ErikStenger
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Love Machine, Bessey and Muscles ? these are just some of the nicknames drivers choose for their cars, reveals a survey from HPI, the leading independent vehicle information provider. 50% of those surveyed admit to giving their car a pet name, but HPI warns used car buyers to avoid ending up with a vehicle worthy of a name like Old Banger, Terminator and The Wreck.
A similar survey by HPI back in 2003 revealed that celebrity names were top favourites for drivers to give their cars. However, the likes of Kylie and Charlie have had to move over for Buster, Moocher and Boomzilla in 2008, as drivers get more creative with names. In fact, the only name to reappear in the 2009 listing is Bessey ? which is top of the charts. 40% of respondents say their car is female, while 27% refer to it as a male, showing just how attached we can get to our cars. Whether it's a Casper or a Beauty, HPI urges consumers to be aware of the potential threat from dodgy vendors looking to sell on a vehicle with more to hide than just its name.
Nick Lindsay, Director of HPI says, "It's easy to get emotionally attached to the car you are looking to buy, but every day HPI identifies nearly 30 stolen vehicles and many of these will be sold as 'bargains' to unsuspecting buyers. And with more and more people today facing financial challenges, we are seeing the number cars being sold with outstanding finance remaining against them on the rise. We used to say don't get taken in by shiny paintwork and a rock bottom price because if a car looks to good to be true, it usually is. However with used car prices at an all time low, offering some fantastic bargains, buyers need to be even more wary of opportunistic criminals. Fraudulent paperwork and hidden faults means it's hard to spot a vehicle with a shady past.
"We advise buyers not to get too fond of their intended and name their car until they have conducted an HPI Check and are sure about what they are buying. Only then will they know whether their potential purchase should be called Heaven Sent or Hell Bent."
A similar survey by HPI back in 2003 revealed that celebrity names were top favourites for drivers to give their cars. However, the likes of Kylie and Charlie have had to move over for Buster, Moocher and Boomzilla in 2008, as drivers get more creative with names. In fact, the only name to reappear in the 2009 listing is Bessey ? which is top of the charts. 40% of respondents say their car is female, while 27% refer to it as a male, showing just how attached we can get to our cars. Whether it's a Casper or a Beauty, HPI urges consumers to be aware of the potential threat from dodgy vendors looking to sell on a vehicle with more to hide than just its name.
Nick Lindsay, Director of HPI says, "It's easy to get emotionally attached to the car you are looking to buy, but every day HPI identifies nearly 30 stolen vehicles and many of these will be sold as 'bargains' to unsuspecting buyers. And with more and more people today facing financial challenges, we are seeing the number cars being sold with outstanding finance remaining against them on the rise. We used to say don't get taken in by shiny paintwork and a rock bottom price because if a car looks to good to be true, it usually is. However with used car prices at an all time low, offering some fantastic bargains, buyers need to be even more wary of opportunistic criminals. Fraudulent paperwork and hidden faults means it's hard to spot a vehicle with a shady past.
"We advise buyers not to get too fond of their intended and name their car until they have conducted an HPI Check and are sure about what they are buying. Only then will they know whether their potential purchase should be called Heaven Sent or Hell Bent."
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