Wife has bought a Cat S car

Wife has bought a Cat S car

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CharlieH89

Original Poster:

9,079 posts

164 months

Wednesday 8th January 2020
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Where do I begin.
She bought from a so called dealer. Met not at his premises.
Paid via bank transfer. Didn’t get a receipt.
Hasn’t replied to a text asking for the receipt or for the receipt for a clutch that was done 6 months ago.

I had nothing to do with the purchase as I warned her off a Mini.
Alarm bells ring in my head after he doesn’t reply to her texts and calls so I do a HPI check and bingo, category S write off earlier this year.

My head is fked as this is a car that she will be driving the baby around in.

So no reply from this so call dealer, do I first and
Foremost get this car MOTd straight away?

I’m up at 5am. Don’t want to confide in parents/ bro in law/ father in law at this time because it will just keep them up too and nothing can be done at this time of night.

fk!

Second Best

6,402 posts

180 months

Thursday 9th January 2020
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Has it got a current, valid MOT?

Unfortunately sounds like the "dealer" is a shady type so you're unlikely to get much out of him/her.

If you're not happy putting yourself, wife, or kids in a car with shady history (I wouldn't want to do so either), then it might be an expensive lesson for the wife. Sell the car as is, faults described, and buy something more appropriate with the money remaining.

CharlieH89

Original Poster:

9,079 posts

164 months

Thursday 9th January 2020
quotequote all
Car S occurred 22nd February 2019 and theMOT passed with no advisories 14th May.

e600

1,315 posts

151 months

Thursday 9th January 2020
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What is the car, what was the damaged sustained and was the price reflective of cat S.

CharlieH89

Original Poster:

9,079 posts

164 months

Thursday 9th January 2020
quotequote all
2010 Mini.
Didn’t pay too far off the price of a similar one.
We don’t know what damage was caused as the Cat S detail wasn’t included in the advert.

e600

1,315 posts

151 months

Thursday 9th January 2020
quotequote all
The reason I ask is if the damage was minor cosmetic, repaired properly and you got it under market value then is there an issue.

For the difference in the sums involved you may well induce high levels of stress for nothing. Get the car checked and MOT’d, perhaps pass details to TS and sleep easy.

Nickp82

3,165 posts

92 months

Thursday 9th January 2020
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Probably worth spending two quid to check it on vcheck.uk as will probably show pics from when it was auctioned of car with damage.

Tyre Tread

10,525 posts

215 months

Thursday 9th January 2020
quotequote all
IANAL but AIUI:

IF the vendor was a trader he HAS to inform the buyer that the vehicle was Cat S. If they didn't then ask for complete refund. If they refuse advise that the matter will be taken to trading standards.

Caveat: It is assumed that your wife wasn't informed that the vehicle was Cat S either by virtue of the advertisement or by the trader?

CharlieH89

Original Poster:

9,079 posts

164 months

Thursday 9th January 2020
quotequote all
Nickp82 said:
Probably worth spending two quid to check it on vcheck.uk as will probably show pics from when it was auctioned of car with damage.
Thanks Nick. I was expecting worse. This was the only damage.
I guess the father in law can have the rear bumper off tomorrow or the day after and inspect it


Nickp82

3,165 posts

92 months

Thursday 9th January 2020
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£2 well spent smile

forzaminardi

2,281 posts

186 months

Thursday 9th January 2020
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Get the car professionally checked by an independent person - AA or RAC inspection springs to mind as they are simple, quick and have the authority of a respected brand name. Using your father-in-law will look biased if you take his judgement as evidence of the dealer selling a lemon.

Make sure your wife genuinely was not informed it was a Cat S - could she have simply missed it in the ad or whatever? Approach the dealer by whatever means you have available and inform them that the car is a Cat S and you were not made aware of this, and ask how they propose rectifying the situation. Don't make a specific suggestion yourself in the first instance, see what they say (if anything).

