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4 Car Scam Indicators You Need to Know

Feb 24th, 2012
by PauricL.
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Looking for a good deal on a second-hand car? Whether you’re buying or selling, it’s best to keep the old saying ‘Buyer beware’ at the back of your mind and to know the most common scam indicators.

Many second-hand cars are bought and sold privately. This can often be a good way to get a good deal but you need to take care that you aren’t being duped.

Speaking on Today with Pat Kenny on RTE Radio One yesterday, consumer expert Tina Leonard said there are a number of clever scams people need to watch out for. She specifically mentioned one of the latest, known as the ‘ghost car scam’. This involves bogus online car ads which include references to valid motor check reports, but where the car being advertised does not exist.

To help guard yourself against would-be scammers, Tina advises people to watch out for these four common scam indicators:

  1. Language: Bogus online car ads are often written very badly. Watch out for poor grammar and phrases that don’t read well.
  2. Contact details: Another common scam indicator is where the only contact details provided by the car seller is an email address. If a number is provided, but when you ring it a digit appears to be missing or it rings out, proceed with caution. Whether you’re a seller or buyer, it is always better to chat to the other party before agreeing to meet or discussing a price.
  3. Low price: If a seller seems to be offering a deal that seems too good to be true this can often be a red flag. Bear in mind that someone trying to get rid of a dodgy vehicle will be willing to accept a lower price and may give you a story about why they’re willing to accept a low price or need a quick sale.
  4. Payment method: A typical scammer will try to get you to pay them something up front, before you’ve seen the car. You should never part with any money before seeing the vehicle. Alarm bells should also start ringing if a seller wants to use a payment method that isn’t secure, such as a money transfer.

Tina also says to look out for little white lies – such as the number of previous owners. Details like this can be verified by purchasing a report on the vehicle you’re interested in buying. These car reports usually only cost between €12 to €35, depending on how detailed they are.

A motor report can help you check whether the car:

  • any finance outstanding
  • has been clocked
  • was previously written off
  • is a former taxi or hackney
  • was stolen

A recent report by CarTell.ie found that 16% of the cars they checked had outstanding finance. If you innocently buy a car with an outstanding higher purchase agreement, the bank can repossess it from you. It’s also important to know whether car was previously been written off and is unsafe.

Motor reports can also help verify the car’s NCT cert, chassis number, and reveal whether there was ever any manufacturer’s recall on parts. Providers of motor reports include Cartell.ie, MotorCheck.ie, MyWheels.ie and the AA.

Second-hand car sellers should also watch out for scams operated by people posing as buyers, such as:

  • Overpayment:  In this scam, the would-be buyer offers to give you a cheque or bank draft for an amount that’s more than your asking price and asks you to then send them back the difference. They’ll give an explanation for why this is the case – maybe because they were planning on buying something else. Their cheque will bounce and you’ll be left out of pocket.
  • Premium rate numbers: Be cautious if a buyer sends you a text message saying they’re unable to call you and asking you to call them back (the text will include their number). The number you call may be a premium rate number set up by a scammer.
  • Customer finder services: As the seller of a vehicle, you’re contacted by a company (usually in the UK) which offers to match you with a prospective buyer. They’ll tell you they have a buyer who wants exactly your car. They make their money by asking you to pay a £100 finder’s fee for their imaginary buyer (who never materialises).

Brought to you by AXA Car Insurance Ireland.

Posted in: Motoring.
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Watch out – the cold is about

Feb 1st, 2012
by PauricL.
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Just when we thought we’d escaped with a relatively mild winter, the cold has returned with a vengeance.

The Road Safety Authority (RSA) has urged motorists to take extra care on the roads over the next few days in order to avoid accidents, as weather conditions are set to be difficult.

Their warning comes as the country faces freezing temperatures and forecasts of rain, sleet and snow which will lead to icy surfaces.

In addition to this, the RSA says that strong easterly winds could be a danger to road users and freezing fog could drastically reduce visibility.

