Wife's friend looking to buy this car - something amiss?
Discussion
So my wife's friend has put a deposit on this:
https://www.auto-city.co.uk/vehicle/kia-ceed-1-in-...
I was asked today if I knew anything about the dealer before she did the full deal.
I don't but they seem like a company pretending to be a big national dealer like Carcraft / Available Car when they just have a handful of cars.
Company name vs name on numberplate seems suspicious.
Registration is is L014 DYG
A basic check shows mileage higher than average and some MOT bits like worn brakes, a damaged undertray etc.
Registered date vs V5C date - is this normal?
1 owner... for some reason I think it's been a hire car but I can't really say why.
What do the PH experts / detectives think?
Sadly she's put £500 down on it and they're now saying it's non refundable. However they say the car has a money back guarantee if she buys it.
https://www.auto-city.co.uk/vehicle/kia-ceed-1-in-...
I was asked today if I knew anything about the dealer before she did the full deal.
I don't but they seem like a company pretending to be a big national dealer like Carcraft / Available Car when they just have a handful of cars.
Company name vs name on numberplate seems suspicious.
Registration is is L014 DYG
A basic check shows mileage higher than average and some MOT bits like worn brakes, a damaged undertray etc.
Registered date vs V5C date - is this normal?
1 owner... for some reason I think it's been a hire car but I can't really say why.
What do the PH experts / detectives think?
Sadly she's put £500 down on it and they're now saying it's non refundable. However they say the car has a money back guarantee if she buys it.
I must be missing something here? So from the MOT history it clearly needs discs and pads all round and no doubt the undertray has hit a speed bump at some point.
It has had two owners, the second of which bought the car on 14 Sep 2016 (last V5 issued date)
What is the issue? other than the horrible colour?
Plus they are mostly all ex hire cars, where do you think all these two year old cars at main dealers come from? I bet it was a hire car for two years until September 2016
It has had two owners, the second of which bought the car on 14 Sep 2016 (last V5 issued date)
What is the issue? other than the horrible colour?
Plus they are mostly all ex hire cars, where do you think all these two year old cars at main dealers come from? I bet it was a hire car for two years until September 2016
Edited by anonymous-user on Tuesday 9th February 19:55
Their advert says 70,000 miles. Print it off before they remove it.
It's surely done more as it'd done 72,000 for the last MOT
Was the deposit paid by credit card?
But it's nearly seven years old so not that huge a mileage.
The new V5 issue could have been a change of address? Or was that the time the new style V5's were issued to everyone?
But I agree, looking at their advert it says they have hundreds of cars for sale.
Doesn't fill one with confidence if that isn't the case.
The car might be ok though, you really need to have a look at it.
It's surely done more as it'd done 72,000 for the last MOT
Was the deposit paid by credit card?
But it's nearly seven years old so not that huge a mileage.
The new V5 issue could have been a change of address? Or was that the time the new style V5's were issued to everyone?
But I agree, looking at their advert it says they have hundreds of cars for sale.
Doesn't fill one with confidence if that isn't the case.
The car might be ok though, you really need to have a look at it.
Edited by Trevor555 on Tuesday 9th February 20:16
Desperately needs brakes all round by the look of it so budget for front and rear discs and pads but I can’t imagine them being mega monies on a Kia Ceed.
Other than that the undertray being damaged could just be the result of it hitting something, hardly end of the world unless it’s literally hanging off.
Never seen the removed from drivers view thing before?
Only red flag is the fact they didn’t bother getting the discs done after the first advisory and then did what 18k miles and still didn’t bother to get them done so suggests maintenance was not a priority.
Other than that the undertray being damaged could just be the result of it hitting something, hardly end of the world unless it’s literally hanging off.
Never seen the removed from drivers view thing before?
Only red flag is the fact they didn’t bother getting the discs done after the first advisory and then did what 18k miles and still didn’t bother to get them done so suggests maintenance was not a priority.
