Used car checks

Unless you have a crystal ball, it's impossible to tell what history a second-hand car could be hiding. Unscrupulous traders are extremely clever at concealing costly details about that gleaming motor you are about to shell out on - and the onus is on you to investigate.

Buy a car that's been written off and you will struggle to get it insured; even worse, purchase one with finance owing and it could be repossessed at any time. Don't think you'll be able to spot these things yourself, either. After all, even a top mechanic would have trouble telling if a car had finance outstanding! Vehicle history checks are the safest way to sniff out a motor's past.

It's like paying a private detective to delve into the former life of the vehicle. The check consults various data-bases and records to give you a decent picture of the car, but not all providers refer to the same sources. The most vital questions are: is it stolen, has it been written off or is there any outstanding finance? We used each service to assess a Mazda Premacy and Peugeot 406, both of which had dodgy histories. Would the checks warn us off?

Verdict

You wouldn't buy a house without a thorough check - so why pay for a motor without doing the same? Investigating a used car's history is vital and, if you would like a comprehensive service, the AA has every-thing covered. It includes all you need to know and the results were explained superbly. The great-value RAC report comes a close second, with the impress-ive but pricey HPI in third.