Over half of all car buyers are taking risks trying to save money during the credit crunch - and they could pay the price.
Research commissioned by motors.co.uk has revealed that over half of all car owners (55 per cent) said they've reduced their budget due to the recession, with one in four (28 per cent) willing to buy from an unknown private seller and one in ten (10 per cent) prepared to opt for a car without service history - if the price is right.
All of this makes it far easier for rogue sellers to offload stolen cars onto an unwitting buyer. Approximately 19,000 stolen cars with a collective value of around £90m are illegally offered for sale each year and that's set to get worse as the recession bites harder.
In response to this motors.co.uk have launched the ‘Real or Rogue' safe buying guide to steer drivers through the crunch and away from dodgy deals. Available from motors.co.uk and with crime prevention advice from the Metropolitan Police's Vehicle Crime Unit, the guide tells buyers everything they need know to sort the duds from the diamonds.
In this video Quentin Willson, one of the UK's leading consumer motoring authorities has some more good advice for anyone who want to make sure their latest buy will be real and not a rogue.
For a copy of the free buyer's guide go to www.motors.co.uk.
Tagged in Motoring