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A WARNING TO THE MOTOR TRADE...Auto Express has exposed a host of individuals involved in the murkier side of the industry in the past few years. Have they learned from their mistakes? We reopen our files to find out.
They promised to clean up their acts – but the bottom line is they haven’t. Over the past few years, we have highlighted various cases of companies involved in questionable motoring-related dealing. Whether it’s traders openly selling items that should be restricted or offering services that push the limits of what’s legal or acceptable under best practice, we’ve exposed them all. By going undercover and posing as genuine customers, we’ve revealed how it’s possible to clock a car and falsify the service history to boost its value. Our reporters have also explained how you can get round the ID restrictions on buying number plates to clone a vehicle. And we put the spotlight on firms who sell goods that drivers could use to illegally modify their car – and even offer advice on how to do it! In every case, we alerted the relevant authorities about our investigations. They’ve often reacted with horror and astonishment, and promised action to crack down on the practices. We warned the firms involved that we’d be back to check up on them. Some actively invited us to do so. Now we have, and here’s what we discovered…. CLOCKING CARS, DATE: 1 March 2006 ISSUE: 899 One of the oldest tricks in the motoring book has been given a new lease of life by the Internet. Previously, the dubious practice of ‘mileage correction’ was known only to people who read the small ads in the back of specialist car magazines. Now, anyone with web access can see firms offering this service and use them. The issue of ‘mileage correction’ is a complicated one, because doing it isn’t illegal. What breaks the Trade Descriptions Act 1968 is trying to sell a car that has been clocked to make a profit. And that’s the defence the Internet-based companies use. In Issue 899, Auto Express exposed just how easy it was to clock a car. Searching on auction website eBay, we found a man who would wind back the miles for £40 a vehicle. We got a Ford Mondeo’s analogue odometer turned back from 151,000 to 51,000, while the digital readout on a Hyundai Getz went from more than 30,000 to nearer 9,000. If we’d sold the two cars, we’d have made a £3,000 profit. After thanking us for bringing the issue to its attention, eBay promised a crackdown. A spokesman said: “We’re revising our policies so that, in future, these listings will be taken down as soon as we are made aware of them.” So no more clockers on the site, then? Sadly, they’re still there, offering exactly the same service – and defending it in the same way! We contacted eBay again, and were told that with 10million live listings, the priority was to be free of items illegal under UK law. “The reality is that the sale of car clocking equipment or services is not illegal, although we accept the practice of car clocking may not always be for legitimate purposes,” a spokeswoman said. She said that since the last Auto Express article, eBay had been removing car clocking listings. She added: “We stand by the commitment made in 2006, and have now taken the decision to put in place additional measures to ensure such listings do not make it on to our site at all. These measures will include the use of advanced technology to proactively search for them in the future.” Here's an example where the necessary action has been taken since our first investigation. But disappointingly, only half the job has been done. In Issue 887, we exposed how simple it was to fake a full service history using items bought for a few pounds online. We created documentation for a 131,000-mile 1989 Ford Escort. The analogue odometer read 31,000 – because there was no sixth digit – and a few minutes of surfing secured us a genuine blank Ford service book. The unscrupulous vendor was even happy to stamp it to reflect the lower total. We also found various firms offering ink stamps of car company logos, all fake and in breach of trademark legislation. The good news is this time we couldn’t find any of those online. But authentic service books, using phrases such as “no vehicle details or writing, no stamps and not a duplicate”, are still easily sourced – and they are being sold in bulk. The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) was appalled by the findings of our original investigation and was encouraged that the rubber stamps had gone. But a spokesman added: “Blank service books remaining available is a concern.” But Peter Stratton of the Institute of Trading Standards argued little could be done. “Selling genuine blank service books isn’t an offence. It is an issue for us if people use that book to create a false history for the car and try to sell it.” TV ON THE MOVE, DATE: 10 May 2006 ISSUE: 909 A television screen fitted into the dashboard has become a popular aftermarket accessory. When it's linked to a DVD-playing head unit, occupants can watch the latest Hollywood blockbusters. In some luxury models from the likes of BMW, Mercedes or Land Rover, there’s even a built-in TV tuner for watching live shows. But all these systems are supposed to work only when the car is stationary. Most are wired to the handbrake, so an image will not appear