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Electric car servicing and repairs guide Ireland

Admin Admin — Tue, 02 Jun 2026 14:38:19 +0000

Electric car servicing and repairs guide Ireland | Cartell.ie

Answering some of the key questions regarding maintenance of an EV in Ireland.

As electric vehicles (EVs) become increasingly popular, and they begin to get older in terms of age and covering more kilometres, then they will increasingly require more maintenance, servicing and repairs.

It’s a common myth that EVs require no servicing at all because they lack for an engine or gearbox. But there are still systems and components on zero-emission cars that require constant upkeep.

Once EVs reach a certain age, it might not be economical to keep taking them to a main dealer for servicing – but is it easy enough to get them checked over elsewhere? Can you even service them yourself? Here are some answers to the key questions on EV maintenance in the long term.

How often should an EV be serviced?

EV servicing schedules vary by manufacturer, mileage and usage.

This will depend on the make and model, as with combustion-powered (petrol and diesel) cars. It is true that EVs tend to have longer service intervals – where internal-combustion-engined vehicles can need upkeep annually, or every 15,000km, some EVs on fixed routines can often only need maintenance every two years, or 30,000km. However, check that schedule carefully: for example, Volkswagen’s ID.3 is on a 30,000km schedule and only needs its first service after 24 months, but after that it switches to an annual cycle (with the same interim distance cap).

Some EVs, as with some combustion cars, have condition-based servicing and will have an onboard computer which tells its owner when it needs maintenance. This will vary according to the usage patterns of the vehicle in question and the distance covered, but it won’t differ by much from service to service.

What is checked during an EV service?

Tyres, brakes, wipers, filters and suspension still need regular checks.

It might not have an engine and a gearbox, and all the associated oils and coolants that such mechanical components entail, but there are still items on an EV that will deteriorate over time and which need regular check-ups. For example, the tyres, brake pads and brake fluid, wiper blades and the climate control system (including air filters serving the passenger compartment) are all items you’d find on a combustion car, and an EV can take a toll on all of them – maybe even more so, in the case of tyres, as EVs tend to be heavier like-for-like than equivalent combustion cars.

Alongside that, there are items such as suspension and the battery coolant that will require specialist attention, so don’t think that a zero-emission machine is in fact zero-maintenance, because it’s far from it.

Is specialist training required to service an EV, or can any mechanic do it?

EVs contain high-voltage systems that require trained technicians and specialist tools.

EVs are high-voltage machines with specialised equipment onboard, and not any old spanner-wielding person can have a go at them. This is why main dealers affiliated to car manufacturers tend to be the main port of call for servicing requirements at the moment, because they will have trained their service workforce to be ready to look after the EVs that they are selling as new cars.

But smaller, independent EV specialists are thin on the ground – yet, as the EV fleet grows and ages, we’re going to need more of them in Ireland to help spread the maintenance load. The right training and specific tools are required to work on an EV, and not all third-party garages will want to invest significantly in either if the number of EVs they’re looking after only represents a small fraction of their business.

So, could I service an EV myself if I feel handy enough to do it?

Basic checks are fine, but deeper EV work should be handled by trained professionals.

We’d highly advise against this, with the greatest respect to the mechanical skills of a given member of the public. As we’ve already said, highly specialised tools are needed to work safely on EVs, not to mention the right protection from the high-voltage components onboard. You can, of course, check the easy stuff – the wiper blades, the tyres, the lights and so on – but we would be cautious about getting any more involved with the inner workings of an EV that that.

Is it expensive to service an EV, or cheaper than a petrol/diesel car?

EVs generally have fewer moving parts than petrol or diesel cars.

Despite the specialist training needed, it should be cheaper to look after an EV than it is a similar petrol or diesel vehicle. This is because of a point we made earlier: there are far fewer moving parts on an EV, like the engine and gearbox, and all their associated systems and vital fluids, which can go wrong or which will wear out. When you’re not worried about cambelts or timing chains and the like, the list of things that are likely to go wrong on an EV at great expense becomes ever shorter.

Obviously, with the training and special tools, main garages can look to offset their investment costs on such things by raising EV service fees, but that will only be a marginal increase in the short term – and as more EVs come through the doors, said costs will reduce again. Anyway, taking everything into account, the rough rule of thumb is that, for the first three years of ownership at least, an EV is about 25 to 30 per cent cheaper to maintain than a combustion-powered car.

And is it cheaper to replace parts on an EV in the event of an accident or damage?

Major EV repairs can be costly, especially where battery or motor components are involved.

Ah. No, what few components an EV does possess can often be more expensive to replace – especially the big high-voltage battery packs and electric motors that propel them down the road. They often feature expensive and lightweight materials, too, which mitigate their overall kerb weight, which’ll be even more cash if they’re pranged. So, while they’re about 25-30 per cent cheaper to maintain than combustion vehicles in normal usage, if they get unexpectedly damaged, they can be something like 25-30 per cent more expensive to repair in the event of an insurance claim. This can, in some instances, lead to elevated insurance premiums as well.

Are there any good independent EV specialists in Ireland?

As Ireland’s EV fleet grows, specialist independent garages will become more important.

One of the most highly regarded is the EV Repair Centre in Dublin 12, which is brand-agnostic (as in, whatever make of EV you have, it can be checked over there) and has good reviews. But being in Dublin, it’s not ideal for everyone in Ireland.

Both Modern Tyres and Bosch Car Service have a network of sites across Ireland, with specially trained EV mechanics and diagnostic equipment at various locations.

Buying a used EV?

Before you buy, check the car’s history with Cartell. Get a clearer view of mileage, ownership, NCT, finance, import records and more.

Check a reg

The post Electric car servicing and repairs guide Ireland appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

Car dashboard symbols and warning lights

Admin Admin — Wed, 13 May 2026 14:14:35 +0000

As modern cars become ever more complex, with increasing amounts of electronic gizmos fitted to vehicles, some of the symbols and warning lights which might flash up in your dashboard might not be immediately familiar to you.

To that end, we’ve done a guide of the most common warnings you might seen in the instrument cluster of your car.

And also, remember the colour-coding system manufacturers adhere to: if the light is green, blue or white, it’s normally not a fault warning but an operational illumination for some software system; if the light is yellow, it’s a warning there’s a minor fault, some technology is deactivated, or a safety system is in operation; and if the light is red, it’s likely to be a major fault and it will need professional attention as soon as is reasonably possible.

Colour code at a glance

Green, blue or white usually means a system is active or providing information.
Yellow or amber usually means a warning, minor fault, or unavailable assistance feature.
Red usually means stop, investigate, and get professional help as soon as it is safe.

Adblue Warning Light

Specifically only for those of us with more modern diesel cars, which have selective catalytic reduction (SCR). If fitted with this system to clean up exhaust gases, AdBlue is essential to the clean running of the powertrain. Therefore, you need to keep AdBlue topped up. Luckily, most manufacturers will include a symbol with about 1,600km of warning before the AdBlue tank is completely emptied – giving you plenty of time to buy some AdBlue, either from a motor factors or, more commonly, a fuel station, and then top the tank up.

Autonomous Emergency Braking (Aeb) Triggered/Fault

AEB has multiple different names from car brand to car brand, but it has been a Euro NCAP safety prerequisite for many years now that this tech is fitted to new vehicles as standard. This symbol shows you one of two things: the first is that the AEB isn’t working, either because there’s a fault with the system itself, in which case you need to have it checked out by a specialist, or because you have knowingly deactivated it (there’s usually a physical button on the car’s dashboard or fascias, or an icon to tap on the main infotainment touchscreen that will switch AEB on or off), in which case you need to turn it back on to extinguish the ‘warning’; or, alternatively, it can sometimes flash rapidly and briefly if the AEB actually kicks into action and stops your car from running into an obstacle or other vehicle.

Airbag Warning Light

An oldie now, as airbags have been an industry-wide standard fitment in European cars since the late 1990s. They are a key factor in mitigating occupant injuries in the event an accident takes place, so this little emblem glowing in the dash is not good news – as it’ll likely mean the airbags will not deploy in the event of an accident.

Battery Warning Light

With more and more EVs now in general circulation, some confusion can arise about the main propulsion battery (the huge battery pack that gives energy to the electric motor driving the car) and the 12-volt battery system. The latter is just like a 12-volt power system onboard a car with an engine, in that it powers all the ancillary electrics in an EV – things like the lights, the radio, the cabin heating and cooling system, the wipers and so on. And, in the way an ICE (Internal Combustion Engined) car would use its engine plus an alternator to keep its 12-volt battery topped up, in an EV some of the energy from the main battery is diverted to keep the ancillary battery in good condition. Therefore, the logo above relates to a problem specifically with your 12-volt battery system in any type of car and indicates that the battery needs attention or replacement. In almost all cars, this light will illuminate as soon as you power it up, but it should extinguish after a few seconds – and it should definitely be ‘out’ (i.e., not lit up) if you’re driving. This is one you cannot ignore, because if the battery fails on the move, you will lose various powered systems, so get the battery checked out ASAP if you see this light burning constantly.

Brakes Warning Light

Often seen as either a red or yellow symbol, it might have an exclamation mark in the middle or alternatively the letters ‘ABS’, or even a representation of someone’s lower leg and foot pressing the brake. Also, it can be framed by solid brackets or three curved dashes on either side, but whatever combination of graphics you have, this icon means there’s a fault with your car’s brakes. As soon as you see this, you should slow down to a very low speed and head to the nearest garage immediately, to find out what is wrong.

Coolant Warning Light

This one does not apply to EVs, only to ICE cars. Combustion engines need cooling when they run, and on almost all vehicles except a handful of rare exceptions, this is handled by a water-fed system. A mix of antifreeze and distilled water, your coolant levels can drop as the car operates, so this symbol mainly means you need to top the coolant back up to optimal levels again. It can also mean there’s a fault with the cooling system for the engine, though, so for that reason (and because you don’t just want to be lazy and ignore the light if all it’s asking is for you to top up the coolant before it gets too low) you should check this out straight away. Even a fault with the car’s cooling system will be as nothing to the cost of an entire new engine, if your existing one gets too hot while running and fatally cooks itself…

Particulate Filter Clogged/Faulty

Predominantly, this logo used to be for turbodiesel cars and their diesel particulate filters, but the increasing use of the related gasoline particulate filters (GPFs) in more modern petrol cars means you might see this in a non-diesel vehicle, although it’s much rarer that the GPFs have a problem. Either way, it means the filter is clogged – lots of short-use, low-speed journeys will do this quicker than if you run the car regularly for longer distances at higher speeds, allowing the engine and exhaust to get up to their optimal operating temperatures. A clogged DPF or GPF won’t be terminal to the car’s operation, but it might start running rough or delivering less power than you’d expect. Professional ‘cleaning’ of a DPF or GPF may cost something fairly reasonable, but if the filter needs complete replacement, then it can get substantially dearer, so don’t ignore this light if you see it.

Door/Bonnet/Boot Open Warning

These emblems mean one of the car’s main apertures – the doors into the passenger compartment, the boot lid/tailgate, or the bonnet – are not properly closed. The simple remedy is to stop the car, get out and then close which offending item is not fully secured. Modern vehicles tend to have specific and clear graphical displays which will tell you precisely which door is open, rather than just a generic symbol.

Driver Alert Warning

With slight variances in appearance, a little steaming coffee cup symbol is not the car suggesting you stop for a hot drink and a bit of a gossip, but in fact that the vehicle’s driver-monitoring systems (steering inputs measured, visual recognition of the driver’s face and so on) suspect that you might be tired or fatigued. It will either pop up because you are driving erratically, weaving in your lane or failing to evenly control your speed, or because you’ve been driving for a long time – so don’t be offended if you think you’re at the top of your game and it appears, as it might simply be on a timer and you have (for example) exceeded three hours straight at the wheel.

Engine Warning/Management Light

One of the biggies here, but it annoyingly pops up far more regularly than it really should. This is the engine warning light, sometimes called the ‘engine management light’ or EML for short, and it indicates something is wrong in the single most important item of any car – the engine. The thing is, your engine failing is not only expensive but, usually, it comes to the detriment of completing your current journey, so the EML can be a bit over-eager to show its face; think of it as the manufacturers adopting a belt-and-braces approach to build in a bit of protective leeway. If the EML is yellow and the car appears to be driving fine, then you’re probably not in any danger of breaking down or the engine blowing up – it could just be a minor sensor fault or similar. However, ignoring the yellow EML in the long term, or indeed missing the fact that it’s actually glowing red rather than yellow, could lead to very serious and expensive failures with your drivetrain. As annoying as it can be to take the car into a garage and then find out the EML was just a failsafe light for a very minor error, you should always take your car to be inspected by a professional once you see the EML in any colour. Failing to adhere to this rule could see you looking at a repair bill running to the thousands of euro if you’re not careful…

Fuel Warning Light

This is the low fuel symbol, which means your petrol, diesel, HEV or PHEV is nearly out of whichever of the two main fossil-fuel sources it runs on, and it always glows yellow (never red). Therefore, when you see it, head to your nearest fuel station and then make sure you fill up with the correct fuel for your car. The fuel warning light is one of the most common lamps you will see in your dash, and it normally comes on when the car is down to its last 80km of range – giving you ample time and distance to find a fuel station and replenish the car’s tank.

Glowplug Warning Light

This emblem is for the glow plugs, part of the system in a diesel engine which warms the combustion chambers up from a cold start. Like the 12-volt battery icon, the glow plug light will illuminate every time you get into a diesel to start it up, but it will extinguish after a few seconds (the exact amount of time will vary depending on how cold both the engine and the outside temperatures are; the colder it is, the longer the light will be on) once the glow plugs have done their work and warmed the chamber to the right starting temperature. Therefore, in the old ‘fixed key-blade in a barrel’-type ignitions, you shouldn’t turn the key to try and start the engine UNTIL the glow plug light has gone out, as you might damage the engine; not such a problem on push-button-start diesels, though, as their own onboard software will not try and start the engine until the glow plugs have completed their task. This is all the normal sighting of the glow plug light – but if you ever see this while your car’s engine is already running, then there’s a fault with the system and the vehicle might not fire into life when you next come to start it up.

Icy Roads/Cold Outside Temperature

A nice, simple one, and it doesn’t mean there’s a problem with the car – although it advises you to moderate your driving style and adopt a more cautious approach. It’s the outside temperature warning; depending on the make of vehicle, it will either illuminate in yellow, red or even blue, and it is usually accompanied by an audible alert once it lights up. But it basically means the outside temperature has just dipped to 3 or 4 degrees Centigrade (depends on the manufacturer as to which level triggers it), so there’s a chance of frost and ice on the road surface. Go steady.

Lane Departure Warning

A modern active safety system and, like AEB, one which is fitted to cars from a more recent era, and a tech which goes by several different names too. LDW illuminates if it thinks you’re steering out of your allotted lane without indicating – it might even make a bonging/beeping noise or ‘buzz’ through the steering wheel on top of that. The aim of this is to stop you hitting other cars on the motorway or on dual carriageways through inattentiveness. The evolution of LDW is lane keep assist (LKA), which – if it triggers – will actively try and counter-steer you back into the middle of your lane if needs be. This emblem will likely flash if LDW/LKA is working; if it’s permanently on, you’ve probably switched it off because you find both LDW and LKA annoying and unnatural feeling. If it’s blazing away and you haven’t actively switched it off, then there’s a fault with the system – although this can often be that the forward-facing camera it employs to function is either dirty or misted/frosted over.

Oil Level Warning

One of two biggies here, but it’s only for cars with an ICE or HEV/PHEV powertrain, not for EVs. This tells you that your car is running low on oil, which is absolutely vital to the correct lubrication of your engine. Not enough oil in the engine equals metal grinding expensively on metal in the vehicle’s internals, which’ll either mean a big repair bill or even, in extreme cases, a complete seizure of the engine. Rectifying the oil light is a case of going to a good motor factors or fuel station and buying a litre or two of the correct grade oil for your particular car – if you’re not sure what grade that might be, it’ll be clearly listed in the owner’s handbook for the vehicle.

Power Steering (Pas) Fault

Along with the EML, the brake warning light and the low oil lamp, we would advise you not to ignore this if you see it. This is the power-steering fault light, and it will only ever come on if there’s a problem with the car’s steering system. It’ll usually herald an impending failure of the power-assistance system, so you will still be able to steer the car – but it might become extremely heavy to manoeuvre. On older cars, this light could symbolise that the power-steering fluid (something you can check and top up) was getting down to a low level, but since about 2015 electro-mechanical power steering has become more popular than hydraulic systems, so you’ll need a professional mechanic to check out what the problem with the PAS might be.

Radar Cruise Fault

Radar cruise, or Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), is a lovely toy to have, as it takes the stress out of motorway journeys when it’s working well – it automatically keeps a set distance from the car in front, using sensors, cameras and radar, by adjusting your vehicle’s speed without your interference. If it isn’t working properly, it will mainly revert to regular cruise control (meaning you’ll need to control the distances between your car and other vehicles yourself), or the cruise control simply won’t operate at all. Either way, you’ll want to get this checked out by a mechanic if it stays lit permanently.

Seatbelt Warning

Another very old symbol that, like the low fuel light, should be familiar to you by now – even if you don’t drive yourself. This denotes that someone in the car isn’t wearing their seatbelt, so get them to buckle up. Modern cars often have a graphic refined enough to tell you precisely which passenger hasn’t clunk-clicked their belt into place, as well.

(Orange) Tortoise Of Doom

That’s not its official name, of course, we’ve just gone a bit OTT. But this one is the EV equivalent of the low-fuel warning light, only it’s a much more ‘you’re being silly, now; please stop’ type of warning. On any EV worth its salt, the onboard systems will normally start telling you – usually when the propulsion battery drops to an indicated state-of-charge of 20 per cent – that you’re getting low on energy and that you need to start looking for a convenient charging facility. This will be accompanied by a yellow plug icon, or even what looks like a fuel pump with a little plug trailing off it, somewhere in the instrument cluster. The car will then usually remind you at both 15 and 10 per cent of charge that you’re pushing things, before – when it gets to 5 per cent or lower – this emblem illuminates. It means the EV is now limiting power to both the motors and for the ancillary controls, to try and maximise every last metre of remaining range available to you. Stop and charge your car up, immediately.

Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (Tpms) Warning

We’ve saved the best until last. Or rather, we’ve saved the most infuriating until last. If you’re familiar with the fable of the boy who cried wolf, welcome – you’re looking square at the technological analogue of that tale. Ostensibly, the TPMS warns of a potentially very serious issue: one, or more, of your tyres is experiencing a significant drop in pressure, perhaps heralding a slow or impending rapid puncture. And that’s obviously not safe, right, so the TPMS is a great guardian? Well, it would be, if it didn’t display so many ‘false positives’. Far too often, the TPMS illuminates in yellow or red, you immediately divert to a garage with an air-supply machine for tyres and find that the pressures on your car’s wheels are all absolutely fine. Grr! Anyway, the problem is that – like the boy in the old legend – you keep listening to the TPMS crying ‘WOLF!’ until you then go and one day roundly ignore it… and that’ll be the one time you actually need to pay heed. So, as infuriating as it can be when the TPMS signals a ‘ghost’ loss of pressure, you still need to watch out for it each and every time it illuminates and respond accordingly.

The post Car dashboard symbols and warning lights appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

Company Car Tax Guide 2026

Admin Admin — Mon, 16 Feb 2026 10:49:22 +0000

Everything you need to know about Benefit-in-Kind changes in effect for the year ahead.

Changes to the Benefit-in-Kind (BIK) tax for company cars came into effect in Ireland from January 1, 2026, and it has brought about noticeable differences for those affected.

There’s a new, dedicated band for pure zero-emission electric vehicles (EVs), while rates increase for those doing fewer kilometres in more polluting combustion-powered cars.

What’s the new BIK band?

It’s called A1 and it’s purely for EVs, as only cars with a 0g/km CO2 emissions rating can qualify for this. Previously, EVs were bundled in with low-emissions plug-in hybrids (PHEVs), but those cars now tend to sit on their own in Band A (more than 0g/km up to and including 59g/km).

After that, there’s Band B (60-99g/km), Band C (100-139g/km), Band D (140-179g/km) and then Band E (more than 179g/km).

What has happened to the mileage rates?

The 2026 BIK rules still favour those who do more kilometres per year for work, as they gain lower tax rates. The main change is that the lower limit of the highest mileage band has decreased, from 50,001km per annum previously to 48,001km annually now.

For drivers doing up to 26,000km a year for work, the BIK rates for the CO2 bandings are as follows: 15% for A1; 22.5% for A; 26.25% for B; 30% for C; 33.75% for D; and the highest rate of 37.5% for E.

The next mileage level, of 26,001-39,000km, results in: 12% for A1; 18% for A; 21% for B; 24% for C; 27% for D; and 30% for E.

Stepping up to 39,001-48,000km elicits: 9% for A1; 13.5% for A; 15.75% for B; 18% for C; 20.25% for D; and 22.5% for E.

And finally, anyone doing 48,001km or more for work will be taxed: 6% for A1; 9% for A; 10.5% for B; 12% for C; 13.5% for D; and 15% for E.

Mileage (Work km per year)	A1 (0g/km)	A	B	C	D	E
Up to 26,000km	15%	22.5%	26.25%	30%	33.75%	37.5%
26,001 – 39,000km	12%	18%	21%	24%	27%	30%
39,001 – 48,000km	9%	13.5%	15.75%	18%	20.25%	22.5%
48,001km or more	6%	9%	10.5%	12%	13.5%	15%

Does this apply for vans as much as cars?

No, vans still have a BIK rate of 8% across the board.

Has anything else changed that could alter my tax requirements?

The original market value (OMV) figures which you use to calculate your tax outlay in the first place feature some reductions.

The OMV is described as the price a vehicle could reasonably be expected to sell for if it were put on the market before its first registration.

There is a €10,000 reduction to the OMV (including all cars and vans) in Bands A1-D, but this will only remain in place until December 31, 2026. It will then continue on a tapering basis until 2028, with a €5,000 OMV reduction in 2027 and a €2,500 reduction in 2028. This OMV figure does not apply to any vehicles in Band E.

An additional OMV reduction applies to any vehicles in the newly created Band 1, i.e., EVs. This is set at €20,000 in 2026 and €10,000 in 2027. As a result, any employee using an EV for work in 2026 will benefit from an overall €30,000 OMV reduction in 2026, made up of the €20,000 vehicle-specific figure and also the universal reduction of €10,000 for all vehicles except those in Band E.

Thus, if your EV has an OMV of €60,000, the cash equivalent for the vehicle will be €30,000 in 2026. If you then drive 38,000km for work, you would qualify for 12% BIK and so would be subject to BIK notional pay of €3,600 (€30,000 x 12%).

