Unfortunately a significant number of the cars mentioned in the video make their way to Ireland and end up being sold to unsuspecting buyers here. While not illegal, Car-Clocking is a very dangerous practice that can compromise the safety of a car as well as making it very difficult to sell on in future.

With over 3 million readings already in the Irish National Mileage Register, thankfully the number of clocked cars identified daily by Motorcheck is rising but there are still buyers parting with hard earned cash without checking a car’s history.

Related posts:

1. Car Clocking Costs Irish Consumers Up To €40 Million
2. Car Clocking Grips Northern Ireland
3. Motorcheck.ie Highlights Car Clocking on RTE News

This is a very welcome development and something that Motorcheck has previously identified as a very serious issue for Irish motorists. Whilst our vehicle history checks have always included a detailed write-off check for UK vehicles the absence of data for vehicles written off in Ireland has meant that Irish car buyers are at considerable risk.

We estimate that there are over 100,000 vehicles written off in Ireland every year. Only a small number of these (those categorised as A / B) are notified to the National Vehicle and Driver File leaving a majority number free to be repaired and resold without any official record identifying its previous history.

Reformed Legislative Base

The consultation document states ‘As the standard of vehicles on our roads is fundamental to road safety, it is proposed that the current administrative system to deal with written-off vehicles be enhanced and strengthened through a legislative base.

Importantly, this legislative base would clearly define the written-off vehicle categories which must be permanently prohibited from road use. It would also set out the categories of written-off vehicles that can again be used on our roads if repaired correctly.’

Consultation Document

The consultation document “Regulating Written-off Vehicles” sets out Ireland’s current policy and considers best practice internationally and seeks the input of stakeholders on regulation, classification and safety issues associated with written-off vehicles.

Consultation Document

You can download the document by clicking on the icon opposite.

The consultative process lasts until Friday 4 February 2011 and interested parties are invited to send their views to: writeoffconsultation@rsa.ie

or in writing to:

Written-off Vehicle Consultation,
Vehicle Standards Section,
Road Safety Authority,
Moy Valley Business Park,
Primrose Hill,
Ballina,
Co Mayo.

Related posts:

1. First Electric Car From Mitsubishi Arrives In Ireland
2. GE to Order ‘Tens of Thousands’ of Electric Vehicles
3. The Future of Electric Motoring in Ireland…

Once the habit of a small minority of black market sellers armed with a cordless drill and a certain amount of ‘DIY know-how’, the introduction of sophisticated software that can tap into a cars on-board computer and change the mileage reading has made ‘Mileage Correction’ a readily available ‘Service’.

Motorcheck was the first to establish a national mileage register for Ireland and since its inception we have seen a steady rise in the detection of clocked cars. It’s still too early to determine if this is because clocking is on the increase or simply a result of an improving detection rate as the database grows.

Stronger Deterrent Required

One of the major problems facing the industry is the lack of a suitable deterrent for would-be ‘Car Clockers’. The only organisation willing to investigate claims in an official capacity is the National Consumer Agency and even in an ‘Air tight’ case the outcome was a lenient ’formal undertaking’ that the Chief Executive hoped would “help send a clear message to other dealers that they cannot mislead consumers by selling clocked cars and expect to get away with it”.

Motorcheck.ie experiences increase in clocking

This was back in 2008 and judging by the evidence we encounter at Motorcheck, the undertaking never had the desired effect. However it looks as if some members of the judiciary have decided to adopt a significantly harder line on car clockers.

Yesterdays Irish Independent reported that one upmarket car dealer was jailed for a year for ‘clocking’ cars imported from the UK. Hopefully this is the start of a tough stance on the illicit practise that will make anyone selling a car think twice before interfering with its odometer.

Dealer Jailed for One Year

Aoife Nic Ardghail reported that Jeffrey Beere sold three cars for around €20,000 each between June and November 2008 through advertising on car sales websites.

Beere (28) of Monkstown Mews, Newtown Park, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to falsely altering the odometers of an Audi TT, Volkswagon Golf and Audi A4 in Enniskerry, Co Wicklow, on dates between June and November 2008.

The dealer has eight previous convictions for minor road traffic matters.

Detective Garda Will Saunderson revealed that Beere sold an Audi TT which showed 50,000 miles on the clock when it was later discovered to have been sold to a UK car trader with a reading of 76,893 miles the previous year.

