UK used car market safest in Europe
The UK used car market is the safest and most transparent in Europe, according to data from vehicle history checking service carVertical.
Its latest used car Market Transparency Index analysed data from millions of history check reports, measuring risk factors such as the percentage of clocked vehicles, the average odometer rollback, the share of damaged cars, the average damage value, the proportion of imported used vehicles and the average age of cars checked.
Based on combined outcomes, it placed the UK’s used car market first in Europe and also ahead of the United States.
It scored particularly highly in the percentage of damaged cars (17%), mileage fraud rates (2.3%), odometer rollback levels (35,000) and the share of imported used vehicles (2.3%).
However, it was only 17th when it came to average damage costs (£3,840) while its used car market is one of the oldest in Europe at 11.2 years old compared to a European average of 9.9 years.
Fraud
Matas Buzelis, motoring expert at carVertical, said: “Buying a used car always carries some level of risk, but motorists in the UK are far less likely to fall victim to fraud or serious scams than buyers in many other countries.
“The second-hand market here is generally safer because we import fewer vehicles and operate under much stricter regulations. Most used cars remain in the UK for their entire lifespan, meaning there is less cross-border trade and greater transparency around a vehicle’s history.
“As a result, UK drivers are less likely to end up with a car that has been badly damaged, repaired poorly, or had its mileage tampered with – issues that are far more common across parts of Europe and the United States.”
