Please help! Used car no MOT but advertised otherwise!
Discussion
To cut a long story short, saw a car on auto trader that suited my requirements for a first car e.g. Cheap, used and old.
The car looked in pretty decent condition, and it had iv the advert 12 months MOT. I Went and saw it, liked the look of it, no massive issues what I could see (although I know next to nothing about car) and the bloke took me around the local village to see how it drives (he drove not me.
Now, it was a good deal and I put a £100 deposit down (my error I know) and looked forward to arranging insurance and what not.
However, on inspection of the reg online it appears that it has FAILED it last few MOT's, including the one in the month where the 12 month MOT would have made sense. The car had multiple corrosive issue on doors and underneath and I panicked obviously!
After calming, I called the garage and played ignorant, to make sure the garage said it had a 12 month MOT (which they confirmed) after saying I will be down to look at it with my father on the weekend.
Now I am at a loss and need help.
I don't feel comfortable buying this car anymore really, even if there is a reasonable explanation but I can't see there being one as the car was advertised as holding a MOT, even if he has one by the weekend, which still of today it does not hold (info from online reg checker)
Is it illegal that the garage owmer drove me around in a car with no MOT?
Will I get my deposit back (I cocked up again by not confirming whether it was non returnable)?
But then why would an established garage risk this on a £600 car?
Please help as I am obviously useless!
The car looked in pretty decent condition, and it had iv the advert 12 months MOT. I Went and saw it, liked the look of it, no massive issues what I could see (although I know next to nothing about car) and the bloke took me around the local village to see how it drives (he drove not me.
Now, it was a good deal and I put a £100 deposit down (my error I know) and looked forward to arranging insurance and what not.
However, on inspection of the reg online it appears that it has FAILED it last few MOT's, including the one in the month where the 12 month MOT would have made sense. The car had multiple corrosive issue on doors and underneath and I panicked obviously!
After calming, I called the garage and played ignorant, to make sure the garage said it had a 12 month MOT (which they confirmed) after saying I will be down to look at it with my father on the weekend.
Now I am at a loss and need help.
I don't feel comfortable buying this car anymore really, even if there is a reasonable explanation but I can't see there being one as the car was advertised as holding a MOT, even if he has one by the weekend, which still of today it does not hold (info from online reg checker)
Is it illegal that the garage owmer drove me around in a car with no MOT?
Will I get my deposit back (I cocked up again by not confirming whether it was non returnable)?
But then why would an established garage risk this on a £600 car?
Please help as I am obviously useless!
So long as they MOT the car before you pick it up whats the issue?
They may have done all the prep and just not put it through as they dont want the buyer to lose 1/2 a month of MOT dependant on when they actually flog it?
Most cars will have history at this price point - rust or similar.
They may have done all the prep and just not put it through as they dont want the buyer to lose 1/2 a month of MOT dependant on when they actually flog it?
Most cars will have history at this price point - rust or similar.
Thanks for the response.
I know the car won't be in perfect condition and I didnt assume it to be.
The problem as I see it (and I know very little) is that the car was advertised as having a MOT starting from sept.
I was driven in the car when it had no MOT.
I am planning to see the car/garage in two days and there is still no MOT done.
I know the car won't be in perfect condition and I didnt assume it to be.
The problem as I see it (and I know very little) is that the car was advertised as having a MOT starting from sept.
I was driven in the car when it had no MOT.
I am planning to see the car/garage in two days and there is still no MOT done.
There could be a couple of reasons why it's showing as having no mot,Some of the mot check sites take a few days to update,(The app i used showed my car as having no mot a week after it passed.).Or the seller was waiting for someone to agree to buy the car before spending money on doing any repairs required to pass.
If you check a random selection of cars in that price range you'll find that the majority have failed their mot's for the last few years which in itself isn't a great problem,But it does depend on what they failed on and how serious the issues were.
I wouldn't worry too much about being driven in the car with no mot as i would think it is the owners responsibility if anything
comes of it.when you go to pick the car up ask to see the mot certificate and have a look at the advisories to see if there's anything serious to consider for the next mot.
Out of interest what car is it?
Good luck.
If you check a random selection of cars in that price range you'll find that the majority have failed their mot's for the last few years which in itself isn't a great problem,But it does depend on what they failed on and how serious the issues were.
I wouldn't worry too much about being driven in the car with no mot as i would think it is the owners responsibility if anything
comes of it.when you go to pick the car up ask to see the mot certificate and have a look at the advisories to see if there's anything serious to consider for the next mot.
Out of interest what car is it?
