When a car was purchased question

[steve1]

Not sure what section this should go, so will give it a go here first.
About to buy a cheap car to run around in for a year or so, seen a nice vectra Sri, but I need to find out how long the guy has owned it for, I know I could ask him, and I know it should be on the v5, but is there any other way of finding out.
Thanx.

Edited by steve1 on Monday 23 July 21:49

[Magic919]

You could ask someone else who knows when he bought it.

[300bhp/ton]

steve1 said:

Not sure about which section this should go in, so will give it a go in here first.
About to buy a cheap car to run around in for about a year or so, seen a nice vectra sri, but I need to find out how long the guy has owned it for, I know I could ask him, and I know it should be on the v5, but is there any other way of finding out.
Thanx.

Does it matter? Or rather why do you need to know? And if you really do why can't you ask him?

[DonkeyApple]

Are you concerned he might be a covert dealer selling lemons?

Individually googling personal details may throw up ads for previous sales. Or searching the site where the car is advertised.

They rarely change mobile numbers.

[steve1]

300bhp/ton said:

Does it matter? Or rather why do you need to know? And if you really do why can't you ask him?

I know I can ask him, but I would rather know for sure before travelling to view the car, I've had enough wasted journeys to last a life time, so now I like to get all the info I can before looking.
Would you believe I went to view one last night that wasn't even insured for the road, so how do you test drive it, who sells a car that isn't insured.

[tercelgold]

Ask for all the V5 and MOT details, it'll show the location of the garages it's been to at least on the online checker.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/OwningAVehicl...

Edit: looks like you can do it with just the V5C and Reg number now, and get the MOT history.

Edited by tercelgold on Monday 23 July 20:15

[300bhp/ton]

steve1 said:

I know I can ask him, but I would rather know for sure before travelling to view the car, I've had enough wasted journeys to last a life time, so now I like to get all the info I can before looking.
Would you believe I went to view one last night that wasn't even insured for the road, so how do you test drive it, who sells a car that isn't insured.

erm how many people insure their cars fully comp for other people to test drive anyhow?

[hedgefinder]

steve1 said:

I know I can ask him, but I would rather know for sure before travelling to view the car, I've had enough wasted journeys to last a life time, so now I like to get all the info I can before looking.
Would you believe I went to view one last night that wasn't even insured for the road, so how do you test drive it, who sells a car that isn't insured.

what? hundreds of people sell their cars when their insurance runs out or their cars have been left in the garage unused.
It makes no difference what so ever how long the guy has owned it, some people buy cars new then run them into the ground and wait until their car is at the end of its useful life and then sell it on.. some dealers sell cracking cars cheap that they took in pex......

[hedgefinder]

steve1 said:

I know I can ask him, but I would rather know for sure before travelling to view the car, I've had enough wasted journeys to last a life time, so now I like to get all the info I can before looking.
Would you believe I went to view one last night that wasn't even insured for the road, so how do you test drive it, who sells a car that isn't insured.

what? hundreds of people sell their cars when their insurance runs out or their cars have been left in the garage unused.
It makes no difference what so ever how long the guy has owned it, some people buy cars new then run them into the ground and wait until their car is at the end of its useful life and then sell it on.. some dealers sell cracking cars cheap that they took in pex......

[steve1]

You don't have to insure the car fully comp for someone else to drive it, it just has to be insured, and as long as you are fully comp then you will be covered Third party for a test drive, who really buys a car without a test drive of Some sort, unless it's a real project/rebuild car.

[AdeTuono]

steve1 said:

who sells a car that isn't insured.

Just about everyone who has bought a new car and wants to sell their old one?

[300bhp/ton]

steve1 said:

You don't have to insure the car fully comp for someone else to drive it, it just has to be insured, and as long as you are fully comp then you will be covered Third party for a test drive, who really buys a car without a test drive of Some sort, unless it's a real project/rebuild car.

So if the person stacks your car on the test drive... you get diddly squat as it's only 3rd party

Rather you than me.

[Zwolf]

HPI check shows the date of last change of registered keeper.

Which is irrelevant for ascertaining if the chap is a shady trader or not as traders and dealers do not register themselves as keepers.

[steve1]

AdeTuono said:

Just about everyone who has bought a new car and wants to sell their old one?

So if a potential buyer wants to test drive it, how does that work.

[Zwolf]

steve1 said:

AdeTuono said:

Just about everyone who has bought a new car and wants to sell their old one?

So if a potential buyer wants to test drive it, how does that work.

Usually - they drive it with care and consideration and don't crash it...

[The Moose]

I must be honest, I can't quite fathom what you're going to find out from knowing when the chap bought the car?

Remember if you use the last registered keeper, if the guy's a bit of a mong and changed addresses, then it can well be down as a new registered keeper!

[xRIEx]

steve1 said:

...and as long as you are fully comp then you will be covered Third party for a test drive...

Nope, that's bks.

[Zwolf]

xRIEx said:

steve1 said:

...and as long as you are fully comp then you will be covered Third party for a test drive...

Nope, that's bks.

...so long as the car you're driving has an FC insurance policy in place that permits unnamed drivers with the owner's permission - and obviously that you have their permission to drive.

Is generally the arrangement as I understand it, but as ever it's worth checking the small print of both policies to have peace of mind that you are in fact covered should an accident occur.

[steve1]

xRIEx said:

Nope, that's bks.

Care to explain.

[CYMR0]

Zwolf said:

xRIEx said:

steve1 said:

...and as long as you are fully comp then you will be covered Third party for a test drive...

Nope, that's bks.

...so long as the car you're driving has an FC insurance policy in place that permits unnamed drivers with the owner's permission - and obviously that you have their permission to drive.

Is generally the arrangement as I understand it, but as ever it's worth checking the small print of both policies to have peace of mind that you are in fact covered should an accident occur.

Are you suggesting that you can only use a driving other cars extension if every legal driver is already covered by the car's primary insurance policy? If that's the case, wouldn't DOC be well... pointless? That said, my new SwiftCover policy will only cover me DOC if the car I'm driving is already insured somewhere else (yes, it actually does say that), which would make test drives a bit fraught. However I don't need any additional cover for me to be in the place.