Clocked Vehicles – Don’t get caught out. There are cars on sale in West Yorkshire that have had their mileage turned back. If it looks too good to be true then it probably is! Make sure you know what you are buying.

By choosing a member of the Motor Trade Partnership  you can be safe in the knowledge that the vehicle you buy will have had its mileage verified. If, within 12 months of purchase, you find out the car you have bought has been clocked, the member will refund your money in full.

False Service histories – These are common and are generally used to cover up the history of the vehicle or the mileage. You may be buying a cut and shut, where two write-off cars are welded together. Ensure you check the details of any records thoroughly.

When you choose a member of the Motor Trade Partnership then you can be sure that the service history will not be false or forged. All members go to great lengths to ensure you are aware of the history of the vehicle. They don’t have anything to hide.

Unroadworthy Vehicles – Some cars appear to be fine but could actually be unroadworthy. Unless you know what specific things to look for you may end up buying something that is potentially unroadworthy.

Members of the Motor Trade Partnership check all vehicles to verify they are roadworthy before they are placed on their forecourts. Any unroadworthy vehicles are not displayed for sale.

Vehicle History – Would you know what questions to ask or what documents you should ask to see ? Do you know what a HPI check is or what VMC means? If you don’t know the answers to these questions then:

You need to be dealing with a motor trader you can be sure has done all the appropriate checks and can provide you with evidence of previous keepers. You need to "Look For The Logo”

Its not just another trade association – Unlike some trade associations or federations, West Yorkshire Trading Standards constantly monitors the members of the Partnership to ensure they are complying with its terms and conditions, including consumer rights.

Members are expected to adhere to the advice given by West Yorkshire Trading Standards Service. Any member who does not comply with the terms and condition can be removed from the Partnership and will not be able to display the Motor Trade Partnership logo.

Compliance with consumer's statutory rights – Some traders deny the statutory rights of consumers. This will include failing to repair, replace or ultimately refund.

By choosing a member of The Motor Trade Partnership  you are ensuring that your statutory rights will be observed and adhered to. Should you experience any difficulty resolving your complaint with the member, then you can contact West Yorkshire Trading Standards. We have dedicated liaison officers who will handle your complaint and negotiate with the member with a view to resolving the matter.

Arbitration – Some times disputes on consumers’ rights can involve lengthy, expensive civil action through the courts.

West Yorkshire Trading Standards Service carry out on-site arbitration as part of the Motor Trade Partnership. This means that you and the trader have an independent person looking at both sides of the complaint. This process has been very successful so far, resulting in a satisfactory resolution of 97% of all complaints where arbitration has been required.

Auditing – All members undergo a vigorous auditing procedure when they initially join the Partnership. The audit ensures that all procedures are in place so that the member abides by the terms and conditions of the Partnership.

To ensure that standards don’t fall, each member is re-audited each year and can be subject to checks at any time. Only then can they continue to be a member of the Motor Trade Partnership.

Monitoring Complaints – All complaints received by West Yorkshire Trading Standards Service are recorded and consumers advised on their civil rights. When the complaint involves a member of the Motor Trade Partnership, the complaint is further checked to ensure there are no breaches of the terms and conditions of the Partnership.

Where we can see a pattern emerging, the garage is given advice to ensure that similar problems do not occur. This then forms the basis of the quarterly complaints analysis of each member, one of the requirements of the Motor Trade Partnership

Servicing – How do you know that your car has been serviced correctly and replacement parts have been fitted?

Members of the Motor Trade Partnership will provide invoices that show all work done and have old/replaced parts available for examinations if requested.