Noel Brett, Chief Executive of the RSA, has urged drivers to remain vigilant throughout the current cold period: “This may catch people off guard, as we have had a very mild winter. I would ask each and every road user to slow down and in particular be aware of the dangers of black ice.”

As well as remaining vigilant, Simon Elstow, Head of Training at the Institute of Advanced Motorists has reminded motorists of another easy precaution they can take to minimise the risk of making a car insurance claim on these dark evenings – keep your headlights in good condition.

If you are affected by ice or snow on the roads this week, remember to check out some of my previous AXA blog posts for tips on driving in the snow and ice:
Snow and Ice – Some Driving Tips
Winter driving tips when ice and snow hit the roads

Or if you are worried about your home in these freezing temperatures, check out our useful tips to ensure that your pipes don’t burst
Keeping your home safe this winter

Brought to you by AXA Car Insurance Ireland supporting Road Safety in Ireland.

Posted in: Motoring, Road Safety.
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To ski..or not to ski?……That is the question

Jan 19th, 2012
by PauricL.
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Determined to hate it, I set off last week on my first ever ski holiday. I packed my knee support, back support, voltarol gel, painkillers and about 15 layers of clothes (which gives you a good insight into my ‘confidence’ in my potential skiing ability). I also swiftly upgraded my travel insurance to include winter sports cover before I went.

My destination was Soll, Austria. Soll is part of the “Ski Welt” area, the largest interconnected ski area in the whole of Austria. Great, I thought, a whole 250km of downhill ski trails for me to slide down on my behind!

Exhibit A: Snow plough

Luckily, we’d had the foresight to book ourselves into ‘Ski School’ for the first five days. Our unfortunate instructor, Richie, did his best to impart the basics of skiing. But for the first two days we slipped, slidded, and generally struggled around the ‘nursery’ slopes (as kids of two and three whooshed by effortlessly). Even just getting the gear on and carrying it around took a Herculean effort.  Our first mission – see exhibit A on the right (check out my groovy red skis!) – was to perfect the art of the snow-plough.

The main advantage of making a snow plough was that it allowed me to stop. This, I knew, would be a key factor in me surviving the week on the slopes.

As the week’s lessons went on, I noticed that snow ploughs were being abandoned left, right and centre as the need for speed became more of a priority. And as the speed increased, so did the chances of a crash – as we  soon found out when a woman in our beginners group got mowed down on the nursery slope by another beginner who had just built up too much speed. As luck would have it, she was the only one in the group that was actually wearing a helmet, a fact that really struck home when she later discovered that the impact had actually cracked her helmet. Next day the rest of the group, myself included,  all showed up wearing helmets (having decided  that renting a ski helmet for €11 was money well spent).

According to More Than Travel Insurance, 92 per cent of people in the UK are in favour of introducing the kind of safety measures used for road safety on the ski slopes, such as ski patrols to cut down on speed, compulsory helmets and penalty points with fines. They believe this could help reduce the number and severity of accidents and injuries caused by skiers going too fast – almost half (47 per cent) said ‘speed skiing’ is increasingly becoming an issue. From what I could see on the slopes, I tend to agree.

Top of red ski slope in Soll, Austria

After all my complaining, I have to say the last few days of  the holiday were lots of fun – everything we’d learned in Ski School slowly came together and most of the group  progressed to some more difficult blue and red slopes (including myself, amazingly enough). Even so, I couldn’t stop myself from wondering who ever had the first notion of skiing down a steep mountain…Pointing yourself down a mountain with two lollipop sticks stuck to your cement ski boots and what seem like two toothpicks in your hands just seems plain wrong.

So to answer the question of ‘To ski or not to ski?’ – the answer is most definitely ‘Yes’… but wear a helmet and get decent travel insurance!