The post Company Car Tax Guide 2026 appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

How to get the best performance from your EV in cold weather

Admin Admin — Fri, 06 Feb 2026 12:05:54 +0000

Tips to assist you going the maximum distance in an electric car during winter.

As soon as we’re past December 21, the nights start drawing out again and, once Christmas and New Year’s Eve are out of the way, we can start looking forward to shorter nights and (hopefully) warmer weather.

However, we’re not out of the winter woods just yet, with cold snaps always possible through January and February. And as low temperatures on the thermometer tend to be a killer of an electric vehicle’s (EV) range, it can be a frustrating time for owners as they try to maximise every last kilometre of capability.

Here, then, are some of our top tips to help you go further in your EV when the winter weather bites hard.

Pre-condition it

Many EVs have a neat feature, usually controlled by a companion app on a smartphone, through which you can warm the cabin of the car up before you even step foot in it. Ideally, start this process when the vehicle is still hooked up to the mains via means of a domestic wallbox and you should get into a toasty-warm passenger compartment with the EV still showing 100 per cent battery charge. This isn’t just convenience for convenience’s sake, though, because a big drain on the overall range will come about if you don’t pre-heat the car first and then use its onboard climate control to warm the cabin through. This places more drain on the EV’s electrical systems and will sap kilometres from the distance-to-charge figure on the trip computer. If you have it, and you have a home wallbox too, then pre-conditioning is your biggest range friend.

Deploy a single pedal

Almost all EVs have one-pedal driving functionality. This means that you can set their regenerative braking (a form of deceleration in which the electric motor switches from working as a propulsion unit into a generator, with the inherent resistance of that system working to slow the car down quickly, rather than the physical brakes grabbing the wheel hubs instead) to a strong enough level that, in town traffic, you shouldn’t have to use the brake pedal at all. You can then control the car’s speed, either increasing or decreasing it, simply using the accelerator. Well-timed lifts of the right-hand pedal should see the EV coming to a stop as required. The bonus is that regenerative braking puts some of the energy created from this form of deceleration back into the car’s battery.

Engage Eco

Another common system in EVs is a selection of drive modes, one of which will likely be called Eco (or something similar, such as Range or Green). It’s a set-up where the climate control’s power is decreased, while the accelerator response also becomes slower – and, in some instances, engaging Eco will also automatically increase the level of regen braking and may even decrease the electric motor’s power output too. All of these characteristics are designed to make the battery charge last longer, so unless you’re on a motorway and you need the full responsiveness of your EV, Eco mode is the one to go for in winter weather.

Pump it up and junk the junk

General fuel-economy tips that apply to combustion-engined cars can be applied to EVs as well. So make sure that all the tyre pressures on your electric machine are at the optimum level, as under-inflated tyres can increase rolling drag and thus increase the motor’s drain on the battery pack. Similarly, needless extra weight in the car (like heavy items in the boot which you don’t need to be transporting around 24/7) and other things like empty roof racks causing extra air drag, will further hurt your EV’s range. Properly pumped tyres and a lighter running mass will help an electric car maximise its range in the cold.

Use heated seats and steering wheel

This one is a known trick in EV circles, but it’s not for everyone – and it’s dependent on how high-spec your car is in the first place. But, put simply, even though they use electrical heating elements to function, both heated seats and a heated steering wheel are more efficient to use than the full climate control in the EV. Therefore, if you haven’t pre-conditioned your car before your journey and the interior is cold, it’s better to warm yourself up through the seats and wheel if you want the most range you can get. In essence, this makes sense, because the climate is ‘indiscriminate’ and warms the air in the whole interior, whereas heated seats and steering wheels can be ‘localised’ to the occupants that need them. However, the flipside of this is that while the backs of your thighs, your buttocks and your hands are all warm, the front of your body and legs, and your face, will be in cooler air – hence why this system won’t feel comfortable for everyone.

Take it easy – and prepare

By this one, we don’t just mean pre-conditioning the car. You might know where you’re going on your route but have a look at the state of the traffic on your preferred roads and check it’s not chaos. To be fair, EVs actually like stop-start traffic because there are more regenerative braking cycles and less high-power, high-speed draining periods for the battery, but if you get caught up in congestion and then try to make the time up towards the end of your trip, you’ll use more power and that kills range. While it might seem daft setting the navigation for a journey you’ve done thousands of times, lots of EVs have a subroutine in their mapping which will assess the current traffic conditions and selected the most eco-friendly route, so use that if you can.

And even if you do miss the snarl-ups, then we come back to the ‘take it easy’ part of our tip. As we said above, the more you accelerate and the faster you go in an EV, the more you chip away at your overall range. EVs much prefer steady-state driving in the 50-80km/h zone, rather than battering along at 100km/h-plus, so if you drive smoothly, with lots of anticipation and gentle applications of the accelerator, you’ll go further in cold weather on a single charge than you would do if you’re hammering about the place with doses of full power followed by heavy braking.

Keep your battery topped up, preferably at home

You have to balance the fact that regular charging sessions could shorten a lithium-ion battery’s longevity, with the fact that allowing the car to dip to low battery levels could lead to thermal-management issues as well, and both of these things impact driving range. Therefore, our advice would be to avoid regular DC ‘rapid’ top-ups but instead make sure you’re regularly linking the car to a 7.4kW AC domestic wallbox. That way, you start each day with 100 per cent battery rather than 80 per cent (a quirk of DC top-ups is that EVs slow down their rate of replenishment at 80 per cent, so it’s not worth sticking around on charging units for the last 20 per cent) – which obviously gives you more range – while majoring on AC charging cycles will extend the car’s battery lifespan and therefore keep its maximum range figure higher, for longer. And, actually, that counts just as much in warm weather as it does in the depths of winter.

The post How to get the best performance from your EV in cold weather appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

Owning an Electric Car in Ireland: What’s the Real Cost?

Admin Admin — Mon, 19 Jan 2026 11:03:47 +0000

What does an electric car actually cost to run in Ireland once the brochures are put away? In this video, we break it down using real ownership data, not estimates.

Electric vehicles are often discussed in terms of claimed range and theoretical efficiency. But for anyone seriously considering the switch, the real question is simpler: what does it cost in everyday Irish driving?

This video looks at several months of real-world EV ownership using a 2025 Tesla Model 3 Standard Range, driven in typical Irish conditions.

Why We Made This Video

At Cartell, we work with real vehicle data every day. For this video, we applied the same principle to EV ownership.

Instead of relying on WLTP figures alone, the focus is on:

Actual energy consumption
Real charging habits
Real costs, both public and at home

The aim is to answer a question many Irish drivers are asking: are EVs still cheaper to run?

The Car and the Official Figures

Before diving into real-world results, we outline the manufacturer’s claims for the Tesla Model 3 Standard Range:

WLTP range of 520km
Claimed efficiency of 13.8 kWh per 100km
Fast charging capability of around 170kW at Tesla Superchargers

These numbers provide a useful benchmark, but they’re only part of the story.

What Real Driving Looks Like

After several months of ownership, mostly during colder and wetter weather, real-world efficiency averages around 15.85 kWh per 100km.

That’s slightly higher than the official figure, but still delivers excellent day-to-day usability. Range has not been an issue, whether for commuting or longer road trips.

The video also covers an important mindset shift for drivers moving from petrol or diesel: charging little and often, rather than filling to 100% every time.

Fast Charging: How It Works in Practice

One of the key points shown in the video is how fast charging actually behaves on longer journeys.

When stopping at Tesla Superchargers:

Peak speeds of 180+ kW are regularly achieved
Charging remains strong up to around 50–55%
Short stops of around 15 minutes are often enough

This makes longer trips far more manageable than many first-time EV buyers expect.

The Numbers That Matter: Charging Costs

This is where the difference between theory and reality becomes very clear.

Public charging:

Approximately €0.60 per kWh
Roughly €36 for a full charge
Around 8.8 cent per kilometre

Home charging (night rate):

Approximately 14.1 cent per kWh
Around €8.46 for a full charge
Roughly 2.1–2.2 cent per kilometre

The video clearly shows how home charging dramatically reduces running costs.

Lifetime Costs So Far

Based on total energy usage of 1,043 kWh:

Charging exclusively on public fast chargers would have cost over €600
Charging primarily at home has cost around €150

That difference alone explains why home charging plays such a critical role in EV affordability.

So, Are EVs Cheaper to Run in Ireland?

As the video concludes, the answer is straightforward.

If you can install a home charger and use off-peak electricity, an EV can be significantly cheaper to run than both petrol and diesel vehicles, and cheaper than relying on public charging alone.

Thinking About Buying an EV?

If you’re considering an electric car, it’s also worth remembering that the used EV market in Ireland is growing quickly.

Before buying any used vehicle, always run a Cartell history check to confirm:

No outstanding finance
No previous serious damage
A safe and roadworthy vehicle

The post Owning an Electric Car in Ireland: What’s the Real Cost? appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

High-mileage cars: should you buy one?

Admin Admin — Fri, 19 Dec 2025 12:28:46 +0000

The short answer to the question posed by this article’s title is: absolutely. There’s nothing wrong, and potentially quite a lot right, with a high mileage car. But, of course, there are things you need to consider and think carefully about if you’re looking at buying a car with mega-miles. Here’s what you need to know.

1. How much mileage is too much?

How long’s a piece of string? OK, sorry for the glib answer but the unfortunate fact is that there is no direct, simple answer to this. There are a couple of rules of thumb, though. The average annual mileage in Ireland, according to the Central Statistics Office (CSO) is a fraction under 16,000km. So, if the car you’re looking at has covered more kilometres than that each year it’s been in use, then it technically has above-average mileage.

Of course, if the average is 16,000km then it stands to mathematical reason that there must be many people covering much more than that each year, and many covering much less, so this really is only a rule of thumb. Generally speaking, we’d say that 25,000km per year would be considered high mileage for a car, but that doesn’t mean it’s not a good buy.

2. History is critical

You should buy on condition and history, not on mileage. What’s just as important to check, though, is the car’s service history. In general, a car should be serviced every year, or at roughly 16,000km intervals, so if you’re looking at a car that’s four years old, it should have four stamps in its service book (service records are often digital these days), and preferably four invoices for those services, with details of what work was carried out each time. If a car has a full and complete service history, then the mileage becomes far less significant, because the car has been properly cared for.

3. Should I insist on a main dealer service history?

It’s not a bad idea, but while seeing a whole bunch of main dealer service stamps on a car’s history is a good thing, it’s not the be-all and end-all. If a car, later in its life, has been looked after by a reputable independent garage, especially one that might be a specialist in that particular make of car, then you needn’t worry too much about the fact that they’re not a main dealer — the stamps in the books and the evidence of the work carried out are the important bits.

4. How long do car components last?

In general, most major components will be expected to last for at least 200,000km before needing replacement (aside from ‘consumables’ such as tyres, brake pads and discs, clutches, wiper blades etc). Some car makers reckon that its major components should, with proper servicing and maintenance, last for as much as 350,000km or more.

5. Does it matter where and how the car has been driven?

Yes, it absolutely does. Remember the old Arthur Daley line about ‘one little old lady owner, only drove it to church on Sundays’? That’s the car you want to avoid. The car you want to buy is the car with twice the mileage. Why? Because short, low-temperature journeys are the worst thing possible for a car’s engine, as the oil never gets a proper chance to warm up and work its way around to all parts. Because of that, the wear and tear on an engine is far worse on those short journeys than on a longer run, where the oil has had a chance to come up to temperature and circulate properly. If a car has incredibly low mileage for its age, then that’s actually a car you should possibly strike off your shopping list, as, except in rare cases, it might actually be hiding more wear and tear than a higher mileage model.

There’s another benefit to higher mileage — if the car has been well-kept and properly looked after, then a high mileage car will have had many of its significant wear and tear parts replaced, so they’ll be in newer condition when you start using them. Again, check the service records to see if this is the case.

6. Check the NCT history

Any used car that you’re looking at buying should come with a folder full of service invoices, and — for older cars — NCT reports. Check the NCT reports carefully, as they will give you an idea of what has gone wrong with the car over the years. NCT reports with lots of failures and re-tests are a red flag, as they indicate that the car hasn’t been properly cared for, or worse, the owner has been treating the NCT as their shopping list of the things that have to be fixed for legality, rather than keeping the car properly serviced in the first place.

7. What about the overall condition?

This is also a critical check. Have a really good poke around the interior of any high-miler and check to see what kind of state it’s in. Wear and tear is normal, of course, but if you’re looking at a car with rips in the seats, dirt in the carpets, switches and steering wheel worn smooth and shiny from use, or a knackered and cracked spare wheel in the boot, then it all indicates someone who hasn’t cared properly for the car. Equally, a heavily worn cabin can be an indication that a car has actually covered more kilometres than is claimed, and it may have been ‘clocked.’

8. Is there a green flag I should look for?

Yes, and it’s oil changes. It sounds daft, but if you come across a car with lots of miles which also comes with receipts for lots of oil changes, then you’re probably onto something good. There are recommended intervals from car manufacturers for oil changes, but these are calculated to be at the point where you really need them. If a car has had its oil changed more regularly than that, say once a year at least, then that’s the sign of a fastidious owner and a car that’s potentially in very good mechanical health. It’s not a cure-all, but regular oil changes are the witchcraft of keeping a car’s engine (and gearbox) at the peak of health.

9. Should I pay less for a high-mileage car?

Yes. In spite of everything we’ve pointed out above, the second-hand car market always regards higher mileage cars as being worth less than an equivalent car with lower miles. And that’s why they’re a bargain, as you can argue yourself a decent discount, based on the mileage, and as long as the car’s history and condition are giving you all the good signs, you’re onto a winner.

The post High-mileage cars: should you buy one? appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

Importing a car from Northern Ireland

Admin Admin — Mon, 15 Dec 2025 11:46:57 +0000

When you’re importing a used car from Northern Ireland, as opposed to Great Britain (which is England, Wales, and Scotland – it only becomes the United Kingdom when you include Northern Ireland), the rules for what taxes and charges you have to pay are subtly different, and a little more complicated.

Will I still have to pay VRT?

Yes – Vehicle Registration Tax (VRT) applies whether you’re importing from GB or NI. It’s worked out as a percentage of the car’s Open Market Selling Price (OMSP) which is NOT the price you’ve actually paid for the car, but instead the price that the Revenue Commissioners (the department of the Irish government that manages the VRT system) thinks the car would have been worth had you bought it in Ireland.

VRT rates range from seven per cent of the OMSP – for cars with CO2 emissions between 0g/km and 50g/km – up to 41 per cent for cars with CO2 emissions above 190g/km. There’s also a NOx levy to pay, which is calculated on a car’s emissions of nitrogen oxides, which is something that largely only affects older diesel-engined cars to any great extent.

What about VAT?

This is where you’ll find both opportunity and complexity. In theory, as far as Revenue and the importing of used cars is concerned, Northern Ireland still operates under EU regulations, so you shouldn’t have to pay any VAT as long as the car is more than six months old, and has more than 6,000km on the clock (or the mileage equivalent, which is 3,720 miles).

However, there’s a significant wrinkle, and it’s one designed specifically to prevent car dealers in Northern Ireland importing cars to order for customers in the Republic from the rest of the UK. According to Revenue, in order to avoid needing to pay VAT: “Proof will be required that the vehicle has been in private ownership for a reasonable period of time.”

Now, we’ve quizzed Revenue on this point in the past, but there’s still no specific length of time which qualifies for ‘a reasonable period’. Is it two weeks? Two months? Two years? We don’t know and Revenue won’t say, allowing for considerable wiggle room for each car to be assessed on a case-by-case basis.

Proof will be needed that the car has been registered to a private owner in Northern Ireland, and that the car has a history of MOT tests in NI.

What if I want to buy a car that a dealer has just brought in from GB?

This is potentially possible – after all, how can Revenue prove that a dealer specifically brought in a car just for you, rather than you simply went browsing and found the car you want?

For this to work, the car you’re buying must have been brought into Northern Ireland from the rest of the UK under the Windsor Framework – that’s the post-Brexit agreement thrashed out between the UK, Ireland and the EU. Basically, it means that the dealer must have made a customs declaration that the car was moving to NI. There is a customs charge that has to be paid – ten per cent of the value – by the dealer in NI if the car was not originally built in the UK, which limits your options somewhat and means that the car might be a little more expensive, but then again such popular models as the Toyota Corolla and the Nissan Qashqai are actually UK-made, so it’s not the end of the world.

What about customs duty for me?

The same regulations apply to customs duty as for VAT – if the car has already been registered and in use in Northern Ireland ‘for a reasonable time’ then no customs duty applies. If it’s newly arrived in NI, then it has to conform to the Windsor Framework.

So how much can I save by buying in Northern Ireland?

If the car you buy from NI qualifies either under the previous ownership rule, or the Windsor Framework rules, then you won’t have to pay customs duty nor VAT. Customs duty is usually charged at ten per cent of the vehicle’s price, plus shipping costs. VAT on entry into Ireland is charged at 23 per cent of the vehicle’s price, plus shipping and customs charges. So there are potentially savings to be made, but make sure you have all your paperwork in order and you do all the calculations before making any purchase.

The post Importing a car from Northern Ireland appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

Importing a Car from GB in 2025: What You Need to Know

Admin Admin — Wed, 03 Dec 2025 15:41:03 +0000

If you’re thinking of importing a car from Great Britain (and that means England, Scotland and Wales but NOT Northern Ireland, which is a crucial distinction) then you’ll have to pay Vehicle Registration Tax (VRT), customs duty and VAT upon registering the car here in Ireland. Here’s how the process works…

All cars, including SUVs, are in Category A for VRT upon importing into the State. From the date of your car’s arrival here (that’s the day it either rolls off a ferry or is landed in a shipping crate), you have 30 days to present the car at an NCT station, both for an NCT check — assuming the car is old enough to need one — and for valuation for VRT payment purposes. The appointment for this must be booked ahead of time online.

What is VRT?

VRT, or Vehicle Registration Tax, is the tax levied on new and imported used cars on entry into Ireland, and it replaced the old import taxes that became defunct under Ireland’s membership of the EU. It’s charged at rates ranging from seven per cent of the car’s OMSP (Open Market Selling Price) or €140, whichever is greater (and that’s for cars with CO2 emissions up to 50g/km) up to 41 per cent of the OMSP or €820, whichever is greater, for cars with CO2 emissions higher than 190g/km.

What is OMSP?

OMSP, or Open Market Selling Price, is a value determined by Revenue, which is the government department that applies and manages the VRT system. It means that instead of paying a percentage of the price you’ve actually paid for your imported car, you have to pay a percentage of the price that Revenue decides the car would have been worth had it been sold in Ireland. That calculation is based on many factors — such as make, model, age, mileage, equipment, condition — but there’s no set figure decided upon before the car is specifically valued. There is a VRT Calculator on Revenue’s website, which gives you a ballpark number of what you’ll owe, but there’s a lot of wiggle room in that figure. If you feel you’ve been overcharged for VRT, there is a process of appeal against the valuation BUT you have to pay the initial valuation first. And the NOx levy is part of that.

What’s the NOx levy?

The NOx levy was brought in in the wake of the ‘Dieselgate’ scandal in 2015, when it was found that many diesel-engined cars were emitting much more oxides of Nitrogen gas (NOx) than they were supposed to. NOx is known to be a major factor in health issues such as asthma and other serious respiratory diseases, so it was decided that cars with high NOx levels would be penalised.

It applies to all vehicles registered since 31 December 2020, and it’s based on the officially measured NOx figure that you’ll find on the car’s Certificate of Conformity (we’ll come back to that in a minute). NOx is measured in milligrams per kilometre (mg/km) and for all cars, the NOx levy is:

€5 per mg/km for the first 40mg/km

Added to €15 per mg/km between 41-80mg/km

Plus €25 per mg/km above 80g/km

This levy — which forms part of your overall VRT payment — is aimed primarily at older diesel-engined vehicles, which tend to have higher NOx emissions. There’s a maximum payment ceiling of €4,850 for diesel-engined cars, and a maximum payment of €600 for petrol cars, largely because petrol cars tend to emit very little NOx anyway.

What’s the Certificate of Conformity?

It’s basically your car’s birth cert. It lays out the car’s date of construction, and all of its official emissions and consumption measurements, as judged according to the WLTP laboratory test. If you’re importing a car from GB, then that certificate will be lodged with the DVLA (Driver and Vehicle Licencing Agency) in Swansea, and Revenue accepts their data as proof of the car’s official figures.

What else will I need?

When you come to present your car for the VRT valuation, you’ll need to bring along some paperwork. In the case of a UK car, you’ll need the V5 registration document (the UK equivalent of the logbook), the invoice proving that you’ve paid for the car, proof of address, your Personal Public Services Number (PPSN) and evidence of the date the vehicle entered the state — a ferry ticket will cover that if you drove the car here yourself. Bring ID as well.

It’s a good idea to make photocopies of all of these documents before you present them, as you may need proof for any later queries or appeals.

So I’ve paid my VRT. Is that all I need to pay?

Sadly not. Before you even get to the VRT inspection you’ll need to have paid customs duty — since Great Britain left the EU, customs duty applies to all imported cars from those three nations, and it usually costs ten per cent of the purchase price you paid for the car, plus any shipping costs.

Incidentally, and there are certain circumstances in which a car which was originally built in the UK won’t be liable for customs charges — these can include popular models such as the Toyota Corolla and Nissan Qashqai, and even more exotic stuff like Range Rovers, but the process is complicated because it also includes the country of origin of the car’s individual components, so you’ll need to check to make sure that the car qualifies as originating in the UK.

Anything else to pay?

Yes, VAT. As well as customs and VRT (and the NOx levy) there’s also VAT to pay. According to Revenue, VAT is “charged at the standard rate, currently 23 per cent, on the customs value of the vehicle. Usually this will be the purchase price, plus the cost of transport and insurance, plus any Customs Duties payable.”

Are we finally done, now?

Yes, at last, all the payments have been paid, and you can get your shiny new number plates.

Is there any way I can avoid all these taxes?

If you’re moving house from Great Britain to Ireland to take up residence, and you’re bringing your car with you, as long as that car has been registered and taxed to you at your previous address for more than six months, then VRT will be waived. You’ll still have to go through the inspection process, and provide details and proof of your change of address, but that’s one way to avoid paying customs, VRT and VAT. It’s technically known as the Transfer of Residence (TOR) relief, and you have to apply for it before you bring the car in, at least two weeks before you make your move.

If the car you’re bringing in is a classic, at least 30 years old, you’ll only have to pay a flat-rate of €200 for VRT, although you will have to still pay VAT and customs duty, but these will be based on the price you paid for the car itself.

