The 乗り物 身元確認，身分証明 number (VIN) on the V5 should match that of the 乗り物.

The VIN is stamped on the car’s bodywork, usually on a metal plate under the bonnet, on the driver’s doorsill, or いつかs etched on a window.

If the number looks scratched or has been tampered with, again walk away.

Finally, check the MoT 証明書 and service history of the car and make sure the mileage 一致するs up and seems 権利 for the car’s age.

Any gaps in servicing should （犯罪の）一味 alarm bells. If you are planning to buy online, use reputable websites only and never 支払う／賃金 any money electronically to someone you don’t know before 配達／演説／出産 of a 乗り物.

貸付金s: Shopping around is VITAL!

Personal 貸付金s are the most popular 財政／金融 選択 for those buying used cars.

But 貸す人s are 強化するing the screws by 押し進めるing up 率s and 申し込む／申し出ing the best 取引，協定s only to borrowers with an impeccable credit history.

Last week a 報告（する）／憶測 by 独立した・無所属 data compiler Moneyfacts 明らかにする／漏らすd that 貸付金 率s are at a nine-year high にもかかわらず the Bank of England base 率 存在 held at a 記録，記録的な／記録する low of 0.5 per cent for almost a year.

The best 率 利用できる on a £5,000 貸付金 over three years is 8.9 per cent from 同盟 & Leicester, part of Spanish bank Santander.

This compares with a best-buy 7.8 per cent a year ago. Larger 貸付金s may have lower 率s so a £7,500 貸付金 from A&L costs 7.8 per cent. Since most 貸す人s advertise only typical 率s, borrowers should not be surprised if they are 申し込む／申し出d a higher 率, 特に if they have a いっそう少なく than perfect credit 得点する／非難する／２０.

‘With 率s rising and big differences between the cheapest and most expensive 貸付金s, shopping around is 重要な,’ says Moneyfacts’ Michelle Slade.

Richard Quadling, 42, a computer programmer from Plymouth, and wife, Sally, 35, who 作品 in a museum, took a personal 貸付金 with Zopa to buy their second-手渡す Toyota Lucida in September last year.

The couple have three children ? Hester, 6, Thomas, 4, and Oscar, 1. Zopa is a borrowing and lending 交流 that 削減（する）s out the banks to bring together members of the public who want to lend with suitable borrowers.

Borrowers need to have a solid credit history to be 受託するd by Zopa but 率s are 競争の激しい. T

he 率 on the Quadlings’ 貸付金 is 8.1 per cent.

‘We did a lot of 研究 online before finding Zopa,’ says Richard. ‘I liked how it worked and the 率 we were 申し込む／申し出d （警官の）巡回区域，受持ち区域 a lot of the High Street brands because we only needed to borrow £3,000. A lot of the best bank 貸付金 率s are reserved for larger-sized 貸付金s.’