‘Clocking’ of cars on the rise in Ireland

ACCORDING to car history experts Motorcheck.ie, almost a quarter of used cars sold in Ireland have been clocked.

The analysis examined the history of 20,000 vehicles and found that 23.24 per cent had been clocked, 24 per cent under seven years of age were still under finance and 6.5 per cent had a warning that the car had previously been seriously damaged or written off.

Meanwhile, cartell.ie has report- ed the clocking rate in Ireland stands at 11% of the fleet in 2012.

It says the figure is based on a sample size in excess of 50,000 from a data-set which is the most complete in the Irish market. The rate of clocking has steadily increased since the recession commenced. The figure of 11% is almost twice as high as the comparable figure in the UK which currently stands at 6% according to UK vehicle history check company HPI.

To assist in combating the rise in vehicle clocking in the Republic of Ireland, particularly concerning private-to-private transactions which are vulnerable under current consumer provisions, Cartell's legal division drafted a Bill which seeks to criminalise vehicle clocking in the Republic of Ireland. The Bill passed Stage I in the Oireachtas at the end of the 2012 Dáil Session and is set for Stage II later in 2013.

Cartell Director Jeff Aherne says: ‘Clocking is a problem in Ireland, and the incidence rate has crept worryingly upwards in the past few years. We drafted the Bill because we are concerned with the situation, and we want to be pro-active and champion consumer interests - that's what this is about. It's also important to be responsible with the figures. At present the rate of clocking in the Republic of Ireland, based on car history checks carried out by Cartell.ie, is almost 11%. This will increase if the government fails to take action.’