Dealers are frustrating online car buyers by displaying stock that has already been sold. Carrie Bird, CarsAlive business development manager, said: “Online car buyers don't expect to have to e-mail, telephone and speak to car salesmen, only to find out the car has already been sold.”

CarsAlive, which launched its franchised dealer used car stock locator website last year, claims the issue of 'dead motors' – cars no longer on sale – is an irritating obstacle for buyers searching online.

“Some sites have been known to advertise cars almost a month out of date,” said Ms Bird.

The www.carsalive.com website has 1,000 unique visitors a day, browsing a stock of more than 30,000 cars from nearly 1,000 UK franchised dealers. “We should be in profit by early 2002,” said Ms Bird.