Compare information, ideas and opinions in different texts, including how they are conveyed

Read the information and complete the tasks:

Document one:

Second-hand car warning: know your rights

Consumers are paying an average of £425 each to fix faults with second-hand cars that are the dealer's responsibility to correct. 

A study by the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) also found that many dealers are using illegal disclaimers like 'No Refund'. Make sure you know your rights when buying a second-hand car.

Second-hand car dealer market 7 An OFT study has found that the £24 billion second-hand car dealer market is often not working well for consumers. 

The report found that most used car faults come to light in the first three months after purchase, suggesting many second-hand cars sold are not of satisfactory quality. In this situation it is the dealer's responsibility to fix the problem. 

Despite this, nearly 30 per cent of buyers surveyed who contacted their dealer about a problem said they did not have problems resolved.

Your consumer rights 

when buying a car 

Buying a car - your rights

Consumers who have this problem spend an estimated £425 each, or £85 million per year in maximum, fixing unresolved faults that are the dealer's responsibility to correct.

The report also found that: 

• many dealers are illegally falsifying a vehicle’s mileage (clocking) 

• some dealers are pretending to be private sellers in order to avoid their legal responsibilities to consumers 

• one in eleven car dealers use illegal disclaimers about the car's history and condition, such as that a car is 'sold as seen' or 'No Refund' 

• many dealers fail to disclose what mechanical and other pre-sale checks they have carried out While the OFT believes that current laws are strong enough, more needs to be done to make sure: 

• dealers are aware of the law 

• consumers are aware of their rights 

• dealers who fail to comply face a real threat of prosecution.

Document two:

PARKERS

FOR THE SMARTER CAR BUYER

Car Reviews

Ford Ka (96-08)

Summary

The Ford Ka may not be the newest small car on the market, but it still has plenty to offer. Cheap to buy and run, its once unusual styling has stood the test of time well and its great fun to drive - especially the peppy Sport Ka version. It's fairly spacious too given its small dimensions but the cabin is starting to look dated, especially with large amounts of exposed metal on show. The 1.3-litre engine in the standard Ka is fine around town but noisy at higher speeds and the Ford lacks the refinement of newer small hatchbacks.

Comfort 

Lengthy journeys can feel a little confined, especially for rear occupants, although the driver and front passenger are given a little more legroom and overall comfort levels aren't too bad. Two small children may fit into the rear seats quite comfortably, but adults will find it a bit of a squeeze.

Practicality 

The boot will just about squeeze the weekly shopping in and the back seat folds for extra practicality. The three-door design can be a little awkward to climb in and out of but this car is designed to be compact, so don't be surprised at the cosy interior. The Ka can handle the occasional lengthy motorway voyage, but it wasn’t designed to clock up ultra-high mileages and is far happier pottering around town.

Still looks good, cheap to run, nimble around town, fun to drive. Limited rear space, dated interior, lacks refinement, noisy on the motorway.

Reliability 

It's been around for a while now and the Ka has generally been mechanically reliable with problems usually confined to minor niggles. Repairs are reasonably cheap, while parts are readily available and straightforward to fit.

Performance 

Only one engine is available in the standard Ka – a peppy 1.3-litre unit. It’s great around town and for nipping in and out of traffic. It's fairly noisy at higher revs though and the drone can become tiring on motorway journeys.

Document one:

1. What is the main purpose of this text?

a) To persuade the reader not to buy a used car

b) To show how some dealers illegally falsify car mileage

c) To inform and advise the reader about faulty used cars

d) To advise dealers on how they could be prosecuted

2. How much in total do buyers spend per year fixing faults that are the dealer’s responsibility?

3. Why might a car dealer pretend to be a private seller?

4 a. Does the OFT think that the laws should be changed? 

4 b. Give two suggestions that the OFT believe would improve the situation. 

4 c. Choose one of these suggestions and explain whether you think it would work. 

5. You are about to buy a car and would like to find out your consumer rights. What should you do? Document two: 

6. What is the main purpose of this text? 

7. Give two reasons why you might buy a Ka if you are looking for a car that scores well in terms of reliability and repairs. 10 

8. Out of the four areas of Reliability, Performance, Comfort and Practicality, which does the review rate most and least highly? 

Most highly: 

Least highly: 

9. A friend who is a market trader needs a car to carry their stock around. Would you recommend the Ka from this review? Give a reason to support your decision. 

10. A family with teenagers who do a lot of long distance journeys are looking for a car. Would you recommend the Ford Ka? Give two reasons why or why not. 

11. List four features of Text 2 that are used to present information. 

12. Would you consider buying a Ka after reading this text? Give at least two reasons to support your answer.