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21st August 1997, Page 28
21st August 1997
Page 28
Page 29
Page 28, 21st August 1997 — TRIPLE
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CHANC

Now is a good time to buy a used van. Plenty of fleets, as well as private operators, have just bought the latest R-plated vehicles, leaving forecourts and auctions packed with their old models. Making a successful purchase, on the other hand, remains the potential disaster it always has been with each of the three markets—private, auctions and dealers— having its own pitfalls and problems. The main defence is to be a technical expert but the non-anorak can also pick up some excellent deals provided he sticks to a few simple ground rules.

BUYING ITIVATELY

Let's face it, most hauliers know a thing or two about vehicles which puts them at a distinct advantage when it comes to buying a used one. The best place to put this knowledge to use is at auctions (see box) which hold by far the most volume of used vans in any one place at any one time. They can at first be daunting but a bit of familiarity will lead to a cracking deal.

Next up in terms of price is the private market which in common with auctions misses out the middle man but is more expensive and offers little in return for the premium.

You will of course get more opportunity to suss out the van and ask plenty of questions. Aside from obvious queries with regard to mileage and service history, these should include a good idea of who owned it before and any problems they encountered.

Small ads

Traders often use the small ads to get rid of a banger they don't want to supply with a warranty (traders must warranty the car's major components for three months to comply with the Consumer Protection Act). A good way to catch them out is to say: "I'm phoning about your van, is it still for sale?" If there's a long pause before he works out which one you're talking about be very suspicious. If everything does sound OK phone HP1 (01722 422422) to check if the vehicle's been stolen, crashed or has outstanding finance to pay (you need to supply them with the van's registration number).

The service costs £28.50 and provided the infor mation you supply is correct compensation can be claimed for up to ./_10,000 if the vehicle turns out to be stolen. This is well worth doing as the only legal backup comes if the van's been mis-described in the advert (under The Trades Descriptions Act).

If you eventually decide to go and inspect the vehicle make sure you do so in daylight and preferably when the van is dry. It's surprising how much shoddy bodywork can be covered up by the rain.

The final check is to ask the FIA. AA or the RAC to accompany you and make a full mechanical evaluation. This will set you back around £50 but again it's money well spent.

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