Citizens Advice issues used car warning

Citizens Advice is warning consumers to be on the lookout for problem motors after dodgy used cars bought from independent dealers topped the list of the 10 most complained about consumer issues between April and June of this year.

There were over 12,000 complaints about second hand cars bought from independent dealers – eight per cent of all cases the Citizens Advice consumer service dealt with and three times as many complaints as those made about used cars bought from private sellers and franchise dealerships.

In total, the callers spent a staggering £55 million on used cars from independent dealers where the car or the assistance from the dealer was not up to scratch. Two thirds of the complaints about independent used car dealers were about the car being faulty and over 1 in 10 revolved around salespeople giving misleading information about the vehicle.

Problems with second hand cars bought from a franchise dealer was the tenth most complained about issue.

It’s not just the Citizens Advice consumer service which has been helping people with their car troubles – during the same period, Citizens Advice Bureaux in England and Wales dealt with over 3,500 problems around second hand cars including the car being unsafe or not working properly.

Over two years ago the Office of Fair Trading gave traders guidance on selling used cars to help them comply with consumer protection law – yet the evidence shows many people are still falling victim to bad practice.

Citizens Advice wants to see a robust approved code introduced for the second hand car market which will help buyers filter the good dealers from the bad by identifying the sellers willing to go the extra mile to make sure their customers get a car that is in good working order and one they are happy with.

Citizens Advice Chief Executive Gillian Guy said:

“It’s time these dealers parked their sharp practices. People save for years to update their car or buy one for the first time. If you’re not a motor head, stepping onto a used car dealer’s forecourt can feel like entering a lion’s den. But there are things consumers can do to protect themselves, like looking out for unusually low mileage on an old car, which could mean it’s been tampered with.”