So how many of these are satisfied customers? According to a recent survey 650 of them were not at all happy, in fact that is the number that made official complaints. More complaints are made by Scottish car buyers than any other Scottish consumers.

Why are there so many unhappy car buyers? A study has shown the reason to be inequalities in the information between sellers and buyers. Simply buyers have not been receiving sufficient information about the cars they are considering buying. Although by far the majority of transactions are smooth and without problems, there are too many that aren’t.

When you buy from a dealer you will almost always pay more than you would if you bought from a private seller. The reason you are happy to do this is because of the additional protection you expect to enjoy. Things go wrong when certain dealers do not adhere to this reasonable expectation.

Most complaints (around 70%) related to the car’s condition; 50% of these concerned mechanical problems and 50% related to electrical faults and the condition of the battery.
70% of complaints were made in the first month after purchase which is a strong indication that the fault was present at the time of purchase. Thus when the car was bought it was not of reasonable quality and thus the purchaser has a right of redress which might be a repair or a complete refund of the purchase price.

Fortunately it is only a small minority of Scottish car dealers that do not have any interest in customer care following the sale and have low standards of after-sales service; the situation is worse with independent traders than with franchised dealers.

Where the dealer has not cooperated, the average cost of repair of the car is around £425. You should note that if you purchase a warranty from a dealer, then this is an addition to your legal rights, not a replacement of them.

If you know what you are doing, then buying a used car from a private seller in Newcastle can save you a substantial sum of money, particularly if you are prepared to haggle a little. But you do need to bear in mind that buying privately is always more risky than buying from a dealer.

When you buy from a dealer you enjoy a considerable amount of legal protection. The car must be fit for use, be as descried and have no significant faults that have not been pointed out to you. If it does then it is your legal right to have the fault fixed or to get a refund.

The top 3 used car dealerships in and around Newcastle are:

Carcraft North East. This is a car supermarket and a little out of the city; in fact you will need to go through Gateshead and down the A176 to Birtley but it is worth the trip. There is a huge range of cars to choose from and all cars are prepared to a very high specification. They come with a one year guarantee, free servicing for a year, a 120 point check, and if you change your mind within 7 days you can exchange if for a different model.

Henson Motor Group. This is also a car supermarket located a little to the North of Newcastle in Forest Hall. It is very easy to get to by road and by public transport. Although the specification of its used cars is not quite up to the standard of Carcraft, there is still a free parts and labour warranty along with a number of vehicle checks including HPI. There are thousands of cars available and there are new arrivals every day.

Benfield. Benfield is a multi-brand dealership and there are 6 showrooms in Newcastle and a further three just a little further away. If you are looking for a nearly new or an approved used car this is your ideal dealership and you will find many examples, particularly of the more popular cars.

Lexus – which is the luxury arm of Toyota – are now making ground in the hybrid market with the release of the impressive Lexus CT200h, which they describe in their advertising as “the world’s first full hybrid luxury compact car.”

The Lexus is powered by a 1.8 litre VVT-i petrol engine, the same as the Prius. It has a range of driving modes – Normal, Sport, Eco and EV which all distribute the power in subtly different ways. Lexus boast that the car is near silent in fully electric mode. The sport mode on the other hand gives the car access to the batteries full 650 volts.The engine has the Toyota driveline to transfer power sources. The main drive electric motor delivers an impressive 81bhp from the 1.3kWh nickel-metal-hybrid battery.

The Lexus CT200h’s frugal economy is best around the doors with a 68.9mpg urban figure. Extra urban is 70.6mpg which is comparable to a decent frugal petrol or mainstream diesel engine. If you’re driving is based around short stop start journeys, the Lexus is ideal. Round the doors, your fuel costs will be minimal.

The body shape is sturdy with nice angles on the hood and a bulky rear, sharpened stealthily at the top. It is possibly the best looking mainstream hybrid available.

Prices from £23,485 mean it’ll be a popular car. Most luxury compacts would be up around the £20,000 mark anyway so for a few more pounds the Lexus seems a good deal.

Car cloning means reselling a stolen car after swapping the VIN and number plates with those of a car of similar colour and model. If you buy a stolen car, which has been cloned, it can be confiscated by the police and returned to the rightful owner, and you will not be entitled to compensation or a replacement.

In order to try to avoid accidentally buying a cloned car, you should insist on seeing and thoroughly examining, the VC5 – or vehicle registration form. The problem for those looking to buy a used car is that it is relatively easy to steal or forge documentation; forged documents cost around £200 and real, stolen ones cost £500. Before buying you should make sure that all the numbers match up, checking the VC5 against the vehicle identification number, number plates and engine number.

With the amount of stolen and cloned cars on the second hand market and the ease with which scammers can gain access to a forged or stolen documentation, it can seem a minefield for anyone looking to buy a cheap car. However organisations such as the AA will carry out a comprehensive vehicle data check to ensure that the car is safe and all documentation is accurate. Furthermore the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency can check the VC5 form, while online companies such as www.motors.co.uk will enable you to buy from dealers and private sellers whose trading history has been thoroughly investigated.

How to avoid buying a stolen or cloned car

Buying a cheap, used car has undoubtedly become a more attractive option for people struggling to make ends meet in the current climate, but the recession has also led the used car market to become even more risky than before, with scams such as fake documents and car cloning becoming more prevalent than before. Therefore buyers need to be more careful than ever when buying a cheap car.

Car cloning means reselling a stolen car after swapping the VIN and number plates with those of a car of similar colour and model. If you buy a stolen car, which has been cloned, it can be confiscated by the police and returned to the rightful owner, and you will not be entitled to compensation or a replacement.

