Car Stolen, Recovered - advice please!?!

[NorthDave]

Hi all,

My brother had a car stolen in a couple of weeks ago. It was recovered but unfortunately the mileage had been changed and the number taken off the engine block.

The insurance company are basically saying they will restamp the engine and do something with the mileage (they don't seem sure what at the moment). We don't think the car will be easy to sell after this as the mileage won't add up and the engine will obviously have been tampered with. In addition to the stolen recovered marker.

Car is a 2012 Audi A4.

The insurance company aren't being very helpful. What is realistic to expect in this scenario? They are currently refusing andly compensation for loss of value!

Thanks

Dave

[ZOLLAR]

Stolen recovered marker won't show on HPI checks.
Majority of insurance policies exclude indemnity for loss of value following theft or accidents.
How many miles were put on the car?
Can't imagine it would be enough to significantly affect the value.

[stuartmmcfc]

I think they took miles off the total?

[ZOLLAR]

stuartmmcfc said:

I think they took miles off the total?

Ah I see.
Well that isn't enough to just write the car off OP, if the car is repairable then the insurer will do that.
I imagine this isn't the first time it has happened, I'd expect they would speak to Audi for advice.

[NorthDave]

Thanks guys! They took 20k off the mileometer. The only sticking point sounds like engine number. How pendantic can we be over this being like original?

[stuartmmcfc]

Is it wrong not to mention unless asked?
Checking the engine number is not that usual for buyers of this type of car IMO and if questioned you could produce documents from the time explaining the reason?

[rallycross]

They can easily get the odometer reprogrammed if they want to go down that route, and if the engine number is not visible ( often it's hidden from sight on new cars) then why not take it back, it's not a new car so you can't expect a new car in exchange .

[NorthDave]

rallycross said:

They can easily get the odometer reprogrammed if they want to go down that route, and if the engine number is not visible ( often it's hidden from sight on new cars) then why not take it back, it's not a new car so you can't expect a new car in exchange .

We dont expect a new car but my brother has only owned the car for something like 6 months. He'll probably want to exchange it as soon as he gets it back.

Surely he shouldn't expect something he paid £24k for to be worth £15k (when others might be worth £20k) just because of this incident? I always thought that was the point of insurance?

[sandman77]

So the only damage caused was the mileage was changed and the engine number was removed from the block and the insurance company are going to correct the mileage and restamp the engine block?

I cant really see the problem here?

Where is the loss of value?

[Dog Star]

NorthDave said:

Surely he shouldn't expect something he paid £24k for to be worth £15k (when others might be worth £20k) just because of this incident? I always thought that was the point of insurance?

Why would it be worth less? I'm not seeing your logic. The mileage can be corrected in minutes. The engine number restamped - who the hell will know?

Better than a total loss claim on your history, that's for sure.

[NorthDave]

sandman77 said:

So the only damage caused was the mileage was changed and the engine number was removed from the block and the insurance company are going to correct the mileage and restamp the engine block?

I cant really see the problem here?

Where is the loss of value?

I suppose that is what I am asking advice for. Wont it appear stolen recovered on HPI? Will people notice the engine stamp and assuming he has done something dodgey himself? Fair enough if a purchaser would never know but he doesnt want to be stuck with a lemon.

Surely this is relatively common? What outcome have other people had?

[Snowboy]

I don't know if it's on hpi.

But I've never actually checked an engine number on a car purchase.
I've never had anyone check on a car I've sold either.

[Phil Dicky]

NorthDave said:

sandman77 said:

So the only damage caused was the mileage was changed and the engine number was removed from the block and the insurance company are going to correct the mileage and restamp the engine block?

I cant really see the problem here?

Where is the loss of value?

I suppose that is what I am asking advice for. Wont it appear stolen recovered on HPI? Will people notice the engine stamp and assuming he has done something dodgey himself? Fair enough if a purchaser would never know but he doesnt want to be stuck with a lemon.

Surely this is relatively common? What outcome have other people had?

Would only appear on HPI once the insurance company had paid out a settlement on it, which I'm assuming isn't the case with your brother. So effectively once the block and mileage is sorted there will no evidence of the theft.

[NorthDave]

Phil Dicky said:

Would only appear on HPI once the insurance company had paid out a settlement on it, which I'm assuming isn't the case with your brother. So effectively once the block and mileage is sorted there will no evidence of the theft.

Perfect, thanks. Very annoying situation!

[ZOLLAR]

Phil Dicky said:

NorthDave said:

sandman77 said:

So the only damage caused was the mileage was changed and the engine number was removed from the block and the insurance company are going to correct the mileage and restamp the engine block?

I cant really see the problem here?

Where is the loss of value?

I suppose that is what I am asking advice for. Wont it appear stolen recovered on HPI? Will people notice the engine stamp and assuming he has done something dodgey himself? Fair enough if a purchaser would never know but he doesnt want to be stuck with a lemon.

Surely this is relatively common? What outcome have other people had?

Would only appear on HPI once the insurance company had paid out a settlement on it, which I'm assuming isn't the case with your brother. So effectively once the block and mileage is sorted there will no evidence of the theft.

Stolen recovered marker does not appear on HPI
The only time a marker is viewable on the history of the car is written off due to the damage i.e. CAT A,B,C,D. or remains unrecovered from a theft.

[NorthDave]

Just to update this thread - apparently Audi had a go at restamping the numbers and the garage said it looked shocking.

The insurance have therefore decided to treat it as a total loss.

It's taken 2 months but it feels like the right decision for everyone.

[Polarbert]

Glad that he got what he was after.

I wonder what will happen to that car now? Crushed? It seems like a waste in the grand scheme of things.

[Pit Pony]

Snowboy said:

I don't know if it's on hpi.

But I've never actually checked an engine number on a car purchase.
I've never had anyone check on a car I've sold either.

I have checked both VIN and Engine Numbers, and compared them to the V5, on EVERY car and Motorbike I've ever owned.

[Dog Star]

Polarbert said:

Glad that he got what he was after.

I wonder what will happen to that car now? Crushed? It seems like a waste in the grand scheme of things.

Well someone will get a bargain cat D, I imagine, all for the sake of scruffy engine numbers.

[The Moose]

It'd be worth buying that car back from them if the price is reasonable...