Det Gda Saunderson told the prosecution that Beere sold a Volkswagon Golf for €20,000 to another buyer with 28,000 miles on the clock when it should have had a reading of more than 60,000 miles.

He said this buyer rang Beere over forty times but got no answer when his car experienced mechanical problems.

Judge Delahunt accepted Beere’s early guilty plea.

Related posts:

1. Car Clocking Costs Irish Consumers Up To €40 Million
2. Motorcheck.ie Highlights Car Clocking on RTE News
3. Car Clocking Grips Northern Ireland

When it comes to driving safely on Icy roads Paddy advises motorists to decrease speed and leave plenty of room to stop.

You should allow at least three times as much space than usual between you and the car in front. Brake gently to avoid skidding & if your wheels start to lock up remember to ease off the brakes.

Turn on your lights to increase visibility to other motorists & keep your lights and windscreen clean.

Use engine braking where possible and be careful on bridges, overpasses and infrequently travelled roads as they will freeze first. Even at temperatures above freezing, if the conditions are wet you might encounter ice in shady areas or on exposed areas like bridges.

Don’t assume your vehicle can handle all conditions. Even four-wheel and front-wheel-drive vehicles can encounter trouble on winter roads.

Related posts:

1. Are the Upcoming Changes to the NCT Really Necessary?
2. Reckless Driving With Fatal Consequences
3. Autoglass to the Rescue

The SuperStop Consortium (made up of Applegreen, Pierse Contracting and TOP), won the PPP Contract from the National Roads Authority to provide these state of the art Motorway Service Areas and already have 6 sites up and running.

50 times the size of an average petrol station the new facilities ensure safe, relaxed travel for road users traveling on Ireland’s motorways and should contribute to better and safer motoring.

We couldn’t wait to visit and see first hand what services were on offer.

On-Site Facilities

The Lusk Motorway Service Area was the first of two sites in the area, one on either side of the M1 Motorway. The sites provide facilities on a par with those seen in continental Europe, with specific services for both hauliers and private motorists.

These facilities include parking for 246 vehicles including designated spaces for 184 cars, 13 motorbikes, 10 coaches and 39 HGVs.

They are also more ‘family friendly’ than anything else seen to date, with everything from bottle heating facilities & changing rooms to indoor and outdoor playgrounds. These facilities include;

• Public Toilets – 10 female toilets, 10 male toilets, 2 female/ 2 male showers, 2 baby changing rooms, 2 disabled toilets
• Playgrounds – indoor and outdoor
• Food – Burger King, Costa Coffee and an aCafé. There is indoor seating for 250 diners with an additional 30 outdoor seats to enjoy during the better weather.

If you’ve had a chance to visit any of the ‘SuperStops’ why not tell us what you though? We’d love to hear from you.

Related posts:

1. Do Service Departments Take Advantage of Woman Drivers?
2. The Future of Electric Motoring in Ireland…
3. Stronger Regulation for Written Off Vehicles in Ireland

She went on to describe an elaborate ruse that involved gangs of men intent on stopping women at the side of the road where they will be, quote – “dragged into the woods, beaten and raped, and usually left for dead”.

According to her, the ploy being used to trap the innocent victim is an abandoned car seat by the road…with a fake baby in it. The idea being that an unsuspecting passer by will stop and check on the abandoned baby making themselves an easy target for the ‘gang’ behind the scheme.

Fake Warning

Turns out the ‘warning’ she received was an email that had been passed on by one of her friends. It starts out with the introduction “This is currently in circulation by the Gardai….” and goes on to describe a first person account of the tactic.

False Warning

Written in way that’s designed to convince and terrify at the same time, I could see why my friend (who has a two year old herself) was worried and had in fact forwarded it to all her friends also.

To find out more about the so called ‘warning’ I called the Garda Press Office who confirmed that the email had nothing to do with An Garda Siochana. In fact, this wasn’t the first time they had heard about it and assured me that they had no reports of any such incidents ocurring in Ireland.

If you have received the email (copy included below) and were worrying about its contents. Don’t be. It’s a fake.

Email Received

The following text (everything after the dotted line) is lifted directly from the email being sent around Ireland at present.

——————————————————————-

This is currently in circulation by the Gardai….

BEWARE – Garda warning when driving.!!

