Gloucester Trading Standards followed up a complaint against a business called Landranger 4×4 which supplied a Land Rover type vehicle to a customer which had been converted into a ‘Bobtail’ type off road vehicle with roll cage and oversize tyres.
The business made a number of statements in marketing literature including
- the vehicle could be used for everyday road use and ‘serious’ off road use
- the roll cage had received approval by the Motor Sports Association and was made from BS1387 steel
- after conversion the vehicle did not require any formal examination (eg SVA) and therefore could be used on the highway and be insured
After purchase the customer arranged for an examination by an automotive engineer and over 90 faults were reported, many safety related.
At the trial the two partners of the business were sentenced to 150 hours unpaid community work and ordered to pay £10000 costs. The vehicle was forfeited by the Trading Standards who proceeded to arrange for the vehicle to be crushed by a local salvage company.
On average 55 vulnerabilities are identified daily.
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