The post Importing a Car from GB in 2025: What You Need to Know appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

What is NCAP?

Admin Admin — Fri, 14 Nov 2025 14:45:45 +0000

NCAP refers to Euro NCAP, the ‘New Car Assessment Programme’ which is one of the world’s leading independent vehicle safety and crash test experts. Euro NCAP independently crash tests and assesses new cars on how safe they really are.

The NCAP idea goes back to 1996, when the UK’s National Transport Laboratory started collaborating with its Swedish counterpart, the Swedish Road Administration, to independently crash-test a batch of small new hatchbacks to see if they were as safe as their makers claimed.

The programme quickly claimed its first scalp — in that first batch of tests, the Rover 100 (which had previously been called the Metro) performed so poorly in the frontal impact test, that it was taken off sale. The images from that particular test are incredibly sobering — the little Rover essentially folded in half.

Soon after, the NCAP idea received the backing of several more European governments, and eventually the entire EU, as well as the likes of the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile — the FIA, which as well as being the governing body of world motorsport is also a global motoring organisation. Indeed, it was then-FIA president, the oft-controversial Max Mosley, who did a great deal to push the whole NCAP concept forward, and to turn it into the industry standard that it has become. NCAP is now administered by a whole host of national and international safety and vehicle technology organisations, including Germany’s ADAC, and the Automobile Club D’Italia.

All new cars have to pass a series of strict type-approval tests before they can be legally sold in Europe. Those tests include safety and crash tests, but the NCAP tests go much further, crashing cars — in a laboratory environment — at higher speeds than the type-approval tests, and also looking at the potential impact upon pedestrians and cyclists, as well as – increasingly — at a car’s electronic safety systems.

The standards have become stricter every year – hence why cars that received full five-star ratings in the past might, today, get only one star, or maybe none at all. There has been, in recent years, an increased focus on electronic safety systems too, which has come in for criticism from some quarters, as it has led to the introduction of many beeps and bongs which in themselves can now be seen as a distraction from driving.

Nonetheless, there’s no question that the NCAP test has saved lives, simply by encouraging car makers to build safer cars, in the search of that coveted five-star rating. Renault was the first to achieve a full five-star score from NCAP, with the second-generation Renault Laguna of 2000. Now, it’s rare that any car would not manage a full five stars, and indeed it can be quite the scandal if a new car falls short.

The NCAP tests are brutal and require multiple versions of each car being tested. Usually, these will be the best-selling model in each range, so that each test result is as representative as possible of the majority of cars that will be sold.

The headline test — and the one that destroyed that Rover 100 back in 1996 — is the head-on crash into an offset deformable barrier at 50km/h. This test is designed to replicate a head-on collision with another car, and it is staggeringly violent to watch.

Next up is a collision at the same speed into a full-width solid barrier, which puts seatbelts and airbags to the ultimate test. Then there’s the side-impact test, with a barrier moving at 60km/h, driven straight into the side of the test car. That’s followed by a 32km/h sideways impact into a rigid pole, meant to replicate hitting a telephone pole or streetlight. There’s also a specific rear-impact test to check for whiplash protection.

Then there are the pedestrian and cyclist tests, which check to see how the front structure of the car helps to protect vulnerable roads users with tests for head, pelvis and lower leg impacts, as well as checking how good the car’s cameras and radar are at detecting a pedestrian or cyclist and automatically slamming on the brakes.

That autonomous emergency braking (AEB) test forms part of the car’s ‘Safety Assist’ rating, which checks how well that AEB system works, along with the driver and occupant status monitor, the speed limit checking system and the lane-keeping steering.

Finally, each car is checked for how easy it is for emergency services to extract a wounded driver or passenger, and how well the car’s ‘e-call’ emergency phone system works.

It’s an exhaustive set of tests, and at the end a car will receive an overall star rating out of five, while it will be given a percentage rating in four categories — adult occupant protection, child occupant protection, vulnerable road user protection and safety assist systems. The best cars will score at least 85 per cent in those individual categories, although a 75 per cent score in safety assist is still considered good.

While a five-star car obviously meets and exceeds all of NCAP’s criteria, it’s interesting to note that a car which scores zero stars can actually still be legally sold as, technically, it still meets the more basic requirements of the type-approval tests. Would you want to buy one though?

Last year, the best-performing cars in the NCAP tests included the Mercedes-Benz E-Class, which was named the best overall performer, while the Mazda CX-80 took home the best SUV award, and the Skoda Superb shared its best family car award with the Volkswagen Passat. The small SUV award went to the Chinese-made Zeekr X, which isn’t yet sold in Ireland.

The post What is NCAP? appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

NCT Checklist

Admin Admin — Mon, 20 Oct 2025 12:11:43 +0000

Follow our tips to get your vehicle ready for its National Car Testing routine

The National Car Testing (NCT) service is a regular check-up of your vehicle’s health, which becomes mandatory for every car that’s more than three years old. And as it is checking the safety status of your vehicle, it can be a daunting appointment on your upcoming calendar.

But it shouldn’t be a scary process and even those who aren’t mechanically savvy ought to be able to prep their car for an NCT without panicking about it. Here, then, are our top tips to get your car ready for its NCT.

Scheduling

The NCT applies for cars which are four years old or older, but for vehicles aged between four and ten years old, the schedule is biannual – as in, your car only needs testing every two years. Once the car passes the age of ten, it must be tested every single year.

You get a reminder when your vehicle’s motor tax is due, but there’s no such thing for the NCT – the onus is on you to know when it is due for its first test, and then all subsequent procedures thereafter. Luckily, there’s a system to check when your car is due for an NCT on the NCTS website, which simply requires you enter your vehicle’s registration number to find out when the test is due. You can book an NCT up to 90 days before your certificate is due to expire, for reference.

Give the car a thorough clean – outside and in

You have to make sure that the lights, windows, mirrors and licence plates are all clear and undamaged before you submit your car to the NCT, because all of them will be checked by the tester who is evaluating your vehicle. It is advisable to get the underside of the car washed too, which is easily done at most brush washes.

It’s not just the outside but the interior needs attention too. For instance, if you have child seats in the back, the test is obliged to check they’re fitted properly – and if they’re not, your car will fail the NCT. Best to just remove them, as well as other clutter in the cabin and boot, to make your life (and the tester’s) easier.

Check all your lights work

Any blown bulbs in the vehicle’s exterior lighting systems are an instant NCT failure, so this is an essential check. You can either do this with the help of a friend or family member, who would stand outside the vehicle while you operate all the lights and tell you if they’re working properly, or you can do much of it looking at a reflection of the car in a large window. But you need to check every indicator bulb (front, rear and sides), the dipped and main-beam headlights, front and rear parking lights, brake lights, fog lights and the illumination of the rear number plate.

If any of these bulbs aren’t working, you’ll need to replace them. The good news is that car lighting bulbs are normally very cheap and they’re usually easy enough to replace yourself, even if you’re not a mechanic. However, modern cars can have LED lamp clusters and self-levelling light systems, which might mean it’s better to take the car to a decent local garage just to get a bit of assistance with the replacement of any failed bulbs. Incidentally, if you have very advanced LED lights, they can be higher voltage and it’s not necessarily a good idea to replace them without expert help – although LEDs are less likely to fail than the sort of older, conventional bulbs that are a doddle to replace.

Check all your car’s fluids are at the right levels

All of the engine oil, the radiator coolant, the brake fluid, the power steering fluid and the windscreen washer fluid are checked as part of the NCT. Topping these up, if they need replenishment, is normally a simple task and their filler points are easily identified under the bonnet. The brake fluid and power steering fluid will need more care and attention, though, so perhaps take the car to a trusted garage if you’re unsure of what you’re doing on either score.

Don’t ignore the warning signs

If there are any warning lights illuminated on the dashboard, or your car’s suspension is making a loud knocking noise, or the vehicle is pulling strongly to one side or the other when it should be driving straight, you’ll need to get it sorted ahead of the NCT. On the former point, airbag warning lights are an instant failure, and the tester might not even put the car through its test if the engine management light is blazing brightly in the dashboard instrument display.

Tyres, tyres, tyres

This is one of the most critical areas to check before an NCT, especially if your car is older and on or approaching an annual testing cycle. First of all, check the tyres’ sidewalls (the rubber sections which don’t roll along the road) to find an ‘E’ stamp on them. This shows they are EU-approved tyres, and such things have been a prerequisite of passing an NCT since April 2010. It’s pretty hard to find tyres which lack for the E-stamp, but part-worn items might not conform to the rules so check carefully.

After that, you are checking the tyres’ general condition. Watch out for bulges or cracks in the sidewalls, as they would fail you the test and you’ll need to replace the affected items. The tread depth (the patterns cut into the section of the tyre which rolls along the road surface) must be at least 1.6mm deep across the middle of the tyre. A straightforward way to check this is to get a €1 coin and insert it into the grooves of the tread. If you can see any of the gold outer ring at the bottom of the coin where it rests in the groove, your tyres need replacing immediately. Finally, check that they’re all inflated to the correct pressure – you can find the relevant information for this in the owner’s handbook, or (failing that) on a sticker that’ll either be in the door frame or the inside of the fuel-tank filler that’ll show you the right pressures.

Final Shakedown

The wheel nuts must be visible for the NCT, so remove hubcaps or alloy-wheel centre caps before bringing the car into the testing facility. Check your wipers and replace the blades if they’re badly worn or juddering over the screen. Make sure you leave plenty of time to arrive before the test and perhaps give the car a good run to fully warm up the engine before you submit the vehicle for its checks.

Paperwork

Your car won’t even be tested if you don’t bring the vehicle registration book along with you, as well as the registration certificate. And you must also bring some form of identification for yourself, as that has been a rule since May 2012. It doesn’t matter if it’s not the owner of the car bringing it for the test, but whoever it is must have ID with them.

The costs – and the fines if you avoid the NCT

Since the start of 2025, the costs of the NCT have gone up. It’s now €60 for your first test and €40 for a retest (if needed). If you book an appointment and fail to turn up for it, you’ll be charged a fee of €24. Payments can be made by cash, debit cards and most credit cards, but not cheques – and if you’re thinking you can avoid the NCT to save some cash, think again. It’s illegal to drive without a valid NCT certificate and the fine for doing so is the same as the test – €60 – although it’s also accompanied by three penalty points on your licence. And if you don’t pay that fine within 28 days, then the fee rises to €90.

The post NCT Checklist appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

Japanese Imports: Trends, Benefits and Buyer Beware

Admin Admin — Tue, 23 Sep 2025 09:08:12 +0000

Why Japanese imports have become so popular, plus what to look out for when going down this route.

Over recent years, there’s been a shift in the focus of importing used cars into Ireland – with consumers’ preferred route no longer being to bring in vehicles just from the UK, but to instead look much further east to Japan.

Data published by Cartell.ie last year showed that buyers are increasingly turning to Japanese imports in a post-Brexit era, with UK imports dwindling significantly in the same period.

There are now notable cost benefits associated with bringing in a used car from Japan instead of the UK, as well as reliability benefits too – but there are also some potential drawbacks, specifically with tracing the history of these Japanese models.

However, now that Cartell.ie provides the first vehicle history reports service for Japanese import vehicles, there is more clarity in the process for Irish used-car buyers that should only see the popularity of importing vehicles from the Asian country increase.

Here, we look at the recent trend towards Japanese imports, the pros and cons of such vehicles, and which are some of the most popular models coming to these shores.

Why imports from Japan?

Principally, it’s one of the few countries in the world with left-hand traffic like ours, which in turn means cars where the driver sits on the right-hand side of the vehicle.

More than double the countries in the world (165) use right-hand traffic and left-hand drive, including all of Europe barring the UK (and its dependencies, like the Channel Islands), Malta and Cyprus, compared to the 75 which are set up like Ireland.

Of these left-hand traffic markets, Japan is easily the most important from an automotive perspective, given the number of manufacturers which herald from there and how important its car market is viewed in the global framework.

What are the numbers involved?

In the past decade, data from Cartell.ie shows Japanese imports have increased nearly tenfold, from 2,321 units in 2014 to 21,716 units in 2023.

In contrast, UK imports have significantly declined, from 44,939 in 2014 to just 14,904 in 2023.

Primarily, this is to do with the UK’s departure from the EU. UK imports to Ireland peaked in 2019 but then started the rapid decline the following year, due to the import costs and conditions (including increased paperwork and restrictions) of bringing a car from the UK changing for the worse in the wake of Brexit.

By 2024, figures showed there were double the number of Japanese imports as opposed to UK imports coming to Ireland.

What are the pros and cons of Japanese imports?

Japan, despite a climate that includes the risk of plenty of snow and ice in various regions of the country, does not tend to salt its roads to anywhere near such a widespread degree as the UK does in cold weather – the Asian country instead relying on other, more innovative methods to combat frozen roads.

As a result, this means cars which have spent all their life in Japan are far more likely to be rust-free – especially in hidden areas, like underneath the vehicle and in the chassis structure – than cars from the UK, where the salt content can badly corrode steel.

Japan also has different rates of depreciation on used cars, which can mean better-quality vehicles are available at lower prices than they might be in equivalent specification in the UK.

Furthermore, Japanese owners are traditionally seen as more fastidious, so their vehicles are considered more reliable and well-maintained.

Another potential benefit with the Japanese market cars is that they tend to have higher specifications with more advanced technology, as well as better fuel efficiency ratings too (hybrids are very popular in Japan).

However, traditionally the main issue with a Japanese import was to do with ‘buying it blind’. This is because it was often hard to trace the history of a vehicle that had been driven in Japan, so it wasn’t always known if the car had been properly serviced according to the manufacturer’s criteria, nor if it had been previously crash-damaged and then repaired, or even stolen.

A survey of Japan’s fleet of used vehicles – no fewer than a staggering 130 million vehicles – showed that 600,000 of them had been damaged in accidents, 21,000 were reported as stolen, around 30 per cent (39 million) had reported mileage discrepancies (i.e., their odometers were showing fewer total kilometres travelled than the true figure), and bizarrely, fully 1,400 of them failed a radioactive contamination test.

One continuing drawback of Japanese-market vehicles, either from manufacturers based there or cars from European manufacturers sent as exports to the country, is that they can use unusual parts that might not be available through European dealers and garages. This is particularly prevalent on Japan-made vehicles that were never exported from their home country, such as unusual people carriers, SUVs and hybrids from the likes of Toyota, Honda, Nissan and so on.

The Car VX Report from Cartell.ie

Thankfully, a lot of the risks listed above can now be mitigated by Irish consumers looking to import a Japanese vehicle, thanks to the Car VX Report.

For just €25.50 (depending on exchange rates – whatever the euro is worth compared to ¥3,500 Japanese yen), Car VX Limited has access to data from the Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) which includes comprehensive vehicle history reports for second-hand cars in the country.

This not only covers whether the car has ever suffered a form of accident damage (including floods, fires and other natural disasters) or whether its mileage is accurate, but also whether it has ever been recalled, stolen, used as a service vehicle (police, taxi etc), or presents a risk of radioactive contamination.

The most popular models to import

While it might seem obvious to assume that the most popular cars to import from Japan are vehicles from its own domestic manufacturers that were never sold overseas, in actual fact the strongest trade is in European models heading back this way from Asia.

Used Volkswagens from Japan are the most popular make for imports to Ireland, with particular emphasis on the Polo supermini and Golf hatchback. Related to the latter, the Audi A3 is also one of the most-imported vehicles from Japan to Ireland, while other premium German and Swedish marques (BMW, Mercedes, Volvo) feature highly.

Having said that, Japanese brands such as Toyota, Honda and Nissan are increasing in popularity. If the cars coming from Japan are from Japanese manufacturers, typically they’re between six and ten years old, with the majority of them in 2024 having petrol engines. The remainder are typically petrol-electric hybrids, a popular type of vehicle in Japan in general.

The post Japanese Imports: Trends, Benefits and Buyer Beware appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

How to identify an ex-taxi when buying a car

Admin Admin — Thu, 28 Aug 2025 13:50:18 +0000

The top things to look out for that will tell you a car had a former life ferrying about thousands of passengers.

When you’re buying a used car, there’s plenty of things to look out for – such as its service history, its mechanical condition, its previous owners and so on.

But there’s also the potential that the car you’re looking at wasn’t just used as personal transportation in its former life, and that instead it was a vehicle which had a hard-working existence as a taxi.

Here are our tips to spot if the car you are potentially buying was a taxi.

Higher than normal mileage for the year of the car

Let’s start with the most obvious. Hundreds of thousands of kilometres showing on the odometer isn’t, in and of itself, a sure sign that the car was a taxi previously, but if the vehicle has done 250,000km-plus in only three, four or five years, then that’s abnormally high distance for such a short space of time.

Despite the fact that they spend most of their working life at lower speeds and they typically stay within the confines of cities and towns on local roads, experts reckon taxis can still cover up to three or four times the annual distance that a privately owned car of the same specification and age would do.

So balance the number on the odometer with the numbers on the registration plate of the car, to see if you think it might be showing excessive mileage for its age. If you do think that, then it’s possible you’ve got a former taxi on your hands.

“Big, spacious and comfortable cars which are reasonably affordable to run are popular taxis, as are reliable and fuel-efficient hybrids.”

Excessive wear and tear in the interior

A really shiny, almost totally smooth steering wheel, pedals in the driver’s footwell that don’t have any rubber left on them, and tired-looking seats are all sure giveaways that a car was driven a lot on a daily basis over a long period of time, and is therefore highly likely to have been a taxi.

On the last of those three points, pay particular attention to the rear seats. It’s not unusual for the driver’s seat in any older, higher-mileage car to be badly worn, especially on the bolster near the door, because it’s the one seat in a vehicle that is guaranteed to be occupied every time the car is driven. But, apart from families with young children, most private car owners rarely use the rear seats, and they can often look pristine, even in vehicles which have been around for a decade and more. So, if they’re cracked, worn, saggy or stained, or more typically you can see signs of damage on the backs of the front seats ahead of them, it’s a good indicator that you’re looking at an ex-taxi.

Connected to that, closely inspect the rear door handles inside and outside the car. If they’re really scuffed and scratched, or smooth and shiny on the interior with bits of trim flaking off, again it’s a signal that the rear doors have been used more often than not, so it was probably a taxi before.

Damage or signs of repair to the dashboard

Various meters and bits of taxi-specific equipment have to be retrofitted to cars to make them into taxis, and this often means brackets and mounts are either screwed into or glued onto the dashboard. Therefore, give the front fascia of the car you’re looking at a really thorough inspection. Any circular patches of adhesive residue or small holes in surfaces you can spot indicate the car was a taxi.

Excessive servicing record

As a taxi driver, your vehicle is your livelihood, so it needs to work reliably, day in, day out – downtime is the enemy. Therefore, the driver or the taxi firm in question tend to put their cars in for more regular servicing and maintenance work to prevent their vehicles spending any unnecessary time off the road. So, if you can see the service record of the vehicle you’re looking at, and it has had services at far more regular intervals than the manufacturer’s recommended schedule, then you’re probably looking at an ex-taxi.

Baggy clutch, weak brakes

Checking these will require a test drive of the vehicle in question, plus a bit of mechanical nous, but if you’re testing a manual car and the clutch feels incredibly floppy or has a really high biting point (i.e., the point of left-hand-pedal travel where you can feel the engine is starting to apply drive to the car’s wheels), or alternatively the brakes are a bit weak and ineffective-feeling, it’s a good sign the model you’re looking at was a taxi.

Taxis tend to spend most of their working life entirely in cities and built-up areas, where there’s lots of stop-start driving that puts extra strain on components like the clutch, brakes and suspension, and while taxi firms will do whatever they can to mitigate that during a vehicle’s operational life, across the course of thousands of kilometres then the brakes and clutch in particular will take more hammer than they should do in heavy city traffic. A loose, baggy gearshift in a manual transmission is another sure sign of taxi duties and is harder to fix than replacing a clutch, or some brake pads and discs.

Strange smells in the interior – including cleaning products

Without wishing to go into too much graphic detail, taxis often work hardest late at night ferrying people back from being on the town – which can lead to unfortunate accidents in the interior. And anyone who has had that happen in their own car, most usually with children feeling travel sick, will tell you it’s one of the hardest smells to ever get rid of. To combat that, taxi firms often go to town with the cleaning products, so if there’s an overriding whiff of strong detergents in an older car’s cabin, that’s a good sign it was formerly a taxi.

Be aware of typical models

Big, spacious and comfortable cars which are reasonably affordable to run are popular taxis, as are reliable and fuel-efficient hybrids. This means there are certain vehicles which are top picks for taxi companies. Larger Skoda models with turbodiesel engines, for example, such as the Octavia and Superb, are often seen as taxis. And then, on the other side of things, Toyota hybrids are brilliant cars for taxi duties – so the Prius, most typically, and many of them have been imported as used cars from Japan.

On the flipside of this, if you want to almost guarantee avoiding ex-taxis, then look at cars that don’t have five doors and a big boot. Coupes, convertibles and three-door hatchbacks are not used as taxis because they would be highly impractical for passengers to get into and out of. Taxi drivers tend to prefer larger saloons, five-door hatchbacks, estates and even crossovers or SUVs.

Cartell’s services

Cartell.ie offers a service which can reveal if any car has previously been used as a taxi or hackney.

The post How to identify an ex-taxi when buying a car appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

UK Write-Offs on Irish Roads – What Write-off categories are affected?

Admin Admin — Mon, 25 Apr 2022 07:30:00 +0000

Many of you may have watched the Prime Time report broadcast on RTE in late April on on the prevalence of cars on Irish roads that have a UK write-off history. Vehicles from the UK are sometimes imported into Ireland despite falling into one of four possible write-off categories which reflect some kind of damage or defect. Cartell have highlighted this worrying issue in the past and campaigned for reform and regulation so that unsafe and unroadworthy cars are not being put on Irish roads.

However the fact remains that Ireland has still not yet regulated for written-off vehicles. As far back as July 2016 it was reported in the media that the then Minister for Transport, Shane Ross, brought legislation to cabinet which would compel insurers to notify his Department of Category A and Category B write-offs.

John Byrne Legal & Public Relations Manager with Cartell.ie said at the time:

It’s welcoming to see how seriously the ABI are taking the issue of write-offs which are deemed repairable and can return to the roads in the UK: they are moving the focus away from the Pre-Accident Value of the vehicle and looking instead at the damage caused: whether its structural or non-structural. In Ireland there are currently moves to regulate for the more serious write-off categories, Category A and Category B, which can never return to the roads, but we should be looking at these UK moves. Always do a car history check when importing a used car.”

The 2022 Prime Time programme confirmed that Cartell’s data managed to identify the three vehicles with a UK write-off history highlighted in the broadcast and that our report would have flagged the problem. Therefore worried motorists are advised to take out a full car history check should they be concerned about this issue as a first step in mitigating the risk associated with imports of potentially defective vehicles.