Good luck.
What would you say if I felt as though sll this stress has caused me to lose interest in the car.
Ive seen many other, slightly more expensive but more legitimate looking cars elsewhere and all this buisness has put me off this car a little.
I know its my own doing (not checking MOT before deposit, not seeing MOT certificate) but would I get my deposit back?
Im prepared to lose it, but I would like it back if possible.
Ive seen many other, slightly more expensive but more legitimate looking cars elsewhere and all this buisness has put me off this car a little.
I know its my own doing (not checking MOT before deposit, not seeing MOT certificate) but would I get my deposit back?
Im prepared to lose it, but I would like it back if possible.
stillrunninground said:
What would you say if I felt as though sll this stress has caused me to lose interest in the car.
Ive seen many other, slightly more expensive but more legitimate looking cars elsewhere and all this buisness has put me off this car a little.
I know its my own doing (not checking MOT before deposit, not seeing MOT certificate) but would I get my deposit back?
Im prepared to lose it, but I would like it back if possible.
You'd lose, quite rightly, your deposit. The car has a 12 month MOT, what is the problem.Ive seen many other, slightly more expensive but more legitimate looking cars elsewhere and all this buisness has put me off this car a little.
I know its my own doing (not checking MOT before deposit, not seeing MOT certificate) but would I get my deposit back?
Im prepared to lose it, but I would like it back if possible.
Andy-gozd1 said:
There could be a couple of reasons why it's showing as having no mot,Some of the mot check sites take a few days to update,(The app i used showed my car as having no mot a week after it passed.).Or the seller was waiting for someone to agree to buy the car before spending money on doing any repairs required to pass.
If you check a random selection of cars in that price range you'll find that the majority have failed their mot's for the last few years which in itself isn't a great problem,But it does depend on what they failed on and how serious the issues were.
I wouldn't worry too much about being driven in the car with no mot as i would think it is the owners responsibility if anything
comes of it.when you go to pick the car up ask to see the mot certificate and have a look at the advisories to see if there's anything serious to consider for the next mot.
Out of interest what car is it?
Good luck.
'03 Fiat Punto mate If you check a random selection of cars in that price range you'll find that the majority have failed their mot's for the last few years which in itself isn't a great problem,But it does depend on what they failed on and how serious the issues were.
I wouldn't worry too much about being driven in the car with no mot as i would think it is the owners responsibility if anything
comes of it.when you go to pick the car up ask to see the mot certificate and have a look at the advisories to see if there's anything serious to consider for the next mot.
Out of interest what car is it?
Good luck.
I was only talking sbout being driven in it, as I wasnt sure if it was legal.
The whole thing is so confusing I wish I had never bothered!!
eldar said:
stillrunninground said:
What would you say if I felt as though sll this stress has caused me to lose interest in the car.
Ive seen many other, slightly more expensive but more legitimate looking cars elsewhere and all this buisness has put me off this car a little.
I know its my own doing (not checking MOT before deposit, not seeing MOT certificate) but would I get my deposit back?
Im prepared to lose it, but I would like it back if possible.
You'd lose, quite rightly, your deposit. The car has a 12 month MOT, what is the problem.Ive seen many other, slightly more expensive but more legitimate looking cars elsewhere and all this buisness has put me off this car a little.
I know its my own doing (not checking MOT before deposit, not seeing MOT certificate) but would I get my deposit back?
Im prepared to lose it, but I would like it back if possible.
As others have said, it's quite common for cars at this price point to have had significant issues and for a dealer to only MOT just before handover.
The bigger issue is why you are buying a car at this price point from a dealer - a £600 car from a dealer is a £400 car bought privately
The bigger issue is why you are buying a car at this price point from a dealer - a £600 car from a dealer is a £400 car bought privately
Sorry to say this but you sound a bit daft, if they are MOT'ing the car for you what's the problem?
The car will have been taken into stock and sat there until someone shows an interest in it.
The advert says 12 months mot because when it sells they will get the mot done, no point them doing the MOT when it arrives it might sit there for 4 months unsold, say it costs them £200 to MOT it, no point doing that until the buyer has been found.
If you are looking at sub £1k bangers most of them will have dubious MOT histories, most cheap old runners do.
Its an old Punto so make sure the steering is working ok and no warning lights for active steering (common punto problem and expensive fix) check when the cambelt was last changed, and if its riddled with rust leave it and find something else, for your budget you are better off with something Japanese or Korean as less likely to go wrong (it will still go wrong at some point).
The car will have been taken into stock and sat there until someone shows an interest in it.