Brought to you by AXA Travel Insurance

Read more: British skiers support speed cameras and breathalysers on the slopes

Posted in: Travel Insurance.
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Technology skids in to prevent accidents

Dec 23rd, 2011
by PauricL.
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We all take the brakes in our car for granted. We expect them to work perfectly, especially if we need them in an emergency. So it’s no surprise that they’re a part of the vehicle that’s overworked – the average driver uses their brakes an estimated 75,000 times a year.

Advances in technology through the years have helped to reduce fatal accidents.

These innovations include:

  • Cameras to aid in parking and estimate the distance between you and the car behind and in front of you – this technology is becoming more common in cars
  • Alarms to remind us to put on our seatbelts
  • Seat belts became mandatory and resulted in  a 50 per cent overall reduction in the number of drivers per 100 vehicles being admitted to hospital.
  • Better tires – these now provide grip levels, especially in wet weather, and puncture resistance
  • ABS brakes, which prevent wheel lockup under heavy braking and allow you to maintain steering control. Many new cars also have traction control (which prevents wheel spin under acceleration), emergency full power assist (which automatically ramps up the brakes’ servo assistance beyond a certain pedal pressure), and electronic stability control.
  • Some ABS systems also regulate the braking force between the front and rear axles.
  • Electronic Stability Program (ESP) software is now mandatory on cars and light vans.

What do you think has been the number one development in preventing road accidents?

Brought to you by AXA Car Insurance Ireland

Posted in: Car insurance, Motoring, Road Safety.
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Prevention is better then cure!

Dec 22nd, 2011
by PauricL.
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During these cold winter months, when there are often spells of  deteriorating weather, it is more important than ever to maintain your home, inside and out.

According to M&S Money in the UK, weather-related claims have increased by 200% over the last three years.

The statistics

  • Seven out of ten people know they have a responsibility to keep their home in good conditionLess than a third of people carry out simple preventative measures
  • There were almost 30,000 claims due to damage to homes and businesses from burst pipes from last December’s freeze. The total cost of household claims was €173.1 million, while commercial claims amounted to €50.6 million.
  • €224 million was paid out on flood damage claims last year
  • The Irish Insurance Federation last November 8514 claims so far
  • Household insurance claims will cost the industry €77 million (4,629 house claims)
  • Commercial property claims will cost €159 million (1,541 commercial property claims)
  • Scientists predict that climate change may lead to more frequent flooding in the future.

Basic maintenance you can do to help prevent damage to your home (from flooding.ie):

  • To improve the flood proofing of your walls, you can use products such as liquid membranes, polymer/cement coatings, mastic asphalt or pre formed sheet membranes.
  • To improve the flood resistance of your windows and doors, check  that the seal around the frames is intact and doesn’t have any cracks. Treat any wooden frames with oil based waterproof stains, paint or varnish.
  • You can use a range of temporary defences to protect your house in the event of a flood, such as sandbags, floorboards and wrapping.
  • If you are carrying out any extension or building work on your house, consider having a waterproof membrane built into the foundations. Also consider closed cell cavity insulation at ground floor level and a raised damp proof course. The electrical sockets should be placed above the height of floodwater from previous years and any air conditioning, heating or gas units should be situated on the first floor or in the attic.
  • Make sure that any streams, rivers or lakes on your property are able to flow. Check for blockages in the stream and ensure that the banks have not eroded.
  • Always ensure you have a stock of materials on hand which are useful during a flood, such as plywood, plastic sheeting, sandbags (unfilled), sand, nails, a hammer, shovel, bricks, blocks of wood and a saw.
  • Stay vigilant and regularly inspect your property for cracks or gaps in the brickwork and floors or around windows, doors and pipes.
  • If you live in a flood risk area it is always a good idea to store any sentimental personal items upstairs or above the highest possible flood level as these are impossible to replace. The same is true of bank and insurance details, as well as essential contact numbers.
  • Valuable items, such as computers or televisions, should also be stored above ground level. For example, keep your computer on the table or desk rather than under it.
  • Get your pipes covered with insulation and check and clean your drain pipes regularly

Make sure your home insurance gives you the cover you need against weather-related damage – check out AXA’s cover here.