In May 2016, in the wake of a previous RTE Prime Time investigates programme, Cartell.ie released figures which showed that 10.75% of all UK imports into Ireland in a 6-month period in 2015 had been written-off in the UK prior to import and taxation of the vehicle in Ireland. Of those 1,545 vehicles (59.42%) had been categorised as Cat D in the UK and 980 as Category C (37.69%).

At present a voluntary system of notification is in place but for years Cartell.ie has called for regulation which will place the procedure on a statutory footing.

Cartell set up the Motor Insurance Anti-Fraud and Theft Register (MIAFTR) which records written-off vehicles. You can check MIAFTR via a Cartell Car Check.

The current ABI system divides insurance write-offs essentially into 4 categories:

Category A: Scrap only – The vehicle has not been repaired following extreme damage. It was deemed too damaged to be repairable with little or no salvageable parts.

Category B: The bodyshell should have been crushed. The vehicle has not been repaired following significant damage. It was deemed too damaged to be repairable however did have salvageable parts.

Category C: This vehicle was repairable, but the repair costs exceeded the Pre-Accident Value (PAV) of the vehicle. The insurer chose not to repair for economic reasons.

Category D: This vehicle was repairable, but while the repair costs were significant compared to the PAV of the vehicle the costs did not exceed the PAV. The insurer chose not to repair for economic reasons.

The Association of British Insurers (ABI) Code of Practice for the Categorisation of Motor Vehicle Salvage (COP) was introduced in March 2007 as a voluntary code to assess whether a damaged car can be repaired or salvaged for parts, or whether it should be destroyed.

In 2015 an extensive review of the COP was initiated involving multiple stakeholders including insurers, vehicle manufacturers, affected government departments and agencies, the Police, the vehicle leasing industry and the salvage industry.

The new Code of Practice for the Categorisation of Motor Vehicle Salvage came into being on 1^st October 2017.

Cartell would like to see similar regulation come info force in Ireland and we will continue to draw attention to this issue until the necessary legal protections for Irish motorists are put in place.

Importing A Used Car? Write-Off Category Changes Explained

Vehicle History experts Cartell.ie reported that as of Wednesday 21^st June 2017 the Association of British Insurers (ABI) in the UK are no longer using Category C and Category D vehicle write-off categories in their new Voluntary Code of Practice (COP) for the industry.

Following a long review the new system will retain the same Category A and Category B categorisations. However Category C and Category D designations will no longer be used. The new system will focus on first establishing the level of damage to a vehicle from a technical perspective, before making any commercial decision relating to the Pre-Accident Value (PAV) of the vehicle. This has huge consequences for an Irish buyer as the level of damage sustained will now be more evident. The new categorisation system will be as follows:

Category A Scrap– This vehicle is deemed not suitable to be repaired. Must be crushed without any parts being removed.

Category B Break – The vehicle is deemed not suitable to be repaired. Usable parts can be recycled.

Category S: Structural Repairable – Repairable vehicle which has sustained damage to any part of the structural frame or chassis and the insurer/ self-insured owner has decided not to repair the vehicle.

Category N: Non-Structural Repairable – Repairable vehicle which has not sustained damage to the structural frame or chassis and the insurer/ self-insured owner has decided not to repair the vehicle.

(Source: ABI COP for Motor Vehicle Salvage June 2017)

These changes have been made to standardise the codes by the level of damage sustained rather than by repair cost. Structural damage is described as repairable damage to the vehicle that affects the main welded or otherwise permanently assembled vehicle body.

Further, from October 2019, salvaged vehicles can only be categorised by an Appropriately Qualified Person (AQP).

The post UK Write-Offs on Irish Roads – What Write-off categories are affected? appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

10 Driving Habits To Increase Your Fuel Efficiency

Admin Admin — Wed, 02 Feb 2022 15:13:00 +0000

Fuel prices seem to have gone through the roof all of a sudden. Here are a few tips and tricks to help increase your fuel efficiency, improve fuel consumption and save some money.

1. Turning on the AirCon when you just don’t have to

We’re not suggesting you sit in a puddle of sweat on your commute, but putting up with a bit of mild discomfort might actually make you feel better in the long run, with your pocket a bit heavier. If you must indulge, turn the A/C off when you’ve cooled down. According to the AA, air con uses more fuel at low speeds, so think about rolling down the windows in towns and only using the air con when out on the open road. and watch that fuel efficiency increase.

2. Having Cruise Control but not bothering to use it

Using cruise control to keep the car at a constant speed, without cnstantly adjusting pressure to the accelerator or changing gear, gives your legs a break and also helps to eliminate unnecessary fuel consumption.

3. Travelling with your wardrobe (and more) in the car

Manufacturers try their best to cut weight out of cars, don’t reverse their hard work. Lose the excess weight! Just keep what’s vitally important – First Aid kit, Spare tyre, etc.

4. Driving with the roofbox when you don’t need it

Having your roofbox permanently perched on the top of your car eats into your MPG. Excess weight combined with added drag = poor fuel economy.

5. Tail-gating

It’s not only dangerous, but will leave you hopping on and off the brake pedal as you constantly react to the movements of the car in front. If you leave a bit more space in front you’ll be able to ease off the accelerator as you anticipate having to slow down ahead.

6. Always rushing, racing and being late

Organise and get yourself together to stop yourself rushing and driving on the limit. Give yourself a few extra minutes and enjoy a stress-free, tranquil journey. On the motorway try driving at 100kph rather than 120kph. Arrive at your destination in a relaxed state for once.

7. Idling

Whether it’s “warming up” the car, or waiting for someone with the engine running, it’s not good for your fuel economy. Plus it’s just not necessary, the car will warm up while in motion.

8. Lack of planning

If you are constantly doing short trips here and there, the engine will never fully heat up. Planning and combining errands gives your car a better chance of reaching the right temperature for optimum fuel efficiency.

9. Ignorance to basic car maintenance

Get the car serviced regularly to keep it running efficiently, keep the engine topped up with oil and keep tyres inflated; under-inflated tyres create more rolling resistance and use more fuel.

10. Your love for the red line

Yes I know it’s nice and fun to rev the car hard through the gears and speed off into the distance but it will do you no favours at the pumps. Resist the temptation and change up a gear at an engine speed of around 2,000 rpm in a diesel car or around 2,500 rpm in a petrol car.

While you’re here why not check out Cartell’s new Personal Account.

Save 20% on your future Cartell Checks
View your past Cartell Checks
Get a Cartell Price Guide (CPG) value for your car
Rank your mileage against other identical cars with our Mileage Analysis tool.

To register for your Cartell Personal Account please CLICK HERE.

The post 10 Driving Habits To Increase Your Fuel Efficiency appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

Protect Yourself from Car Scams in Ireland

Admin Admin — Mon, 06 Dec 2021 10:41:00 +0000

Vehicle History Check Expert Cartell.ie is here to assist you in your purchase of a vehicle. However, sometimes, it’s not always the vehicle history you should be most concerned about: the buying process itself can lead to unsuspecting victims losing their money. Therefore Cartell have investigated the issue and can report on some of the more common car scams in Ireland.

Many of us are buying and selling our cars online and this can be a good option for some people. However, you should always exercise caution. Remember, a car is a valuable asset so take your time – don’t rush – and if you’re concerned something might be wrong then back away.

Stolen Vehicle

One of the biggest concerns in the used market is to get caught purchasing unwittingly a stolen vehicle. While it continues to be a huge disappointment to us that An Garda Siochana continue to resist calls to release stolen vehicle data to vehicle history companies such as Cartell.ie -there are still things you can do to protect yourself:

-Verify the Chassis Number (VIN) and Vehicle Registration Certificate Number (VRC) as part of a vehicle history check with Cartell.ie or one of our competitors. The VIN is a 17-digit number which is used by the manufacturer to identify the vehicle before any registration plate is applied to it. Locate the number where it is actually stamped into the chassis of the vehicle and if it shows any signs of scratches, or any metal shavings appear around it, then the principle of “buyer beware” applies – the VIN may have been illegitimately changed.

-Verify the number on the VRC as part of a vehicle history check. Always verify the name on the VRC with the official ID of the person you are transacting with – it’s not advisable to do business with anyone else.

It’s also not advisable to conduct a transaction in a public place like a car park. It might seem like “neutral ground” but it’s where stolen vehicles are generally sold. You might agree to a first viewing of the vehicle in a car park but the actual transaction should not be conducted there. The address of the seller is not a secret as it is clearly stated on the Vehicle Registration Certificate (VRC). If you are a buyer then you can ask to do the transaction there. This gives you a chance to verify the address on the VRC as well. Also, never go unaccompanied to a transaction – whether you are a buyer or a seller – always have other people with you and protect your personal safety at all times.

Payment

The issue of payment is also one which can cause problems. It’s advisable for the buyer and the seller to go together to the bank. Bank draft is often the preferred form of payment in the market as it is a quick and traceable process provided done correctly. Transactions in cash are not advisable as they lack traceability and leave both parties vulnerable. Cheques can take several days or even weeks to clear and can be cancelled.

One scam publicised on RTE radio last year concerned an online phishing scam where a seller encourages a buyer to send funds to a nominated bank account upon which they will “receive the car and have 7 days to consider whether to buy it”. The car is never delivered and the buyer loses their money. The buyer thinks they are dealing with paypal.

Another scam impacts on the seller- not the buyer- where a purchaser offers to buy a vehicle with a falsified bank draft. This offer will usually be made late on a Friday evening, not giving the seller a chance to verify the authenticity of the bank draft.

-Never accept a bank draft for purchase of a vehicle outside of banking hours and always verify a bank draft before accepting it. Ideally, go together to the bank and conduct the transaction there together.

Another scam involving payment was highlighted in the media recently when a seller takes the money of the buyer to “check it out” as he says he has been “caught out before”. He then runs with the money. This leaves the buyer with a vehicle that often doesn’t even start. No documentation is supplied for the vehicle.

-Never consider payment before first verifying VIN, VRC and official ID of seller and verify the address of the seller against the VRC and take a test-drive of vehicle. Don’t do transactions in cash.

Online Scams

Various online scams also continue to operate. One of these is the “deposit scam” where a fake seller offers vehicles at knocked-down prices. Seller requests buyer to deposit money in a bank account in order to release the vehicle. There are various versions of the scam but all involve a seller looking for money to be deposited. In all cases the seller does not have the vehicle. Often, the vehicle is actually legitimately offered for sale, by a legitimate seller, on a different website. The fake seller will cut and paste photos from the legitimate ad and create a false advertisement.

-Common sense prevails. Never deposit money into a bank account on the request of a seller of a vehicle – without first going through all of the various steps mentioned earlier.

The purchase of a car is a major transaction and for some it may be your first time, or, it may have been years since you last entered the market. So the transaction may seem unfamilar to you. It’s important to first verify all documentation, before considering payment, and keep the transaction at arm’s length – in other words don’t be too trusting of the other party – make sure everything is right before handing over your money or accepting that bank-draft. Unfortunately car scams in Ireland – even obvious ones – continue to exist because people fall for them.

The post Protect Yourself from Car Scams in Ireland appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

Buying A Used Car During the Coronavirus Outbreak – 8 Things You Need to Know

Admin Admin — Thu, 19 Mar 2020 17:12:27 +0000

You are probably in the midst of coronavirus information overload at the moment but here at Cartell while we can’t claim to be medical experts we do have advice on buying a used car during the outbreak. Here is some advice you may wish to consider when purchasing to help prevent infection and get a good deal:

1. Look for a bargain

We all want to strike a good deal when purchasing a car but in these uncertain times there may be more scope than ever to secure a discount or get some flexibility around payment.

2. Same Rules Apply

Don’t be afraid to visit the dealership as a lot of the interaction will be taking place outside and on a one to one basis. Just adopt the same precautions around social distancing and washing your hands and you should mitigate against any increased risk.

3. Check it Before You See it

Don’t waste a journey, do your research on the vehicle in advance of travelling anywhere (certianly public transport is a no-no currently). And that research should be as thorough as possible. A valid NCT is not enough. Get a three star Cartell car check to get as much peace of mind as possible so that you will be made aware if the car has been written off, has outstanding finance or has been clocked among other things.

4. The Areas That Need Attention

The experts say that viruses can hang around for hours and even days on plastic or stainless steel surfaces so if you are using any new vehicle be sure to wipe down widely used touch areas like the steering wheel, gear stick, seat belt buckles and other controls and touch screens.

5. A New Way of Selling

The car sale delivery model is changing. New companies like Carvana and Vroom are thriving in the US with their promise of delivering the used car to your door ready to drive. Carwow in the UK offer a similar service and it is incumbent upon dealers in Ireland to adapt to the new disruptors in the industry especially in the current climate. Dealers that enable paperwork to be signed electronically, deliver the vehicles to the buyers’ driveway, thoroughly clean the vehicle and even drop the keys through the letterbox with a little note saying they are taking every precaution will be best positioned to endure the current crisis. And what’s more, they should promote these new services extensively.

6. Get Some Space

When test-driving a car you should ask the person accompanying you to sit in the back seat after using disinfectant to wipe down the vehicle. And remember if any deal is concluded don’t shake their hands!

7. A Proper Wipedown

After purchasing a car you would be well-advised to a do a thorough cleaning of the interior of the vehicle (or what Americans call the cabin). Even something as simple as soap and water will do the trick although alcohol solutions (more than 70% alcohol) are preferable. If the car has a leather interior than make-up removal wipes are great for cleaning leather (or so my wife tells me, and no she is not made of leather!).

8. A Good Time to Buy?

The motor industry across Europe is in flux right now with most of the big manufacturers either closed for business (Volkswagen, Nissan, Renault) or temporarily suspending operations (Fiat, Peugeot, Citreon, Open). Therefore new vehicles will be harder to come by and dealers will want to make up for the shortfall by offering attractive deals on their used stock. With low interest rates and a very advantageous time for the buyer to go shopping there are some serious bargains to be had. Just make sure to take the precautions outlined in this article and do as much of the car buying process online as you possibly can.

With that in mind please avail of the Cartell personal account to get a 20% discount on a car check for the vehicle you are interested in as well as data on recalls, NCT predicted pass rate, car valuation tool, mileage predictor, reviews, alerts for NCT and tax and more. Sign up now – it’s free.

The post Buying A Used Car During the Coronavirus Outbreak – 8 Things You Need to Know appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

The Changing Concept of What A Car Represents

Admin Admin — Wed, 19 Feb 2020 16:12:41 +0000

Early in 2020 Apple patented a voice command system that is designed to enable users to steer vehicles by shouting prompts that the vehicle will respond to. My first thoughts on hearing this were that it would simply replicate the experience I already have when my wife is driving the car, but the big takeaway here is that Apple are eyeing up the automotive industry.

The Apple Car

Of course this is not the first time that Apple have dabbled in car technology. In 2018 a leading Apple analyst, Min Chi-Kuo, raised the possibility of a new type of driving experience using an augmented virtual reality-assisted headset, comparing the potential impact of this new Apple Car technology to the Iphone.

Apple have been busy in recent years hiring pioneering designers from Ford and Tesla to help them on this secretive new project called Titan, and have filed many other patent applications for car technologies signalling their clear intent to be a real player in the industry.

End of an Era

But the real question is why Apple are getting involved at all. They’re already doing pretty well with their tech and the automotive sector is one of the most competitive and hardest to crack, even for large corporations with strong brand appeal and deep pockets. Will Apple ultimately look to build their own vehicles or simply sell devices and technology to other car manufacturers? The truth of the matter is that Apple’s history certainly points to the fact that their devices are not usually easy to integrate with, and compatibility is notoriously problematic. But whatever their future plans, the scale of Apple’s investment in car tech suggests that the industry, or more specifically, its consumers, are currently undergoing a paradigm shift in terms of how they perceive the vehicle itself, and this more than anything else has inspired Apple to get involved.

New Demographic, New Demands

My father loved driving. He loved the sound of the engine and the feel of the car. He was the type who would open a bonnet, scan the engine and car parts momentarily, fiddle around for a little bit and get that car humming again. Today 75% of millenials say they don’t know how to change a tyre (and around a third don’t even know how to open the bonnet). We are moving from the era of men with oil splattered on their faces. wrench in hand, head deep in the diesel-fuelled engines to hipsters commuting in their EVs, queueing for charging-points, to, finally, self-driving vehicles. Driving for the pleasure of driving is becoming a rare thing as consumer demands increase. At the risk of sounding like one of those “Not in my day…” types, rather than critique this new reality it better serves the motor enthusiast to understand this new trend. Consumers want convenience, they want entertainment, luxury, ease of use and instant gratification. They want to press buttons and see cool stuff happen. The car has not just been commodified but “gadgetified”. In short the car is not a vehicle anymore, it is a device, an accessory. It is not to be driven, it is to be activated, fiddled with and enjoyed.

A Vision of the Future

Just to be clear I am not one of those cynical technophobe types and there are many innovative, useful and even life-saving car technology either already in existence or on the way. And who could possibly object to the greater assurances technology provides around car safety? Two families in the UK credited Tesla’s autopilot feature with saving their lives after their vehicle was involved in an accident during Storm Dennis. So as we look forward to developments in inter-car communication, 3d gestures, automated parking, augmented reality dashboards,and ultimately self driving cars, why not celebrate the evolution of the car as it becomes a safer, cooler, trendier object?

Indeed Apple are not alone as other tech giants look to get their slice of the motor industry cake. Sony announced the Vision-S, an electric concept car in 2020 and it received many admiring glances. And if you want to see how far this technology can take us then look no further than the Mercedez Benz Vision AVTR, “bionic flaps” and all.

The Age of the Car as Toy

It’s easy to marvel at these futuristic car designs and that is the direction we are inexorably headed towards, and remarkable as this vision is, there is a danger that we are leaving the sheer thrill of driving behind us as infotainment and high-tech features take over. So maybe the next time you are seduced by some high-spec, high concept vehicle, a lament for the petrol-head that just wants to press down hard on an accelerator and feel a car throb will play on your thoughts. Because that type of car is dying and the new breed isn’t a car anymore, it’s a toy and we need to ask is that what we really want. And if so then what does it say about us.

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What Your Car Colour Says About You?

Admin Admin — Wed, 05 Feb 2020 15:58:19 +0000

The post What Your Car Colour Says About You? appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

Is the NCT enough reassurance for buyers of used cars?

Admin Admin — Thu, 23 Jan 2020 10:09:54 +0000

Are you considering buying a car in 2020? If the answer is yes, and if the car in question is a used car then you may want to pay attention to a simple but often ignored fact. An NCT is not a guarantee of the reliability or quality of the vehicle. Many purchasers mistakenly assume that the NCT means that their investment is safe and that all risk is mitigated. This is far from the truth. An NCT is simply evidence of the vehicle meeting the minimum standard for road-worthiness at a specific moment in time. It’s altogether possible the vehicle may have developed significant mechanical issues since the date of the NCT. In addition the NCT does not cover matters relating to outstanding finance on the vehicle (that the buyer will be liable for), write-off history, number of owners or mileage manipulation. For example the graphic below displays some information on UK imported vehicles to Ireland that wouldn’t have been picked up by the NCT:

Limitations of NCT

Imagine going to your local GP for a quick check-up. Maybe she listens to your breathing and heart with a stethoscope, then you jump on some scales, a brief chat, and perhaps finally a blood pressure reading before being sent on your way. Does this mean you can rule out all possible medical conditions? Of course not, the GP is limited by a lack of time, diagnostic tools and resources to detect some underlying conditions, and the check-up is simply a quick screening process to rule out any obvious problems. The NCT is similar in that it can detect if the vehicle, at the time of the NCT, is in a roadworthy condition, but when buying a used car it is essential that further reassurance is provided.

Think of the logic of it for moment, if all cars were as roadworthy as their most recent NCT suggested then they would never fail the test but we know that in 2019 50% of cars failed enabling us to draw the simple conclusion that a car can become “unroadworthy” at any time after an NCT.

The certificate is not a guarantee that a few months or even weeks down the line, there will not be sudden mechanical issues, or urgent maintenance needed on parts such as brakes, lights, tyre depth etc. Buyers of used cars would be well-advised not to regard the pass cert as continuing proof of the quality of the vehicle.

Court Case

A Cork woman Paula Murphy recently concluded a lengthy civil action for negligence against Applus Car Testing Service (which operates the NCT). Her daughter, Amanda O’Flaherty, 26, bought a 95D-registered Mazda 121 from a roadside dealer in mid-2012 for €600. The seller had arranged for it to undergo an NCT on May 31, 2012, and a certificate was issued.

But Amanda suffered fatal injuries in a car crash near Fota, Co Cork, on December 29, 2012. An inquest later heard that her vehicle was not roadworthy at the time of the accident, with defects found in its rear suspension which would have made it unstable before and during cornering.

In December 2018, at Cork Circuit Court, Judge Brian O’Callaghan held that Applus was negligent in passing a defective car it had examined, and allowing it back on the road.

Moyagh Murdock, the Road Safety Authority’s CEO, herself has stated that the NCT system is not a guarantee of a vehicle’s road-worthiness

She said: “It’s a check at a moment in time on a range of safety critical items set out by the EU, it is not a service, it is not a guarantee.

“It is a minimum check of the vehicle at that time and it can only check what is actually visible to the inspector.”

Additional Measures

There is no substitute for regular servicing of a vehicle and ongoing maintenance is the key factor in determining the ongoing road-worthiness of the vehicle.

If you are buying and believe an NCT is sufficient reassurance as to the reliability of the vehicle then you are taking a massive risk. Unfortunately there is no motor-obsessed psychic available to us who can predict the future prospects for you vehicle, but you can get a Cartell car check when deciding on a possible used car purchase to allow you to make a much more informed decision on your investment. An NCT is simply not enough – get the data that will tell the real story of your desired vehicle, warts and all, so that your investment is ultimately a wise one.

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Review of the 2019 Motor Industry

Admin Admin — Tue, 14 Jan 2020 16:58:38 +0000

Having come to the end of not just a year but a decade, it appears we are approaching a turning-point in the motor industry in Ireland. Looking ahead to the new challenges and growth opportunities awaiting us in the 2020’s, the industry will certainly be looking to bolster native car sales especially while we are in the midst of Brexit uncertainty. And with the increased demand for PHEVs and EVs there is another fast-growing market share there that warrants serious attention.

New Car Sales

Onto the hard facts as sales of new cars in 2019 (up to December 1) amount to 113,526. This is a 6.5% decrease on 2018’s figure of 121,130 for the same period. In fact, each of the last 3 years has seen a dip in sales of new cars in Ireland as savvy buyers shop around for value, taking advantage of more favourable exchange rates to source high-spec imports, or simply waiting for a shiny new 20 plate.

