Intending to buy new car but now serious doubts about it

[Albo187]

Hi everyone, new to the forum, I'm wondering if anyone can offer me their thoughts on this.
I have arranged to view a car tomorrow at the seller's house, I just did a HPI check, and it says the vehicle's mileage may have a discrepancy, the miles go suddenly from 5,000 to 178000 in the space of a year, then back down to 46 and 47k in subsequent entries, which I know may be an error such as it was entered incorrectly eg 17,800 but that's not my only concern, I just googled the reg number, and the first thing I find is the reg number available for purchase on a site called click4reg.com, it seems odd, seeing as this registration plate is currently displayed on the car for sale.
It is a private reg, but it's one that this current owner didn't apply himself (he acquired the vehicle well after the plate change) so could he be intending to sell the plate and transfer back to the original plates? On the site he's selling it (Auto Trader) the pics display it with this reg in place, if he was planning on changing the plate, surely they would be on already, as it's for sale? It's all stacking against my confidence in buying it, also the seemingly undetectable money spinner which is log book loans on the increase.
Any thoughts are appreciated.

[swisstoni]

I'd quiz the owner on these points when you meet them and see what you make of their explanations. Unless it's a very hard to find type of car it may be easier to move on. There will always be another one.

[Albo187]

swisstoni said:

I'd quiz the owner on these points when you meet them and see what you make of their explanations. Unless it's a very hard to find type of car it may be easier to move on. There will always be another one.

It's not a particularly rare one, the price is about average for what it is, At first he seemed hesitant to give me his address and wanted to meet me, to which I said I would rather view it at his house, he said he will give me his address when I ring tomorrow (sounds really dodgy to me, why not now?) I know people have to be careful when selling cars as well as buying, but the hesitation put me off, especially considering it's not exactly a cheap car, the fact that he suggested such a thing in the first place put me right off.

[HustleRussell]

Registration thing is a non-issue, they advertise regs they don't have routinely.

Regarding the mileage discrepancy- view it, look at the old MOTs and judge for yourself. Does this car look like it's done 225k miles and then been clocked back to 47k?

[anonymous-user]

173000 miles in a year is more or less driving from London to Darlington and back pretty much every day. You'd get the occasional day off, but not many.

Doubt that that number is right, somehow.

[Albo187]

HustleRussell said:

Registration thing is a non-issue, they advertise regs they don't have routinely.

Regarding the mileage discrepancy- view it, look at the old MOTs and judge for yourself. Does this car look like it's done 225k miles and then been clocked back to 47k?

Thanks, why do they do this?
Yeah I will go through that and the VIN number locations and general condition of the car, wear on the leather of the seats, general look, feel and function of things, to do the leap of suddenly 173,000 miles over the course of a year, that's some serious trucking, 400 miles a day, every single day, as an average :/

[swisstoni]

The address thing does sound a bit dodgy. Also that HPI mileage discrepancy will still be there when you sold the car. Why buy into someone else's problem?

[Loudy McFatass]

Walk away.

[berlintaxi]

Albo187 said:

It's not a particularly rare one, the price is about average for what it is,

Then walk away and buy another.

[Pit Pony]

Typos happen, my MX5 went 105,546, 107,657, 106,568, 108,002 due to stupid blind MOT person

Some people have lost cars overnight, having given out the address over the phone, hence might not want to give out address too soon.

[DrDoofenshmirtz]

Only you can decide when you meet the bloke. But if in doubt, I'd move on. It's only a car...there are plenty of others available.
You need to know what you're doing when buying privately as you have no comeback. Buying from a garage might be less risky if you're unsure.

[Tribal Chestnut]

swisstoni said:

The address thing does sound a bit dodgy. Also that HPI mileage discrepancy will still be there when you sold the car. Why buy into someone else's problem?

I agree re. resale problems. If it's bothering you enough now to warrant posting, it will probably taint any ownership 'experience'.

[R8Steve]

Loudy McFatass said:

Walk away.

Really? Both things the OP has mentioned are complete non issues imo.

Both my private regs are on reg for sale sites despite me never having advertised them and it's blatantly obvious the cars not done that many miles in a year.

It wouldn't put me off buying if the car was right for me.

[Defcon5]

R8Steve said:

Really? Both things the OP has mentioned are complete non issues imo.

Both my private regs are on reg for sale sites despite me never having advertised them and it's blatantly obvious the cars not done that many miles in a year.

It wouldn't put me off buying if the car was right for me.

I agree, the only thing of concern here is not wanting you to go to the address on the V5

[stuartmmcfc]

It possibly sounds like the seller is as nervous about selling a car privately as the OP is about buying one?

[anonymous-user]

Logbook loans are coverec by a HPI check, if there's one on the car which it doesn't pick up and you've followed their rules when buying they'll pay out.

[Ian_sUK]

swisstoni said:

The address thing does sound a bit dodgy. Also that HPI mileage discrepancy will still be there when you sold the car. Why buy into someone else's problem?

If you have proof it is a mistake from mot + service history then the hpi people will change it, I have had this done.

[Amused2death]

So he wants to meet away from home for you to view the car. Perhaps the seller is concerned about it being stolen. I'd have no problem viewing a car in a place away from the address, but only if I'd seen the reg document and the final details were completed in the address shown on the V5.

There has been a few threads about dodgy buyers as well as dodgy sellers. Go sound it out and if it feels right proceed, if not walk away.

[liner33]

Albo187 said:

Thanks, why do they do this?
Yeah I will go through that and the VIN number locations and general condition of the car, wear on the leather of the seats, general look, feel and function of things, to do the leap of suddenly 173,000 miles over the course of a year, that's some serious trucking, 400 miles a day, every single day, as an average :/

Probably because at some time the owner has enquired as to how much the plate is worth , I did the same , I bought a van with a N.I TAZ **** plate on it , I enquired with a company as to if the plate had any value but never took it further but they still added it to their database with a value , left it on there even after I had sold the van,

[Pwig]

All 3 complete non issues imo.