Dealer has lost paperwork

[tk123]

Hi,

I recently put down a deposit on a used BMW e90 from a non franchised dealer last week.

At the time the dealer could not locate the paperwork (service history, V5, MOT) and assured me that it had full BMWSH.

I said I would buy the car subject to seeing the paperwork. The salesman assured me they would find the paperwork and send me scanned copies. I was thinking that if they cannot find the paperwork by the time I pick it up then I will ask for a refund.

Fast forward to today...I'm supposed to be picking it up and they have not found it. He tells me they can get replacements for the paperwork including a stamped up service book.

I'm not sure what to do. What would you do?

Thanks

tom

[krisdelta]

I'd buy a car that DOES have paperwork... buying a car without a V5 / Mot / History? Personally, not a chance. If it said that in the ad - would you have even looked at it?

[dapearson]

tk123 said:

Hi,

I recently put down a deposit on a used BMW e90 from a non franchised dealer last week.

At the time the dealer could not locate the paperwork (service history, V5, MOT) and assured me that it had full BMWSH.

I said I would buy the car subject to seeing the paperwork. The salesman assured me they would find the paperwork and send me scanned copies. I was thinking that if they cannot find the paperwork by the time I pick it up then I will ask for a refund.

Fast forward to today...I'm supposed to be picking it up and they have not found it. He tells me they can get replacements for the paperwork including a stamped up service book.

I'm not sure what to do. What would you do?

Thanks

tom

If you buy it anyway i wouldn't expect to see any paperwork arrive in the post. Once they've got your money i doubt they'll put any effort into finding it.

However, you can check MOT status online. New MOT certificates are just a meaningless piece of paper.

The service history will be logged with BMW. You could chase that up yourself and sort out a new service book after.

The V5 doesn't prove ownership and it shouldn't be a problem to apply for it, though this is the bit i'd be most wary of.

[james_gt3rs]

I'd walk - not exactly a rare car so you'll find a better one.

[Chicane-UK]

james_gt3rs said:

I'd walk - not exactly a rare car so you'll find a better one.

Agreed. You'll only have a load of hassle when you come to sell it, and you've only got copies or no paperwork at all. Given that it's a pretty common car, I'd go find another.

[TwistingMyMelon]

How much deposit you put down?

Once you've paid they wont put any effort into finding it, you'll wait for months and they will just fake the service doc (easy to do), the rest you can get yourself.

I'd check with BMW to see what records they have

I'd try and get a decent wedge off , or walk....

[steveo3002]

if you decide to have it , make sure all the promises are put into writing before handing over your money

[swisstoni]

Nope. There will always be another one.

[LooneyTunes]

Chicane-UK said:

james_gt3rs said:

I'd walk - not exactly a rare car so you'll find a better one.

Agreed. You'll only have a load of hassle when you come to sell it, and you've only got copies or no paperwork at all. Given that it's a pretty common car, I'd go find another.

I wouldn't. I'd run.

May be a cynic, but I'd be worried there was something in there that had caused them to be "accidentally" lost.

If your business is selling cars, you don't go around losing key documents that establish the provenance and value of your stock.

[tk123]

Thanks for all the responses. I put 500 down on a credit card which I shall ask to be refunded.

[R26Andy]

Ring up BMW to check service history.

Go online to check MoT history and hpi check it.

If it doesnt confirm what they are saying, get your money back.

If it does confirm what they are saying, dont tell them and use the lack of documentation as a negotiation tool.

Job jobbed.

[onesickpuppy]

R26Andy said:

Ring up BMW to check service history.

Go online to check MoT history and hpi check it.

If it doesnt confirm what they are saying, get your money back.

If it does confirm what they are saying, dont tell them and use the lack of documentation as a negotiation tool.

Job jobbed.

This .

[Lee540]

If its from an indy in Slough, walk away..

[CaptainSensib1e]

I had something simialr happen to me once.

I was assured a car I was buying had a full service history, but they couldn't find it. When I went to pick up the car they still didn't have it but I was shown (in hindsight) a slightly dodgy print out which was apparently from Ford's servicing deprtment showing the services they had done on the car.

I was assured that they had ordered a new service book from Ford which they would forward on, and being young and slightly naive I beleived them. Fast forward a few weeks and no sign of the service book. So I phone the dealer and apparently the salesman I spoke to has left and no one knows anything about it.

When I did take the car into Ford for a service they had no recrods of it ever being serviced with them. Luckily the car was fine and I never had any problems with it but I learned my lesson never to trust a dealer!

[KingNothing]

Dealer has lost paperwork a.k.a. dealer is trying to hide the fact car has no service history, and you'll either get no paperwork after you buy the car, or a forged service history.

[Benbay001]

Have you every seen the paper work? Id be inclined to ring from another number and ask if it has paperwork. If the dealer says yes, then you know that he loses it once he has found a buyer.

[tk123]

I'm thinking of using the lack of documentation as a negotiating tool.

I checked with BMW and they told me its been serviced once at 25k/3 years. I'm assuming it only ever saw franchised dealers.

It was an oil service with brake fluid and micro filter change. The car is a 5 year old 330i at 38k. Is the fact that has only had 1 oil/brake fluid change of concern and that it was done at 3 years?

Will this have caused any lasting issues? I know brake fluid should be done every 2.

Thanks

tom

Edited by tk123 on Friday 20th September 18:09

[rallycross]

Don't buy it unless very cheap or you contact previous owner who can confirm full details of servicing.

Probably been clocked if no history, very easy to do.

[Burnham]

Pay a bit more and get one that's right Tom.

If you buy it, the first thing you will do is worry about the day you have to come to sell it. You'll have to find someone who's not bothered about the paperwork, or sell it very cheap, or keep it for long enough that the lack of history is no longer a concern.

Having these issues at the back of your mind will take the immediate shine off any money you have saved.

[essayer]

So no history and poorly serviced, misrepresented at best, WALK AWAY!!!