According to car sales website, Wizzle, dealers are just as worried about being stitched up by motorists knowingly palming off a faulty car as punters are fearful of being ripped off by sharp practice and last minute low-ball offers from the trade.

The website’s boss, Sébastien Duval, reckons the direct-to-dealer consumer car trading model is improved by use of detailed images and that managing the expectations of both parties in the transaction, saying, “The Office of Fair Trading criticisms in 2011 around lack of transparency in the sector were predictably all about the negative experiences of consumers. But it’s just as important for dealers offering to buy cars that they aren’t wrong footed at the last minute by undisclosed problems or damage.

“It’s unfortunate that there is a popular myth that the only person at risk in a transaction like this is the motorist, when all of us in the trade know that not all private sellers are as open as they could be about the details of their vehicle.

“Our discussions of the Wizzle experience with users on both sides of the transaction show that detailed pictures are highly valuable in helping to build trust and avoid disappointment for either party when the final deal comes to be done.

“It’s also interesting that when you treat the deal between a consumer and a dealer as an honest transaction instead of a battle of wits, by maximising transparency to build trust, you end up with a more satisfying outcome for everyone.”