“While driving on a rural end of the roadway on Thursday morning, I saw an infant car seat on the side of the road with a blanket draped over it. For whatever reason, I did not stop, even though I had all kinds of thoughts running through my head. But when I got to my destination, I called the gardai and they were going to check it out. But, this is what the gardai advised even before they went out there to check…. “

“There are several things to be aware of … gangs and thieves are now plotting different ways to get a person (mostly women)to stop their vehicle and get out of the car.

“There is a gang initiation reported by the local gardai where gangs are placing a car seat by the road…with a fake baby in it…waiting for a woman, of course, to stop and check on the abandoned baby.

“Note that the location of this car seat is usually beside a wooded or grassy (field) area and the person — woman — will be dragged into the woods, beaten and raped, and usually left for dead. If it’s a man, they’re usually beaten and robbed and maybe left for dead, too.

DO NOT STOP FOR ANY REASON!!! DIAL 999 AND REPORT WHAT YOU SAW, BUT DON’T EVEN SLOW DOWN.

“IF YOU ARE DRIVING AT NIGHT AND EGGS ARE THROWN AT YOUR WINDSCREEN, DO NOT STOP TO CHECK THE CAR, DO NOT OPERATE THE WIPER AND DO NOT SPRAY ANY WATER BECAUSE EGGS MIXED WITH WATER BECOME MILKY AND BLOCK YOUR VISION UP TO 92.5%, AND YOU ARE THEN FORCED TO STOP BESIDE THE ROAD AND BECOME A VICTIM OF THESE CRIMINALS.

THIS IS A NEW TECHNIQUE USED BY GANGS, SO PLEASE INFORM YOUR FRIENDS AND RELATIVES.

THESE ARE DESPERATE TIMES AND THESE ARE UNSAVOURY INDIVIDUALS WHO WILL TAKE DESPERATE MEASURES TO GET WHAT THEY WANT.”

Please talk to your loved ones about this. This is a new tactic used. Please be safe.

Get started NOW — SEND THIS MESSAGE TO ALL YOUR FRIENDS AND LOVED ONES TO BE CAREFUL AND AWARE OF EVERYTHING AROUND THEM SO AS NOT TO BECOME A VICTIM.

——————————————————————-

Related posts:

1. Scam Warning for Irish Motor Trade
2. Stolen Cars Seized in Balbriggan as part of Garda Operation
3. The Real Risks of Buying A Stolen Car

From their renewal date in 2011, all taxi and hackney licences (irrespective of when they were first issued) may be granted only to vehicles that are less than nine years old.

This means that a significant number of taxis currently operating on Irish roads will no longer be able to do so when the new regulations come into force in January 2011. We’re still awaiting confirmation from the regulator on the number of vehicles that this new rule will effect but data to hand shows that up to 10,000 cars could be forced to retire from active duty.

Destined for the private market?

It is expected that many of these cars will be disposed of in the private market meaning buyers should be extra vigilant when appraising cars with a 2001 registration or older.

Thankfully, Motorcheck can tell you if a registration number was EVER used as a Taxi, Hackney or Limousine. If you have the registration number you’d like to check just enter in in the box below.

Disabled expected to travel in older vehicles

They point out that “The disabled are expected to travel in vehicles over nine years old which, if they were other than wheelchair accessible would automatically be deemed unfit for use due to age while existing operators of standard taxis over nine years old regardless of condition must replace their vehicles.

Wheelchair Accessible Taxis Exempt from 9 Year Rule

Wheelchair accessible taxis also operate as multi passenger vehicles (up to eight passengers) when not transporting a wheelchair user, a standard taxi service for more than four passengers so, why the disparity?”

The current Wheelchair Accessible fleet will have to meet standards set out for passenger car M1 certification from 2012 but will remain exempt from the nine-year rule. Once M1 certified these vehicles must simply continue to undergo and pass the National Car Test (NCT) and Société Générale de Surveillance Ireland Ltd (SGS) visual assessment on a yearly basis to remain in service.

Standard taxis of comparable age and condition must be taken out of service as taxis but these vehicles may be resold as family cars.

Related posts:

1. SIMI Addresses Market Failings? New Used Car Website – beepbeep.ie
2. GE to Order ‘Tens of Thousands’ of Electric Vehicles
3. BOSI Motor Finance to Withdraw from Irish Market

We left Skerries at 2:00 on Friday and by late afternoon were making our way from Letterkenny back along the R245 to Downings. We spent the following day heading west through Creeslough and around into Gortahork before navigating back through various back roads.