Brought to you by AXA Home Insurance Ireland

Posted in: Home insurance.
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Van insurance- it’s as easy as 1 2 3…

Dec 19th, 2011
by PauricL.
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The trusty van is the workhorse of many businesses and sole traders the length and breadth of Ireland. Finding the right van insurance is an important decision for any van owner as having good cover in place will help you get back on the road quickly if anything happens.

It’s over five years since I last sold an AXA Van Insurance policy. So I decided to nip downstairs to the AXA Dublin call centre and ask our customer service agents why people are choosing AXA for their van insurance.

Pat Grimes, AXA Customer Service

I met with Pat Grimes, a member of the AXA Customer Service team. Pat has worked in AXA for over 40 years, so he certainly knows his stuff.

Pat explained to me that, the number one thing that makes customers call AXA for a van insurance quote is a “recommendation from their family or else a friend”.

He added: “People also really appreciate a friendly voice at the end of the phone. And above all else, they like how easy it is to get a quote. There’s no hassle for customers.”

“AXA’s rates are competitive for van insurance, which makes my job easier. The main driver (pardon the insurance pun) is that if you have a car insurance policy with AXA you can get a 30% discount off your van insurance.”

And now it’s even easier to get an AXA van insurance quote – you can fill out a simple online form on the AXA website and AXA (maybe even Pat if you’re lucky) will give you a call back within 24 hours with a quote.

To get a van insurance quote from AXA you can:

  1. Fill out a simple form on the AXA Van Insurance page on our website
  2. Call us directly on 1890 24 7 365
  3. Drop into one of our 42 branches.

To fill out the van insurance quotation form on our website simple follow these steps:

Step 1: Fill in your driver details

Step 2: Tell us your driving and claims history

Step 3: Give us our vehicle details


Brought to you by AXA Van Insurance Ireland

Posted in: van insurance.
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Roadside Motor Rescue Angels

Nov 24th, 2011
by PauricL.
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After  a long day of Christmas shopping you’re heading home with presents piled high in the car. The rain is streaming down, the wind is blowing, and you’d rather be in sitting beside a nice warm fire. But suddenly your car starts acting up. The battery light is flashing – disaster has well and truly struck.  What will you do!?

Ho ho ho, fear not! You cleverly bought AXA Motor Rescue Breakdown cover for €45.00 – so just call our 24-hour team and one of our engineers will be out to rescue you in a hurry and get you back on your merry Christmas way.

AXA now offer one of the most competitive motor rescue products on the market,  from as little as €45.00. And you don’t even have to have a policy with AXA to avail of this great deal. Compare this to an average cost of a €300 call-out charge if you don’t have breakdown cover and it’s easy to see why having an AXA Motor Rescue policy will give you peace of mind, especially over the winter months.

Our Motor Rescue package includes:

  • Home start
  • No excess (the first part of each claim that you normally have to pay) or call out charges
  • If your vehicle cannot be fixed on the spot we will tow it to a secure local garage.

Statistics say

  • The average driver will suffer a car breakdown 20 times in their lifetime
  • 28 % of all AXA Motor Rescue call outs are due to cars either not starting or puncture problems.

As always be safe

If you do have a breakdown on a motorway where you have no access to a local town or nearby homes, please follow these tips:

  • To warn other drivers that you have broken down, turn on your hazard warning lights and pull into the hard shoulder if possible
  • Never walk on a motorway, leave the vehicle through the passenger door on the left
  • Wait for help on the embankment side behind the crash barriers
  • Do not attempt to carry out any repairs yourself
  • If possible, wear a high viz vest to ensure you are easily visible at all times

Happy Holidays from us at AXA

Brought to you by AXA Car Insurance Ireland supporting Road Safety in Ireland.

Posted in: Car insurance, Motoring.
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The DrowZZZy Driver!

Nov 23rd, 2011
by PauricL.
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Does this story sound familiar?

