Click on to your car's history before you buy

Sunday Business Post - Motoring Supplement - Dec 9 2007

A quick internet check on a used car revealing how it has been treated by previous owners may make you think twice, writes Dermot Corrigan

An estimated one in three second-hand cars offered for sale in Ireland has a past that should make consumers think twice about buying. To learn more about the history of a used car before the sale is completed, consumers can now utilise a number of websites that offer a wide range of information on the vehicle.

These websites include motorcheck.ie, cartell.ie and carsireland.ie, which all charge consumers for reports on the history of a used car, as well as carhistorycheck.ie, which is an industry service run for the Society of the Irish Motor Industry (Simi).

Problems uncovered by these services include outstanding finance on a car, incorrect mileage and the car having been previously stolen, used as a taxi or leased. Other important factors that are commonly uncovered include incorrect NCT information, the vehicle having been involved in an accident, numerous past owners, replacement engine or other important parts, service history, or the car having been imported from Britain or further afield.

Alan Nolan, Simi's deputy chief executive, said the organisation introduced its car history check service, which provides motor dealers with a Car History Check certificate, to allow its members to provide a better service to the public.

"We believe it is vital for dealers to be able to check on the integrity of vehicle information supplied so that they can reassure the future buyer that they have undertaken all required checks and can verify the vehicle's history," said Nolan. "A car history check is designed to allow dealers to confirm a cars history so they can pass this information on to the next owner as a reassurance."

Nolan said incorrect mileage, due to the illegal practice of ‘clocking’, or altering the mileage shown on a car’s odometer, was an increasingly prevalent problem in Ireland.

"There has been a noticeable increase in the incidence of clocked cars appearing for trade-in at garages," he said. "Irish people place a huge value on low mileage, often with little confirmation that the low mileage is accurate. A three-year-old car with 15,000 miles on the clock will be more sought after and will achieve a higher price of as much as €2,500 than one with 40,000 miles.”

Mick Dillon, director of carsireland.ie, said outstanding finance on used cars was a major problem in Ireland.

"One in every three cars we see would have a finance contract on it still," said Dillon. "If you purchase a car with finance on it, you will not be able to secure title on it, as the bank effectively still own the car, so you could get into quite a mess as a result."



Dillon said the carsireland.ie history check often turned up fake national car test (NCT) certificates.


"Fraudulent NCT certificates are becoming more and more common," he said. "People are trying to move cars along that have recently failed their NCT test."


"Most people would prefer not to buy a car that has been used as a taxi, or has been leased," added Dillon. "Obviously if a car has numerous owners, that is never a good thing either. Engine replacement is also never a good sign.”


Other less common problems, which can be highlighted by a history check, include the car having been cloned, written-off or scrapped, the colour being changed or a contradiction between the recorded and actual chassis and engine number.


Dillon said it was not only potential purchasers who used car history check services.


"We often find people who have already purchased a car and have noticed things going wrong over a few months," he said. "They would then come to us to check the car and at that time find out there is something in the car's history that tells them why this is happening."


All the businesses carrying out car history checks find information from a wide variety of sources, including the Irish Credit Bureau, the Vehicle Registry Office and the National Vehicle and Driver File. All this information is in the public domain, but it can be very time consuming for individuals to track it down.


Each of the services also source information from Britain on the history of cars that have been imported into Ireland.


The history check services tend not to be the primary business of the organisations providing them. Carsireland.ie is also a car sales web portal where garages and individuals can offer their used cars for sale. Motorcheck is provided by Benchmark Fleet Services who are a fleet provider and also offer consultancy and vehicle related services to Irish businesses, as well as operating asset financing, fuel-related and a business trip recording IT system. Cartell.ie’s core business is providing car history checks.


The different car history-check businesses all provide a slightly different range of products, with a corresponding range of prices. A basic history check costs from approximately €25 to €40.


Nolan said garages paid the cost of the SIMI’s check.


"There is no charge to the consumer as it is part of the professional and ethical dealer's reassurance to the consumer," he said.


Dillon advised consumers to get a third-party opinion on a used car before making a purchase.


"The Simi service could not really be regarded as independent, as they look after their own members," he said.


The Simi’s car history check service is provided in association with global information services company Experian.


"Experian, who are world leaders in this field, develop and operate the system, they provide and support the software for the checks, retain the records and ensure the integrity of the system," said Nolan.


Nolan said motorists and dealers should work together to keep detailed service histories of all cars, which does not always happen at present.


“Simi strongly believes that we should place a much higher value on a well kept vehicle service history which will not only confirm that the recorded mileage is accurate but will confirm that the car has been well looked after,” he said.


Carsireland.ie also offer an inspection service to consumers, which they can use prior to deciding to buy.


"Inspections cost €99 and take about an hour in total,” said Dillon. ”We look at engine, gearbox, suspensions, undercarriage and exhaust systems, as well as the general condition of the car."


Sellers are generally happy to allow the car to be looked at, according to Dillon.


"The seller brings in the car," he said. "We do the inspection and afterwards we phone up the potential buyer and advise them on the condition of the car and give them a heads of up of what might happen three or six months down the road. They would often proceed with the buy, but can use the information to negotiate with the seller on the price. We ask what the price is and might say that seems reasonable, but we do not value cars or get involved in negotiation directly. The customer gets a report in the mail a couple of days later."


The AA’s technical department also provides a comprehensive vehicle inspection service, which is commonly used by garages and can also be used by consumers. It costs from €225.