Try as I might though, I couldn’t shake a sense of unease on the road. It wasn’t the riding conditions (which were perfect) or the bike I was on. It was something altogether more innocuous that had me worried and that was the frightening number of black circles that I came across burned into the tar-macadam of the road.

I counted 47 examples within an hour before giving up and it prompted me to wonder if this is something peculiar to Donegal or is it a nationwide problem?

Lack of Recreational Activities?

One contributor who answered a post I put on boards.ie had this to say;

“It’s a nationwide problem, especially in rural Areas. I think part of the problem is that for young men there is Sweet F.A to do out there in terms of recreation (Unless you like GAA).

So at night time and on the weekends where as most of the people that live in built up areas would go to town/do something adventurous/partake in some recreation activity, the people that live in the middle of nowhere have nothing to do so they (especially young men) will go out in the car for a drive. And being young men they like sports cars (I know, I am a young man and I LOVE sports cars) and the messing starts…”

National Problem?

Rather than just huff and puff about it, I thought I’d keep a record of any examples found by Motorcheck.ie visitors on the road. Perhaps if we were able to identify a concentration of activity we could address the recreational problem before we start to find something altogether more tragic on the road than tyre marks?

Have You Seen Any Examples Locally?

If you know of any ‘hot-spots’ locally let us know about them below and we’ll add them to our map above. Pictures / Video of the markings would be useful too as they tend to bring home the gravity of the problem.

View Black Circles in a larger map

Related posts:

1. Is Your Car Increasing in Value?
2. ‘Black Boxes’ for cars?
3. Winter Driving

Figures from the Road Safety Authority show that the number of Irish road deaths fell to 239 in 2009, the lowest level on record, down 40 from 2008.

The 239 who died consisted of 40 pedestrians, 7 cyclists, 128 drivers, 38 passengers and 27 bikers.

Provisional Fatal Collision Statistics 2010

While it’s encouraging that the number of deaths is dropping, I’m sure you’ll agree that even one life lost on the road is one too many. Reckless behavior behind the wheel continues to put other drivers and road users at serious risk.

Thankfully I have yet to witness the aftermath of a serious accident but I thought the real-life pictures below serve as a useful reminder of the terrible consequences that speeding or driving without due care can have.

Thanks to Gregg at Wrecked Exotics for putting this collection of images together and allowing Motorcheck the opportunity to republish them here.

The driver of this Ferrari was the famous founder of TapouT clothing, "Mask". He was apparently racing a Porsche when he lost control and slammed into a concrete pole. His girlfriend was thrown from the car but survived. Unfortunately, Mask was killed. The driver of the Porsche may be charged in his death. Location: Newport Beach, CA (Jamboree Rd.)

3 teenagers taking a joyride, crashed at high speed. All 3 were killed. Location: Bygdoy, Oslo

This Ferrari F430 crashed into a Porsche Cayenne Turbo on the A-7 highway in Almeria, Spain. Both drivers were on their way to a birthday party and were racing each other. The driver of the Ferrari was not wearing a seatbelt and was killed. Location: Almeria, Spain

41 year old driver was killed after losing control of his Enzo at 150 MPH. The impact was so great that it tore the car into several pieces. Locals reported having seen and heard an Enzo being driven very hard the day before. Most likely it was the same car. Accident happened on October 30th, 2005. It sometimes takes a tragedy like this to realize how dangerous reckless driving is. This driver, who was able to afford a 1 million dollar car, lost his life to a careless decision. Location: Milan, Italy

Related posts:

1. Winter Driving
2. Thousands of Ex-Taxis to Flood Used Car Market
3. Want to Impress Your Neighbours?

Which?Car performed the moose test or elk test (a test that determines how a vehicle acts when the driver evades a suddenly appearing obstacle) on the new Citroen Nemo with devastating results, whereas the virtually identical Fiat Qubo MPV fitted with stability control passed through the manoeuvre at a higher speed (56mph) without incident.

The fact that Electronic Stability Control or ‘ESC’ as it’s known is not available as an option on the Nemo is something the manufacturer may reconsider following the results of this test. However, we believe Government has a part to play in looking at tax incentives that will make critical safety features such as ‘ESC’ standard on all new cars.

It’s also worth noting that the Nemo did receive a three star NCAP rating in one of the agencies new tougher 2010 tests which doesn’t include an ‘ELK’ test.

The ‘ELK’ test was responsible in 1997 for introducing changes to the manufacture of Mercedes Benz’s A Class when journalist Robert Collin from the motor magazine Teknikens Värld toppled the car during a test.

