No doubt about it, negotiating your first year of driving is tough, and sometimes it’s easy to fall into the trap of buying a modified car.

Ask most people what they consider to be a modification and the answer you’ll receive is ‘huge spoilers and blacked out windows’. Both correct, but a modification is any change to a vehicle that wasn’t part of the original specification, like non-standard alloys, stereos and even stickers.

Purchasing a modified car can cause problems further down the line, such as invalidated insurance – and no one wants that.

Other problems owners of modified cars can face are:

• DIY modification projects can make the vehicle unsafe to drive
• Performance-enhancing aspects of a car can cause more damage in a crash, putting you at higher risk of injury
• Heavily modified cars are prime targets for thieves (and vandals, sadly)

These problems mean modified cars are a no-go for a lot of insurance companies (us included) and it’s good to know before you buy your first car, or any used car, what to look for to avoid any nasty surprises when your box is fitted.

First, look for the obvious. Are the wheels a different make to the vehicle itself? Do the alloys look painted or overly large? Can you see through all the windows to look inside the car?

Granted not all modifications are as easy to spot, but if something doesn’t seem quite right to you feel free to ask the owner or garage you’re planning to purchase the car from. If you aren’t able to do that you can always head to trusty Google! Search the spec of vehicle you’re looking to buy and see – do the images reflect the car you’re looking at buying?

If you’ve checked all of the above, but you’re still unsure, get in touch and we’ll be happy to assist.