8/12/2004 - 25% of forecourt cars are illegal

One in four cars offered for sale for under £5,000 are classed as being unroadworthy and illegal to use on the road. These are the shocking findings of a survey carried out by Cumbria County Council's Trading Standard Department.

The survey of garage forecourts in Cumbria was a joint exercise carried out by county council trading standards officers and the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA), previously known as the Ministry of Transport. During the week commencing 15 November 2004, a total of thirteen garage premises were visited and forty-four cars examined. Eleven of those cars were declared as unroadworthy and had prohibition notices served upon the owners. This required the faults to be rectified and the car re-examined before it could be used on the roads. All eleven cars would have failed an MOT. 

Phil Ashcroft, Head of Cumbria County Council's Trading Standards said:

"We deliberately targeted the cheaper end of the car market. Young, inexperienced drivers are more likely to buy the older cars - it's what they can afford. We must not compromise with safety on the road, especially for the young driver."

Jack Richardson, Cumbria County Council's Community Safety spokesman said:

"Safety on our county's roads is vital. It is important that all sellers of second-hand cars, business and private, ensure that their vehicles are fit for the road."

Top tips when buying a used car:

1. Check the tyres. Make sure that they are legal.

2. Make sure you see the Vehicle Registration document. Contact the previous record keeper before you buy and ask about the car's history (accident and mileage)

3. Don't buy the car unless it comes with the appropriate Vehicle Registration document

4. Take the car for a test drive

5. Take someone with you who has some knowledge about cars and what to look for

6. Don't view the car in the dark

7. Buy from an established garage, so that you know where to return to if you have problems