In order to try to avoid accidentally buying a cloned car, you should insist on seeing and thoroughly examining, the VC5 – or vehicle registration form. The problem for those looking to buy a used car is that it is relatively easy to steal or forge documentation; forged documents cost around £200 and real, stolen ones cost £500. Before buying you should make sure that all the numbers match up, checking the VC5 against the vehicle identification number, number plates and engine number.

With the amount of stolen and cloned cars on the second hand market and the ease with which scammers can gain access to a forged or stolen documentation, it can seem a minefield for anyone looking to buy a cheap car. However organisations such as the AA will carry out a comprehensive vehicle data check to ensure that the car is safe and all documentation is accurate. Furthermore the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency can check the VC5 form, while online companies such as www.Motors.co.uk will enable you to buy from dealers and private sellers whose trading history has been thoroughly investigated.

The Saab Aero is the new car designed by Spyker and the first Saab to be manufactured since GM liquidated the company. As you might anticipate from Spyker which designs and manufactures supercars and racing cars, the Aero has some high end specifications. Its closest rivals are the Audi A6 and the BMW 5 series. The Aero is a big car even by Saab standards and a number of variants are in the pipeline including a turbocharged model which develops 300 bhp and will accelerate from rest to 62 mph in 6.9 seconds with a maximum speed of 155 mph.

The Aero has the feel of a luxury car. It is very quiet, there is little wind noise even at speed, engine noise is very low and the ride is smooth even on bumpy surfaces. Although very quiet, one you open it up the car rapidly accelerates with a great feeling of oodles of power.

The car’s transmission system includes Haldex all-wheel-drive which means that power is electronically distributed to the wheels in such a way that the amount of grip of each wheel is individually monitored and during cornering the maximum power is applied to the wheel with the maximum grip. This is known in the trade as torque vectoring and is very different from stability control found on many cars. Stability control slows you down to increase your control over the car, whilst torque vectoring achieves stability by speeding you up.

It is good to see Saab back in business and with the new set up it is anticipate that the Aero will be the first of a new and exciting line-up.

Don’t expect to see too many Saab Aero’s on your drive to the office as only 8,000 will be distributed world wide this year. You can find the best price on a Saab Aero at www.motors.co.uk – although you should expect them to come with a price tag – even second hand.

Start by asking about the previous owner of this car. Ever used car dealership has proper records of where – or who – cars are purchased from. If the car is purchased off individual, you can ask to see the car’s maintenance records. If it is bought off an auction, then you need to be certain that the car has gone through thorough maintenance work before it is put on sale.

You can also ask about the dealership’s return policy. A good used car dealer will certainly give you at least a chance to return the car and exchange it with one of equal value. You can even do this two or three times before the deal is fixed. If the dealership has no return policy, you should ask for an extended test drive instead.

Whether you intend to pay in cash or use auto financing, always ask for the car’s cash price. Used car dealers usually add additional 5% to 10% discount for cash purchase. You can figure out the actual value of the car by knowing the cash price for it. The same principle goes for trade-ins.

Next up is the 1.6-litre Cooper engine which delivers 120 bhp and can make 62 mph from rest in 9.8 seconds, though normally we would wish a Cooper to be a little more spritely. However if we go for the Cooper S model we get the same engine plus a turbocharger which makes a substantial difference. This develops 175 bhp and will get you to 62 mph in 7.6 seconds and it will still return 45 mpg.

The diesel version, the Cooper D, is only 110 bhp but has excellent torque and will return 69 mpg.

All models have the choice of a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic gearbox.

The Countryman is a great car to drive and lots of fun. You can throw it round corners and it will stick to the road without complaint. It has a longer wheelbase than the standard chassis MINIs which improves its overall stability. Although the suspension is stiff enough to avoid too much roll when cornering, it is still comfortable even over fairly rough road surfaces.

This is a very versatile little car, more versatile than most hatchbacks. It is comfortable and looks good and has a lot of street credibility. If you are looking for something just a little different, the Countryman should definitely be on your short list.

The car, being a limited edition, will be more expensive than other Golf’s from around the same time but this is for good reason. You get plenty more power power, raised by 30bhp to 227bhp and torque, raised by 14lb ft to 221lb ft. You also get a more fun drive than its contemporaries so this car is definitely one to look out for in the used car dealerships and online.

At the top of our list, we have the Chrysler 300. This luxury sedan offers everything you can possibly expect from a car. It has spacious passenger seats and amazing interior features, along with in-car entertainment and all the luxury features that come with a Chrysler. The exterior design s considered timeless, so you will be able to drive this car five years from now without having to feel like you are driving an old car.

If you want a more affordable option, Nissan Maxima is the kind of car you need to look into. It is just as spacious as Chrysler 300, but it offers a more futuristic exterior design. You will also love the advanced climate control and rather economical engine. Nissan Maxima offers great value for money nonetheless.

Next, we have Hyundai Avalon. This particular car is very popular in the United States, and it is gaining a strong reputation of being one of the best family sedans in Europe. The reputation is granted for all the right reasons for sure, because this car is perfect for families. The interior features are superb, and the price tag is definitely affordable.

Test drive is a must when it comes to buying used cars. You can easily experience the car’s performance by doing a test drive. Not only that, you will also be able to figure out the actual state or condition of the car when you do a test drive. If you hear noises or if the drive is not as smooth as you would have expected, for example, you should always ask questions and figure out the problems.

Once you’ve done the test drive, you should be able to get first-hand information that can help you make up your mind. Don’t hesitate to pull out of the deal if you think the car is not good enough. There’s always another car to buy on the market, and you may be able to find a better one if you look some more.

It’s a good idea to postpone the decision to buy the car for at least a night. This way, you will have more time to think your decision through. You can even do another test drive at another used car dealership in order to get a good comparison; it will definitely help you decide whether you want to buy the car or not.