If the car is OK, either move on and don't worry about it, or approach the dealer asking for a reasonable proportion of the purchase price back to cover your potential loss when you sell it as a Cat S in the future. I'm guessing it wasn't a super-expensive car so may or may not be worth your while.

If the car isn't OK, follow up with the dealer and insist they take the car back.

jamoor

14,506 posts

214 months

Thursday 9th January 2020
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How much did you pay

ATM

18,085 posts

218 months

Thursday 9th January 2020
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Nickp82 said:
Probably worth spending two quid to check it on vcheck.uk as will probably show pics from when it was auctioned of car with damage.
Never knew this site existed, thanks. Although it's not £2 quid it's £3. Unless I'm doing something wrong?

Davie

4,732 posts

214 months

Thursday 9th January 2020
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Damage looks minimal... Cat S likely as the rear panel may have taken a knock, but again not exactly a huge impact. I'd either sell it and take a hit and learn from it or carry on with it, safe in the knowledge the damage 'appears' pretty minimal and on an older car, it doesn't take much to become an uneconomical repair at insurance prices. That said, a Mini for child duties is a bold choice... they're not exactly vast inside?

Gad-Westy

14,520 posts

212 months

Thursday 9th January 2020
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I don't see what is to be gained by inspecting it etc. If the car is Cat S, it's Cat S and that should have been made clear at point of purchase. You'd therefore pay a lot less for the car. If that stuff didn't happen, then you have recourse with the dealer. But don't text them. Either call or go there to discuss. If they're still an arse about it, take legal action if you wish.

Durzel

12,232 posts

167 months

Thursday 9th January 2020
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Don’t know the cost of these but think you’d have a good shout at small claims court (at least going through that process) if the dealer doesn’t play ball and the difference between an equivalent non-write off Mini is a reasonable amount of money.

As said above dealer is obliged to disclose write off status, so it’s been misrepresented.

Take copies of the car advert ASAP.

anonymous-user

53 months

Thursday 9th January 2020
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I would worry, my wife’s step dad has bought and sold a few minis from company that were Cat S / D, some had little more than scratches across two panels, sie to the paint / repair cost they were scrapped.

As the above photo shows, boot and rear bumper, new parts, prep’ and paint, easily write that off.

CharlieH89

Original Poster:

9,079 posts

164 months

Thursday 9th January 2020
quotequote all
Thanks all smile
I’ll ask my father in law to take the bumper off today. I’m in work and it’s my wife’s first day back at work after 12 months maternity.
Probably pay for a new MOT to see if it brings anything up then we will take it from there.
I still haven’t told anyone as my wife is up getting the baby ready before heading to work. I’ll tell her tonight.

Davie said:
Damage looks minimal... Cat S likely as the rear panel may have taken a knock, but again not exactly a huge impact. I'd either sell it and take a hit and learn from it or carry on with it, safe in the knowledge the damage 'appears' pretty minimal and on an older car, it doesn't take much to become an uneconomical repair at insurance prices. That said, a Mini for child duties is a bold choice... they're not exactly vast inside?
She gets the train to work. So it’s basically a means of transport from our house > nursery/ her parents house/ station which are all located within 1.5 miles smile
The pram fits in the boot which was the main factor.

Jamescrs

4,445 posts

64 months

Thursday 9th January 2020
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Looking at the Vicar check there's a better than reasonable chance that the car could be absolutely fine for your wife to drive. If the photo represents the only impact that caused the car S I doubt it would have cost much to put right, or worst case scenario would cost you much to put right with used parts if needed.

It's not ideal I know but from the initial post it sounds like you are urinating in the wind with the dealer and are likely to end up covered in it

Nickp82

3,165 posts

92 months

Thursday 9th January 2020
quotequote all
ATM said:
Never knew this site existed, thanks. Although it's not £2 quid it's £3. Unless I'm doing something wrong?
It was two when I last used it a few months ago, must have gone up.