More than a third (36%) of drivers admit they haven’t checked whether a car they are buying has been involved in a previous accident.
New research from Close Brothers Motor Finance looked at the 55% of motorists planning to buy a car in the next 12 months and found
The research, which looked at what car buyers check when purchasing a second-hand car, found that one in five (22%) don’t check the mileage, and a similar number do not check the MOT history of the vehicle (29%).
More than a third (37%) don’t check the service history before buying, and half (50%) don’t check whether the vehicle has been modified.
A fifth (2%) do not check mileage and 29% give the MoT history a miss.
The research also looked into the factors that are driving used car purchase decisions. The cost of the car itself remains the largest factor for 65% of motorists.
Fuel costs also weigh heavily on the buying process for 44% of drivers, followed closely by road tax costs (42%).
Two-in-five (39%) research the general maintenance costs before purchase, and 16% factor in the cost of regional charges such as London’s Ultra Low Emissions Zone (ULEZ). Only one-in-ten (10%) buyers do not factor in anything in particular when looking at purchasing a used car.
John Cassidy, Managing Director of Sales at Close Brothers Motor Finance, said: “Despite the fact that cost is the most important consideration for buyers of used vehicles, it’s somewhat surprising to see that many buyers chose not to carry out simple checks which could save them money in the long-term.
