Unfortunately, there are scammers everywhere, in every part of the world. In the car industry, there are quite a few common car scams you need to be on the lookout for. We have listed them below so you can familiarise yourself with them and learn how to avoid them. Like everything in life knowledge is power.
Clocking
This is probably the most common of all car scams and it is used by both dealers and car sellers to make the car appear more valuable than it actually is. Clocking is when the odometer of a car has been wound back, so it reduces the apparent mileage a car has done, which in turn increases the value of a car.
One easy way to avoid this is by getting a full car history check on the vehicle you wish to buy, which will list the MOT history and the mileage at the last MOT, which will allow you to spot any discrepancies.
When viewing the car, you should check the dashboard for any suspicious marks etc. that could indicate whether or not the odometer has been tampered with. Also, look out for external wear and tear that doesn't match the advertised description.
Cloning
Cloning means replacing the vehicle's number plate on a stolen car or a car with finance etc. with another number plate from a car that has a similar make, age, model and colour, thus passing it off as a legitimate vehicle.
A full data history check should help you out, as well; you also need to check that the VRM matches the V5C and both the VIN and engine number match the ones on the V5C, as well as on your car history check.
Stolen cars
This is simply the situation where someone has stolen a car and they are now trying to sell it to you. Again, here you can avoid this easily by paying for a car history check. It will cost you a few quid at the time, but in the long run it will save you from buying a dodgy car and from being conned out of your hard earned cash.
Other common car scams you need to be aware of include cut 'n' shut, sold as seen, written off cars, cars that still have finance on them, dealers posing as private sellers and buying a rental car.
When viewing a car, always take a friend or relative with you for a second opinion. Always remember if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
Promoted by Teresa Walsh - 29 Jun 2017