One of the most important things you can do when buying a used car is to look at the history. This should be on your list of priorities.
It is very easy to check your car’s history in today’s information age. You will only need the VIN number or registration number of the vehicle. Both details should be available from the seller. This is a red flag if they keep it quiet.
The RAC has revealed that 52 percent of used cars in the UK have a hidden history. This is something the seller will try to hide from you. This means that you are more likely to get a car that will cause you problems than a car you like.
They found that 27.5% of the cars had an issue with a change of number plates, and 17.6% had outstanding debt attached. The RAC found that 14.2% of the cars were insurance write-offs and 1.4% were repainted in a different color, 0.2% were stolen, and 0.1% were scrapped.
Is it worth looking into the history of a car in the UK?
The UK’s recent tendencies in the used car market
The UK’s used car market was stable up to the first quarter 2020. In 2019, around 8 million cars were traded. In Q4, 2019, there were just over 1.8million car transactions. The arrival of Covid-19 caused economies all over the globe to slump to a halt. Similar results were seen in the UK used car market.
The Q1 2020 quarter saw 1.8 million vehicles change hands. However, it was more than 8% lower than Q1 2019. The first lockdown in March saw sales drop by 30%, despite steady growth in the first two-months. The Q2 sales dropped by almost 50% compared to 2019. Q3 saw a 4% increase in showroom openings, but the second lockdown in March caused sales to drop by 6%.
These figures represent a total of 6.7 million used vehicles being sold in 2020, a 15% decrease on 2019. It was certainly a difficult year.
2021 has not started off much better. Sales fell 9% in Q1 2020, despite the country being under strict national lockdown. March saw the first signs of a lifting in lockdown, and sales rose by 32% over the previous year. (More than 9% drop from Q1 2020).
It is crucial to verify the car’s history. It could cause you to incur huge costs that will make your vehicle an expensive burden.
These are the four most dangerous hidden dangers that can be found when purchasing a used vehicle.
Mileage fraud
To make the car look “less well-maintained,” corrupt car dealers will often roll back the odometer. Although it’s illegal and extremely difficult to enter the system, some salespeople manage to do so.
When you purchase a used vehicle, mileage fraud can be dangerous. Let’s take, for example, the reading on your odometer has fallen by half from 120,000 to 60,000 miles. You would want to ensure that the engine, clutch, and chassis are in top condition at 120,000 miles. Things can go wrong at this age. These things can happen at 60,000 miles.
A scan of your mileage records is one of the many features a free car check provides. It will alert you if the odometer has been altered so that you can avoid the car.
Unknown accidents
If the car has been in an accident, the previous owner or the owners before them will often cover it up instead of fixing it. It is expensive.
Dodgy car dealers might cover the tyres with tyreblackener to hide their condition. You might also see the underside of the car to cover rust or welds. They may also use quick fixes like stringing the suspension drop-link onto the car.
You can look up the history of your vehicle by doing a used vehicle lookup. The report will give you information about the exact area that was affected by the accident. This allows you to look for physical evidence in photos and in person.
You should inspect the car for signs of excessive wear and mismatched panels (either in colour or location) as well as strange rust spots.
Use before
Some vehicles, such as those that are used as taxis or rental cars or emergency services vehicles, don’t have the same value as the average car. They’ve probably been driven more than other cars, so they are likely to be in worse shape.
However, this is not always true. For example, it’s often a good idea to buy cars from the UK police or ambulance service as you know that they have taken great care of the vehicles.
A car history check can help you see how it was used in the past. It doesn’t really matter if you only need a car to get parts or for a quick fix, though. You should make sure you don’t get ripped off.
Theft
Rivervale Leasing submitted a Freedom of Information request to the DVLA last year. It stated that 74,769 vehicles had been stolen in the UK (2020). Official government data shows that there were 32,697.400 vehicles in the country in 2020. This includes those “between owners”. These numbers show that approximately 0.2% of vehicles in the UK were stolen – a shockingly similar percentage to the RAC’s findings.
While 0.2% may seem small, it could indicate that 1 out 500 car transactions could have been stolen.
According to the DVLA, the most stolen vehicles in the UK include the Ford Fiesta and Range Rover, Volkswagen Golf and Ford Focus, Ford Fiesta, Range Rover and Ford Focus.
There is a danger in buying a used car that has been stolen. You must return it to its original owner, even if you bought it in good faith. How do you get your money back? That’s up to you. The costs may be covered by your bank or insurance, but it can often get complicated unless the thieves are brought to justice.
What is a VIN?
A vehicle identification number (VIN) is the vehicle identification number. Every car has one. They are unique for every vehicle that is produced.
They are often found inside the doorframe, either near the footplate and door catch or at the top or bottom of the bonnet. If the vehicle was built after 1981, the numbers will be written on a plate. They are always 17 digits in length. It can include both numbers and letters (alphanumeric).
VIN is the most difficult thing to forge. Thieves are known to tamper with numbers, so be aware.
Ask for both the VIN number and the registration plate before you purchase a used vehicle. These details should match each other when you enter them into a car history checking platform.