Jeremy Clarkson takes the improved car through its paces in this clip from 1998.

Related posts:

1. Do Irish Taxes Compromise the Safety of Our Cars?
2. Troublesome Oil Leak Failed the NCT Test
3. Citroën Introduce New Range of ‘Designer’ cars

The study was launched in May 2009 following a record number of consumer complaints regarding the second hand car market. Covering the whole of the UK the study focussed on sales by registered dealers rather than private sales, but the OFT hopes that its findings will provide clarity across the wider second-hand car market.

The OFT estimate the potential loss to UK consumers from the purchase of vehicles with false mileage to be up to £580 million a year. That’s against a national fleet of 32million cars. Applying the same  ratio to the Irish fleet means the cost here could be up to €40 million.

Outlaw ‘Mileage Correction’ Services

One significant area the report focussed on was ‘Car Clocking’. Describing the practice as a “persistent and damaging consumer crime” the OFT identified over 50 businesesses in the UK openly offering “mileage correction services” despite the very small number of occasions where there may be a legitimate reason to correct a car’s odometer reading.

Office of Fair Trading

The report states “We have a strong suspicion that many of these companies adjust mileages for illegitimate reasons” and goes on to call for the introduction of legislation to outlaw mileage correction/alteration services and their advertising.

The Importance Of Data Sharing

The OFT strongly recommends that mileage readings be shared with vehicle check companies. It calls for the sharing of mileage data recorded at the point of an MOT Test and recommends mandatory mileage readings be supplied by vehicle owners to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) each time a vehicle’s particulars are amended.

Serious Irish Problem

Car Clocking continues to be a serious problem in Ireland and it appears that UK vehicles are responsible for more than their fair share. A quick look at our March statistics shows that 39% of cars where a mileage discrepancy exists are currently, or have previously, been registered in the UK.

Motorcheck’s national mileage register has in excess of 1.4 million odometer readings we believe there are a number of ways the detection rate could be substantially increased.

1. NCT Readings – The Department of Transport could share the 8million+ mileage readings recorded on the NCT database.
2. Change of Ownership Readings – Most dealers use the Revenue’s Online Service (ROS) to transfer ownership of a car. This form allows for an odometer reading to be entered along with the new owner’s details. Hundreds of thousands of used cars pass through Irish dealers forecourts every year and these mileage readings would assist in combatting clocking.
3. MotorTax Online – The current system as operated by the Department of Transport at Motortax.ie asks users to input their insurance certificate number when renewing road tax. A similar input for the cars odometer reading could be introduced and provide another valuable record for the cars odometer history.
4. VRT Readings – Revenue also record the odometer reading every time an imported second-hand vehicle is registered for the first time in Ireland. If these readings were available our mileage register could compare the records against the 100+ million readings available in our UK database and identify potentially clocked cars before they’re sold on to an unsuspecting buyer.

Help Motorcheck combat clocking

If you’d like to assist Motorcheck with our battle against the car clockers, you can do so by entering the odometer reading for your car by clicking on this link or the button below. It’s free and could help prevent someone from clocking your car in future.

For further advice on how to avoid buying a clocked car you can visit a previous post here.

Related posts:

1. Clocking costs UK car buyers more than £500m a year
2. FAQ – Is this car clocked?
3. Car Clocking Grips Northern Ireland

Are they reasonable changes that will help the ultimate goal of road safety or merely another way to generate revenue from the already heavily taxed motorist?

When the changes were first announced Minister Noel Dempsey said, “The new test items will improve the safety of vehicles on our roads, both for the vehicle owners and for other road users.  This is another incremental step in our road safety agenda, to make our roads safer and to save lives and prevent injuries.”

But with close on half of all vehicles being tested returning a ‘Fail Refusal’ are we prepared for the new categories?

Windows must transmit light above 65% to pass test

Changes with effect from April 2010:

Clarity of windscreen and front side windows

Excessively tinted windscreens or front side windows present a significant safety hazard for drivers and their occupants. The glass in the windscreen and front side windows will be required to have a light transmission level of not less than 65% in order to pass the test.

Rear fog lamp

Rear fog lamps enhance the visibility of a car in foggy conditions by indicating the vehicle’s position and direction of travel to other road users. The rear fog lamp, where fitted, will be checked to ensure that when in use it provides a red light which is clearly visible.

