Beware the used car that seems too good to be true

Brian Farrell of the Road Safety Authority (RSA) has some advice for those buying a second hand motor

TURN on the TV or radio and you are guaranteed to see or hear at least one car ad in the commercial break. The level of car advertising has reached fever pitch as manufacturers compete for consumers’ attention.

But not everybody will be in the market for a new car. The sterling exchange rate will tempt some to import used vehicles from the UK and others will opt to upgrade with a used model from home.

Whatever you are thinking of buying, I would strongly recommend visiting the Euro NCAP (European New Car Assessment Programme) website, where you will find independent advice on the safety performance of almost every car make and model sold in the EU, new and used.

But what else should you be looking out for if you are buying a used car?

The most important advice I can give is to get it independently checked by a qualified mechanic. It’s also a must if you don’t know the person you are buying the car from, because you cannot be sure of its history. Another good reason to have it checked by a mechanic is that they will tell you if parts are nearing the end of their life. Remember, cheaper vehicles may seem like a bargain at the time but can end up costing you more in the long term with expensive replacement parts and labour. Many people think they know enough about cars, but in most cases this isn’t enough to spot hidden defects.

If you are buying from a garage and they are not willing to give you some form of guarantee or warranty on the vehicle, this should ring alarm bells.

It is also a good idea to do a comprehensive background check on the used vehicle you are thinking of buying. This may uncover details the buyer is deliberately trying to hide, such as whether or not the vehicle was ever written-off or involved in a crash, the true mileage of the vehicle or if there is outstanding finance on the vehicle.

On a consumer ‘buyer beware’ programme we sponsored on TV3, a young couple were stung buying a used car when they discovered that the vehicle had been clocked. But a simple check of the owner’s manual, in which the true mileage from the car’s last service was listed, would have shown a big discrepancy between the mileage recorded here compared to the odometer reading on the dashboard.

Another way to ensure the vehicle’s odometer hasn’t been clocked is by comparing the record on the NCT disc with the vehicle’s current odometer reading.

All Society of the Irish Motor Industry (SIMI) dealers have access to a car history check service. They should be able to guarantee the mileage of any car they sell, as well as other details on the car’s history. For those who aren’t SIMI members there are other online services that provide similar information for a fee.

If you are buying privately always meet the private seller at their home address in daylight and check the documentation matches this address to ensure they are not a dealer trying to disguise a sale. Ask the seller for identification to confirm that it is the same person on the Vehicle Registration Certificate.

Always try to take the car for a test drive before you buy it. When driving the car, turn off the radio and air-conditioning and make sure there are no strange noises or rattling. Check for a strong smell of oil or petrol and that it accelerates comfortably and the brakes don’t squeak or squeal.

Make sure that all documentation, including NCT, VRT, motor tax and car handbook, relate to the car. But a word of caution: an NCT or Commercial Vehicle Roadworthiness (CVRT) certificate does not guarantee the vehicle is in a roadworthy condition at the time of purchase and does not confer any warranty. It is a check on a set of minimum requirements at the time of the test and should not be considered a substitute for a comprehensive technical examination by a mechanic before buying.

It is really important for a buyer to be aware of a car that seems cheap or costs less than other cars in the market of the same age and mileage. The car is unlikely to be as good value as it seems and was probably involved in a crash at some point in its life.

You also need to consider the fact that, in addition to having fewer modern safety features, you’ll probably end up paying out more in servicing costs, because older vehicles with high mileage need more frequent maintenance.

You should also check that the NCT certificate is not fraudulent. You easily find out if it’s legal by simply visiting www.ncts.ie and typing in the registration of the vehicle you are thinking of buying. This shows the expiry date of the last NCT cert issued for that vehicle. For commercial vehicles go to www.cvrt.ie

One thing is for sure: if you are buying a used car and your main concern is the colour, you are asking for trouble.

‘An NCT or a CVRT cert is no guarantee that a vehicle is roadworthy’