Half of used cars on sale would fail inspection for faulty brakes, electrics and engine

AS many as half of the used cars for sale in Britain would fail vital pre-purchase inspections, according to latest statistics.

Pre-purchase inspections tell potential buyers which areas of a car is likely to cause you trouble.

And according to research of 2,000 inspections by ClickMechanic, 50 per cent of motors would score poorly in at least one category.

The high failure rate means many motorists looking to buy a used car could be at risk of purchasing a problem vehicle if they don't have it put through a pre-purchase inspection - and could lead to them being hit with hefty surprise repair bills.

Of the 12 categories set out by ClickMechanic, used cars performed worst when it came to electrics, wheels and tyres - with almost a quarter of cars flagging issues.

These were followed by body exterior faults, then road test and engine compartment categories.

As many as 13 per cent of used cars inspected returned a poor rating in categories involving brake condition, too.

Pre-purchase inspections tend to focus more on physical wear and tear rather than the actual performance and handling of the vehicle.

This may be an indication as to why issues with the clutch and transmission only appeared in five per cent of used cars - despite being one of the most common repairs for motorists.

The findings suggested a seller would be more likely to repair mechanical handling issues over structural and electrical faults prior to trading.

Andrew Jervis, co-founder of , said: “Any motorist looking to buy a used car should take care to ensure that it is in full-working order - no one wants a surprisingly expensive repair bill, not to mention the importance of safety.

"A pre-purchase inspection should always be conducted and you should remember to take the additional costs into account before buying the vehicle.”

Late last year, we revealed the important questions any buyer should ask to get the best deal on a used motor - and avoid getting stuck with a dud.