One owner, many drivers

The advert for a Vauxhall Insignia car was technically correct in saying it had just one previous owner. Trouble is, that owner was a rental firm.

An interested customer paid a £200 deposit to have the car moved to a dealership near his home so he could check it out, but decided not to buy it after seeing the condition.

Although his deposit was refunded, he complained to his local trading standards in Middlesbrough that his

atime had been wasted by the dealership, Evans Halshaw. Now the parent company, Pendragon Motor Group, has been fined £134,000 at Teesside magistrates court after being found guilty of false advertising.

Councillor Julia Rostron said: “It is of serious concern that this is the second time we have taken this company to court on the same issue.”

The company has said it will appeal against the court’s decision.