on the screen unless the anchors are on. As we revealed in Issue 909, that can be easily over-ridden – and even high-profile installers such as Halfords will do it for you. We spoke to the store in Scunthorpe, North Lincs, for our original feature, and were told having the screen active at all times wouldn’t be a problem. We phoned the same branch again to see what had changed. The answer is: nothing. “We’re not really meant to, and you’d have to speak to one of the fitters, but we can show you how to do it,” said the salesman. He also confessed he had a screen in his car and that it would work on the move. Halfords’ director of retail operations Andy Torrance said: “Following Auto Express’s mystery shop in 2006, we immediately addressed the issue, reiterating to all our accredited fitters the importance of ensuring all dash-fitted DVD products should always have the parking brake cable connected. We were therefore extremely disappointed to learn that one of our technical fitters has since given the incorrect advice, and are There’s still a host of Internet operators who will do the same job. Duncan Vernon, road safety manager at accident prevention organisation RoSPA, said part of the problem was a legal loophole. He explained the current legislation covers only old-style ‘cathode ray’ screens in vehicles, rather than modern plasma or LCD versions, so enforcing the law might be difficult. Ultimately, however, he said it was a common-sense issue. Vernon added: “We would urge drivers not to seek to have front-of-car screens activated for use while their vehicle is moving.” HID BULBS, DATE: 3 january 2007 ISSUE: 942 HID BULBS, DATE: 3 january 2007 ISSUE: 942 The ultra-bright headlights with a slight blue tinge to the beam that you see on premium models are commonly referred to as xenons. They are actually High Intensity Discharge (HID) bulbs, which use a high-voltage arc between two electrodes to produce the light, rather than burning a filament as a normal bulb does. Because of this difference, the lamp in which an HID sits has to be specifically designed for it. You can get kits for fitting an HID bulb to a normal halogen headlamp unit. But using a car on the road with such a conversion is illegal, as it often results in light not being directed on to the correct part of the road. In Issue 942, we revealed how scores of websites sell HID conversion kits. Thousands of motorists have bought them and, while many online retailers state they’re not legal for road use, they know exactly what buyers are going to use them for. Autobulbs Direct was one firm we originally bought from. When we phoned to check if it had changed its ways, the saleswoman admitted HID kits weren’t strictly legal because they don’t carry the E-Mark logo which would confirm EU product approval. But she added a car with one fitted would pass an MoT because the inspectors looked at beam pattern, and that wouldn’t have changed. “You won’t get stopped by the police and it will pass an MoT,” she said. “I can guarantee that, because I’ve got one on mine and it’s just sailed through.” It’s very similar to the story we were told last time! But when we had a set fitted to an old Renault Mégane – by a different firm – and took the car to an MoT tester, he failed it on the spot, saying the beam pattern was wrong. Trading Standards’ Peter Stratton confirmed driving on the road in a car fitted with an HID conversion kit is illegal. He had a clear message for anyone who has one, or is considering it: “Be very careful. If somebody crashes because they’re blinded by your lights, you could be held civilly and probably criminally liable.” A spokesman for Autobulbs Direct said it knew most of the thousands of HID kits it sells will be used on the road. “It’s a very grey area, and we know that the right kit on the right car will pass an MoT,” he said. “We stress to people they are not for on-road use, but it’s a decision for the buyer what he does with them.” The rules on buying replacement registration plates were tightened up in 2003, to clamp down on car cloning – where a stolen vehicle is given a new identity that's an exact copy of a legitimate one. Getting hold of plates used to be easy; you walked into a spares shop and they were printed for you. Now, you must first prove the vehicle is yours by producing the V5C logbook. In Issue 836, we showed the law wasn’t working when we revealed some stores aren’t bothering to ask for that proof of ownership. Among them was 1A Auto Parts in Finchley Road, London. When we contacted them again, staff were still up to their old tricks. Initially we were told a V5C was needed, but when we fed them a made-up sob story, they said a driving licence would do. And that’s illegal. Despite repeated attempts to talk to the store owner afterwards, no one returned our calls. Scores of Internet sites offer to mail out whatever you require, with many openly saying no documentation is needed. They get round this by purporting to sell ‘show plates’, which shouldn’t be used on road cars. But the official UK licence plate font is available from many outlets, so it’s easy to bypass the official regulations. “The situation is a complete farce and it’s probably supporting criminal activity,” said Mark Debenham, sales and marketing manager for Hills Numberplates, the UK’s largest supplier of actual plastic plates. “And in