DRIVERS looking to buy a used car have been warned to watch out for key details or risk picking up a stolen vehicle.
Motorists could find themselves in an awkward chat with the cops if they don’t pick up the warning signs.
Drivers have been urged to watch out for stolen cars when buying second-hand as thefts hit over a million last year[/caption]
The latest figures from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration show that more than a million cars were stolen across the US last year at a rate of almost two a minute.
But most thieves aren’t pinching vehicles for personal use or even for joyriding.
Instead, organised gangs target particularly vulnerable or high-value models which they can sell on for a significant profit.
Often this can be done on the black market through a network of shady dealers who either get a cut of the cash or just don’t ask too many questions.
But plenty will still end up in mainstream showrooms as crooks cook up fake vehicle history and registration papers.
If you buy a stolen car without knowing it, you could find yourself in contact with the police.
Even if you can prove you had no idea that the sale wasn’t legitimate, you still face having your new purchase seized and a struggle to get your money back.
Fortunately, they are some quick and easy tricks you can use to check whether the vehicle your eyeing up for your garage has a backstory as clean as its bodywork.
First of all, look out for ads with “too good to be true” prices, especially on usually high-end models.
Speed is of the essence for car thieves as they don’t want to hang onto illicit vehicles for long and risk being caught with them.
If the seller seems desperate to unload a car and offers a ridiculously low price, this could be a sign that there’s something not quite right about it.
Then, when you get into the sales process, be wary of mystery sellers who don’t want to meet you, talk about the car or give their names.
You’re well within your rights to ask them to show ID before proceeding with the sale or at least to insist on a phone call before agreeing anything.
The next step is to inspect the car, ideally in person where possible.
Keep a close eye on the paintwork – if it is mismatched it could be a sign of a rushed colour change to make the stolen car harder to track down.
What makes a car a lemon?
Each law has different parameters on what defines a lemon, but generally, a car is lemon when it’s in the shop for longer than it’s on the road.
Progressive Auto Insurance describes a lemon as a car with “a significant defect or malfunction that makes it unsafe to drive,” though exact parameters vary by state. All 50 states have lemon laws covering new vehicles, but only seven have lemon laws to protect used car buyers.
Federally, however, consumers are protected under U.S. Code Chapter 50 covering consumer product warranties. In layman’s terms, the law dictates that consumers be compensated by the manufacturer when “multiple attempts to repair a vehicle under warranty fail.”
What to do if you think you bought a lemon:
- Research your state’s lemon laws and their exact parameters.
- Contact the dealership, especially if it’s still under factory warranty.
- If the dealership refuses to repair the issue, contact the Automotive Consumer Action Program or the National Automobile Dealers Association.
- Send a certified letter to the manufacturer with an explanation of the issue, with documentation and proof that you’ve contacted a dealership.
- Depending on the outcome, you can report the dealership to the DMV for selling a car that needs immediate repairs.
- Consider small claims court.
- Consult an attorney specializing in lemon law through the National Association of Consumer Advocates.
Source: Progressive Auto Insurance
Similarly, check the VIN (usually found on the dash or in the arch of the driver’s door) and make sure it matches up with the registrations documents.
If the VIN is scratched off or altered, that’s a major red flag.
Finally, before handing over any cash, be sure that you have all the relevant papers, including the ownership title and a full service history.
The title should be for the correct state and bear an official watermark, stamp or seal, while the history should be as complete as possible.
If either of these things can’t be provided, it may be best to steer clear.