The title of most popular new car in 2019 (January – November) goes to the Toyota Corolla recording 4,212 sales, placing it ahead of previous winners like the Hyundai Tucson (second with 3,877 sales and biggest seller in 2016) and the Golf (top seller in 2018 and 2017). When it comes to the most popular brand however it is Volkswagen who come out on top ahead of Toyota (13,382 vs. 11,524 sales). Almost all of the car manufacturers experienced the same slight decline in sales (between 5 and 10%) as reflected in the overall figure, with just a few brands outperforming their sales figures in 2018 (including Skoda, Seat, Peugeot and Opel).

Engine Types

Moving on to one of the more interesting market trends for 2019, we see the perennial favourite that is the diesel engine take a significant hit. Only 53,402 new cars were diesel fuelled, a drop of 19.18% on the 2018 figure of 66,075. This could be attributed to both a stronger push of the green agenda generally and the financial considerations associated with the WLTP and the newly announced NOx tax.

Petrol power didn’t fluctuate too much from 2018 and seemed relatively unaffected by larger market trends with 45,782 new cars sold in 2019, less than 1,000 down on the 2018 figure for the same period. The big movers in the market were Hybrids and EVs, particularly the latter. EVs almost trebled in sales since 2018’s figure of 1,234 sales, standing at 3,409 in 2019 so far. Hybrids also experienced a remarkable increase of almost a half (48.45%), with 2019 producing 10,969 sales to date (compared with 7,389 in 2018). And while both hybrids and EVs still represent a small portion of the overall market, there is little doubt they are on a strong upward trend. Whether it’s the improved battery-life and range, increasingly favourable price-points, government incentives, or eco-consciousness, this looks like the beginning of the end for the “dirty diesel” era as the public slowly but surely starts to embrace alternative choices.

[box style=”rounded” border=”full”] Cartell originated back in 2006 to fight back against fraud and dishonesty in the motor industry and protect consumers. Cartell have assisted countless motor dealers, insurers, financiers, parts suppliers and others in the automotive industry to access the most accurate and comprehensive data available. 13 years later we are doing the same. Protect yourself and your investment or offer your buyer reassurance. If you are buying or selling a used car, always get a Cartell Check.[/box]

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Finance Levels Surpass Boom Levels

Admin Admin — Wed, 08 Jan 2020 09:12:41 +0000

PRESS RELEASE

Vehicle data expert CARTELL.IE reports today (08^thJanuary) that the proportion of vehicles offered for sale (across all years) with finance outstanding is 18.3% – up from 16.6% in December 2018 and 11.5% in January 2017. These are the highest levels that Cartell has recorded. Cartell.ie also reports that more vehicles for certain key registration years are being offered for sale with finance outstanding than in 2018. From a sample of over 5,906 vehicles offered for sale and checked via the Cartell.ie website in 2019, the figures show that more than forty percent of two-year-old vehicles are offered for sale with finance outstanding.

In the case of one-year-old vehicles (2018) the levels of vehicles offered for sale with finance outstanding has risen from 35.9% for the equivalent period in 2018 to 39.4% in 2019. This means there is now a two-in-five chance of a one-year-old vehicle being offered for sale with finance outstanding.

Similarly in the case of three-year-old vehicles (2017) checked last year there was a 36.8% chance of a vehicle being offered for sale with finance outstanding based on checks on Cartell.ie in the year gone by.

Graph 1: Percentages of Vehicles with Outstanding Finance by Registration Year checked on Cartell.ie (Source: Carstat, Cartell.ie)

Graph 2: Historic Percentages of Vehicles with Outstanding Finance checked on Cartell.ie (Source: Carstat, Cartell.ie)

Even older vehicles are regularly offered for sale with finance outstanding – 22.3% of all four-year-old vehicles offered for sale in 2019 had outstanding finance against them and the rates of finance are going up for older cars too: four-year old to ten-year-old cars all showed respective increases over the corresponding levels recorded last year.

John Byrne, Cartell.ie, says:

Not only are finance levels the highest we have ever recorded but the increases can be seen right across the board. We are seeing gains in virtually every year-segment indicating that more and more people are financing their second-hand car purchase. There could be many reasons for this including new entrants in the finance market, better availability of finance, or, in the case of PCP, buyers may be increasingly financing the balloon payment that falls due at the end of the initial PCP term.”

What’s really concerning is that finance levels are up across nearly all the years and the headline figure of 18.3% overall is particularly concerning. Buyers are strongly advised to be cautious in the market as you cannot take good title in the asset until the final payment has been paid to the financial institution. This means you may be buying a huge problem.”

ENDS

Notes to Editor

Table 1: Historic Percentages of Vehicles with Outstanding Finance checked on Cartell.ie (Source: Carstat, Cartell.ie)

Period	Percentage
Jul-08	16.35
Feb-09	17.05
Mar-09	17.02
Apr-09	16.57
Jun-09	17.31
Jul-09	16.14
Jan-10	15.95
Jan-11	12.83
Jan-12	11.41
Jul-12	11.24
Nov-12	9.28
Jan-13	10.07
Jun-13	8.21
Nov-13	7.52
Jan-14	8.99
Jul-14	7.84
Dec-14	7.01
Jan-15	8.29
Mar-15	9.11
Jun-16	9.50
Jan-17	11.50
Jul-17	12.50
Dec-17	14.30
Dec-18	16.61
July-19	17.51
Jan-20	18.3

For further information please contact John Byrne on 087 4199018 or at john at cartell.ie or check out www.cartell.ie for further information.

Cartell.ie is Ireland’s first and most comprehensive automotive data supplier providing Car History Checks to consumers and dealers. Launched in 2006, Cartell.ie is the automotive data expert providing tailored vehicle intelligence data to insurers, financiers, parts suppliers, vehicle manufacturers, and all sectors of the automotive industry. We supply data for multiple European countries such as, UK & Ireland, Spain, Portugal, The Netherlands, Malta and more. Cartell.ie is a totally independent company and fully Irish owned.

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Audatex and Cartell support Ireland’s insurers with automated Total Loss Registration solution

Admin Admin — Mon, 16 Sep 2019 08:46:04 +0000

Press Release

16th September 2019 – London, UK: Audatex, global provider of market-leading solutions for bodyshops, service providers, insurers and customers, and Cartell, Ireland’s leading car checking and automotive data solutions company have today announced the launch of an automated Total Loss Registration solution to help Ireland’s insurers to comply with the upcoming commencement of Part 2 of the Road Traffic Act 2016.

Coming into force later this year, Part 2 requires vehicle insurers to notify the National Vehicle Driver File, Department of Transport when a vehicle is written off. Audatex and Cartell will deliver an automated service which notifies of the Category A (scrap only) or Category B (some parts salvageable) inspection, to support insurers with the new provisions shortly coming into force.

The Total Loss Registration solution works using Audatex’s AudaEnterpriseGold (AEG) solution, generating a ‘Daily Total Loss Report’ to Cartell to conduct a check of each vehicle. Once verified, a summary of all Category A and B cases will be delivered automatically to the Department of Transport on the same day, to achieve fast vehicle categorisation in line with the regulation changes. Any vehicles requiring further verification will be sent directly to the insurer to correct records on the Audatex system and re-processed by Cartell accordingly.

Fast, Seamless and secure.

Commenting on the partnership, Tom Hart, Head of Client Relationships at Audatex said:

We pride ourselves on being a forward-thinking company that creates solutions to mitigate problems for our customers before they arise. Working closely with Cartell, we have created a sophisticated solution, powered by data from vehicle assessments to fully automate the category identification process. The solution will minimise downtime in the communication of vehicle data from the Engineer to the Department of Transport, ensuring continued compliance for insurers in the market.”

Jeff Aherne, Director of Cartell commented:

Our vehicle database expertise, combined with Audatex’s innovative insurance and bodyshop solutions made for a great partnership for this system. We have worked well with Audatex to deliver the solution before the law changes take place later this year. We understand just how important it is for our customers to operate within regulations, and we’re dedicated to support them with the tools to remain both compliant and efficient when such changes occur.”

-ENDS-

Issued by Jargon PR on behalf of Audatex. For more information, contact Paige McArdle at audatexPR@jargonpr.com or 01189 739 370 or for Cartell.ie John Byrne on 087 4199018 or at john at cartell.ie or check out www.cartell.ie for further information..

About Audatex

Trusted the world over, Audatex UK has redefined global knowledge and data insight in risk and asset management since 1987. Through unrivalled integrated technology, we connect people, insurers and suppliers, empowering all to make quicker, smarter decisions. Part of the Solera group, we consistently challenge expectations through continuous investment and digital innovation.

About Cartell

Cartell is Ireland’s first and most comprehensive automotive data supplier providing Car History Checks to consumers and dealers. Launched in 2006, Cartell is the automotive data expert providing tailored vehicle intelligence data to insurers, financiers, parts suppliers, vehicle manufacturers, and all sectors of the automotive industry. Cartell supplies data for the following European countries, UK & Ireland, Spain, Portugal, The Netherlands and Malta.

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Finance Levels Continue to Rise – Now 17.5%

Admin Admin — Wed, 11 Sep 2019 08:12:26 +0000

PRESS RELEASE

Vehicle data expert CARTELL.IE reports today (11th September) that the proportion of vehicles offered for sale (across all years) with finance outstanding is 17.5% – up from 16.6% in December 2018 and 11.5% in January 2017. Cartell.ie also reports that more vehicles for certain key registration years are being offered for sale with finance outstanding than in 2018. From a sample of over 5,906 vehicles offered for sale and checked via the Cartell.ie website in the first 6 months of 2019, the figures show that more than forty percent (41.55%) of three-year-old vehicles are offered for sale with finance outstanding.

In the case of one-year-old vehicles (2018) the levels of vehicles offered for sale with finance outstanding has risen from 33.3% for the equivalent period last year 2018 to 40.78% so far in 2019 – representing an increase of 22.46%. This means there is now more than a two-in-five chance of a one-year-old vehicle being offered for sale with finance outstanding.

Similarly in the case of two-year-old vehicles (2017) there is a 38.31% chance of a vehicle being offered for sale with finance outstanding based on checks on Cartell.ie in the first 6 months of 2019.

Graph 1: Percentages of Vehicles with Outstanding Finance by Registration Year checked on Cartell.ie (Source: Carstat, Cartell.ie)

Graph 2: Historic Percentages of Vehicles with Outstanding Finance checked on Cartell.ie (Source: Carstat, Cartell.ie)

Statistics published by Cartell.ie indicate that buyers have more than a two-in-five chance (41.55%) of purchasing a three-year-old vehicle (2016) with finance outstanding. Even older vehicles are regularly offered for sale with finance outstanding – 16.43% of all 2013 registered vehicles offered for sale in 2019 had outstanding finance against them.

John Byrne, Cartell.ie, says:

Forty-two per cent of all three-year-old vehicles (2016) checked in the first 6 months of 2019 on Cartell.ie have finance outstanding. This is up from 38.57% of three-year-old vehicles (2015) checked last year on the site over the equivalent period. The rise is possibly attributable in some cases to expiring PCPs where owners are testing the market to see if they can return a higher price than the Guaranteed Minimum Future Value (GMFV) guaranteed by the dealer. What’s really concerning is that finance levels are up all across the years and the headline figure of 17.5% overall is particularly worrying. Buyers are strongly advised to be cautious in the market as you cannot take good title in the asset until the final payment has been paid to the financial institution. This means you may be buying a huge problem.”

ENDS

Notes to Editor

Table 1: Historic Percentages of Vehicles with Outstanding Finance checked on Cartell.ie (Source: Carstat, Cartell.ie)

Period	Percentage
Jul-08	16.35
Feb-09	17.05
Mar-09	17.02
Apr-09	16.57
Jun-09	17.31
Jul-09	16.14
Jan-10	15.95
Jan-11	12.83
Jan-12	11.41
Jul-12	11.24
Nov-12	9.28
Jan-13	10.07
Jun-13	8.21
Nov-13	7.52
Jan-14	8.99
Jul-14	7.84
Dec-14	7.01
Jan-15	8.29
Mar-15	9.11
Jun-16	9.50
Jan-17	11.50
Jul-17	12.50
Dec-17	14.30
Dec-18	16.61
July-19	17.51

For further information please contact John Byrne on 087 4199018 or at john at cartell.ie or check out www.cartell.ie for further information.

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Used Car Sales Down 4.2%

Admin Admin — Wed, 21 Aug 2019 08:33:55 +0000

PRESS RELEASE

Vehicle history and data expert Cartell.ie announce today (21^st August) on the findings from the latest state of the market report in conjunction with BAC Auto Consulting. Used car sales for the first seven months of 2019 are down 4.2% including imports and down 4.4% excluding imports.

Used car sales have fallen every month this year over the same period in 2018 except for March, where the fall in used car sales in March 2018 helped deliver a 9% increase in total used car sales in March 2019, 6.3% increase excluding imports.

Total used car imports hit 22.9% of all used car sales to the end of July 2019. This is up from 21.9% of all used car sales in 2018. The figure of 22.9% constitutes a record since Cartell has started recording this figure. This increase of imports impacting used car sales is expected to continue whilst the UK border stays open and the euro remains strong against the pound.

The report states:

While the issue of an open or closed border between Ireland and the UK is seen as the biggest issue facing Brexit, there is some irony that a closed border could actually be a good thing for parts of Ireland’s automotive industry according to the latest data from Cartell.ie Carstat database. Back in 2013, with a relatively strong euro against the British pound imports were flooding in at a rate of 2 for every 3 new cars sold. The collapse of the Euro in 2015 saw this drop to a ratio of 1:3 before rising again to a record of almost 4 imports for every 5 new cars sold in 2018. However, the UK stumbling over Brexit saw UK businesses stockpiling in the run-up to the original March 2019 Brexit data which boosted UK GDP growth and strengthened the pound against the euro.”

Despite the pound weakening since March total imports remain 5.4% down over the first six months of last year.

The UK car market fell by 4.3% for the first half of 2019 compared to the same period last year. Both markets are also seeing the introduction of the Real Driving Emissions (RDE) test. This could see some UK dealers and manufacturers pushing new car sales in the run-up to September to clear out stock before the new regulations are mandated and to recover some lost sales. The political brinkmanship over Brexit could also keep the pound weak adding to the attractiveness of importing.

ENDS

The report was written by auto consultants BAC using Cartell.ie data.

For further information please contact John Byrne on 087 4199018 or at john at cartell.ie or check out www.cartell.ie for further information.

Cartell.ie was set up in 2006 to help buyers make an informed choice when buying a used vehicle – including imported vehicles – by providing a user-friendly and cost-effective vehicle data checking service. Cartell.ie is a totally independent company and fully Irish owned.

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Half of ‘imports’ checked in 2019 showed alerts

Admin Admin — Wed, 14 Aug 2019 08:23:53 +0000

PRESS RELEASE

AudiCheck.ie launched to provide vehicle history transparency

[14/08/2019]: Audi Ireland has launched an innovative joint promotion with vehicle history and data expert Cartell.ie to provide vehicle condition transparency to all Audi drivers. Recognising the risks faced by potential purchasers of imported Audi vehicles, a new user-friendly website AudiCheck.ie is now operational. The new website will allow customers check their Audi vehicle (imported or domestic) for any software update or product enhancements requirements. By simply entering their registration number, customers will be notified of any software updates or product enhancement requirements which can be rectified free of charge at their local authorised Audi dealer.

Cartell.ie tracked the ‘imported’ fleet in 2019 (cars only, all makes & models) between January 1st and June 30th. From a sample of over 5,906 vehicles offered for sale on their UK registration plate and checked via the Cartell.ie website in 2019 it was found that the percentage of vehicles checked by consumers returning discrepancies on their mileage stood at 23%.

The percentage of vehicles checked by the consumer returning an outstanding finance marker stood at 14.4% and the comparable figure for vehicles returning a damage alert stood at 16.4%.

Jason Mallon, Head of Aftersales, Audi Ireland said

“The Audi network has a comprehensive used car offering for Audi customers. We acknowledge that customers purchase used cars via private sales or through other channels. This new partnership is giving used Audi drivers the opportunity to get the care and attention their car requires from the experts. Peace of mind is crucial for customers when purchasing an Audi. All cars sold via our dealer network come with a car history check along with a comprehensive 110 point check. Our partnership with Cartell.ie encourages customers who don’t buy from the Audi network to get a history check when buying a used Audi. If they get a Cartell.ie history check, we offer the value of the Cartell History Check back in the form of a voucher. This voucher can be redeemed against Audi services or accessories with Audi Authorised Service Dealers in the Republic of Ireland.

Jeff Aherne, Director, Cartell.ie says:

“These figures are startling and show how cautious a buyer has to be in the market. More than 50% of all the cars in the sample of vehicles checked on their UK registration plate in 2019 returned a significant alert on the vehicle. A buyer shopping abroad can avail of some excellent value however with the high number of discrepancies in vehicles checked it is always wise to carry out a check prior to purchase.”

Cartell.ie looked at the overall make-up of the imported fleet in 2019 and found that the Audi A4 and Audi A6 featured prominently in the list occupying the fourth and fifth slots respectively. In terms of the overall make-up of the brands Audi places third in 2019.

ENDS

Notes for Editors:

[twocol_one]

Table 1: The Most Popular imported models year to date 2019

Rank	Model	Number
1	GOLF	2657
2	FOCUS	2495
3	QASHQAI	1719
4	A6	1422
5	A4	1372
6	520	1331
7	PASSAT	1179
8	I30	1047

[/twocol_one]

[twocol_one_last]

Table 2: The Most Popular imported brands year to date 2019

Rank	Manufacturer	Number
1	VOLKSWAGEN	5798
2	FORD	5425
3	AUDI	4640
4	HYUNDAI	3867
5	BMW	3859
6	MERCEDES BENZ	3636
7	TOYOTA	3557
8	NISSAN	2929

[/twocol_one_last]

About Cartell.ie

For further information please contact John Byrne on 087 4199018 or at john at cartell.ie or check out www.cartell.ie for further information.

The promotion is applicable with Audi Authorised Service Dealers in the Republic of Ireland. A minimum spend of €50 is required and the voucher is valid for 12 months from the date of the Cartell history check.

The post Half of ‘imports’ checked in 2019 showed alerts appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

Consumer Shift towards Electric Vehicles (EVs) and Hybrids

Admin Admin — Wed, 24 Apr 2019 08:15:56 +0000

PRESS RELEASE

The International Car Tech and Mobility Summit organisers Electronomous and Mobility X report today (April 23) on a sharp consumer shift towards Electric Vehicles (EVs) and a healthy growth in the numbers of hybrid vehicles: EV numbers are up 6 times on last year and the hybrid market has advanced 20 per cent.

In stats provided by Cartell.ie the organisers note that the price-point for hybrid vehicles has risen in the first two months of 2019 compared with previous years indicating a consumer preference towards higher specification vehicles in this corner of the market. The overall numbers of hybrids sold in the first 2 months of 2019 displays a healthy annualised increase of 20 per cent. This growth weighs against the backdrop of a decline in diesel sales – down 23 per cent. Self-charging Hybrids are expected to grow to 12% or 1 in 8 of new cars sold in 2020.

Table 1: Value and units of Hybrid Vehicles sold first two months of the year 2017 to 2019 (Source: Cartell Carstat)

Date	Numbers	Average Value
2017-03-01	1976	31340
2018-03-01	3122	31940
2019-03-01	3760	34680

Electric Vehicles (EVs)

In additional stats provided by Cartell.ie the organisers note that the price-point for the Electric Vehicle has settled just above €33,000. Combined with a growth in the numbers of people buying new cars in this price bracket – where prices are over €30,000 – and the recent consumer trend towards buying an EV the market could be prime for EV sales in 2020/21. This argument applies equally to hybrid vehicles.

The organisers would expect to see very healthy growth in EVs in 2020 – more than 3,000 units for the first 2 months of next year is easily achievable and 5,000 units is not impossible. This anticipates EVs being sold at a value in the low €30,000s and the continuing consumer advance towards buying cars in the €30,000 to €40,000 bracket. As Electronomous expect this to be the most popular bracket for new car sales within the next two years this could yield significant growth in EVs over that period as consumers are faced with a like-for-like choice in terms of price knowing that EVs can yield savings down in the line in terms of running costs.

Table 2: Value and units of Electric Vehicles sold first two months of the year 2017 to 2019 (Source: Cartell Carstat)

Date	Units	Average Value
2017-03-01	229	26261
2018-03-01	174	40540
2019-03-01	1045	33417

One thing that is open to interpretation however is the future market demand outcome – whether demand will move more towards Electric Vehicles or towards their hybrid equivalents. Self-charging Hybrids now make up 7.7 per cent of the car market against 2.2 per cent for EVs. In volume terms, Hybrid growth continues on an equivalent level to EVs.

The advantage with the hybrid is that it is much closer to what the average consumer is already familiar with and it fends off so-called range anxiety. The case for the EV turns more on the additional environmental benefits a car of this type delivers (in terms of its day-to-day performance) and the fact that range anxiety will also become less of an issue as additional battery capacity coming on stream pushes vehicles of this type to deliver more range in the future.

Michael Gaynor, Marketing Director, Toyota Ireland says:

We continue to see consumers make the shift from diesel to self-charging hybrids where 80% of all our car sales in 2019 will be hybrids. Our next generation hybrid engines can now deliver up to 60 per cent zero emissions driving, giving consumers much of the benefit of a pure electrified car without the compromise of re-recharging or range anxiety. It’s why we expect self-charging hybrids to account for 12 per cent of private car sales in 2020, growing to 20 per cent by 2021.”

ENDS

Editors Notes:

Electronomous is one of Europe’s leading AUTOMOTIVE TECHNOLOGY EVENTS. This International Summit brings together World Class speakers, exhibitors and delegates in the field of Electric Vehicles, Connected Car Technology, ADAS, Cyber Security, Autonomous Vehicles and all in the beautiful setting of Killarney, Ireland.

It provides a unique glimpse at how technology will affect the Automotive Industry, Insurance industry, Car Finance Industry, Car Sales and Motoring into the future. It also offers an unprecedented opportunity to Network with Industry leaders and leading experts in the fields mentioned above, while also providing a great platform to create new business relationships.

Notes for Editors – The MobilityX VIP Weekend Package

Kicking off right after the conference, on Friday 3rd at 12pm. Designed for Executives, Policy makers, and Transportation Authorities, this weekend will be a private event designed to help you get to know some of the most innovative executives in the self-driving industry. Places on this event are limited to a small number of VPs, Founders, Investors, CEOs and other invited guests from the Industry. It is an opportunity to get to know some of the best people in the industry, while also relaxing in the beautiful Killarney.

