UK Motorists don't trust used car dealers

More than a third of motorists who bought a used car would under no circumstances return to the same dealer in the future, according to a survey by the RAC.

The organisation polled 1,500 motorists and uncovered the general mistrust with which consumers approach used car dealerships. Its research found that almost half of buyers have had a problem with a vehicle bought from a used car dealer. And a further third said the dealer hadn't done at all well at putting the problem right, either.

Dealers often rely on word-of-mouth recommendation to prosper, yet one in three car owners said they've actively told people not to use a particular trader after a poor experience with their own car.

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Despite the negative experience of buying used reported by the RAC, the market continues to be popular in the UK. In fact, 56 per cent of people said they would buy used to avoid losing out through heavy depreciation experienced by the new cars.

44 per cent pf drivers also believe that they can get better value for money at a used dealer with a better quality and higher spec vehicle available for less cash than if they were to buy new.

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RAC spokesman Mario Dolcezza said: “The used car dealer is still the first place many people look when they are in the market for a car and our survey suggests 65 per cent of motorists go to a dealer in their area because they think they provide the best value.

"But this is not always the case as some dealers are clearly not living up to the expectations of their customers.

“Our research findings show that dealers need to be very conscious of the importance of having a good reputation and making sure they always deal well with any issues their customers might experience after buying a car from them otherwise motorists will go elsewhere.”

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