Over 100 P-reg motorists break down on first day of ownership

More than 100 motorists driving P-registration cars had broken down within hours of them being driven away from showrooms, it emerged yesterday. Problems ranged from flat batteries and the wrong fuel to the gear lever coming off and the theft of a complete set of wheels.

The AA and the RAC had reported 112 breakdowns on P-reg vehicles by yesterday afternoon. The AA received its first call- out at 12.40am, only 40 minutes after P-reg cars went on sale. The AA said there had been "a real range" of problems, including trouble with security systems, gear box seizures, "knocking noises in the engine," a boot that would not shut and a gear lever that came off.

The rush to buy new-reg cars, page 15