With the witching season nearly upon us, we’re warning used car buyers against getting spooked by dodgy used car sellers this Halloween. Protecting buyers from cars that may go bump in the night we’re offering 25% off an HPI Check up until 30th November 2012. Just use promotional code SCARE25 when entering purchase details.
1 in 3 used cars checked by us is hiding something so have your wits about you to avoid the risk of buying a nightmare on wheels.

“Buying a used car doesn’t have to turn into a horror story if buyers take the right precautions,” says our very own Nicola Johnson, Consumer Services Manager for HPI. “Used car fraudsters have more tricks than treats up their sleeves, leaving consumers at risk of paying over the odds for a car that could be stolen, written-off or still on outstanding finance. Clocking is also a major problem, as unscrupulous sellers turn back the mileage in order to push up the price on their vehicle.”

There are many Jekyll and Hyde’ vehicles out on the roads, with crooks using tricks like ‘cloning’ to disguise the identity of a stolen vehicle with that of a legitimate car. More than 28 stolen vehicles are uncovered every day through checks done with us, and if you buy a stolen vehicle you could lose your money and the vehicle when it is returned to its rightful owner.
It’s easy to be taken in by shiny paintwork and a low price, but many unscrupulous sellers will do anything to make a quick profit, including hiding previous damage. Our check will tell you not only if a vehicle has been declared an insurance write-off, but also provide the category of write-off, allowing you to make an informed decision.
Nicola explained: “These long, dark nights offer the perfect cover for the less-than-honest car sellers looking to pull a fast one. We urge buyers to always view a vehicle in daylight. Under the cover of dusk and darkness, it’s a lot harder to spot tell-tale signs of wear and tear or damaged bodywork, even more so if it has been raining. Buyers should also be looking under the bonnet and checking the chassis numbers match each other and the car documents, so good viewing conditions are essential to uncover the skeletons in a vehicle’s closet.

“Buyers don’t need to be haunted by a bad Halloween used car purchase. To prevent a buying nightmare, they should get an HPI Check, which will confirm if a vehicle has been stolen, written-off, or clocked and whether it has outstanding finance against it. And we’re offering 25% off all HPI Checks, making it more affordable than ever to get it checked and stay safe this Halloween.”

To take advantage of our Halloween discount offer, simply enter promotional code SCARE25 when buying your HPI Check*
* Voucher valid on single HPI Check only, no limit to redemptions, expires 30 the November 2012