The FINANCIAL — One in three UK drivers thinks buying a car is a stressful experience, while one in eight admits to having made an ‘almighty mistake’ when buying one, according to a new AA-Populus survey of 22,194 AA members.
Every buyer is provided with an AA Cars History Check (worth up to £20) up front so that they can have peace of mind regarding the car's history and authenticity. The cost is paid by AA Cars and the check is provided free to the consumer.
At launch the AA will present more than 110,000 used cars for sale from over 2,000 dealers throughout the UK on its website. It works rather like an online dating agency, matching cars to the needs and desires of the buyer and then introducing them to the vendor, with whom they complete the deal, according to the Automobile Association Limited.
“Ten million drivers think buying a car is a stressful experience so we want this new service to help de-risk the often tricky process of buying a car. The AA is well know for rescuing motorists at the roadside and for offering advice on almost everything to do with cars, from fuel to travelling abroad," said Edmund King, AA president.
"In fact, one of the most common questions asked by AA members concerns advice on buying cars, which for most people is the second biggest purchase they will ever make, after buying a house. Before buying a home people do their research; arrange a structural survey and legal search. But too many people rush into buying a car with their eyes closed, without doing any research and, as a result, up to 4 million drivers say that they made an ‘almighty mistake’ with the car they bought. We want to ensure that drivers buy with their heads and not just their hearts,” he added.
Before launching AA Cars the AA studied the Office of Fair Trading Report into the pitfalls of buying a used car and has sought to address the issues raised around more transparency, information and checks on vehicles.
“We know from past car history checks that a third of all cars checked had a significant hidden history. In fact, 1 in 10 had outstanding finance, and some debts can result in a car being seized from the purchaser; 1 in 8 were recorded as insurance write-offs; 1 in 16 had significant mileage discrepancies – for example, the odometer had been ‘clocked’ to show a lower mileage; while nearly 91,400 had actually been reported stolen," said Mr King.
“This shows the importance of having an AA Cars History Check up front. The AA will help de-stress the buying process so that drivers don’t make the biggest mistake of their lives. It’s vital that car buyers really do know what they are getting into,” he added.
Discussion about this post