Motoring personality shares advice to help used car buyers avoid unreliable models
With more motorists buying their next car from the used market, an expert has offered tips to help drivers steer clear of scams and badly kept vehicles.
A popular used car personality has shared several tips that can help motorists find the best vehicle for them and avoid common scams.
Grant runs the YouTube channel Scottish Car Clan and regularly creates videos reviewing popular used models and reacting to interesting automotive news stories.
In a popular video, Grant shares tips to make buying a used car easier and safer, stating that drivers should always start by considering where they want to buy their next vehicle.
He advised: "It's worth deciding at this point whether you're willing to purchase from a private individual or if you would prefer to go to a car dealership or trader. The big difference between the two is in your consumer rights.
"If it turns out, soon after purchase, that the car you've bought has a problem, with a car dealership or car trader, the onus is on them. They are liable for helping you to get it repaired. With a private seller, you have far less protection."
Typically, used car dealerships will advertise models for much higher prices compared to private sellers, however, they offer some advantages.
According to the Consumer Rights Act of 2015, motorists can return a used car that was sold at a dealership up to 30 days after they bought it if there is a fault that cannot be fixed.
In addition, car dealerships are much more likely to repair any smaller faults and give the vehicle a professional clean inside and out before they put it up for sale.
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Later in the video, Grant also recommended that drivers always call the seller, which gives them the chance to ask any questions they have about the condition and history of the car.
He explained: "Now it's time to give the seller a call, and I'll always tend to call a seller rather than send them some generic message. The reason for this is I can get a much better feel as to what they're like in a phone call and they're also much more likely to take you as a genuine buyer, rather than a timewaster.
"This is your opportunity to ask any questions around things that might have been left out of the ad or not made clear. Ask what the service history is like and if there is any damage or any known problems. Also, if you've watched one of my buyers guides, there might be some model-specific information you want to ask about."
Finally, the YouTuber also suggested that potential buyers always enter the number plate into a vehicle history check service, with many offering basic information for free.
He continued: "Not every seller is going to be completely honest about the car they are trying to sell and that is one of the reasons it's so important to do a vehicle history check or HPI check.
"Now, the one that I use and trust personally is VehicleScore. I like this service because it gives you certain information for free; it collates the MOT history, so you don't need to bother going to the Government website; and also, it gives proper paid HPI reports."