Scotland, you don’t even need a V5C. The Government and DVLA must formulate a strategy to regulate this.” They promised to clean up their acts – but the bottom line is they haven’t. Over the past few years, we have highlighted various cases of companies involved in questionable motoring-related dealing. Whether it’s traders openly selling items that should be restricted or offering services that push the limits of what’s legal or acceptable under best practice, we’ve exposed them all. By going undercover and posing as genuine customers, we’ve revealed how it’s possible to clock a car and falsify the service history to boost its value. Our reporters have also explained how you can get round the ID restrictions on buying number plates to clone a vehicle. And we put the spotlight on firms who sell goods that drivers could use to illegally modify their car – and even offer advice on how to do it! In every case, we alerted the relevant authorities about our investigations. They’ve often reacted with horror and astonishment, and promised action to crack down on the practices. We warned the firms involved that we’d be back to check up on them. Some actively invited us to do so. Now we have, and here’s what we discovered…. CLOCKING CARS, DATE: 1 March 2006 ISSUE: 899 One of the oldest tricks in the motoring book has been given a new lease of life by the Internet. Previously, the dubious practice of ‘mileage correction’ was known only to people who read the small ads in the back of specialist car magazines. Now, anyone with web access can see firms offering this service and use them. The issue of ‘mileage correction’ is a complicated one, because doing it isn’t illegal. What breaks the Trade Descriptions Act 1968 is trying to sell a car that has been clocked to make a profit. And that’s the defence the Internet-based companies use. In Issue 899, Auto Express exposed just how easy it was to clock a car. Searching on auction website eBay, we found a man who would wind back the miles for £40 a vehicle. We got a Ford Mondeo’s analogue odometer turned back from 151,000 to 51,000, while the digital readout on a Hyundai Getz went from more than 30,000 to nearer 9,000. If we’d sold the two cars, we’d have made a £3,000 profit. After thanking us for bringing the issue to its attention, eBay promised a crackdown. A spokesman said: “We’re revising our policies so that, in future, these listings will be taken down as soon as we are made aware of them.” So no more clockers on the site, then? Sadly, they’re still there, offering exactly the same service – and defending it in the same way! We contacted eBay again, and were told that with 10million live listings, the priority was to be free of items illegal under UK law. “The reality is that the sale of car clocking equipment or services is not illegal, although we accept the practice of car clocking may not always be for legitimate purposes,” a spokeswoman said. She said that since the last Auto Express article, eBay had been removing car clocking listings. She added: “We stand by the commitment made in 2006, and have now taken the decision to put in place additional measures to ensure such listings do not make it on to our site at all. These measures will include the use of advanced technology to proactively search for them in the future.” Here's an example where the necessary action has been taken since our first investigation. But disappointingly, only half the job has been done. In Issue 887, we exposed how simple it was to fake a full service history using items bought for a few pounds online. We created documentation for a 131,000-mile 1989 Ford Escort. The analogue odometer read 31,000 – because there was no sixth digit – and a few minutes of surfing secured us a genuine blank Ford service book. The unscrupulous vendor was even happy to stamp it to reflect the lower total. We also found various firms offering ink stamps of car company logos, all fake and in breach of trademark legislation. The good news is this time we couldn’t find any of those online. But authentic service books, using phrases such as “no vehicle details or writing, no stamps and not a duplicate”, are still easily sourced – and they are being sold in bulk. The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) was appalled by the findings of our original investigation and was encouraged that the rubber stamps had gone. But a spokesman added: “Blank service books remaining available is a concern.” But Peter Stratton of the Institute of Trading Standards argued little could be done. “Selling genuine blank service books isn’t an offence. It is an issue for us if people use that book to create a false history for the car and try to sell it.” TV ON THE MOVE, DATE: 10 May 2006 ISSUE: 909 A television screen fitted into the dashboard has become a popular aftermarket accessory. When it's linked to a DVD-playing head unit, occupants can watch the latest Hollywood blockbusters. In some luxury models from the likes of BMW, Mercedes or Land Rover, there’s even a built-in TV tuner for watching live shows. But all these systems are supposed to work only when the car is stationary. Most are wired to the handbrake, so an image will not appear on the screen unless the anchors are on. As we revealed in Issue 909, that can be easily over-ridden – and even high-profile installers such as Halfords will do it for