Research shows that...

Research shows that good service when you purchase a second-hand car can often be followed by poor aftersales care.

That’s according to the latest sur?vey by classifieds firm Auto Trader. It found that while 65 per cent of motorists received excellent or good attention when they were buying their vehicle, for more than half of those owners questioned, the situ?ation changed drastically once they had handed over payment.

A staggering 20 per cent of those surveyed complained that they were given poor or very poor attention when returning for servicing work. And 48 per cent claimed that car dealers failed to carry out repairs to which they had agreed before delivering the vehicle.

Perhaps the worst news, though, was that nearly 50 per cent of drivers said that basic checks on a car – such as engine oil and coolant levels, as well as tyre pressures – were not carried out at all.

So what’s our advice? Well, when buying a used vehicle, customers should make sure any repairs that are agreed when handing over their money are confirmed in writing first. Similarly, owners with cars booked in for repairs should discuss exactly the extent of any work before it is carried out. That way, you can guard against the worst happening