Reverse lamp

The reverse lamp of a vehicle provides illumination to the rear when backing up, and warns nearby drivers and pedestrians of a vehicle’s backward motion. The reverse lamp, where fitted, will be checked to ensure that when in use it provides a white light which is clearly visible.

Tyres must have a valid 'E' Mar

Tyres

Car tyres are the only point of contact between a vehicle and the road. The standards to which tyres are designed and built, is critical to ensuring adequate grip is maintained with the road surface.

An “E” or “e” mark indicates that the tyre is certified to comply with international regulations. A vehicle will fail if an “E” or “e” mark is not visible.

Rear registration plate lamp

Rear registration plate lamps provide essential illumination to the registration plate of a vehicle once parking lights are activated. The reverse lamp, where fitted, will be checked to ensure that when in use it provides a white light which is clearly visible. If it is not in proper working order a “Fail Advisory” will result i.e. it is strongly recommended that the fault be repaired but a failed test will not result because of this fault alone.

Airbags, ESC, EBS, ABS Systems lights will be checked

Malfunction indicators for Airbags, Electronic Stability Control and Electronic Braking / Anti-Lock Brake system.

Today’s cars are fitted with a number of warning lamps on a dashboard that let the driver know if certain critical safety, performance and environmental features are not working properly. They are important safety features and it is in the interest of the driver and road safety that all safety systems in the vehicle are in full working order.

Vehicles will be checked to ensure that, where fitted, the malfunction indicators for Airbags, Electronic Stability Control (ESC) systems and Electronic Braking Systems (EBS) / Anti-Lock Brake system (ABS) are in correct working order. The vehicle will fail if a malfunction indicator is not working or indicates a defect in the system.

Vehicle exhaust noise

The nuisance caused by excessive noise from vehicle exhausts is regularly the subject of comments and complaints. Examination of a cars exhaust silencer, and its effectiveness at reducing noise is part of the current NCT. It is proposed to implement a noise check of vehicles that the vehicle inspector deems to be excessively noisy. The vehicle will be required to have a level of noise no greater than 99db in order to pass the test.

Changes with effect from June 2011:

Annual testing of vehicles over 10 years old

At present two thirds of cars aged 10 years and older presented for a test do not pass first time. These older vehicles are more likely to be involved in a collision. Almost half (47%) of collisions that occurred in 2007 involved vehicles that were 9 years old or more.  From 1 June 2011 annual testing of cars over 10 years old will commence.  Cars over 10 years old will be issued an annual certificate after this date.

Further Changes?

One suggestion I heard recently seemed to make a lot of sense as an additional item that the NCT could examine.

Outstanding Recalls

Where a recall campaign was initiated on a given vehicle, the NCT could determine that the repair work was duly carried out on the vehicle being tested. Motorcheck has already called for the establishment of a national recall database that could record such eventualities and we believe that the NCT would be a perfect place to monitor the effectiveness of the original campaign.

Related posts:

1. Stronger Regulation for Written Off Vehicles in Ireland
2. Do Irish Taxes Compromise the Safety of Our Cars?
3. Citroen Nemo Fails Which?Car ‘ELK’ Test

The ECC has said that the threat of cloned cars being sold in Ireland was significantly increased following the theft in 2006 of blank registration documents from the UK Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) in Swansea. A recent investigation by the BBC showed that vehicles worth £13m have been stolen as a result of the loss of thousands of blank DVLA log books.

Just how many cloned cars have made it onto Irish roads is unclear but possession of blank registration documents has allowed fraudsters to copy the genuine vehicles log book which makes the cloning much more difficult to detect.

Buyer Beware!

A recent TV programme looks at the problem of cloned vehicles on Irish roads.

ECC Ireland

According to Caroline Curneen, PR and Marketing Manager of ECC Ireland,

“This is a scam which may affect Irish consumers as they increasingly are choosing to shop cross border for larger items such as cars with many consumers discovering that it is often cheaper to buy a car in the UK and register it in Ireland.

A consumer may only discover that they have purchased a cloned car when they are issued a parking fine or speeding ticket. If you buy a stolen car, you risk losing the vehicle and your money even though you bought the car in good faith so it is imperative that consumers carry out comprehensive checks on any vehicle before purchase”.

You can perform an instant check on any vehicle registered on Irish, Northern Irish or UK roads by entering its registration number in the box now:

Motorcheck automatically includes the UK history with every imported vehicle so you don’t have to be concerned with finding its previous registration numbers.

