Beware of ‘clockers’ car buyers warned

CONSUMERS looking to buy second-hand cars were yesterday urged to avoid falling victim to “car-clockers” who fiddle the mileage on used vehicles.

The Government’s National Consumer Agency (NCA) yesterday promised on-the-spot checks on car dealers and imported vehicles to stamp out what it said was a widespread practice.

Clocking happens when rogue sellers alter the digits on a car’s mileage counter so that the vehicle looks like it has done fewer miles and can be sold at a higher price.

In the NCA’s first big consumer blitz since being officially established last month, the agency has also published a 25-page guide to steer consumers through buying a used car.

Among the tips for consumers are ways to ensure the vehicle’s mileage is correct:

nCheck the wear and tear inside the car: is it consistent with the mileage or is the fabric too old?

nCheck the steering wheel and driver’s seat: a smooth or worn wheel, worn fabric or discoloured lining above the driver’s head indicate high mileage.

nGet the dealer or seller to confirm the mileage in writing so you can have recourse in case of problems.

nIf the dealer is a member of the Society of the Irish Motor Industry then he or she should be able to confirm the figures.

nRemember that the average annual mileage on a petrol car is 10,000 miles (16,000 kilometres) or 15,000 miles (24,000 km) for a diesel.

Yesterday the NCA’s commercial practices director John Shine said car-clockers were taking considerable numbers of miles off second-hand cars. “We’ve heard about one car that had done 120,000 miles yet this was clocked down to 56,000,” he said.

“That has considerable implications for the value of the car, servicing and maintenance, not to mention road safety.” The NCA said it would be using “profiling techniques” to target the kinds of car prone to clocking like mid-range cars such as BMW or Mercedes.

NCA inspectors will be carrying out unannounced inspections at dealers and will also be focusing on the owners of imported used cars to check their cars have the right mileage.

Last year, the Irish Examiner revealed how about 60,000 used cars are imported from Britain and Northern Ireland annually as motorists try to beat Ireland’s high car-tax rates legitimately.

NCA bosses are liaising with their counterparts in Britain and the North to help stop clockers from taking advantage of Irish demand for cheaper second-hand cars.

“Car-clocking has become an increasingly common practice in Ireland with many cars from abroad being subject to this treatment,” said NCA acting chief executive Ann Fitzgerald.

“Anecdotal evidence and discussions with other agencies suggest this is a widespread problem causing significant detriment to those consumers unfortunate enough to be duped.”

Aware that buyers have fewer rights if they purchase from private sellers here or abroad, the NCA is also publicising tactics consumers should employ when negotiating a deal with an individual to avoid being cheated.

Under the law Irish dealers who mislead buyers about a car’s history, including facts like the vehicle’s mileage, can be brought to court by the NCA or consumers themselves under civil law.

www.consumerconnect.ie or 1890-432-432