'ID check 2nd hand convertibles'

Car buyers hoping to avoid the one million worthless second hand cars on the market can use credit reference agency Experian’s Auto Check on car insurance company More Than’s webpage.

With the RAC urging motorists to take proper care when second hand cars, especially high value convertibles, More Than’s offer to check the real identity of five used cars before they buy them could prove particularly useful this summer.

The RAC study suggests that coveted convertibles make up six per cent of all stolen vehicles, seven per cent of cars with faked mileage and six per cent of motor insurance write offs.

Cabriolets also account for six per cent of cars which have motor finance outstanding. This means that existing loans or credit have not been settled so the car could be repossessed from under the new owner’s nose.

The weather that entices drivers into buying convertibles is also responsible for a surprising statistic.

According to NFU Mutual motor insurance, and contrary to expectations, there is not a significant difference between accidents between the summer and winter months. It seems that the bad conditions of winter are countered by driver vigilance while the summer’s easy driving conditions mean drivers are less careful.

Laura Wood at NFU Mutual said: "You should always be as aware of your driving in the summer as you are in the winter.

"Although conditions may appear better, you should not be complacent as there are still very real risks when you take to the roads in the summer months."