The Summit is taking place May 2^nd and May 3^rd.

Tickets for Electronomous are available by logging on to http://www.electronomous.com

For more information on Mobility X see: www.mobilityx.co

For further media information/press accreditation/images and interview requests please contact:

John Byrne, 087 4199018 or john at cartell.ie

Graph 1: Value of New Vehicles purchased in Ireland by price bracket 2003-2019 (Source: Cartell Carstat)

The post Consumer Shift towards Electric Vehicles (EVs) and Hybrids appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

Silicon Valley comes to Kerry

Admin Admin — Thu, 18 Apr 2019 13:43:18 +0000

PRESS RELEASE

Electronomous – The International Car Tech & Mobility Summit

Electronomous in partnership with Mobility X announces today (April 18) the latest instalment of the exciting International Car Tech and Mobility Summit- Electronomous.

Hollywood Star and Racing Driver Michael Fassbender will lead the gathering with a fireside chat with former Top Gear host and motoring journalist – Quentin Willson.

Electronomous welcomes Silicon Valley to Ireland for our 2019 event as part of a new and exciting partnership with Mobility X. With the assistance of Enterprise Ireland and IDA, this year’s event will bring disruptors and World Class speakers from the tech world together with the auto industry, research community and stakeholders in Connected Cars, Autonomous Vehicles, Alternative Power Trains & Mobility and all in the beautiful setting of Killarney, Ireland.

18-04-2019 PIC SHOWS: (L-R) Francois Colussi MobilityX , Keith Whelan Electronomous Event Manager and Richard Lahiff from Cartell.ie launching the International Car Tech and Mobility Summit.

The event provides a unique glimpse at how technology will affect the Automotive Industry, Insurance industry, Car Finance Industry, Car Sales, Motoring & Mobility into the future. It also offers an unprecedented opportunity to Network with Industry leaders and leading experts in the fields mentioned above, while also providing a great platform to create new business relationships.

Already the Leading Car Technology Event in Europe the event attracts C-level Industry executives, Engineers operating with OEMs, owners and operators of lease or rental fleets, regulatory bodies, insurance companies, technology providers, product developers, telecommunication operators, car sharing and automotive mobility solutions providers

Confirmed speakers include:

Hollywood Movie Star, Michael Fassbender

Danny Shapiro, Senior Director of Automotive, NVIDIA

Xavier Collins, Managing Director UK, Turo

Caroline Hazlehurst, Director of EMEA Operations, Bird

Luc Vincent, VP Engineering, Lyft

Maik Stephan, Executive Director, E-Mobility, Volkswagen Group AG.

Stefan Deix, Director of EUCAR, the European Council for Automotive R&D

Robert Hambrick, CEO, AutonomouStuff

And many more to be announced.

Keith Whelan, Event Manager for Electronomous says:

It’s completely unique to have such a world class line up of speakers and delegates from the Automotive and tech worlds coming together outside of one of Europe’s major automotive capitals. With our new partnership with Mobility X, this year will see a large contingent of exciting companies attend from Silicon Valley, so it’s a real opportunity for Irish and European companies to connect with global players in the beautiful setting of Killarney, Ireland.”

The MobilityX Conference

For the 2019 Electronomous, we are delighted to announce a New Stage – curated by our partners at Mobility X Conference. The MobilityX Stage will run parallel to the Main Stage at Electronomous. The Mobility X stage will host some of the World’s leading figures in self driving cars and mobility. It is a gathering of global autonomous vehicle leaders featuring executive level automotive professionals from across a range of industries.

The year the MobilityX weekend which follows on from Electronomous will be an action-packed VIP weekend (3rd-5th May) for speakers and invited guests from the World’s Automotive Industry. The VIP weekend will transport you to the most scenic spots on the West Coast of Ireland and will include activities such as kitesurfing, mountain biking and Stand Up Paddle-boarding.

This is a unique opportunity for those with an interest or working in the Self-Driving Vehicle industry to meet leading companies, CEO, founders and executives from the autonomous vehicle and mobility industry.

Tickets are limited and are available for purchase at https://www.electronomous.com/.

More information on the Mobility X weekend can be found at http://www.mobilityx.co/

ENDS

Editors Notes:

Notes for Editors – The MobilityX VIP Weekend Package

The Summit is taking place May 2^nd and May 3^rd.

Tickets for Electronomous are available by logging on:

to http://www.electronomous.com

For more information on Mobility X see: www.mobilityx.co

For further media information/press accreditation/images and interview requests please contact:

John Byrne, 087 4199018 or john at cartell.ie

The post Silicon Valley comes to Kerry appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

CO2 Emissions – the trend is unfortunately upwards

Admin Admin — Wed, 10 Apr 2019 08:19:33 +0000

PRESS RELEASE

Vehicle history and data expert Cartell.ie report today (10^th April) on a concerning increase in CO₂ emissions. In 2018, Cartell looked at the state of CO₂ emissions in the private transport sector. It had been then reported that Ireland faced a significant fine in 2020 for a “serious rise in Irish greenhouse gas emissions” – which had been partly attributed to the transport sector where emissions increased by 3.7 per cent in 2016.

Unfortunately Cartell reports today the situation has actually worsened in respect of our emission of CO₂. In a worrying development for Government there has been an upturn in the average CO₂ emissions of new vehicles sold in Ireland: in 2018 average emissions increased for the first time since 2004 recording a reading of 113g CO₂/km. More concerning is that the trend is now upwards – the reading recorded for the first two months of 2019 is 115g CO₂/km.

Graph 2: Average CO₂of new private vehicles bought in Ireland 2003-2019 (Source: Cartell Carstat)

Table 2: Average CO₂of new private vehicles bought in Ireland 2003-2019 (Source: Cartell Carstat)

Date	CO₂
2003-01-01	165
2004-01-01	166
2005-01-01	165
2006-01-01	165
2007-01-01	164
2008-01-01	159
2009-01-01	142
2010-01-01	136
2011-01-01	129
2012-01-01	125
2013-01-01	121
2014-01-01	117
2015-01-01	115
2016-01-01	112
2017-01-01	111
2018-01-01	113
2019-01-01	115

John Byrne, Cartell.ie, says:

Remember, we are looking exclusively at new cars sold in Ireland so any arguments with respect to imported vehicles can be entirely discounted. We considered whether the average emissions are possibly increasing in line with a buying trend towards purchase of more expensive vehicles, meaning these results are correlative with the general increase in the value of new vehicles sold. However, this wouldn’t really explain the increase in emissions per se as manufacturers have invested considerable amounts of money to reduce emissions in their fleet in-line with overarching concerns for the environment globally.”

The reason for the increase may simply be the buying trend towards larger more practical vehicles like SUVs in favour of saloons.

ENDS

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Used Car Sales Down

Admin Admin — Tue, 02 Apr 2019 16:42:12 +0000

PRESS RELEASE

Vehicle history and data expert Cartell.ie announce today (April 3^rd) on the findings from the latest state of the market report in conjunction with auto consultants BAC. Used car sales for the first two months of 2019 are 6,765 units down – a decline of 3.8%. However, used imports rose 4.6% in 2018 and this may have weighed on used car sales.

Used car sales have now been falling for more than 2 years. In 2018 despite strong used car sales volume growth in April and October it wasn’t enough to outweigh the fall in used car sales seen in 8 of the 12 months resulting in total used car sales for 2018 dropping 1.8% against 2017 which was itself 1.8% down against 2016.

Some of this is due to the WLTP impacts which saw a lot of new cars registered in the run up to September which were then sold as used vehicles the following month resulting in used car sales rising 8.8% in October 2018 over the same period the previous year.

Total used car imports hit 21.9% of all used car sales last year up from 20.6% the previous year. 2019 has seen that market share follow the trend seen in new and nearly new imports with January and February 2019 imports accounting for just 20.8% of used car sales.

The Bank of England’s decision to increase the base rate to 0.75% in August 2018 has had a little downward impact on sterling although not as much as many had anticipated and whilst the prospect of a no deal Brexit looms there is unlikely to be much which will see sterling rally against the euro in the immediate future.

In total terms used car sales for the first two months of 2019 are 6,765 units down which is a total fall of 3.8%. With 2016 seeing a peak of 945,000 used cars sold which has declined by 1.8% for each of the two successive years there is little to inspire confidence that anything but a continuation of that decline with used car sales expect to be down around 3.5% for the full year.

ENDS

The report was written in conjunction with auto consultants BAC.

For further information please contact John Byrne on 087 4199018 or at john at cartell.ie or check out www.cartell.ie for further information.

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The post Used Car Sales Down appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

Michael Fassbender to feature in Rally of the Lakes

Admin Admin — Wed, 27 Feb 2019 12:15:58 +0000

PRESS RELEASE

The Rally of the Lakes organised by the Killarney and District Motor Club and title sponsor Vehicle History and Data Expert Cartell.ie are delighted to announce today (27^th February) that this year’s Cartell.ie Rally of the Lakes will feature the participation of a Hollywood A-lister.

Michael Fassbender, the Oscar-nominated-star of 12 Years A Slave, X-Men and Steve Jobs, will compete in the event. Michael grew up in Killarney, Co. Kerry and is an avid participant of motorsport, successfully competing in the North American Ferrari Challenge series and the Ferrari Challenge series at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. He is currently contracted to drive for Porsche in the Porsche Cup series.

This year marks the 40^th anniversary of the Rally of the Lakes. It also marks the 10^th year that Cartell has marked the event as title sponsor.

To celebrate the 40^th anniversary this year’s event will feature “Lakes RallyFest Ireland” – a rallying festival to coincide with the addition of a pre-1990 section to the annual programme.

Clerk of the Course Dermot Healy says:

The rallying years leading up to 1990 included the “golden age” of rallying. Many of these iconic rally cars are alive and well, but many remain out of view from the Irish rally fan.”

ENDS

About Cartell.ie: Cartell.ie was set up in 2006 to help buyers make an informed choice when buying a used vehicle – including imported vehicles – by providing a user-friendly and cost-effective vehicle data checking service. Cartell.ie is a totally independent company and fully Irish owned.

For further information please contact John Byrne on 087 4199018 or at john at cartell.ie or check out www.cartell.ie for further information.

Keep an eye on www.rallyofthelakes.com for updates.

The post Michael Fassbender to feature in Rally of the Lakes appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

Large Numbers of Diesels Being Imported

Admin Admin — Wed, 24 Oct 2018 07:54:01 +0000

PRESS RELEASE

Vehicle history and data expert CARTELL.IE reports today (October 24th) on the profile of vehicles being imported into Ireland in 2018 and reports that Irish buyers are importing diesel vehicles in significant numbers.

Cartell.ie tracked the imported fleet in 2018 (all vehicles) between January 1^st and September 30^th (3 quarters) and found that the vast majority (76%) of vehicles currently imported into Ireland are diesel aspirated. There has also been a significant jump in the numbers of Petrol/Electric Vehicles (+193%) and Electric Vehicles (+148%) over the past 12 months indicating these vehicles are finding their feet in the Irish market.

Graph 1: 2018 (Jan to Sep) Imports by Fuel Type (All vehicles) (Source: Cartell Carstat)

Table 1: 2018 and 2017 (Jan to Sep) Imports by Fuel Type (All vehicles) (Source: Cartell Carstat)

Year of Sale/Fuel Type	DIESEL	PETROL	PETROL/ELECTRIC	ELECTRIC	PETROL/PLUG-IN HYBRID ELECTRIC
2018	74042	17207	3502	529	803
2017	71483	16181	1810	357	130

Makes and Models Imported

In terms of the manufacturer breakdown Ford returns the most numbers of vehicles (all types) imported in 2018. Ford is followed by Volkswagen and Audi with Toyota occupying fourth positon.

Table 2: 2018 (Jan to Sep) Imports by Manufacturer (All vehicles) (Source: Cartell Carstat)

Year of Sale/Manufacturer	FORD	VW	AUDI	TOYOTA	BMW	HYUNDAI	MERCEDES BENZ
2018	11990	10583	6662	6578	6202	5406	5254

The most popular model imported year-to-date is the VW Golf ahead of the Ford Focus.

Table 3: 2018 (Jan to Sep) Imports by Model (Source: Cartell Carstat)

Year of Sale/Model	GOLF	FOCUS	QASHQAI	PASSAT	520
2018	4356	4124	2459	2409	2254

Registration Year Imported and Segment

In 2018 the most popular year of import is a 4 year-old-vehicle (2014) neck and neck with a three-year-old vehicle (2015). These ages were also the most popular in 2017 although a three-year-old vehicle was more popular that year. The most popular vehicle segment for imports is the C segment followed by the D segment – the same as for 2017.

Table 4: 2018 (Jan to Sep) Imports by Registration Year (Source: Cartell Carstat)

Year of Sale/Registration Year	2014	2015	2013	2016	2012	2017	2011
2018	17427	17418	11373	9215	8458	6901	6243

Table 5: 2018 (Jan to Sep) Imports by Segment (Source: Cartell Carstat)

Year of Sale/Segment	C	D	C-SUV	B	E PREMIUM	D PREMIUM
2018	18523	9012	7967	7551	6868	6313

John Byrne, General Counsel, Cartell.ie says:

This snapshot of the Irish market shows the Irish buyer is especially keen to import a diesel vehicle, usually a three or four-year-old and often a Focus, Golf, or Qashqai – models which have been consistently popular in the domestic market. The jump in the numbers of Electric Vehicles and Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles being imported shows that buyers of those types of vehicles can see the value of importing and also points to a growth in the market for those vehicle types. Overall we would see imports remaining strong until at least the due date for Brexit in March 2019.”

ENDS

Notes for Editors:

Graph 2: 2017 (Jan to Sep) Imports by Fuel Type (All vehicles) (Source: Cartell Carstat)

Table 6: 2017 (Jan to Sep) Imports by Manufacturer (All vehicles) (Source: Cartell Carstat)

Year of Sale/Manufacturer	FORD	VW	TOYOTA	AUDI	VAUXHALL	BMW	HYUNDAI
2017	12645	10432	6408	6167	5199	4627	4378

Table 7: 2017 (Jan to Sep) Imports by Model (Source: Cartell Carstat)

Year of Sale/Model	FOCUS	GOLF	PASSAT	A4	520
2017	4918	4328	2523	2248	1626

Table 8: 2017 (Jan to Sep) Imports by Registration Year (Source: Cartell Carstat)

Year of Sale/Registration Year	2014	2013	2012	2011	2015	2010	2016	2009
2017	15884	14649	10741	8322	7982	6770	5888	4918

Table 9: 2017 (Jan to Sep) Imports by Segment (Source: Cartell Carstat)

Year of Sale/Segment	C	D	B	COMMERCIAL-LCV	D PREMIUM	E PREMIUM
2017	19358	9478	7913	6606	5617	5541

For further information please contact John Byrne on 087 4199018 or at john at cartell.ie or check out www.cartell.ie for further information.

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Age of Private Fleet Drops on Younger Imports

Admin Admin — Wed, 03 Oct 2018 08:08:09 +0000

PRESS RELEASE

Vehicle history and data expert CARTELL.IE reports today (October 3^rd) that the age of the native Irish fleet is now at its lowest level since September 2013 and the imported fleet age, thanks to a surge in newer imports, is now at its lowest level since August 2010.

Cartell.ie tracked the age of the fleet (both native fleet and imported fleet) on the first day of each month between September 1999 and September 2018. Between September 2017 and September 2018 the imported fleet has declined in age from an average of 9.14 years to 8.81 years (-121 days). For the equivalent period the native fleet has declined from 8.59 years to 8.46 years (-48 days).

Graph 1: Age of Private Fleet, Native fleet, Imports 1999 to 2018 (Source: Cartell Carstat)

The age of the fleet oscillates throughout the year as vehicles leave the fleet and others enter. However the drop in age of the imported fleet since September 2017 has been particularly notable.

John Byrne, General Counsel, Cartell.ie, says:

The impact of imports has been even more noticeable in 2018 as owners retire older native vehicles and look to replace them with newer imported vehicles in ever increasing numbers. The imported fleet age has dropped by 121 days in the past year – that’s a sizeable drop. Even the native fleet is getting younger, showing a decline of 48 days in the last 12 months as people are moving up the years. In terms of the outlook for 2019, Brexit certainly makes it more difficult to make predictions, but we would still expect to see the age of the fleet continue to fall in the near term as buyers look to replace older vehicles.”In January 2015 Cartell released data which showed the age of the private fleet in Ireland had levelled-off significantly for the first time in over 10 years – supporting our view the market was then going into recovery.”

In November 2017 Cartell reported the age of the native fleet stood at 8.62 years while the age of the imported fleet stood at 9.02 years: which was the youngest recorded age for the imported fleet since July 2011. The overall age of the private fleet in Ireland (native and imported) stood at 8.7 years: representing a decline of 80 days since January 2017. That equivalent figure now stands at 8.54 years representing a decline of 59 days since those figures were released.

The imported fleet is now at its youngest level since 1^st August 2010.

ENDS

Notes for Editors:

Table 1: Age of Native Fleet and Imported Fleet – 2017 to 2018 (Source: Cartell Carstat)

Date	Native Fleet Age	Imported Fleet Age	Combined Fleet Age
01/09/2017	8.59	9.14	8.70
01/10/2017	8.61	9.10	8.71
01/11/2017	8.63	9.07	8.73
01/12/2017	8.67	9.05	8.75
01/01/2018	8.70	9.04	8.78
01/02/2018	8.57	9.01	8.66
01/03/2018	8.52	8.96	8.62
01/04/2018	8.49	8.93	8.58
01/05/2018	8.49	8.90	8.58
01/06/2018	8.50	8.88	8.59
01/07/2018	8.53	8.85	8.61
01/08/2018	8.45	8.84	8.53
01/09/2018	8.46	8.81	8.54

Table 2: Age of Native Fleet and Imported Fleet – September 1999 to September 2018 (Source: Cartell Carstat)

Date	Native Fleet Age	Imported Fleet Age	Combined Fleet Age
01/09/1999	5.59	6.38	5.61
01/09/2000	5.02	6.80	5.09
01/09/2001	4.90	7.33	5.01
01/09/2002	5.07	7.88	5.21
01/09/2003	5.27	8.34	5.42
01/09/2004	5.51	8.66	5.68
01/09/2005	5.69	8.65	5.88
01/09/2006	5.89	8.57	6.10
01/09/2007	6.06	8.64	6.30
01/09/2008	6.31	8.69	6.57
01/09/2009	6.83	8.64	7.06
01/09/2010	7.26	8.82	7.47
01/09/2011	7.62	9.03	7.82
01/09/2012	8.03	9.24	8.21
01/09/2013	8.45	9.33	8.59
01/09/2014	8.61	9.15	8.70
01/09/2015	8.73	9.33	8.84
01/09/2016	8.68	9.42	8.82
01/09/2017	8.59	9.14	8.70
01/09/2018	8.46	8.81	8.54

References:

https://www.cartell.ie/2015/01/age-of-fleet-levels-off-as-car-industry-in-recovery/

https://www.cartell.ie/2017/11/age-fleet-falls-imports-time-high/

For further information please contact John Byrne on 087 4199018 or at john at cartell.ie or check out www.cartell.ie for further information.

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Average Value of New Private Vehicle more than €30,000

Admin Admin — Wed, 25 Jul 2018 08:04:27 +0000

Vehicle history and data expert CARTELL.IE report today (July 25^th) that the buyer of a new private vehicle in Ireland is now purchasing a vehicle worth more than €30,000 on average for the first time since Cartell.ie started recording these statistics.

Cartell.ie calculated the total value of new vehicles purchased in Ireland between the years 2006 and 2018 based on the recommended Open Market Selling Price (OMSP) for each vehicle and summing them up. The company divided the total value for each year by the number of new vehicles sold that year to establish the average value per buyer.

Unsurprisingly, Cartell.ie found the average value of a new vehicle purchased fluctuated with the fortunes of the economy, so, in 2007 at the height of the boom the average value of a vehicle purchased was €28,106 which dropped to €24,758 in 2011 before increasing steadily every year since then as the economy improved. In 2016 the average value of a new vehicle was already back to boom time levels recording €28,385 while in 2017 the value had ticked up 4% to €29,481.

For the first 6 months of 2018 the average value has now hit €30,000 returning a figure of €30,130: the first 6 months of 2017 recorded €29,391 before ending the year on €29,481. This shows the average Irish buyer is now buying a vehicle worth €30,000 for the first time since Cartell.ie started recording these statistics.

Table 1: Average value of new private vehicle bought in Ireland 2006 – 2017 (Source: Cartell.ie Carstat)

Year	New Private Sales	Average Value	*% Change*
2006	173049	26997
2007	180794	28106	+4.1
2008	147108	28108	+0.0
2009	54146	25856	-8.0
2010	86644	23940	-7.4
2011	88466	24758	+3.4
2012	78347	26059	+5.3
2013	73327	26210	+0.6
2014	94804	26656	+1.7
2015	122785	27108	+1.7
2016	142787	28385	+4.7
2017	124865	29481	+3.9

Inflation

Adjusted for inflation the figure recorded for average value for the 12 months ending 1^st January 2018 (€27,786) is higher than the figure recorded for the average value in 2006 (€26,997) – right in the middle of the boom.

Table 2: Inflation adjusted average value of new private vehicle bought in Ireland 2006 – 2017

*Year*	*New Private Vehicle Sales*	*Average Value*	*Total Sales Value*	*Inflation Index*	*Total Sales Value Adjusted*	*Average Value Adjusted*	*% Change*
2006	173,004	26,997	4,670,588,988	100	4,670,588,988	26,997
2007	180,741	28,106	5,079,906,546	104.7	4,851,868,716	26,844	-0.57%
2008	147,078	28,108	4,134,068,424	105.8	3,907,437,074	26,567	-1.03%
2009	54,139	25,856	1,399,817,984	100.8	1,388,708,317	25,651	-3.45%
2010	86,630	23,940	2,073,922,200	102.1	2,031,265,622	23,448	-8.59%
2011	88,464	24,758	2,190,191,712	104.6	2,093,873,530	23,669	0.95%
2012	78,340	26,059	2,041,462,060	105.7	1,931,373,756	24,654	4.16%
2013	73,319	26,210	1,921,690,990	105.9	1,814,627,941	24,750	0.39%
2014	94,775	26,656	2,526,322,400	105.6	2,392,350,758	25,242	1.99%
2015	122,745	27,108	3,327,371,460	105.7	3,147,938,940	25,646	1.60%
2016	142,624	28,385	4,048,382,240	105.7	3,830,068,344	26,854	4.71%
2017	124,843	29,481	3,680,496,483	106.1	3,468,893,952	27,786	3.47%

Table 3: Average value of new private vehicle bought in Ireland (Jan to June, i.e. 6-month period) 2013 – 2018 (Source: Cartell.ie Carstat)

Year	New Private Sales	Average Value	% Change
2013	52470	26110
2014	64772	26536	+1.6
2015	80958	26916	+1.4
2016	99214	28257	+5.0
2017	87212	29391	+4.0
2018	82747	30130	+2.5

Why has the average value been increasing?

