Drivers looking for a bargain buy have been warned not to be taken in by plummeting car prices, which may hide a vehicle’s history.

 

While the credit crisis threatens to drive down the price of second-hand cars criminals are using it as an excuse as to why a vehicle may seem such a bargain when really it has something to hide, claim experts from mycarcheck.com.

In the last couple of months mycarcheck have noticed a number of customers telling them about cars advertised at knockdown prices where the seller claims the credit crisis has forced him to sell. However, when they looked into the vehicle there was often another reason such as it has been involved in an accident, written-off or even reported stolen.

In the last few days more than 14 per cent of vehicles checked by mycarcheck.com had been previously written off by insurance companies and over 16 per cent did not match their official vehicle identification number (VIN).

The most common signs to look for when viewing a car are missing logbooks, serial numbers altered and chassis being tampered with.

Used car values are plummeting at a rate faster than they did during the bleak 1990s recession, but motorists must be extra vigilant and not rush into any deals just because they think they are getting a bargain.

It saddens me that whenever there is an apt opportunity, some crook is out there conning innocent motorists. How sad are they.

Jackie Violet - Female First