Britons Admit to Lying When Selling Cars

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Wed, 14 Dec 2011

Car buyers in the UK have been warned to be extra careful when searching for second-hand motors after new research revealed that one in five people lie to sell their car .

A survey of 2,000 motorists carried out by trusteddealers.co.uk found that 10 per cent of car owners are prepared to lie about their vehicle's mileage, while five per cent do not tell potential buyers about previous accidents.

The seriousness of hiding a car's previous history was highlighted this week by vehicle-check company HPI, which revealed that four in every 100 used vehicles they check have already been declared an insurance write-off, and six in every 100 are clocked (i.e. have done a higher mileage than the odometer shows).

In addition to these risks, used car buyers also face the risk of a car being:

• Subject to an outstanding finance agreement - buying a car that is still on finance means it could still be owned by the finance company, who could claim it back at any time until the outstanding amount is settled.

• Stolen - buying a stolen vehicle means you will lose the car and the money you paid for it when it is returned to the rightful owner.

This is why HPI checks are highly recommended when buying a used car privately, as they confirm the vehicle description; whether it is currently recorded as stolen; has been written off by an insurance company; or is subject to outstanding finance.