Intending to buy new car but now serious doubts about it
Discussion
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.
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 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 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?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?
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 :/
I ended up buying the car, went to the guy's house and was as satisfied as I could be that all was well, my only concern is that I asked him for the certificate of entitlement for the private plate, and he said he never got one with the paperwork when he bought it (is it an absolute necessity to have this?) and that when I receive the full log book in the post, that's all that's really needed, but now my thoughts have turned to things like 'what if he does actually have it, then just doesn't send the paperwork for the new keeper to the DVLA, then sells the plate from under me, while I'm still driving around with it??) it obviously says the current plate on the green slip, if that makes any difference at all?
I guess I would worry so much if it wasn't on the click4reg site as well, I did email them yesterday and they replied today saying that the plate was advertised by someone near the end of March, and that I'm to send them pictures of my new registration form when (or maybe, if?) it arrives, and of the plate on my car.
Am I worrying too much, or not worrying enough?
I guess I would worry so much if it wasn't on the click4reg site as well, I did email them yesterday and they replied today saying that the plate was advertised by someone near the end of March, and that I'm to send them pictures of my new registration form when (or maybe, if?) it arrives, and of the plate on my car.
Am I worrying too much, or not worrying enough?
Thanks all, pissed myself reading these, he would have a job if he was intending to arrive with another key, it's blocked into the drive with bollards 
came with 2 keys, they're the mercedes fob type without a metal neck that goes into the ignition. Thanks for all your help, I can concentrate on making it actually sound like a V8 now
came with 2 keys, they're the mercedes fob type without a metal neck that goes into the ignition. Thanks for all your help, I can concentrate on making it actually sound like a V8 now Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff