Autos and motos: all news and articles

Toyota’s Prius contender

In less than 2 weeks Toyota will use the 2010 North American International Auto Show to debut a new dedicated hybrid that will probably be cheaper and more fuel efficient than the current Prius.

While Toyota has only officially released a few teaser shots of the headlight, for instance, it’s obvious from the pictures that Toyota’s next hybrid will be a small hybrid.

Likewise, over the weekend The Japan Times broke a story about Toyota’s plans to produce hybrid vehicles based of its Vitz class – think Yaris in the US – at a new assembly plant in Miyagi Prefecture in 2011. According to the story the new hybrid will be cheaper and more fuel efficient than the Prius.

Cheaper and more fuel efficient than the Prius? That already sounds like a potential hit for today’s economic-minded consumer. Moreover, the Vitz class offers Toyota a nice hybrid entry point for many other world markets.

On Friday (19th December) the Office of Fair Trading published four reports detailing their findings from research into second-hand car sales. The study involved surveys of second-hand car buyers, second-hand car dealers, local Trading Standards bodies, and a mystery shopping exercise.



Background



We probably don’t need to tell you that the second-hand car industry is huge. It is estimated that sales in the UK last year totalled around £35 billion*. This market study was launched by the OFT in May 2009, triggered by the stack of consumer-complaints regarding second-hand car sales: OFT-managed advice service Consumer Direct received 68,000 last year. So the study was launched to help understand what was causing complaints, and to identify whether existing consumer protection legislation is working.



Main findings



The principal conclusions drawn from the main survey of second-hand buyers purchasing from car dealers and auctions are as follows:



* Almost a fifth (19 per cent) of second-hand car buyers had experienced problems with it after the sale. This probably comes as no surprise.

* However, a whopping great 86 per cent of these problems arose within just three months of purchase.

* Only 47 per cent of those who contacted the dealer about the problem said that it was completely rectified.

* Nearly thirty per cent said the problem had not been rectified in the least by the dealer. Those who bought from independent dealers were more likely to believe that the problem had not been rectified at all compared to consumers buying from franchised dealers.

* The average cost among those who paid to resolve the problem was £465. With an average cost of £752, it was significantly higher for consumers who bought their car at auction.



Mystery shopper findings



The most worrying finding from the mystery shop survey of used car dealers concerned the information about the car and services available. Over a quarter (27 per cent) of shoppers felt that the information available at the dealership was ‘insufficient’ or ‘extremely insufficient’.



What next?



The OFT has been consulting on draft guidance intended to set out the legal obligations of second-hand dealers. They have been referring to the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 and the Sale of Goods Act 1979.



In addition, the OFT intends to publish the full market study report early next year.



According to Heather Clayton, OFT Senior Director of Infrastructure: “The second-hand car market has consistently attracted a high number of consumer complaints. Our research throws light on the specific problems that consumers experience so remedies and, where appropriate, consumer enforcement, can be targeted. Our guidance on relevant legal obligations, out for consultation today, will assist both the industry and our Trading Standards enforcement partners.”

In buying used cars, it is wise to turn to friends, relatives, family and officemates. It can save you a lot of money, which is normally received as commissions by sales agents.

Giving priority to the used vehicles that your friends or family recommend can give you better information about how the car was handled. You can also get clearer details about the quality of the used car. You can also ask a mechanic friend to come see the car with you.

If none of the used vehicles recommended by your friends appealed to you, you can turn to the classified ads of your local newspaper. There are many used cars for sale listed there. You can narrow down your search by knowing the type of car you want to buy, the model, the engine type, mileage and some features like color and other accessories.

The type of car may include four-door, two-door, hatchback, station wagon, sports utility vehicle, sports car, pickup truck, two or four-wheel drive and so on.

You can list the ones that you think can pass your standards and contact the owners to ask questions that were not answer in the listing. If you like the answers you get from the owner, request an appointment to see the auto. This can save you time and effort.

If you have access to the internet, you can visit free classified sites such as Craigslist. You can also try looking at other websites devoted to selling used cars. If you are not comfortable with it, you can first type the phrase: “how to buy a used car” on the search box. Then your search engines will load the results of sites that offer tips and step-by step guides on how to buy a used car.

There are many dealers of used vehicles that offer manufactured-certified pre-owned cars. Generally, they may charge you more. However, when you buy a preowned car, it comes with a limited warranty.

List the top 10 choices and contact the owners for an appointment, it is wise if you bring someone who is an expert at cars. Take notes for each used car that you see so you can compare notes with all the cars you see.

Part of the standard operating procedure is to request for a photocopy of maintenance records from the owners. There are also websites that make this information readily available as you view the used cars.

Ask for its vehicle identification number and run a check on the Carfax to know about its actual mileage, number of transfer of title ownership, and some information such as incidence of being wrecked or salvaged.

While doing the inspection, you can ask for a drive test. Your friend and you can do the test driving to better understand the real condition of the car engine, alignment condition, and the capability of the brakes. Check everything like the headlights, tail lights, hazard lights, brake lights, carburetor, air-conditioning system, heater, windows, tires and rims, and the radio of the used cars.

When you have found the used car of your choice, make a deal with the owner and get the necessary papers, forms including the bill of sale, and the car title. Some used cars dealers handle the paper work for you.