Buying a car privately

[Ecosseven]

I'm going to look at a car tomorrow that is for sale privately.

Apart from the usual visual checks, a test drive and an HPI check is there anything else I should look for?

The car is 2 years old and I'm told has a full service history.

Am I correct in thinking that any recorded damage will be picked up by the HPI check?

Thanks in advance.

[james_gt3rs]

I was going to say check the previous MOTs (online if necessary) to check the mileage adds up, but the car is less than 3 years old...

[POORCARDEALER]

Only damage that has been subject to an insurance claim making the car a write off would show on hpi.

If car has been damaged and repaired and paid for by owner it wouldn't show

[All that jazz]

I would be enquiring in a subtle manner that should hopefully catch them off guard why they were selling a 2 yr old car. Not the norm for the majority of people unless there's something wrong with it. Replies such as "moving abroad" would start ringing alarm bells for me. Caveat emptor..

[g3org3y]

Worthwhile checking what the finance situation is on it (if any).

[New POD]

POORCARDEALER said:

Only damage that has been subject to an insurance claim making the car a write off would show on hpi.

If car has been damaged and repaired and paid for by owner it wouldn't show

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!

Only an insurance claim that resulted in a Cat D or Cat C write off would show on Hpi.

Any insurance claim that didn't cause it to be a write off would not show on HPi.

[martin mrt]

All that jazz said:

I would be enquiring in a subtle manner that should hopefully catch them off guard why they were selling a 2 yr old car. Not the norm for the majority of people unless there's something wrong with it. Replies such as "moving abroad" would start ringing alarm bells for me. Caveat emptor..

Why? For some people that is a genuine reason for the sale. Two of my neighbours have done it this month

Also why is it out if the ordinary to sell a 2 year old car?

[Wacky Racer]

If it is a one owner car ask the owner has it ever been in an accident (watch his facial reaction) and if he says no, would he be prepared to sign a piece of paper to that effect, if you go ahead and purchase.

If it genuinely hadn't he should not have a problem doing this.

[*Al*]

New POD said:

POORCARDEALER said:

Only damage that has been subject to an insurance claim making the car a write off would show on hpi.

If car has been damaged and repaired and paid for by owner it wouldn't show

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!

Only an insurance claim that resulted in a Cat D or Cat C write off would show on Hpi.

Any insurance claim that didn't cause it to be a write off would not show on HPi.

That's basically what he's saying! Some people seem to think if it's HPI clear then it's NEVER had an accident, if only!

[POORCARDEALER]

New POD said:

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!

Only an insurance claim that resulted in a Cat D or Cat C write off would show on Hpi.

Any insurance claim that didn't cause it to be a write off would not show on HPi.

YES, that's what my comment says

[BFG TERRANO]

What about an independent check? AA or RAC? Might be money well spent.

[New POD]

POORCARDEALER said:

YES, that's what my comment says

Yes but No.

POORCARDEALER said:

Only damage that has been subject to an insurance claim and that claim made the car a write off would it show on hpi.

If car has been damaged and repaired and paid for by owner or the insurance company it wouldn't show

It's a subtle difference so I've EFA

[POORCARDEALER]

New POD said:

POORCARDEALER said:

YES, that's what my comment says

Yes but No.

POORCARDEALER said:

Only damage that has been subject to an insurance claim and that claim made the car a write off would it show on hpi.

If car has been damaged and repaired and paid for by owner or the insurance company it wouldn't show

It's a subtle difference so I've EFA

quite.

[Deva Link]

Make sure the address it's being sold from is the same as the one on the V5C.

[All that jazz]

martin mrt said:

Why? For some people that is a genuine reason for the sale. Two of my neighbours have done it this month

Also why is it out if the ordinary to sell a 2 year old car?

Well no-one with any sense would do it out of choice as the depreciation would rape them silly. Maybe your neighbours have more money than sense? A brand new car for the majority of people would be kept for a minimum of 3 years imho.

[sodslaw]

BFG TERRANO said:

What about an independent check? AA or RAC? Might be money well spent.

I would agree.

Depends on the value of the car and how trusting you are of garage/person you're purchasing off tbh - can be difficult to balance things for piece of mind.



you can attempt a basic check yourself... Try to look down the side of the car to try see if its all perfectly straight, panel gaps, check under bonnet for anything that looks like its 'fresher' panels replaced or been played with, around doors, boot floor, looking at all the panels with the light shining on a mix of them, obviously unlikely but things like overspray etc

[WeirdNeville]

I would certainly want to see the V5c to check it's registered at that address and not held by a finance company.
I'd expect a 2 year old car to have finance on it, and it's not a barrier to sale so long as the seller is completely open and honest about it, and you pay the bulk of the money to the FINANCE company and not to the individual! You need to be in contact with the finance company if this is the case.
Also check if any warranty is transferable to you.


And I just sold my car because I'm moving abroad. Not everyone is dishonest, it just helps to assume they might be and look for proof that they're not.

[smartphone hater]

POORCARDEALER said:

New POD said:

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!

Only an insurance claim that resulted in a Cat D or Cat C write off would show on Hpi.

Any insurance claim that didn't cause it to be a write off would not show on HPi.

YES, that's what my comment says

I've never quite understood some of these cat D write offs as insurance companies sometimes write things off that seem strange to me. I once bought a van which was a cat D & all it needed was a new turbo, it had been in a flood but still started & drove but with a noisy turbo. It was approx £4500 worth of van written off because of a turbo. I suppose it boils down to dealers prices adding up with parts & labour but even so sometimes they seem to write things off for practically nothing.

[Deva Link]

smartphone hater said:

I've never quite understood some of these cat D write offs as insurance companies sometimes write things off that seem strange to me. I once bought a van which was a cat D & all it needed was a new turbo, it had been in a flood but still started & drove but with a noisy turbo. It was approx £4500 worth of van written off because of a turbo. I suppose it boils down to dealers prices adding up with parts & labour but even so sometimes they seem to write things off for practically nothing.

Depends what kind of flood - if it was a widespread one then vehicles are supposed to be destroyed due to infection risk from sewage contamination. Even if it just been driven into a large puddle and sucked water into the engine it can bend con-rods etc. So a bit of a can of worms for the insurance company and more certain for them just to write it off.

[Captain Muppet]

sodslaw said:

BFG TERRANO said:

What about an independent check? AA or RAC? Might be money well spent.

I would agree.

The AA spotted that both front wings on my mk1 CRX were made of GRP, and told me that it must have been in an accident. The front wings were like that from the factory.

They didn't spot the new paint down the entire left hand side.

I've not had an AA report since then.