Cartell.ie considered several possible reasons for the increase in the average value of a private vehicle purchased in Ireland over the last several years:

Consumers may be opting for more expensive vehicles, or more expensive vehicle types like SUVs and Crossover vehicles, or MPVs
Buyer has more cash to spend or more available lines of credit. Financial products such as Personal Contract Plans (PCPs) came to prominence in Ireland during the recession as manufacturers sought a means to provide direct lines of credit to potential buyers
Buyers may want larger cars. The country had a recorded population of 4.23 million in Census 2006 which increased to 4.76 million in Census 2016. This increase may have weighed on buyer decisions, for instance, buyers with younger children may need additional space
Vehicles are more expensive to manufacture, to comply with NCAP safety ratings, for example, this increases the cost of manufacture: the consumer now often expects certain higher specification items as standard too – larger wheels, alloys, on-board technology, Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) features – which all increase the manufacture cost
Increased consumer demand for hybrid vehicles (where technology is more expensive to implement) could be making an impact, along with changes in buyer habits to more environmentally friendly vehicles, and guided generally by the move to city-clean air policies.
Vehicles in the current generation often weigh more than for previous generations to accommodate additional safety systems

John Byrne, Legal and Public Relations Manager, Cartell.ie said:

The buyer of a new vehicle is getting more features than ever before, more technology, more safety, for example. The buyer has also shown an appetite for other features which manufacturers are increasingly rolling out as standard such as alloy wheels and electric windows. Combined, these features increase manufacturing costs and push average values upwards. The buyer may also be opting for more expensive cars owing to more readily available lines of credit or simply because buyers are keen to buy a larger car when fuel economy and motor taxation figures have dropped so significantly across the board.

Buyers have different buying habits: some will enter the market with an open mind and opt for the best available deal within their budget; while others will be keen to opt for the same manufacturer or the same model.

Remember this study is considering average values of new private vehicles based on the Open Market Selling Price: we are not looking at the price actually paid by the buyer: the actual deals struck between the buyer and the seller will vary widely to account for discounts, sales events, and trade-in values for example.”

ENDS

About Cartell.ie:

For further information please contact John Byrne on 087 4199018 or at john at cartell.ie or check out www.cartell.ie for further information.

Notes to Editor:

While compiling these figures Cartell assessed, for all the years, the Open Market Selling Price for each vehicle purchased, based on the Jato List price.
Rates of inflation are CPI
The study deducted public grants and VRT rebates for environmentally friendly vehicles such as Electric Vehicles and Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles (EVs/PHEVs).
The values given for New Private Sales in the Tables are those successfully matched to the OMSP

The post Average Value of New Private Vehicle more than €30,000 appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

Auto, Tech worlds gear-up for Electronomous 2018

Admin Admin — Tue, 20 Mar 2018 09:52:01 +0000

Dublin, March 1, 2018 – An international line-up of experts from the automotive and technology industries will gather in Killarney, Ireland, this May for Electronomous, the annual forum for topics including electric vehicles, connected car technology, autonomous vehicles, cyber security and more.

The conference, organised by vehicle history and data expert Cartell.ie, will discuss how technology is changing all aspects of the automotive world including the rapid development of mobility solutions, as well as other key industry processes such as insurance, finance and sales.

International CAR TECH SUMMIT- Electronomous conference takes place 2-3 May in the INEC, Co. Kerry, Ireland
Event boasts “World-Class” panel of automotive / technology experts
Electronomous 2018 kicks off with exciting ‘Electric Drive’ from Dublin to Killarney

The main attraction of Electronomous is a panel of globally-renowned speakers, including Marcus Rothoff, Head of Volvo’s Autonomous Driving programme; Uwe Puetzschler, Head of Car2X at Nokia; Barry Napier, CEO of Cubic Telecom; and Gareth Dunsmore, Electric Vehicle Director with Nissan Europe, to name just a few. The event will be hosted by Quentin Wilson, former ‘Top Gear’ presenter and award-winning motoring journalist.

Acording to Jeff Aherne, Director of Cartell.ie:

Technology is disrupting all aspects of the motor industry. Electric is replacing combustion and Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) are paving the way to Autonomy. This is an opportunity for all those with an interest in the space to understand what is coming”.

Commenting on the event, Quentin Wilson said: “Electronomous is a major future transport event with industry-leading speakers, experts and fascinating debates. If you’re interested in the new era of personal mobility – it’s unmissable.”

Some of the confirmed attendees for Electronomous 2018 include Volkswagen, IBM, Toyota, BMW, Honda, Applegreen, Valeo, TomTom, Audatex, the European Council for Automotive R&D (EUCAR) and the International Energy Agency (IEA).

The event will begin with a high-profile ‘Electric Drive’ from Dublin to Killarney on the afternoon of 2 May, with TV & Motoring broadcaster Kirsteen O’Sullivan leading a fleet of electric vehicles on a 300km road trip in the company of motoring journalists and special guests. The drive will give members of the public a chance to see the range and capabilities of EVs for themselves.

Electronomous will also feature a series of pop-up ‘Tell Talks’ over the course of the event, offering a deep dive into a range of automotive / technology issues in the company of international experts.

Electronomous 2018 takes place at the INEC, Killarney, Co. Kerry, on 2-3 May 2018.

Tickets are available from www.electronomous.com

For a limited time only, Electronomous 2018 tickets are available for €300 + VAT per person (to include access to the 1.5 day event and all other associated events including the Evening Summit Dinner on May 2 at the Brehon Hotel).

For more information please contact: Pearse O’Loughlin at Cullen Communications

Mobile: 087 6299 751; email: poloughlin@cullencommunications.ie

– Ends –

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Vehicles more Fuel Efficient yet Ireland faces Carbon Penalty

Admin Admin — Wed, 14 Mar 2018 09:34:57 +0000

PRESS RELEASE

Vehicle history and data expert Cartell.ie reports today (March 14^th) that fuel efficiency for vehicles in Ireland has increased significantly yet Ireland still faces stiff EU penalties for increased carbon emissions.

Cartell.ie examined fuel efficiency figures for all new vehicles sold in Ireland between 1998 and 2017. Over that time efficiency has increased by 35 per cent from 6.98 litres per 100KMs in 1998 (“l/100”) to 4.53 l/100 in 2017. The largest increase was recorded between 2007 and 2017 when efficiency figures jumped from 6.56 (l/100) to 4.53 (l/100) an increase in efficiency of 31 per cent. This coincides with the Government’s Carbon Budget in 2007 and the change in the Motor Taxation regime for 2008 to benefit vehicles which produce less CO₂. A corollary of that is to confer a benefit on vehicles which are more fuel efficient as increased efficiency leads to production of less CO₂.

Graph 1: Average Private Consumption by Year in Ireland (Source: Cartell, Carstat)

It has been reported recently that Ireland faces significant fines for a “serious rise in Irish greenhouse gas emissions” – which has been partly attributed to the transport sector where emissions increased by 3.7 per cent in 2016. Yet fuel efficiency figures for new cars improved by 2.2 per cent between 2015 and 2016. Cartell.ie earlier reported to the media that the average annualised mileage travelled by a car 5 years-of-age or less in 2016 was 21,028 KMs. This represented an increase of 7.1 per cent over the equivalent figure for 2008 (19,635 KMs). So, while our vehicles are more fuel efficient we are using them more – this is resulting in our increased levels of CO₂.

EU Emissions Target

In terms of our EU targets: the average emissions level of a new car sold in Europe in 2016 was 118.1 grams of CO₂ per kilometre (g CO₂/km), significantly below the target of 130 g. In Ireland the average emissions level for a new car sold in 2016 was even lower at 113 g CO₂/km. However, the value for cars imported in 2016 was 118 g CO₂/km and this actually increased to 120 g CO₂/km for cars imported in 2017. It will be a source of frustration for the Government that while we easily surpassed the EU emissions target (and the EU average) for new vehicle sales in 2016, we still face significant penalties in 2020, due to our overall production of CO₂– largely attributable to economic growth.

John Byrne, Legal and Public Relations Manager, Cartell.ie says:

While our vehicles are 31 per cent more fuel efficient than they were in January 2008 we are using them more. This has obviously led to an increase in our carbon footprint and Ireland is facing heavy fines – partly due to the transport sector. Vehicles imported into Ireland are also producing more CO₂ than vehicles purchased new in Ireland. Overall the Government will be disappointed: we easily surpassed the EU emissions target in 2016 but still face heavy penalties.”

ENDS

Notes to Editors

Table 1: Average Consumption by Year – All Fleet (including imports) (Source: Cartell Carstat)

Year	Registered Petrol	Average Consumption	Registered Diesel	Average Consumption	Registered All	Average Consumption
1998	131514	7.09	20235	6.3	151749	6.98
1999	165366	7.07	21831	6.14	187197	6.96
2000	219296	6.96	26767	6.07	246063	6.86
2001	156501	7.07	30499	6.07	187000	6.91
2002	141835	7.05	40611	6	182446	6.81
2003	132119	7.02	42841	6.02	174960	6.78
2004	135051	6.99	49989	6.08	185040	6.75
2005	141701	6.94	60217	6.04	201918	6.67
2006	133217	6.84	62880	6.09	196097	6.6
2007	134457	6.81	67525	6.07	201982	6.56
2008	97030	6.68	103765	5.63	200795	6.14
2009	27609	6.19	71451	5.3	99060	5.55
2010	33044	5.79	100445	5.04	133489	5.22
2011	27614	5.54	105381	4.89	132995	5.03
2012	21850	5.41	96266	4.77	118116	4.89
2013	23093	5.24	85481	4.66	108574	4.79
2014	27380	5.19	95180	4.54	122560	4.69
2015	34991	5.06	99008	4.42	133999	4.59
2016	40152	5.05	105777	4.28	145929	4.49
2017	38111	5.04	79660	4.29	117771	4.53
2018*	16546	5.07	25577	4.35	42123	4.64

For further information please contact John Byrne on 087 4199018 or at john at cartell.ieor check out www.cartell.ie for further information.

The post Vehicles more Fuel Efficient yet Ireland faces Carbon Penalty appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

Ireland bracing for influx of UK business imports

Admin Admin — Wed, 21 Feb 2018 09:14:22 +0000

PRESS RELEASE

Vehicle history and data expert Cartell.ie has today (21st February) expressed its concern that a UK interpretation of its consumer protection laws could see the number of company imports coming into Ireland shoot up.

One million UK car buyers unknowingly bought an ex-rental or company car in the UK in the past 12 months. Now the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has ruled the fact a vehicle was an ex-fleet vehicle constitutes “material information” and should be disclosed to the consumer.

The issue raised its head after publication of a guidance note issued by the ASA in the wake of its criticism of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles UK and Glyn Hopkin in October 2017 for advertising two ex-fleet cars for sale without disclosing that they were previously used for business purposes. The ASA in its ruling in that matter stated:

We considered that if a dealer was aware that a vehicle was ex-fleet because it had previously been used for business purposes, then that was material information likely to influence a consumer’s decision to purchase it. Furthermore, if a dealer knew that such an ex-fleet vehicle was used by multiple users, then that too, was material information for consumers to make an informed decision.”

Following the ASA ruling in October 2017 Gateshead Council Trading Standards ruled against Peugeot Citroen Retail UK in January for an offence under the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 when a customer bought a car in January 2017 for around £10,000 and was told at the time of sale that the car had had one previous owner, when in fact the previous owner was an international car hire firm. The company pleaded guilty to the offence and were fined £5,000 plus costs of £500. The court also ordered the company to pay the customer £1,000 in compensation.

Cartell.ie is concerned that the fallout from the Hopkin decision and the Peugeot Citroen Retail UK case may result in an influx of ex-fleet UK vehicles into Ireland.

Jeff Aherne, Director, Cartell.ie, says:

Our biggest fear is that if the UK motor industry fail to prevent this situation escalating it will be the courts and other regulatory bodies setting the value of second-hand cars rather than the marketplace. The levels of compensation for loss in value potentially awarded in the wake of the Peugeot Citroen Retail UK case could be on a scale which would make it financially attractive to move ex-fleet vehicles out of a developing two-tier UK market and into Ireland – where the benefits of ex-fleet vehicles are better understood”.

While the cross-border flow of used vehicles ebbs and flows with exchange rates and other factors, the risk of ex-fleet vehicles flooding into Ireland could have an impact on used values, which are tracked monthly by Cartell.ie in the “Trade Retail Guide”. A UK Trading Standards decision causing a significant increase in company imports is not something we want to see as the impact on the Irish car market – and particularly on used values – would be large,” Aherne concluded.

One of the difficulties for the UK dealer network is obtaining information the vehicle in question was an ex-fleet vehicle. While this information is readily available in the Irish market – a Cartell.ie Car History Check will tell if an Irish vehicle was a company vehicle or a taxi/hackney and its tax class – it isn’t obtainable in the same way in the UK.

On the question of values: fleet vehicles are actually seen as a good used car purchase. These vehicles are generally well maintained in accordance with the manufacturers’ schedules and are in good condition. Cartell.ie would not be in agreement then with the ASA ruling in the Hopkin case when it dismissed the argument that ex-business single use vehicles might be at least as well maintained as ex-private vehicles.

ENDS

Notes to Editor:

For media enquiries about this article, please contact:

John Byrne, john@cartell.ie, +353 (0)87 4199018, or

Dean Bowkett, dbowkett@cartell.ie +44 (0) 7962 176198

About Cartell.ie

Cartell is the market leader in automotive data services. As well as confirming whether a vehicle has outstanding car finance, is recorded as a taxi/hackney, or has previously been written-off, a Cartell Car Check also confirms many other details, including the make, model, colour, door plan, and engine size. Cartell can also supply you with a full UK vehicle history check through its partners HPI UK.

HPI are the market leaders in the UK and have been the No.1 supplier of car history data since their launch in 1938. Cartell is the only company in Ireland with licensed access to HPI UK data and the National Mileage Register in the UK, which holds over 200 million readings. In 2006, it established the official National Mileage Register, Ireland’s largest database of mileages with almost 20 million readings, to alert car buyers and dealers to potential mileage discrepancies.

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Native Irish Fleet Lowest Since 2006 – As Imports Soar

Admin Admin — Wed, 31 Jan 2018 08:47:41 +0000

Vehicle history and data expert CARTELL.IE reports today (January 31^st) that the size of the native Irish fleet is now at its lowest level since March 2006 (1.78 million) as imports soar (488k). The size of the native fleet (vehicles first registered in Ireland) fell quite dramatically in the final quarter of 2017: recording 1.85 million in September falling to 1.78 million by the end of December.

Cartell.ie tracked the size of the fleet (both native fleet and imported fleet) on the first day of each month between January 1999 and January 2018. Between January 2017 and January 2018 the imported fleet has increased in size from 444,217 to 487,492 (+43,275). For the equivalent period the native fleet has declined from 1,838,573 to 1,784,716 (-53,857).

Graph 1: Size of Private Fleet, Native fleet, Imports 1999 to 2018 (Source: Cartell Carstat)

The size of the fleet oscillates throughout the year as vehicles leave the fleet and others enter (new and imported). However the decline in size of the native fleet since September has been particularly notable.

John Byrne, Legal and Public Relations Manager, Cartell.ie, says:

The impact of imports has been noticeable in 2017 as owners retire native vehicles and look to replace them with imported vehicles in ever increasing numbers. We would see imports remaining strong in 2018 alongside a curb in demand for new diesel vehicles. While hybrid and electric vehicle sales will continue to dominate headlines with analysts waiting for a headwind to bring in larger numbers of sales it’s still likely the dominate theme for 2018 will be imports.”

ENDS

Notes for Editors:

Table 1: Size of Native Fleet and Imported Fleet – 2017 to 2018 (Source: Cartell Carstat)

Date	Native Fleet Size	Imported Fleet Size
01/01/2017	1838573	444217
01/02/2017	1863554	448304
01/03/2017	1866925	452452
01/04/2017	1872792	457357
01/05/2017	1867641	461009
01/06/2017	1861182	465042
01/07/2017	1848626	468757
01/08/2017	1859613	472461
01/09/2017	1848975	476748
01/10/2017	1834861	480910
01/11/2017	1819436	484783
01/12/2017	1803164	488178
01/01/2018	1784716	487492

Table 2: Size of Native Fleet and Imported Fleet – Jan 1999 to Jan 2018 (Source: Cartell Carstat)

Date	Native Fleet Size	Imported Fleet Size
01/01/1999	1112630	6086
01/01/2000	1201598	40483
01/01/2001	1312845	60612
01/01/2002	1397905	70926
01/01/2003	1472651	77800
01/01/2004	1547041	84929
01/01/2005	1630779	100152
01/01/2006	1728724	131104
01/01/2007	1830774	174999
01/01/2008	1926180	217766
01/01/2009	1978147	259206
01/01/2010	1924616	286034
01/01/2011	1907700	304727
01/01/2012	1888373	322668
01/01/2013	1868152	339719
01/01/2014	1847325	368123
01/01/2015	1816049	386702
01/01/2016	1829985	407141
01/01/2017	1838573	444217
01/01/2018	1784716	487492

For further information please contact John Byrne on 087 4199018 or at john at cartell.ie or check out www.cartell.ie for further information.

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China plug-in and electric vehicle sales in 2017

Admin Admin — Mon, 22 Jan 2018 13:37:42 +0000

Vehicle history expert Cartell.ie is publishing a blog that appeared on car communications site carandus.com.

China sold 777k new-energy vehicles – plug-in and electric vehicle – in 2017, a whopping 53% increase over 2016, according to Green Car Reports.

The massive growth in plug-in and electric vehicle sales can be attributed to government subsidies that support domestically produced models. Of the total new-energy vehicles cold, 579k are passenger vehicles. The remaining sales are commercial vehicles, such as electric buses and delivery trucks.

Yet, the total number of NEV’s sold in the country represents just a drop in the bucket – 2.7% – of China’s total vehicle market, which reached 28.9 million vehicles last year.

In comparison, U.S. sales reached 17.2 million vehicles in 2017, of which between 190 and 200k were either electric or plug-in hybrid vehicles.

Meanwhile, EVs and PHEVs are expected to contribute to just under 1% of overall sales volume in Canada.

The growth of plug-in and electric vehicles sales in China exploded in the second half of 2017.

Toward the end of December, China announced it would extend incentives on NEVs into 2020, which is almost guaranteed to further fuel electric-vehicle sales growth there.

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Finance Levels Rise Again – now 14.3%

Admin Admin — Tue, 02 Jan 2018 09:05:47 +0000

PRESS RELEASE

Vehicle data expert CARTELL.IE reports today (2^ndJanuary) that the proportion of vehicles offered for sale (across all years) with finance outstanding is 14.3% – up from 12.5% in July 2017 and 11.5% in January 2017. From a sample of over 5,906 vehicles offered for sale and checked via the Cartell.ie website in 2017 it was found that overall levels of finance have increased 24.3% in 12 months since January and 51% in 18 months since June 2016 when the rate recorded was 9.5%.

Graph 1: Historic Percentages of Vehicles with Outstanding Finance checked on Cartell.ie (Source: Carstat, Cartell.ie)

John Byrne, Legal and Public Relations Manager, Cartell.ie, says:

In terms of the overall picture 14.3% of all vehicles checked with Cartell.ie so far in 2017 have finance outstanding. This is up from 11.5% in January and 9.5% in June 2016. These are very significant jumps. To give you some idea where we are coming from the levels of finance outstanding was 7% in December 2014 meaning the rate has doubled in three years. A buyer is advised to check a vehicle for outstanding finance as the finance house owns the vehicle until the last payment has been made – the bottom line is that you can lose the vehicle.”

ENDS

About Cartell.ie:

For further information please contact John Byrne on 087 4199018 or at john at cartell.ie or check out www.cartell.ie for further information.

Notes to Editor

Table 1: Historic Percentages of Vehicles with Outstanding Finance checked on Cartell.ie (Source: Carstat, Cartell.ie)

Period	Percentage
Jul-08	16.35
Feb-09	17.05
Mar-09	17.02
Apr-09	16.57
Jun-09	17.31
Jul-09	16.14
Jan-10	15.95
Jan-11	12.83
Jan-12	11.41
Jul-12	11.24
Nov-12	9.28
Jan-13	10.07
Jun-13	8.21
Nov-13	7.52
Jan-14	8.99
Jul-14	7.84
Dec-14	7.01
Jan-15	8.29
Mar-15	9.11
Jun-16	9.50
Jan-17	11.50
Jul-17	12.50
Dec-17	14.30

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Giving Our Customers Good Advice!

Admin Admin — Fri, 15 Dec 2017 14:47:38 +0000

Vehicle history expert Cartell.ie is writing about our customer experience with our service in a series of blogs. Recently we helped Niamh* who was interested in buying a vehicle which was a previous import. She spoke to our team about the best option for her and we explained a three star check will include the history and finance for Ireland and Northern Ireland. We explained the Northern Irish check is detailed and includes finance alerts, damage alerts and stolen alerts for the vehicle in that jurisdiction.

She wanted to know what else she can do to protect herself if her Cartell check came back clear and how long does it take to get a check. Our team advised her that the process is instant upon payment in the vast, vast majority of cases and the report will appear on the computer screen in front of her and go to her email. We advised her to buy the vehicle from a reputable dealer where possible or proceed with caution in the case of a private sale: she should look to purchase the vehicle with a warranty if possible if buying from a dealer. If she was still unsure for any reason she might look to engage the services of an automotive engineer or mechanic.

Niamh was delighted and said:

[Cartell Staff member] was helpful and quick to respond, gave me the confidence I wanted to proceed with the check”.

*not her real name

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Donal O’Brien RIP

Admin Admin — Tue, 21 Nov 2017 16:31:10 +0000

It’s with great sadness that we mark the loss of one of our faithful and energetic trade customers Donal O’Brien. His daughter Nicole sent us a beautiful tribute which we are posting here in his honour.

Donal was always brought up around cars as his father John ran a car business on Friars walk in Cork City. Donal started off as a mechanic in Keary’s and built his way up to his well known business on Kinsale road after he and his brother Jonathan first set up a shared premises on Tramore road. Jonathan has his own business on Tramore road and his youngest brother Jason has his own business on Tramore road shared with father John. They are all tremendously close in every sense of the word. Even though motorsport was such a passion of Donal’s he absolutely adored his family and he is my best friend.”