Top Tips for Identifying a Cloned Car

The following tips have been complied by the ECC and will assist you in determining whether or not the car you’re looking at could be a clone.

• There are three main ways to spot a clone – check the log book, inspect the car and identify the VIN (vehicle identity number).

• Check the vehicle registration document (V5C). Buyers should not proceed with the sale until this document has been produced and they have examined it carefully. Look out for any obvious spelling mistakes. The registration document should have a watermark, the number plate should be clearly listed, the VIN and engine numbers matching those of the car should be listed as should the name and address of the seller. There should be no spelling mistakes or alterations. You can check the validity of the logbook by calling the DVLA.

• Check the VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) plates for signs of tampering. A VIN is a car’s unique identity number. They are usually located in several places, under the bonnet, under the driver’s seat and on the chassis.
  

  Car Thief

  Some cars have the VIN etched into the glass on a window or sunroof so check to see if there are signs that the VIN number has been scratched off or that stickers are not concealing a VIN number. Make sure that all plates have the same number and look for signs that it may have been removed. When you decide what make and model you are interested in, find out where the vehicle identification number (VIN) is on that vehicle. You will then know where to look and check it’s correct.

• Check that numbers listed on the registration document match the car’s number plate, engine number and VIN. Be certain that the V5 certificate is genuine and hasn’t been changed in any way.

• Be on the lookout for stolen registration certificates. The DVLA has provided a range of serial numbers of known stolen registration certificates on their website. If you find one that is in the range of BG8229501 to BG9999030 or BI2305501 to BI2800000 do not proceed with the sale and contact the police.

• Carry out a vehicle check with a vehicle data-check company. This won’t be able to identify a cloned car, but it will tell you if a vehicle has been recorded stolen, written off, scrapped or has outstanding finance.

Related posts:

1. Stolen Irish Cars disguised as UK Cars
2. Stolen Cars Seized in Balbriggan as part of Garda Operation
3. Stronger Regulation for Written Off Vehicles in Ireland

However, recent studies show that quality and safety are fast becoming more important than price. Most of us don’t realise that a poorly fitted windscreen can be a very dangerous thing to have on your car.

An ill fitting windscreen can be difficult to identify but the experts tell us that at least one in a hundred of us are driving with exactly that.

Safety Concerns

Apart from providing protection from the elements, a cars windscreen will determine the effectiveness of the passenger airbag.

Your windscreen is responsible for 30% of structural integrity

When this airbag deploys it needs the support of the windscreen behind it to provide the protection necessary for the occupant.

If the windscreen has been poorly fitted it could be pushed out by the airbag leaving the passenger completely exposed.

Believe it or not, if you were unlucky enough to experience a roll-over in your car your windscreen would be responsible for 30% of the structural integrity. If it’s not fitted properly your car could crumple in a way that the manufacturer didn’t intend leading to serious injury or worse…

Autoglass Competition

One provider who takes this responsibility very seriously is Autoglass an Irish company that’s part of the International Belron group. When it comes to fitting windscreens these guys should know their stuff as Belron replace a piece of glass somewhere in the world every 5 seconds.

The winner of today’s national finals held at the Europa Academy will have been judged against a number of headings including technical, quality, safety and customer interaction. Autoglass is the only company to run this type of competition which is highly regarded in an industry where anyone can claim to be a ‘windscreen fitter’ without any formal qualification or industry standard.

Winning the overall competition means claiming the title ‘Best of Belron’ and being able to put ‘best fitter in the world’ on your CV. The finals will be held in Paris in June where one Irish finalist will be competing for glory.

Related posts:

1. Autoglass to the Rescue
2. Do Irish Taxes Compromise the Safety of Our Cars?
3. Free Passes to The Irish Times Motor Show

With the rise of the touch screen smart phone and other gadgets that we can’t seem to put down, it appears that drivers are being driven to distraction behind the wheel. Some commentators have gone as far as to say that 90% of accidents in a car occur as a result of driver distraction.

If pressed, most of us will admit to having used a mobile phone, sat-nav or even sipped a cup of coffee when driving. These are everyday examples of how easy it is to become distracted when driving and common as they are it begs the question – is anything being done to pro-actively improve safety around driver distractions or is it up to us to improve (and an Garda Siochana to police) our driving habits?

Can Technology Help?

