Here's some help understanding terms you may come across when talking to people about used cars:
Ringing is the practice of changing a vehicle's identity. When seeking to disguise a stolen car, crooks often use a registration mark taken from a different vehicle - typically one that has been 'written off' in order to avoid detection.
Sometimes only the registration number is changed, but often the VIN or chassis number will also be swapped with that of the 'donor vehicle'.
Professionally 'rung' vehicles can be hard to detect, but it is always worth checking that ALL a vehicle's VINs - stamped into the bodywork, on the chassis plate and behind the windscreen match each other.
Cloning is really a type of ringing. It describes the practice of using the identity of a legitimate vehicle that is the same make and model as the stolen one by forging its VIN and registration mark details. This means there will be two or more cars on the road with apparently the same identity.
Like ringers, clones can be hard to spot, but take a close look at all the VIN markings and compare them, just in case.
Write off is a colloquial term for a vehicle which has been declared a total loss by an insurer, either following accident damage or theft. There are some 450,000 accident-related write-offs every year and another 150,000 insurance thefts, many of which are subsequently recovered damaged and re-classified.
Many write-offs are legitimately allowed back on the roads following repair; look for the ones which have passed an independent inspection, such as those on HPI's Condition Inspected register. But almost half of all write-offs are so badly damaged that they should never go back on the road.
Since 1997 the Association of British Insurers (ABI) has provided the following classification of damage to vehicles that have been writen-off: CATEGORY A B C D F.
Category A: Scrap only - this vehicle should have been crushed. It should never reappear on the road and there are no economically salvageable parts. It is of value only for scrap metal - e.g. a totally burnt-out vehicle.
Category B: The bodyshell should have been crushed. The vehicle should never reappear on the road, but it can be broken for spare parts plus any residual scrap metal.
Category C: Vehicle extensively damaged and insurer has decided no to repair.
Category D: Vehicle damaged and insurer has decided not to repair.
Category F: Vehicle damaged by fire and insurer has decided not to repair (often recorded as Category A).
Cut n' shut is the term used by the motor trade for a car that is made up of two cars, usually both 'write-offs'. The back end of one is welded to the front end of another, often with considerable skill. The car may look like new, but it is likely to be unroadworthy, could be lethal in a crash, and may be worthless when you come to sell it.
The exceptions to this rule are the 'stretched' vehicles made by specialist coachbuilders; construction of these cars means they often have to be cut in half, but they have plenty of additional strengthening to restore their structural integrity.
Clocking involves reducing the mileage of a vehicle by turning back the odometer. It is a common trick used by unscrupulous sellers to obtain a higher price and HPI research shows at least 1 in 12 vehicles have some sort of discrepancy. It can also be done by replacing the odometer altogether.
The average car does 10,000 to 12,000 miles per year, so if you think the mileage is inconsistent with the age and condition of the car it is worth investigating further. When buying from a dealer, ask them what measures they have taken to validate the mileage - such as a National Mileage Register Investigation.
Caveat Emptor is Latin for 'buyer beware'. It reflects the principle that the onus is on you (the buyer) to ensure that you know what you are purchasing.
Legal protection in the used car market is limited; whilst dealer activities are covered by many laws and regulations, the only rule to which a private seller must adhere is that the car must not be mis-described. As there is rarely a written contract in the private market, the seller could claim to have told the buyer a vehicle's true condition and then it is one person's word against another. The solution is to be as well informed on the vehicle's status and history as possible.
The Sale of Goods Act is one of the key pieces of legislation that affects the car market. It obliges dealers to sell cars of 'Satisfactory Quality' to which they have clear title.
Other important acts are the Trade Descriptions Act, binding dealers to describe cars accurately, and the Road Traffic Act, which requires all vehicles displayed, offered or sold to be in roadworthy condition.
See Buying from the Trade for more advice.
The V5, otherwise known as the log book, is the Vehicle Registration Document, issued by the DVLA. It gives the name and address of a vehicle's current and previous registered keepers as well as a total number of previous keepers. It also lists the car's colour, make, model, engine number and VIN.
Whenever you are looking to purchase a vehicle, make sure that all the details you see on the V5 match 4Car HPI Check results the vehicle you are buying and (when buying privately) the person you are buying from! The V5 does NOT provide proof of ownership - but it should show the name of the current keeper. If it doesn't, and you are not buying from a dealer, walk away.
The MOT Certificate shows that a vehicle has passed an annual roadworthiness check. It is an important document because it is sometimes the only indication of condition available on an older vehicle. It is also compulsory for any vehicle three years old and over to have a valid MOT, and without it you may not be covered by your insurer.
However, all the MOT tells you is that a vehicle was in a fit condition to pass a test when presented for inspection on a particular day. It is no substitute for an independent inspection. Also, tens of thousands of blank MOT certificates are stolen each year, and are used to mislead purchasers about the status and condition of vehicles. The 4Car HPI Check includes information from the Vehicle Inspectorate's database to help you ensure you are not sold a 'dud'.
VRM: Vehicle Registration Mark, or number plate.
VIN: Vehicle Identification Number. This is the manufacturer's own ID, found under the bonnet, under the carpet by the driver's seat and/or etched on to the windows. You will also find it stamped onto a plate, either under the bonnet or in one of the door openings. Some cars have 'visible VINs' behind their windscreens.
Vehicles which are approved for sale in the EU have 17 digit VINs. Imports from outside Europe, such as Japan, may have short VINs.
Sometimes you may see a VIN which starts with the letters SABTVRO. If you do, take special care, because this VIN is assigned by a vehicle registration office when the original identity of a bodyshell or frame cannot be determined. A ringer's delight!
A Q Plate is literally, a VRM (see previous) which starts with a Q prefix. Use of this plate indicates one of two things: a vehicle which was not originally registered in the UK and for which proof of age was unavailable at registration, or a vehicle which has been built using a significant proportion of used parts.
It is perfectly normal for a kit car to have a Q registration, but on other vehicles, it suggests that their full history may be difficult to trace. Q plates can be used to disguise stolen or 'rung' vehicles, and you should be especially cautious of motorcycles which bear a Q plate.
The number of vehicles imported through 'unofficial channels' has increased significantly in recent years. There are many different definitions used with imports, but as a general rule:
Parallel imports were originally destined for other European markets but have been brought into the UK as new vehicles by parties outside the manufacturer's official distribution chain.
Personal imports are vehicles ordered by UK customers and sourced from dealers in the EU, either directly or by UK brokers.
Grey imports are vehicles destined for other markets outside the EU and are being brought into the UK by parties outside the manufacturer's official distribution chain.
The term is most frequently applied to Japanese-specification vehicles.
Channel 4 is not responsible for the content of 3rd party sites.