I'd say it wasn't maintained well given the brakes have been left, the gearknob is wonky, the steering wheel is mullered in relation to the mileage, the nsr arch looks like it has primer around the lip of the wheelarch.
I'd walk away, sadly if she has been to the garage, viewed it and then decided no then she will lose the deposit.
I'd walk away, sadly if she has been to the garage, viewed it and then decided no then she will lose the deposit.
Thanks everyone, I'm not seeking any kind of personal validation or doing a "what car should I buy" thing here, I was just asked about the car / garage and something didn't feel right, I just wasn't sure if this was in any way justified.
I get it's not a brand new car or some cherished classic, it's automotive white goods but my wife's friend is needs a car quickly after hers was written off in an accident in the snow recently.
Unfortunately the deposit was paid by bank transfer and she hasn't seen the car in person or been to any form of garage, she thought she was dealing with a nice car supermarket chain but the reality seems otherwise.
Undertrays get damaged, that's fine but the brakes thing jumps out at me, either they eat brakes or they've been neglected.
Anyway I appreciate the feedback, even that essentially calling me some kind of needy knob head in need of validation from strangers or expecting yiu can buy perfect cars for £5k, it's all appreciated.
I just wish she'd asked before putting any money down.
I get it's not a brand new car or some cherished classic, it's automotive white goods but my wife's friend is needs a car quickly after hers was written off in an accident in the snow recently.
Unfortunately the deposit was paid by bank transfer and she hasn't seen the car in person or been to any form of garage, she thought she was dealing with a nice car supermarket chain but the reality seems otherwise.
Undertrays get damaged, that's fine but the brakes thing jumps out at me, either they eat brakes or they've been neglected.
Anyway I appreciate the feedback, even that essentially calling me some kind of needy knob head in need of validation from strangers or expecting yiu can buy perfect cars for £5k, it's all appreciated.
I just wish she'd asked before putting any money down.
thetapeworm said:
Unfortunately the deposit was paid by bank transfer and she hasn't seen the car in person or been to any form of garage, she thought she was dealing with a nice car supermarket chain but the reality seems otherwise.
Distance selling rules apply. She’s entitled to a refund. Edited by GR_WILL on Tuesday 9th February 20:43
Wagonwheel555 said:
Desperately needs brakes all round by the look of it so budget for front and rear discs and pads but I can’t imagine them being mega monies on a Kia Ceed.
Other than that the undertray being damaged could just be the result of it hitting something, hardly end of the world unless it’s literally hanging off.
Never seen the removed from drivers view thing before?
Only red flag is the fact they didn’t bother getting the discs done after the first advisory and then did what 18k miles and still didn’t bother to get them done so suggests maintenance was not a priority.
I see the 'removed from drivers view' thing a lot. Probably loads of cack hanging off the rear view mirror at the MoT test. If its permanently obscuring the view view, it's a fail so removing items is at the tester's discretion. Recorded because they aren't allowed to remove anything.Other than that the undertray being damaged could just be the result of it hitting something, hardly end of the world unless it’s literally hanging off.
Never seen the removed from drivers view thing before?
Only red flag is the fact they didn’t bother getting the discs done after the first advisory and then did what 18k miles and still didn’t bother to get them done so suggests maintenance was not a priority.
GR_WILL said:
thetapeworm said:
Unfortunately the deposit was paid by bank transfer and she hasn't seen the car in person or been to any form of garage, she thought she was dealing with a nice car supermarket chain but the reality seems otherwise.
Distance selling rules apply. She’s entitled to a refund. Edited by GR_WILL on Tuesday 9th February 20:43
First thought on clicking on the website was it’s a scam site and the cars don’t exist but the photos suggest most of the stock has been photographed with similar backgrounds so maybe they do.
Still looks dodgy. They can’t spell either.
“Nice car supermarket chain?” Errr...
stevemcs said:
Interesting, cheersOdd that the "Intercity" name doesn't come up on there, unless I missed it.
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