Euro NCAP

Obviously motor manufacturers take the business of safety very seriously. The European New Car Assessment Programme (NCAP) test (established in 1997) considers itself an important incentive for manufacturers to improve the safety of their cars. Competition for the ‘5 Star rating’ is fierce with each participant hoping to make the agency’s ‘Top 5 Achievers’.

But improving safety is more than passing a test. As one manufacturer put it to me recently “Designing a car to pass a test is one thing. Designing a car to save lives is an altogether different challenge”.

New Developments in Safety Features

Most of us expect our cars today to come standard with All-Round Airbags, Seat Belts Pre-Tensioners, ABS, Traction Control, Brake Assist Systems, Stability Control – etc. The list is almost endless but thankfully it’s growing!

There are some very exciting new developments on the way. I had an opportunity to test drive Volvo’s new S60 this week and was blown away by some of the safety features Volvo have developed. Their new “Pedestrian Detection System” is a serious piece of kit and could make accidents involving pedestrians a thing of the past.

A combination of onboard radar and specially designed camera’s detect pedestrians and other moving objects in your way or about to step in front of you and will stop the car automatically if you don’t. Unfortunately cameras weren’t permitted in the testing area (all very hush hush at the time) but this short promotional movie will give you an idea of how it works.

So Why Are These Great Safety Features ‘Optional Extras’?

90% of Accidents Caused By Driver Distractions

I was so excited by this technology I couldn’t wait to hear how it will come standard on the entire Volvo range. I had visions of the technology being licensed to all manufacturers and overnight – accidents involving pedestrians would be reconciled to history! Turns out it’s not that simple. In a highly competitive market safety features are a great way of developing unique selling points. The reason they don’t come automatically as standard comes down to cost. Most of this exciting technology costs millions to develop and invariably begins life as an ‘Optional Equipment’ in a bid to pay for themselves.

Just yesterday, new statistics from the Road Safety Authority showed that up to one third of all road collisions involve drivers who are using their vehicle for work. Company car drivers pay another form of tax for the private use of their company vehicles. It’s called Benefit-In-Kind (BIK) and it’s calculated against the Original Market Value (OMV) of the car. This means that adding safety features which will increase the OMV which in turn raises BIK and the employers lease costs haven’t got a snowballs chance in hell!

The problem with optional safety equipment means that we are relying on the private every-day driver (the one that uses his iPhone and drinks coffee in the car) to recognise that he could do with some assistance in identifying pedestrians and be prepared to shell out a couple of grand for it. Not likely!

Economies of Scale

It all comes down to economies of scale. When a safety feature is first launched it carries the responsibility of a significant financial investment on the part of the manufacturer. Whilst it would be great if it could be included as ‘Standard Specification’ the reality is these features need to pay for themselves first. Introducing them as ‘Optional Equipment’ means the car can continue with a competitive purchase price with the ‘option’ of the safety feature for those interested.

New Volvo S60

In time, the cost of manufacture associated with the safety feature will drop as economies of scale kick in and eventually the feature pops up as standard on future models. But rather than relying on the responsible, safety-conscious driver who choses to add this option and make the afore mentioned scale a reality so that it becomes a ‘Standard Feature’ which will benefit the rest of us, isn’t there anything the Government could be doing to speed up the process?

How many accidents could be prevented and lives saved if we changed the way we taxed safety features on cars? Take one safety feature offered by Volvo today as an example. “Adaptive Cruise Control with Collision Warning and Auto-Brake” is available as an option on the Volvo S80. This technology which is a pre-cursor to the pedestrian safety you saw above costs €1,600. It’s a system that will automatically gauge the speed of the car in front of you in order to speed up or slow down your car while operating cruise control. Should the car in front jam on the brakes, the system intercedes and brakes on your behalf. A welcome intervention if you ever have cause to use it!

Government Action Required

If the Government decided to waive VRT and VRT the cost of this system would be reduced to €1,000. Its appeal as an option would increase and more sales would follow allowing Volvo to reduce the price even further. This would mean that the time it takes from introduction to promotion as ‘Standard Feature’ would be greatly reduced and our safety on the road promoted above Revenue concerns.

It’s not as if the Government aren’t getting their cut anyway. Remember for most of us, having €1,000 to spend means we had to earn closer to €2,000 before income tax and there’s the healthy VRT and VAT take that’s applied on the price of the car before extras.

Volvo are not alone in the pursuit of excellence in safety. Other manufacturers have some excellent features in development but as long as our Government continues to tax these innovations our ability to enjoy them as standard on the road will surely be compromised.

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