Regular readers of our blog will remember Clare who asked us for some help choosing a car after she realised her Daewoo Lanos did not fit the bill after the birth of her first child. We recommended a few different options for Clare, including a Ford Mondeo and a Mercedes Benz A Class – so what car did Clare go for?

At the moment, while still considering the various Cartell.ie options, she is focusing on two vehicles: A Citroen Xsara and a Suzuki Liana. To help her with her decision Cartell.ie provided Clare with a FREE Car History Check!

04 Citroen Xsara (mileage uncertain)

So, after running a Car History Check on this vehicle we discovered a few things of interest:

(i)  Previous Owners

The vehicle has 5 previous owners. We consider this to be on the high side for a seven-year-old vehicle. While this isn’t necessarily a deal-breaker a high number of previous owners can indicate a vehicle has had mechanical problems in the past. It also increases the risk of mechanical problems in the future as different drivers have different driving styles and maintain their vehicle, including servicing, to different standards. A higher number of previous owners increases the risk that a vehicle has not been well looked after in the past.

(ii) National Mileage Register (NMR) shows a possible discrepancy

The NMR (run and operated by Cartell.ie with over 4.2 million mileage readings) had previous higher readings for this car. This means there is a likelihood the vehicle is a clocked vehicle – meaning the odometer reading on the vehicle is not a true reflection of the number of kms the vehicle has actually travelled.

(iii) Vehicle Registration Certificate (VRC)  recently re-issued

While people request a re-issue of VRCs for a variety of reasons – most obviously because they have lost the original or the original has become damaged to such an extent that it is no longer legible – it is the case that a re-issue of a VRC can increase the risk of fraud.

(iv) Insurance Write-off

Cartell.ie also showed this vehicle was previously written-off! This explains the high number of owners!

Following this information Clare understandably decided to steer clear of the Xsara!

06 Suzuki Liana

After our good work with the Xsara we gave Clare another FREE Car History Check on a Suzuki Liana. People should be aware that Car History Checks are not simply about “finding things wrong” with a vehicle but also about giving a better informed picture of the car – through its history. So, in this case, our information showed this vehicle had 1 previous owner – the ideal number of owners for a used car.

Clare subsequently put a deposit on the vehicle.

Cartell.ie says:

This would be a descent buy for Clare and family. The four doors will give her easy access to the back seat. The engine size – 1.3 litres – keeps motor tax down to €333 and the best of all is the age of the car – 06 – meaning she should have no difficulty in driving this vehicle for 5 years – just like she originally intended. However, the mileage on this vehicle seemed low to us and we recommend a full engineers inspection for the vehicle – or at least full service history records.

Buyers should be aware that this particular segment of the used car market can be difficult to navigate – as Clare’s experience already shows. It’s vital to consider the purchase thoroughly and conduct a Car History Check.

We’ll check in with Clare again next week to find out if she proceeded with the purchase and how the vehicle is driving!

Warning: All used cars require careful consideration before purchase. Get a Cartell.ie check to find out the history of the vehicle. This blog is a general guide only and Cartell.ie is not recommending the purchase of any particular vehicle – just giving some general advice!

If you would like to feature on this page – and get a Free Car History Check in the process – then send us an email for your chance to appear!