| Buying a used car can be a perilous | | | | transaction has been concluded. If |
| experience for many because | | | | possible, take someone who is fairly |
| unfortunately there are fraudsters and | | | | knowledgeable about cars with you when |
| conmen who seek to profit from others | | | | you go to view a potential purchase. |
| naivety, and are quite unscrupulous when | | | | They might pick up something that you |
| it comes to selling cars that are not | | | | may miss, and they can always give you a |
| fit for the road, and in some cases | | | | second opinion. |
| downright dangerous! | | | | Although whilst it is a good move to get |
| Horror stories abound of people | | | | cheap car insurance you shouldn't always |
| purchasing second hand cars only to find | | | | go for the cheapest car because another |
| they've actually bought a 'cut and shut' | | | | favourite trick of a fraudster is to |
| - two halves of separate written off | | | | sell a car on which there is outstanding |
| cars that have been welded together to | | | | finance at a massive discount. Usually |
| form a reconstructed vehicle. Needless | | | | advertised at market rates, the seller |
| to say such cars are death traps, and | | | | will normally offer a big discount for |
| people selling them are breaking the | | | | cash. It's easy for him to be so |
| law. Buy a car such as this and not only | | | | generous because he doesn't actually own |
| is your life at risk but every penny you | | | | the car, it is the property of a finance |
| spend on it is likely to be | | | | company who will seek to recover the car |
| unrecoverable. | | | | or the outstanding balance from anyone |
| Stolen cars are often offered for sale | | | | who actually parts with cash and buys it |
| along with the V5 log books. The first | | | | in good faith. |
| thing a motorist will know about the | | | | If you are in such a position motoring |
| fact that it is a stolen vehicle is when | | | | organisations such as the AA offer to |
| they send the buyers portion of the V5 | | | | check whether there is any outstanding |
| to the DVLA and receive a visit from a | | | | finance on the car. They charge a fee of |
| police officer. If you have any doubts | | | | £35, but as they say if it appears too |
| you should abandon a purchase, even if | | | | good to be true, it inevitably is, and |
| you have paid a deposit. Go to a | | | | that upfront fee could save you a |
| reputable dealer, not a private seller | | | | fortune in the long run. |
| who will be untraceable once the | | | | |