Drivers thinking about buying a used car have been advised by a mechanic to avoid any model that features a certain design of the engine that could cost a fortune to fix.

With more than 7.2 million used cars swapping hands in the UK during 2023, a growing number of motorists are looking to bag a bargain by getting behind the wheel of a pre-owned model.

However, Dave Harrison of 911 Auto Repairs in Sheffield warned used car buyers to walk away from any model that features a wet belt engine.

He explained: "The next big scandal - wet belts. They replaced timing belts with wet belts on a lot of models after 2017, supposedly they're more efficient.

"But the wet belt is a big problem because it only has a 10 year interval and then it breaks. It deteriorates and it can stop your brakes working. But if it breaks after nine years, they don't want to know."

Introduced on a lot of popular models in the mid to late 2010s, a wet belt engine features a timing belt that is lubricated by the engine oil.

Whilst this design of the engine is meant to be more efficient and less polluting, some owners have found that the constant exposure of oil can cause the rubber belt to degrade at a much faster rate.

This could lead to particles of the belt detaching and clogging up components like the oil sump filter, leading to oil starvation in some cases, or the belt snapping, which would stop the engine running entirely.

Dave highlighted that, if a wet belt engine starts to develop faults, it can be more time consuming and expensive to fix.

He added: "And when it does [break], it's very difficult to fix. It takes twice as long as a normal belt to fix and it costs more to replace.

"That's one that makes your eyes roll when you see it - oh god, it's got a wet belt. They say it's better but it ends up costing double to fix or it's unfixable and makes the car basically worthless."

When buying any used car, it is always a good idea to ask the seller if the vehicle has a full service history. This allows any potential buyers to see how the car has been cared for and if it has been involved in any accidents.

Drivers should also look up the model's MOT history by entering its number plate into one of the many car history check websites, including the one on the DVLA website. This can help drivers check if the mileage stated by the seller is accurate and if it has any MOT advisories.

Finally, when taking the car for a test drive, motorists should listen out for any rattles, particularly when travelling over speed bumps and potholes.