The following is taken from a status posted by Cork Motor Club around the time of his passing.

“It is with the deepest sadness that we learn of the passing of our friend and club member Donal O’Brien. Donal sadly passed away yesterday following a road collision near his home in Ballincollig Co. Cork on May 14th.

Donal was a larger than life figure with a passion for motorsport. Donal was a long-time member of CMC, who will be fondly remembered by all for his determination in the car and his lovable roguery outside. Always keen to help out and support motorsport in anyway, Donal was a former Clerk of the Course for CMCs Summer Autotest and was a regular club marshal. Donal also was one of the founding members of Mallow Autograss and played such a contributing part in their extremely successful round 1 of the British Autograss Series this year in May.

As a youth, Donal’s introduction to competitive motorsport was in karting where he quickly set a name for himself as being a blisteringly quick, determined competitor. In his teens Donal moved on to single-seater racing where this trend continued as Donal’s experience grew. Donal took part in his very first rally in his early 20s in a Ford Escort MK2. The Escort was soon traded for a RWD Ford Fiesta where a combination of this unusual little car combined with Donal’s flamboyant driving style quickly made a name for him within rallying circles. The Fiesta was changed in 1999 for the famous ex Donie O’Sullivan “Silver Bullet” 2.4 Mk2 Escort, which Donal used to set the stages alight over the next couple of years.

Donal took a sabbatical from rallying in the early 2000s to concentrate on his successful car sales business on the Kinsale Road. Donal was so determined to have a successful business and was truly a hard worker and an inspiration to many. Motorsport however was never far from Donal’s mind as proved by his involvement as founding member of Mallow Autograss Club in 2003. Donal first started in class 8 and bought his younger brother Jason racing around England where Jason was in Juniors and eventually they raced against each other in class 8. A lot of people got confused and used to called Jason Donal’s son! By the end of the decade he was back competing once more, this time in top level Autograss, where once again, he set a name for himself as being the man to beat in Class 7, both here at home and throughout the UK. Autograss is our family sport and Donal’s daughter Nicole started racing from the age of 12 and is still carrying it on.

In 2013 Donal returned to the stages in a 2.0 16V Escort G4 and from the outset it was clear that Donal had lost none of his pace. In 2015 The G4 was traded for his famous Yellow 2.5 Mk2 Escort and Donal became a regular top 10 front runner throughout the country – delighting rally fans along the way. Donal called his Mk2 his baby and he loved that car.”

Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam

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Waiting for First Registration in Ireland

Admin Admin — Mon, 13 Nov 2017 09:43:37 +0000

Continuing our series of blogs on how we help our customers we recently helped Tom* when he was looking to do a vehicle history check on an imported vehicle. Tom had heard our story in the media that an imported vehicle may come with a hidden history and he was anxious to do a vehicle history check before he proceeded to buy the car. When he went on our website he was concerned that the vehicle registration number he entered did not show a match yet. He got onto our Customer Service team via live chat and asked them why this would be the case and whether he should be concerned. Our team talked him through the process and advised him that once the VRT process is completed the vehicle will be assigned a vehicle registration number in Ireland. The best history check to do is the three star check as it covers the UK data as well as the Irish data for both history and finance. Tom was delighted with the information and left the following comment:

Amazing customer service, very helpful lady [our customer service agent] who guided me with all necessary steps.”

Choosing a new vehicle can be difficult

*not his real name

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Upgrading to a Three Star Check!

Admin Admin — Fri, 13 Oct 2017 09:02:34 +0000

Vehicle history checking expert Cartell.ie is looking at how we help our customers. Recently we helped Frank* with history for an imported vehicle. A Three Star History and Finance check with Cartell.ie will provide the UK history and finance data for the vehicle as well as the Irish history and finance. Frank originally did a Two Star check – Irish history only – and then he got in touch via our new Live Chat function and asked if we could discuss his report with him. Our Customer Service team were happy to phone him back to discuss.

We help consumers every day to decide which vehicle to purchase

Frank saw from his report that the vehicle he was checking was exported from the UK and then imported into Ireland. Our trained team was able to talk him through the issues here and suggested he should upgrade to a Three Star report for €15 to see the UK history and finance data for the vehicle. Frank was very glad he got both Irish and UK history checks on the vehicle as there were multiple import and export markers for the vehicle and doing the UK check gave him a clearer picture of its history. Frank was a first-time user of the service, and, despite being a bit reluctant at first he saw the benefit of getting a complete picture before making his decision whether to buy the vehicle or not.

By upgrading to the Three Star Check Frank was able to check the current mileage for the vehicle against the National Mileage Register in the UK. He was also able to see if the vehicle was written-off or had finance outstanding or any other markers indicating a hidden history.

Frank said:

[Cartell staff member] was very helpful to make me understand the check as there were multiple import and export flags. She advised me to upgrade to the UK report to understand more and I did. €15 well spent I guess even if I was a bit reluctant at the time.”

*Not his real name

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How We Help our Customers!

Admin Admin — Thu, 05 Oct 2017 12:36:53 +0000

Vehicle History expert Cartell.ie, in the first of a series of blogs, is looking at personal interest stories from customers who have used the service. One customer, Deirdre* called about the mileage discrepancy showing on her Cartell.ie history check. Our dedicated Customer Service team, advised her the car appeared to have lost approximately 30 thousand miles in 3 years – between its MOTs – AND furthermore it was a Category D write-off.

Deirdre was a first-time customer and had completed a Cartell.ie History Check; she called and asked about two alerts: one was the mileage discrepancy as mentioned above. We advised her to ask for service history so we can look into it further for her. In cases like these should service history be provided we can look to verify its accuracy and mileage, in many cases, can be amended – we’re happy to help!

As well as the mileage discrepancy Deirdre was informed that the vehicle was a Category D write off – most customers are unaware of what this means: essentially it means there was damage to the vehicle made available to Cartell.ie by an insurance company and in this case the cost of repair was obviously more than the value of the vehicle. However, and this is the critical point, the vehicle could be repaired and put back on the road. Here at Cartell.ie we always recommend an engineers report to ensure the vehicle is structurally sound, the repair work has been carried out to a safe, satisfactory, roadworthy standard and to help the customer make an informed decision about a vehicle purchase. Unfortunately some insurance companies do not have to insure you in circumstances such as these, and, also, the damage stays with the vehicle for the remainder of its life on the road – which can impact on its market value.

All of this information was explained to Deirdre, who was very complimentary of the service, she was glad to have used Cartell and was delighted to have found out all the information before spending money on a bad vehicle. As a valued customer Deirdre was given a discount for her next Car History check with Cartell.ie.

This was my first time to use the service and I want to compliment you guys on it. I’m glad I used it and delighted to have found out all the information before buying a car”.

*not her real name

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Updated- “Clocking” Surges in Ireland

Admin Admin — Sun, 24 Sep 2017 15:09:41 +0000

PRESS RELEASE

-11% of domestic vehicles recorded mileage discrepancies (clocked or suspicious)

– 18.43% of imported vehicles recorded mileage discrepancies (clocked or suspicious)

1 in 10 second hand cars for sale in Ireland has a false mileage displayed according to the largest study of its kind ever conducted. The figure is even worse for cars imported from the UK where nearly 1 in 5 has an unreliable or questionable mileage reading.

The study was carried out by Cartell.ie in co-operation with AA Ireland. Over 120,000 vehicles were checked on the Cartell.ie database, which is the most complete vehicle database in the country. Cartell.ie provides data searches and history checks, including for AA Ireland, and uniquely has full access to UK data, write-off data and other information for both jurisdictions.

The results show that “clocking” is widespread in the market locally and is worse for potential buyers of UK vehicles.

Cartell.ie and AA Ireland examined a random sample of 60,047 vehicle history checks on Irish vehicles carried out recently by potential buyers. Of those checks 11.04% returned mileage discrepancies (6634/60047) – which would each require further investigation to establish if the vehicle had been “clocked” in a given case.

In addition, a supplementary study which examined a random sample of 64,742 vehicles which displayed at least two mileage readings on the National Mileage Register (NMR), where at least one entry was added in the last 12 months, found that 11.15% of these vehicles had a mileage discrepancy.

The supplementary study also examined a random sample of 13,026 imported vehicles (vehicles which currently display an Irish registration but previously had a UK or Northern Ireland plate) which displayed at least two mileage readings on the NMR and one entry in the last 12 months. This aspect of the study found that imported vehicles were significantly more likely to have been clocked, with 18.43% of the imported cars assessed as having a mileage discrepancy.

These results represent a rise in the overall numbers of both domestic and imported vehicles recording a mileage discrepancy since the enactment of legislation criminalising the practice in 2014.

In 2013 the Government reviewed the NCT mileages on 59,528 cars and found that 9.8% of those returned lower mileages on a subsequent test – in other words returned a mileage discrepancy. Those vehicles would have all been at least 4 years old and this may have impacted on the result.

John Byrne, Legal and Public Relations Manager, Cartell.ie, says:

We wanted to get a clear picture of the extent of “clocking” in Ireland both with respect to domestic vehicles and imports. Based on an overall study of more than 120,000 vehicles these results are very concerning: on the Irish side we are painting a picture worse than the Government did when they conducted their own research in 2013 when they returned a rate of 9.8%. More worrying still is the situation with respect to imports – at 18.43% this rate is alarming. We would encourage anyone who is importing a vehicle to conduct a vehicle history check before buying and take your time with respect to the purchase of any new vehicle.”

Commenting on the report’s findings Conor Faughnan, Director of Consumer Affairs at AA Ireland stated, “Clocking is a very serious issue and something that anyone looking at purchasing a second hand car, whether in Ireland or from the UK, needs to watch out for. For example, our AA Rescue team regularly encounter car breakdowns which can be directly connected back to mileage discrepancies in the car. If a car has been clocked it’s highly likely that the car also has a questionable service history so, for example, a motorist could think their car isn’t due a service for another few months but then suddenly find their timing belt has snapped.”

“Repairing damage associated with car clocking can be very expensive and it’s also more likely that someone who owns a clocked car will experience a breakdown. Anyone looking at purchasing a second hand car in the near future, particularly if it’s a UK import should consider their breakdown assistance options to ensure they avoid any lengthy delays in the hard shoulder,” Faughnan added. Clocking is now a criminal offence in the Republic of Ireland pursuant to section 14 of the Road Traffic Act 2014. Cartell had long campaigned for the introduction of such an offence. In 2010, Cartell presented to the Dáil draft legislation which sought to criminalise the practice. That legislation was initially rejected by the Government but a modified version of it was subsequently moved as a Private Members Bill in December 2012. The Government then decided to move on the issue.

ENDS

Some of the media coverage for this story:

RTE.ie: False mileage now major issue with second-hand cars

NMR.ie: NMR Data used for Ireland’s largest mileage discrepancy study

The Irish Mirror: Car ‘clocking’ surges in Ireland as one in 10 second-hand cars are displaying false mileage

Irish Examiner: 10% of used cars have false mileage displayed

The Avondhu weekly: Clocking surges in Ireland

Connacht Tribune: 10% of used cars ‘clocked’

Breaking News: Study reveals full extent of suspected ‘clocking’ among second-hand cars for sale in Ireland

Notes to Editors

The Government / NCT study result was published in the Irish Independent on 01/04/2013 available here: http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/nct-check-will-uncover-clocked-cars-in-new-plan-29166099.html

Cartell also conducted a final study where we looked at 25,140 vehicles checked recently on Cartell.ie on their UK or Northern Ireland plate. The percentage of mileage discrepancies returned was high at 21.66% (5447/25140). These vehicles may not have been imported into Ireland and for that reason the result was not considered part of the primary findings. The high percentage may be explained that potential buyers were running checks on vehicles which had already raised their suspicions – e.g. because of a low selling price.

For further information please contact John Byrne on 087 4199018 or at john at cartell.ie or check out www.cartell.ie for further information.

The post Updated- “Clocking” Surges in Ireland appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

Intel to build fleet of 100 autonomous vehicles

Admin Admin — Mon, 11 Sep 2017 10:36:51 +0000

Vehicle History and Data expert Cartell.ie is re-posting the blog post over on our partner site Carandus.com. Cartell.ie recently announced the launch of “Electronomous”. Electronomous addresses the Connected Car, Autonomous vehicles, Electric and Hybrid Car models and the technology that will populate the future automotive landscape.Following its takeover of Mobileye, Intel is planning to build a fleet of more than 100 autonomous vehicles for testing fully autonomous driving in Europe, Israel and the USA, according to Vehicle Electronics.

Amnon Shashua, senior VP of Intel and future CEO of Mobileye said that ‘Geographic diversity is very important as different regions have very diverse driving styles as well as different road conditions and signage. Our goal is to develop autonomous vehicle technology that can be deployed anywhere.’

These autonomous vehicles will combine proprietary capabilities from Mobileye, including computer vision, sensing, fusion, mapping and driving policy along with Intel’s open compute platforms and expertise in data centre and 5G communications technologies to deliver a complete car-to-cloud system. The fleet will include multiple car brands and vehicle types to demonstrate the technology’s agnostic nature.While this technology is being tested, Carandus.com allows its users to send messages to each other, improving road connectivity.

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Cartell.ie adds Spanish Data to its VRM options

Admin Admin — Thu, 03 Aug 2017 10:59:46 +0000

Vehicle History and Data expert Cartell.ie is delighted to announce that Spanish data has now been added to our VRM options. The Spanish option is added to our growing stable which already includes VRM for ROI, UK/NI, Portugal, Holland and Malta.

Jeff Aherne, Director, Cartell.ie says:

We’re delighted to make this service option available. In an ever-growing international supply chain the demand for international data has grown and Cartell.ie has been listening closely to our Customers needs. Adding Spanish data to a stable that already includes Portuguese and Maltese as well as Republic of Ireland and United Kingdom data makes Cartell.ie an international option for our existing Customers and for those needing those services.”

An XML VRM Sample follows:

######

Fiat

500

1.2

Hatchback

2013-01-01

Gasolina

45728945

1242

ZFA3120000J00####

Automática

51KW

(Many other data fields available)…

For more information on VRM the available markets and the linked coding structures see https://www.cartell.ie/about-us/integrate-with-cartell/ For any further enquiries about this service please do not hesitate to contact us!

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Consumer Advice to avoid purchasing a Stolen Vehicle

Admin Admin — Tue, 11 Jul 2017 08:22:58 +0000

Consumers are probably already aware of the extensive work vehicle history check expert Cartell.ie has put into highlighting the issue of stolen motor vehicle data. At present in Ireland Gardai do not release this data owing to Data Protection concerns. We have called for its release – in the public interest – for several years now and we will continue to do so.

While stolen vehicle data has not been released there are things you can do to better protect yourself and avoid a scenario in which you purchase a stolen vehicle. Here is the advice from Cartell.ie:

1. You should always verify the Chassis Number (VIN).

The VIN is a 17 digit number composed of numbers and letters which you can find stamped into the chassis of the vehicle. After completing your Cartell check you can verify the VIN in either of two ways: (i) by ringing us on the usual number: Lo-call: 1890 252331; or (ii) by going to the Cartell.ie homepage and clicking “Get a Cartell Check” and then click “report verification” and follow the instructions. Those registered with a trade account will have access to the VIN via their Cartell trade report. You are verifying the VIN to help rule out the possibility that the vehicle is carrying fake registration plates.

Other Info: If in doubt about where to locate the VIN number try an internet search for your make and model asking the question “where does VIN appear for X Make Model”? Remember a VIN never contains the letter “O” – only zeros. Always locate the VIN where it is stamped into the chassis NOT where it is etched on a window or on a sticker. If it looks like the chassis number has been tampered with, e.g. metal shavings or scratches, then you are right to be cautious.

2. Verify the VRC number

The Vehicle Registration Certificate number (VRC) is the official government ownership document for the vehicle. You should always verify the number on this document with Cartell before purchase. You can verify the number using either of the two methods indicated above. Verification of the VRC assists in ruling out a falsified VRC.

3. Verify the ID of the seller

You should ask to see the official ID of the seller, passport or drivers licence. You should compare the photo on the ID to the person you are dealing with – and we never advise transacting with anyone other than the owner. You should also verify the address on the ID with the address on the VRC. You may wish to ask for a utility bill as further proof of address of seller. A private buyer should look to conduct the sale in the sellers home, so the address can be verified, and never in a carpark.

If you follow this three-step process you have reduced your risk and helped avoid buying a stolen vehicle.

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In the Market for a Used Car?

Admin Admin — Mon, 12 Jun 2017 10:40:41 +0000

Thinking of buying a used car? Here’s how to get it right.

Vehicle history expert Cartell.ie is looking at buying a used car. Buying a used car is often a smart move. Second cars can be better value after all. Whoever you buy from – private seller, dealer or auction – it can be a daunting experience. But thanks to our friends in Liberty Insurance and AutoServicing.com, here’s everything you need to know.

When you buy a car from a private seller, you don’t have any consumer rights.

What are the differences between buying from a private seller, a dealer and an auction?

When you buy a car from a private seller, you don’t have any consumer rights. Therefore you should try and bring a mechanic along with you, and make sure you ask the following questions before handing over any money:

– When did you buy the car?

– Why is the car for sale?

– Can I see the log book?

– Can I see your ID and is it on the log book?

– Has the car ever been involved in a car crash?

– When was the last service done and by which garage?

– What is the car’s mileage?

Buy from a dealer and you are covered under consumer law. You may get a guarantee that will cover the repair cost of any major fault which happens within the first year of ownership. And dealers typically provide paperwork detailing the car’s history, which often you won’t get in a private car sale.

Auctions are becoming increasingly popular in Ireland. Cars are typically sold up to 30% cheaper than cars sold privately or in dealerships. The downside is that cars are sold as they are and do not come with a guarantee, so the seller is not responsible for any problems with the car once it has been sold. When attending an auction, you need to be accustomed to the process so where possible bring a friend who knows how auctions work.

I’ve found a car I like. What should I look out for?

Take your time when looking over a car and if possible bring someone with you who knows about cars.
Inspect the car in daylight, to ensure you can see any scratches or dents in the paintwork.
If you notice any strange knocking or whining sounds, get them checked out by a mechanic before you buy.
Check that the headlights, brake lights and reverse lights work before you drive the car. Also test the car horn and indicators.
Make sure that all the controls (heater, wipers, pedals, odometer, gear stick, steering wheel, etc) are working. Examine the windscreen for cracks.
Check the steering, clutch and brakes. Replacing a clutch can be expensive.
Make sure all the keys work.
A new tyre normally has a tread depth of 8mm which should be measured from the lowest point of the groove to the tyre tread surface. Check the tyres to see how they compare with this.
Take it for a test drive.

I’ve found the one and I’m ready to buy. What next?

Don’t be afraid to bargain.

Don’t buy a car that’s been involved in an accident. Ask the dealer or private seller whether the car has ever been crashed or had any bodywork repairs carried out.
Before you hand over any money, if possible get it checked over by a professional mechanic.
Always ask to see the logbook or vehicle registration certificate, which will show you the name and address of the previous owners, should you have any questions.
With a private sale, you’ll need to oversee the transfer of registration papers and double check that the next NCT is due when the seller says it is.
Pay by bank transfer, cheque or draft where possible, so that your payment can be tracked.

What kind of vehicle documentation should I look for?

The most important document to ask for is the VRC – Vehicle Registration Certificate. It is important that the person selling the car is the same as the corresponding name on the VRC or the V5C, so you should ask to see proof of identity.

You should also do a Cartell Car Check! Just enter the registration number and a list of vehicle details will be displayed. Check these details match the vehicle you are looking at. There are different options for car history checks displayed and you should consider buying the one that’s right for you. We always recommend the three star Car History Check.

What are my consumer rights when I buy a car?

A motor vehicle should be in a roadworthy condition when sold to a consumer via a trader. Under the Sale of Goods and Supply of Services Act, 1980, it is an offence to sell a car which is not roadworthy. It is also an offence under road traffic legislation and is enforced by the Gardaí. Furthermore, it is illegal for a seller to give misleading information about any aspect of the car, including its history and car specification.

Unfortunately, consumer protection legislation does not cover private sales. Therefore, if you are buying a car from a private seller you should ask as many questions as possible and get as much car documentation as possible before you complete the sale. It’s always advisable to document the questions and answers and get the seller to sign the document – if possible.

When you’ve chosen your car, it’s time to run the numbers. This includes the monthly fuel costs, taxes, repairs and any financing, so you know how much it will cost you to keep on the road, and exactly how much it will cost you in the long run. If you don’t plan properly now, you could face problems in the future.

Finally, what about insurance?

To avoid any unexpected surprises after you’ve bought the car, you should find out how much your insurance policy will be before you buy the car. With Liberty Insurance, you can get a car insurance quote online in as little as two minutes.

The post In the Market for a Used Car? appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

Launch of the Cartell.ie International Rally of the Lakes 2017

Admin Admin — Wed, 19 Apr 2017 08:34:14 +0000

Vehicle history expert Cartell.ie was delighted with the warm reception we received in Killarney at the Launch of the Cartell.ie International Rally of the Lakes 2017. This international competition will take place during the May bank holiday weekend – Friday 28th to Sunday 30th April – and is a counting round for both the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship and The PlasticBags.ie Southern 4 Rally Championship.

The action gets underway with a ceremonial start in Killarney’s town centre on Friday night where organiser, Killarney and District Motor Club have laid on a family entertainment evening where fans can meet the leading drivers, while watching action from previous events on a gig screens set to a back drop of live music provided my local bands and djs. The rally finishes up at The Gleneagle on Sunday evening with an awards ceremony in the INEC later that night.

At the launch Cartell.ie were delighted to announce our new event “Electronomous” which will take place on Thursday 27th April in the INEC in Killarney.

Speakers include the MD of BMW Ireland, representatives from companies such as Valeo, ESB Cars, Thatcham Research and Cubic Telecom to name just a few. The event will be hosted by the original Top Gear presenter and motoring rights campaigner Quentin Willson.

Other speakers on the night included The Killarney and District Motor Club, World Champion Paul Nagle and Kieran Healy of the Killarney Advertiser.

Picture: Eamonn Keogh

John Byrne and Donal Lawlor, Cartell.ie at the launch of the Cartell.ie International Rally of the Lakes 2017 Picture: Eamonn Keogh

at the launch of the Cartell.ie International Rally of the Lakes at The Brehon Hotel, Killarney on Saturday night. The rally will take place in Killlarney from Friday 28th April to Sunday 30th April 2017. Picture: Eamonn Keogh

Dr John Byrne, Cartell.ie, giving a speech at the Brehon Hotel, Killarney, at the launch of the Cartell.ie International Rally of the Lakes 2017 – Photo: Ted O’Connell

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