CASH POINT.
Byline: Tricia Phillipstable to 25 per cent by 2015.
CASH POINT By Tricia Phillips DODGY second-hand car dealers are driving buyers round the bend.
Independent used car traders topped the list of complaints to the Citizens Advice hotline in the three months to June. The service - which replaced Consumer Direct in April - handled more than 12,000 gripes about independent operators.
Two thirds of complaints were about cars being faulty and one in 10 revolved around salesmen giving misleading information.
Traders triggered three times more complaints than used cars bought from private sellers and franchise dealerships.
The hotline handled complaints about pounds 55million worth of cars that weren't up to scratch. But that doesn't include the more than 3500 people who contacted Citizens Advice Bureaux about second-hand cars between April and June.
Citizens Advice chief Gillian Guy said: "It's time these dealers parked their sharp practices."
If you're looking to buy a used car, know what you want and stick to it and do research to see what's a good price. Find a reliable dealer. Look for an established firm with a good reputation.
Check the car, from paintwork and headlights to tyres and seatbelts. And verify the mileage.
Investigate its history and make sure you understand conditions of sale. For help, call the Citizens Advice consumer service on 08454 04 05 06, see www.adviceguide.org.uk or go to a Citizens Advice Bureau.
DODGY second-hand car dealers are driving buyers round the bend.
Independent used car traders topped the list of complaints to the Citizens Advice hotline in the three months to June. The service - which replaced Consumer Direct in April - handled more than 12,000 gripes about independent operators.
Two thirds of complaints were about cars being faulty and one in 10 revolved around salesmen giving misleading information.
Traders triggered three times more complaints than used cars bought from private sellers and franchise dealerships.
The hotline handled complaints about pounds 55million worth of cars that weren't up to scratch. But that doesn't include the more than 3500 people who contacted Citizens Advice Bureaux about second-hand cars between April and June.
Citizens Advice chief Gillian Guy said: "It's time these dealers parked their sharp practices."
If you're looking to buy a used car, know what you want and stick to it and do research to see what's a good price. Find a reliable dealer. Look for an established firm with a good reputation.
Check the car, from paintwork and headlights to tyres and seatbelts. And verify the mileage.
Investigate its history and make sure you understand conditions of sale. For help, call the Citizens Advice consumer service on 08454 04 05 06, see www.adviceguide.org.uk or go to a Citizens Advice Bureau.
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| Title Annotation: | Business |
|---|---|
| Publication: | Daily Record (Glasgow, Scotland) |
| Date: | Aug 29, 2012 |
| Words: | 457 |
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