Irregularities in half of all second-hand car sales

Almost half of all second-hand car sales inspected last year by inspectors of the economy ministry showed signs of irregularities, the ministry reports.

Inspectors looked into 781 sellers outside the traditional forecourt sales circuit: sellers on the public highway, on the internet and those who leave flyers under windscreen wipers to advertise their interest in used cars. In 48% of cases – 378 sellers – problems were discovered, leading to 703 reports for legal infringements.

The largest number of problems, almost half, concerned illegal cash payments above the legal limit of €3,000. Those 2,348 cases covered a total value of €13.7 million, the ministry said. Other irregularities concerned the mileage of the car in question, and failure to require the legal minimum deposit of 18%.

The ministry advised members of the public who wish to buy or sell a second-hand car to shop around carefully. Buyers should require a car-pass and a certificate of roadworthiness, as well as a written guarantee for a minimum of one year. Customers can check a seller’s details by looking up their business number online. The report concludes that the more traditional sales sector sees far fewer irregularities, and the number is decreasing.