The advert says 12 months mot because when it sells they will get the mot done, no point them doing the MOT when it arrives it might sit there for 4 months unsold, say it costs them £200 to MOT it, no point doing that until the buyer has been found.
If you are looking at sub £1k bangers most of them will have dubious MOT histories, most cheap old runners do.
Its an old Punto so make sure the steering is working ok and no warning lights for active steering (common punto problem and expensive fix) check when the cambelt was last changed, and if its riddled with rust leave it and find something else, for your budget you are better off with something Japanese or Korean as less likely to go wrong (it will still go wrong at some point).
rallycross said:
Sorry to say this but you sound a bit daft, if they are MOT'ing the car for you what's the problem?
The car will have been taken into stock and sat there until someone shows an interest in it.
The advert says 12 months mot because when it sells they will get the mot done, no point them doing the MOT when it arrives it might sit there for 4 months unsold, say it costs them £200 to MOT it, no point doing that until the buyer has been found.
If you are looking at sub £1k bangers most of them will have dubious MOT histories, most cheap old runners do.
Its an old Punto so make sure the steering is working ok and no warning lights for active steering (common punto problem and expensive fix) check when the cambelt was last changed, and if its riddled with rust leave it and find something else, for your budget you are better off with something Japanese or Korean as less likely to go wrong (it will still go wrong at some point).
Aye, I am a bit daft I know, made a mess of sorting my first car.The car will have been taken into stock and sat there until someone shows an interest in it.
The advert says 12 months mot because when it sells they will get the mot done, no point them doing the MOT when it arrives it might sit there for 4 months unsold, say it costs them £200 to MOT it, no point doing that until the buyer has been found.
If you are looking at sub £1k bangers most of them will have dubious MOT histories, most cheap old runners do.
Its an old Punto so make sure the steering is working ok and no warning lights for active steering (common punto problem and expensive fix) check when the cambelt was last changed, and if its riddled with rust leave it and find something else, for your budget you are better off with something Japanese or Korean as less likely to go wrong (it will still go wrong at some point).
I understand the point about the garage waiting till someone buys the car to do the MOT.
However, I dont know if they are MOT'ing the car for me, all they have said is that it has 12 month MOT since September, it is niw October and it does not have one.
Fair enough if they had said 'We will out it through its MOT for you' but it was presented to me as if the MOT already exists.
Apologies for being slightly thick about these things, its my first time and youll have to go slowly for me haha
ClaphamGT3 said:
As others have said, it's quite common for cars at this price point to have had significant issues and for a dealer to only MOT just before handover.
The bigger issue is why you are buying a car at this price point from a dealer - a £600 car from a dealer is a £400 car bought privately
A few things, lack of knowledge and options mainly.The bigger issue is why you are buying a car at this price point from a dealer - a £600 car from a dealer is a £400 car bought privately
stillrunninground said:
Was planning on looking at MOT certificate on saturday with family in person.
Would doing this via phone tommorow have any benefits over this?
MOT certificate no longer exist, it is all online. There may be a printout of the test result.Would doing this via phone tommorow have any benefits over this?
Check here -
https://www.gov.uk/check-mot-status
and check the history here -
https://www.gov.uk/check-mot-history
eldar said:
stillrunninground said:
Was planning on looking at MOT certificate on saturday with family in person.
Would doing this via phone tommorow have any benefits over this?
MOT certificate no longer exist, it is all online. There may be a printout of the test result.Would doing this via phone tommorow have any benefits over this?
Check here -
https://www.gov.uk/check-mot-status
and check the history here -
https://www.gov.uk/check-mot-history
This is what I have used, and what has given me the information about the car having failed it mot, mainly due to excessive corrosion.
md4776 said:
stillrunninground said:
Was planning on looking at MOT certificate on saturday with family in person.
Would doing this via phone tommorow have any benefits over this?
If it makes you feel any better about it im buying a car just now that hasnt had a valid mot for quite a few months (as its been on tbe dealers forecourt not selling). It too was advertised as being complete with 12 months mot. I checked before i went to see it and knew it didnt have on. Discussed with the garage and mot'd on sale. No issue for me, i can see its subsequently failed on some suspension issues, which the trader needs to pay to fix, and i get the full 12 months mot once complete. Would doing this via phone tommorow have any benefits over this?
One other point, if youre buying from a trade why didnt you get to drive the car as a test drive? His insurance should cover this on trade plates.
I didnt get to drive the car because
He offered to take me in it and truth be told I was very nervous due to me not driving a car in one and half years.
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