you. We spoke to the store in Scunthorpe, North Lincs, for our original feature, and were told having the screen active at all times wouldn’t be a problem. We phoned the same branch again to see what had changed. The answer is: nothing. “We’re not really meant to, and you’d have to speak to one of the fitters, but we can show you how to do it,” said the salesman. He also confessed he had a screen in his car and that it would work on the move. Halfords’ director of retail operations Andy Torrance said: “Following Auto Express’s mystery shop in 2006, we immediately addressed the issue, reiterating to all our accredited fitters the importance of ensuring all dash-fitted DVD products should always have the parking brake cable connected. We were therefore extremely disappointed to learn that one of our technical fitters has since given the incorrect advice, and are There’s still a host of Internet operators who will do the same job. Duncan Vernon, road safety manager at accident prevention organisation RoSPA, said part of the problem was a legal loophole. He explained the current legislation covers only old-style ‘cathode ray’ screens in vehicles, rather than modern plasma or LCD versions, so enforcing the law might be difficult. Ultimately, however, he said it was a common-sense issue. Vernon added: “We would urge drivers not to seek to have front-of-car screens activated for use while their vehicle is moving.” HID BULBS, DATE: 3 january 2007 ISSUE: 942 HID BULBS, DATE: 3 january 2007 ISSUE: 942 The ultra-bright headlights with a slight blue tinge to the beam that you see on premium models are commonly referred to as xenons. They are actually High Intensity Discharge (HID) bulbs, which use a high-voltage arc between two electrodes to produce the light, rather than burning a filament as a normal bulb does. Because of this difference, the lamp in which an HID sits has to be specifically designed for it. You can get kits for fitting an HID bulb to a normal halogen headlamp unit. But using a car on the road with such a conversion is illegal, as it often results in light not being directed on to the correct part of the road. In Issue 942, we revealed how scores of websites sell HID conversion kits. Thousands of motorists have bought them and, while many online retailers state they’re not legal for road use, they know exactly what buyers are going to use them for. Autobulbs Direct was one firm we originally bought from. When we phoned to check if it had changed its ways, the saleswoman admitted HID kits weren’t strictly legal because they don’t carry the E-Mark logo which would confirm EU product approval. But she added a car with one fitted would pass an MoT because the inspectors looked at beam pattern, and that wouldn’t have changed. “You won’t get stopped by the police and it will pass an MoT,” she said. “I can guarantee that, because I’ve got one on mine and it’s just sailed through.” It’s very similar to the story we were told last time! But when we had a set fitted to an old Renault Mégane – by a different firm – and took the car to an MoT tester, he failed it on the spot, saying the beam pattern was wrong. Trading Standards’ Peter Stratton confirmed driving on the road in a car fitted with an HID conversion kit is illegal. He had a clear message for anyone who has one, or is considering it: “Be very careful. If somebody crashes because they’re blinded by your lights, you could be held civilly and probably criminally liable.” A spokesman for Autobulbs Direct said it knew most of the thousands of HID kits it sells will be used on the road. “It’s a very grey area, and we know that the right kit on the right car will pass an MoT,” he said. “We stress to people they are not for on-road use, but it’s a decision for the buyer what he does with them.” The rules on buying replacement registration plates were tightened up in 2003, to clamp down on car cloning – where a stolen vehicle is given a new identity that's an exact copy of a legitimate one. Getting hold of plates used to be easy; you walked into a spares shop and they were printed for you. Now, you must first prove the vehicle is yours by producing the V5C logbook. In Issue 836, we showed the law wasn’t working when we revealed some stores aren’t bothering to ask for that proof of ownership. Among them was 1A Auto Parts in Finchley Road, London. When we contacted them again, staff were still up to their old tricks. Initially we were told a V5C was needed, but when we fed them a made-up sob story, they said a driving licence would do. And that’s illegal. Despite repeated attempts to talk to the store owner afterwards, no one returned our calls. Scores of Internet sites offer to mail out whatever you require, with many openly saying no documentation is needed. They get round this by purporting to sell ‘show plates’, which shouldn’t be used on road cars. But the official UK licence plate font is available from many outlets, so it’s easy to bypass the official regulations. “The situation is a complete farce and it’s probably supporting criminal activity,” said Mark Debenham, sales and marketing manager for Hills Numberplates, the UK’s largest supplier of actual plastic plates. “And in Scotland, you don’t even need a V5C. The Government and DVLA must formulate a strategy to regulate this.” NEWS ARCHIVE
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