Strange wording on receipt

[Mazdarese]

Hello

We're about to purchase a car from an independent dealer. The car needs a few little things sorting before we buy it, so I've agreed to put a small deposit down in the meantime and then I'll settle up when we pick up the car.

The dealer, who seems like a really nice chap, has sent me over a receipt detailing the work that will be done, which all looks fine. However, there's a small piece of wording that has me concerned:

Receipt said:

Trade Description Act 1968
We have been unable to verify the mileage on this car and when viewed the car had a disclaimer on the odometer. The mileage must therefore be considered incorrect and nothing has been said verbally to say the mileage is correct.

The only time I've seen a 'mileage disclaimer' sticker on the odometer is at an auction.

I was hoping to check the MOT history online to see if the mileage was recorded on there, but I don't have the relevant documents to do so. The service history with the car all looks ok with appropriate mileages.

Should I be concerned? Or is this standard practice for a dealer to protect themselves?

Thanks

[Daaave]

Yep, seen this a couple of times. I don't think it's anything to worry about.

[Deluded]

If you are happy with the car then I wouldn't worry. Just their way of saying "If you find out its been clocked, you can't blame us!".

Probably just a standard thing they put on all receipts.

[H_Kan]

Daaave said:

Yep, seen this a couple of times. I don't think it's anything to worry about.

On the contrary, I would consider it something to worry about. It certainly isn't standard practice.

He's basically saying that he can't agree the mileage of the car to a reasonable degree of certainty. Therefore if the car turns out to have been to the moon and back, you haven't a leg to stand on.

[pinchmeimdreamin]

I have seen this plenty of times on forecourts on a sticker near the odometer, Just avoiding any future clocking issues.

[northandy]

Is that clause valid though? as it's been given on the receipt for the deposit, so the contract to buy the car is already in place.

If it had been on a sales contract, might have been different?

[Fox-]

This seems like a get out clause they shouldnt be allowed to use. If they cannot verify the mileage and it must be assumed to be incorrect, ask for the car to be priced like it has incorrect mileage.

Why buy from a dealer if they cannot even guarantee correct mileage? May as well save a bundle and buy privately.

[tercelgold]

Any car can be clocked and nobody is going to able to say when or who owned it at the time.

[pinchmeimdreamin]

Fox- said:

This seems like a get out clause they shouldnt be allowed to use. If they cannot verify the mileage and it must be assumed to be incorrect, ask for the car to be priced like it has incorrect mileage.

How can you verify a cars mileage accurately ?

[Wacky Racer]

Just standard dealer practice I think, covering their back.

As long as the service history and MOT's tally I would not worry too much.

[Wacky Racer]

Fox- said:

This seems like a get out clause they shouldnt be allowed to use. If they cannot verify the mileage and it must be assumed to be incorrect, ask for the car to be priced like it has incorrect mileage.

No, it just means they cannot verify it.

By all means haggle hard to get the price as low as possible though, it's all part of the game.

[attym3]

It's just a way of covering their own back, you'll be seeing this more and more. As no-one can actually prove the milage is genuine. Old mot's and service history are your best bet to verify milage.
HTH

Mark

[valiant1]

I've seen this on main dealer cars as well as lots of indies.

They're just covering their backs but you should do your normal checks to make sure all is ok.


EFA crap spelling.

Edited by valiant1 on Thursday 28th April 20:06

[Lost soul]

It is standard get out of jail wording , as they can not verifie the milage if we are honest about it

[Mazdarese]

Thanks chaps, appreciate the quick responses.

It's already keenly priced, and we've had about 6% discounted already. I'll get hold of the dealer tomorrow, get the V5C document number and MOT reference, and do the previous MOT history check online. Hopefully, that will set my mind at rest.

Cheers

[300bhp/ton]

Fox- said:

This seems like a get out clause they shouldnt be allowed to use. If they cannot verify the mileage and it must be assumed to be incorrect, ask for the car to be priced like it has incorrect mileage.

Why buy from a dealer if they cannot even guarantee correct mileage? May as well save a bundle and buy privately.

Cobblers

[Some Gump]

I was on a plane last week, with a fat scouse tosser directly behind me. Whilst we waited for the cattle to climb aboard, he phoned his "office" to tell them what milage to put each car in his fleet on before it went for service / mot. 6 cars in all. I can only presume he's defrauding a lease company, or just ringing everything. He had the records of what milage each motor was last time it saw a record, and what it "should" be on now.
If that fat tosser sells those cars on, could ANYONE verify the milage, no matter how good the dealer is?

[littleredrooster]

pinchmeimdreamin said:

How can you verify a cars mileage accurately ?

Some cars have it recorded independently of the odometer in a read-only file in the ECU I'm told.

[clabcon]

littleredrooster said:

Some cars have it recorded independently of the odometer in a read-only file in the ECU I'm told.

How can it record to a file when it can't write?

[AndrewW-G]

clabcon said:

littleredrooster said:

Some cars have it recorded independently of the odometer in a read-only file in the ECU I'm told.

How can it record to a file when it can't write?

WORM capable storage