“It was early evening and I was on the road for a couple of hours. I should have taken a rest break but I just wanted to get home. I felt ok – I know I wasn’t at my sharpest but home was only 30 minutes away. My eyes started to close so I wound down the window and put the radio on to try to keep myself alert. Next thing I remember I woke up in a hospital bed”

The AAA Foundation for Traffic in the U.S recorded that “One in six crashes involve a drowsy driver or according to the The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) the amount of drowsy drivers is equal to the same amount of drunk drivers involved in crashes.” According to various surveys across the globe most of which happen in the day rather then at night due to sleep deprivation.

Also the AAA Foundation for Traffic recorded found that drowsy or fatigue related crashes cause more than 100,000 automobile crashes every year, kill at least 1,500 and injure a whopping 71,000 people”.

Here are some sleepy facts you need to wake up to:

  • People of all age groups and experience levels drive drowsy; but 18- to20-year-olds, as a group, are most at risk
  • Less than one percent of all sleep-related crashes involve truck drivers. This may be due to the monitoring of truck driving hours
  • Drowsy drivers cause 20 percent of all car accidents.
  • Fatique-related crashes mostly occur during the day
  • Working the night shift increases the odds of a drowsy driving accident almost six times.
  • As commute times lengthen and the amount of traffic increases, the number of drowsy driving incidents increases.

Why are you sleepy?
Here are some of the reasons why you could be sleepy while at the wheel, according to the RSA:

  • Are you on medication?
  • Have you a new baby?
  • Did you have a restless night?
  • Are you stressed about something?
  • Does work involve shift work?

Preventing drowsy while driving  - to avoid causing an unnecessary accident because of your sleepiness, here are some simple things you can do:Stop for a nap

  • Stop and have something to eat and drink
  • Stop and do some exercising and stretches
  • Listen to the radio
  • Drink Caffeine
  • Adjust windows

Things to do before driving

  • Plan to take rest brakes
  • Get a good night sleep
  • Bring a caffeinated beverage and food

What do you do when you need to drive and you are drowsy?

Brought to you by AXA Car Insurance Ireland

Posted in: Road Safety.
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“My car won’t start- It’s just nuts!!”

Nov 11th, 2011
by PauricL.
No comments yet

There’s nothing more frustrating than hopping in to you car (usually when your already running late) only to find it won’t start.

It’s a really annoying experience, and not one which would normally put a smile on your face, however, this story taken from BBC News may describe one of those odd occasions. When mechanic Andy Smith received a call to repair a broken-down jeep at a nearby Hampshire Farm, he presumed that it would just be another normal everyday job.

But after spending 20 minutes carrying out the usual diagnostic tests, Andy had still hadn’t figured out why the jeep was failing to start. As it had no power, he had assumed there might be a problem with the jeep’s turbo, but after further testing, he soon realised that the turbo was fine. Time for a little head scratching-the mystery grew!

Determined to get to the bottom of the issue, Andy carried out further tests and after taking the air intake off, he finally discovered the bizarre cause of the problem. To his amazement, a squirrel had been using the air box and pipe in the jeep to stash it’s hoard of nuts for the Winter and had managed to cram in over 200 acorns.

Andy said:  “The pipe and air box were literally rammed with acorns-they just poured out. The air intake is about the width of a drinks can so the squirrel obviously thought it made the perfect secret stash.”

After clearing the stash of acorns, Andy spoke of his relief at solving the mystery but also said he hoped the squirrel was not depending on the confiscated hoard.

The squirrel was unavailable for comment!

Brought to you by AXA Car Insurance Ireland

Posted in: Car insurance, Motoring.
Tagged: · · · · · · · ·

New Lower Drink Drive Limits

Oct 27th, 2011
by PauricL.
No comments yet

New, lower, drink drive limits come into force tomorrow. Make sure you’re aware of the changes. But, as ever, the best way to be sure you’re under the limit, and to stay safe, is to simply never drink before driving.

Brought to you by AXA Car Insurance Ireland

Posted in: Motoring, Road Safety.
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