Complaints about new cars and bikes which break down just months after buying them are soaring, report the Consumer Affairs Bureau.

They are trying to get to the bottom of why.

Inspector Marisa Sharpe said: ?Many, many cars are breaking down, cars which are young in age. There are all kinds of problems. It?s a headache. I don?t know what the answer is.?

She said complaints about new cars and bikes were the largest single item the department had to deal. Normally there are at least ten a month. They leapt to 15 in May and already in July there have been ten complaints.

?There are cars that don?t work or the stand on the bike breaks after just a couple of weeks.?

Some bikes were designed that the whole engine had to be replaced when the stand broke, said Mrs. Sharpe. ?Everyone has a story.?

The policy of not requiring new cars to get examined by the Transport Control Department could change. Currently in the first year the dealer examines new cars, it is not until the third year until TCD takes a look.

However TCD director Kevin Monkman said the mechanical problems being complained about were unlikely to be discovered by TCD.

?We are aware there are times when buyers have issues with cars they have been sold. As far as performance goes we don?t get involved in that side of the equation between purchaser and buyer. Right now new vehicles are exempt from TCD examination.?

He said TCD were there to check safety issues such as breaks, tyres, lights, steering, wipers and check for rust.

Mrs. Sharpe said some dealers stuck rigidly to the fine print of warrantees to worm their way out of paying for repairs.

Thus if the warrantee says the car must be checked six months after purchase, but the buyer is out by a few months, the dealer uses this as an excuse when a problem subsequently arises. Consumer Affairs executive director Karen Marshall said part of the problem was that high performance cars were not designed for the slow pace of Bermuda?s roads.

She said the emission valves only operated at a certain speed so the pipes got clogged up with exhaust fumes.

Buyers also needed to beware of countries of origin said Ms Marshall. She said not all Rovers were made in Britain and not all Fords were made in the USA for example.

?Some of them come from third world countries. You should always find out the country of manufacture.?