When most people picture a modified car, it’s been slammed to the ground, has a pointless spoiler stuck to the bootlid, and the engine is tuned for max power and volume. But there are lots more subtle and very much illegal modifications that can be left behind by previous owners and land unwitting buyers in a lot of trouble.

 

What might look like a harmless cosmetic upgrade or a subtle performance tweak could leave you facing £1,000 fines, failed MoT tests and invalid insurance. Once you buy the car, the legal responsibility rests entirely on your shoulders – whether you fitted the parts or not.