Drive to entice second-hand car dealers help boost image

Middlesbrough Borough Council is offering dealers the chance to display its seal of approval in its promotional literature if they promise to "go the extra mile" in telling the truth.

The move has been prompted by a deluge of complaints by customers who have felt cheated after buying a second-hand car. On average, trading standards officials deal with ten such complaints a week, and prosecutions have increased during the past two years.

Four reputable car firms have already signed up to the agreement, which entails them displaying a full history with each car for sale, guaranteeing warranties, and being clear on costs and insurance.

Trading standards chief John Wells said: "It is a sort of carrot as opposed to the stick, and we can tell from the complaints we receive what the major areas of concern are.

"There is a detrimental effect to the reputations of dealers as a whole when we prosecute. The good get tarred with the same brush as the bad, and there are some good ones out there."

Mr Wells said the scheme, of which there are half a dozen similar operating elsewhere in the UK, should help combat this.

He said: "It will give clear guidance to members of the public as to where they can go and get a good deal, giving people confidence when buying. And it will hopefully give traders involved an advantage, in that people will realise the dealers are willing to go that extra bit further. We are hoping to reduce our workload by being able to put people in the right direction."

The scheme will be officially launched at the Cellnet Riverside Stadium tomorrow when its first four members - Lookers VW, Derek Slack Motors, Lawson Cars, and Eric Carter, will each receive certificates.

Mr Carter, who has a garage in Middlesbrough Road East, said: "I think this will give the public confidence to buy cars.

"There are a lot of people out there who think of the old Arthur Daley-type car dealer, but that was years ago - most garages now are pretty straight."