Tracking a car - sketchy details
Discussion
Any advice appreciated, thanks in advance...
My father left the country around 2008/9. On departing he left a vehicle (a V12 Jaguar with sentimental value), including its documentation, with a friend for long-term safe-keeping.
Father is now back in the country, and would like his car back - not least because he wants to hand it down to me. However, the gentleman who was looking after it has gone quiet and has been for some time despite email and written efforts (and it's a 140 mile trip to Fillongley just go knocking on his door).
MOT online history shows it was MOT'd in 2008 (by my father), then nothing until 2017 when it was MOT'd and passed (a handful of miles later), and then again in 2019 when it failed - only 100 miles later.
DVLA check says (despite MOT situation) the car is TAXED, and that a new V5 was issued in 2021. To be clear, the V5 was never transferred and should still be in my father's name.
Can anybody offer suggestions on what might have occurred, ways we might best proceed (besides the obvious), and rate our chances of recovering the car?
My father left the country around 2008/9. On departing he left a vehicle (a V12 Jaguar with sentimental value), including its documentation, with a friend for long-term safe-keeping.
Father is now back in the country, and would like his car back - not least because he wants to hand it down to me. However, the gentleman who was looking after it has gone quiet and has been for some time despite email and written efforts (and it's a 140 mile trip to Fillongley just go knocking on his door).
MOT online history shows it was MOT'd in 2008 (by my father), then nothing until 2017 when it was MOT'd and passed (a handful of miles later), and then again in 2019 when it failed - only 100 miles later.
DVLA check says (despite MOT situation) the car is TAXED, and that a new V5 was issued in 2021. To be clear, the V5 was never transferred and should still be in my father's name.
Can anybody offer suggestions on what might have occurred, ways we might best proceed (besides the obvious), and rate our chances of recovering the car?
Beyond all that, unless there are other mutual friends you can contact who might have more recent contact details, I reckon you're popping round (or sending someone round) to knock at the address and hope that whoever lives there now, or possibly the neighbours, know what happened to the previous occupants.
Dad goes abroad, leaves car for 12 years with a friend in certain place, comes back to live 140 miles from this place, wants his car back, but 140 miles is too far to go and see the chap / car?
It’s 50 quid or diesel and about 6 hours of his time!
Where is the car registered? Since your dad was abroad, who did he register the car to for the last 12 years?
It’s 50 quid or diesel and about 6 hours of his time!
Where is the car registered? Since your dad was abroad, who did he register the car to for the last 12 years?
"If the old friend wasn't the type to be this unreliable, have you considered that he might have shuffled off the mortal coil a few years back, and a relative has inherited what appeared to be his car?"
This, most likely is the keeper is no longer around and his family have appropriated the car believing it to be their.
This, most likely is the keeper is no longer around and his family have appropriated the car believing it to be their.
Trying to be sympathetic, but ...........Good luck with that!!!
Can't be arsed to travel 140 miles? Doesn't want it back that much really? Is it him or you who really wants it? How much contact has he/ you had with the person who stored it for the past 12 years? Why couldn't you store it? Or pay to store it?
New V5 issued. My guess is as above, either been sold by him (maybe as payment to cover storage costs?), a family member or has been re-registered in one of their names. I'd say in any case, it would need some sort of court case to get it back? Did your father pay for the storage or have any sort of contract for storage?
Unless it's worth £'000's, and worth a s
t load of hassle, personally I think this will be a struggle?
Can't be arsed to travel 140 miles? Doesn't want it back that much really? Is it him or you who really wants it? How much contact has he/ you had with the person who stored it for the past 12 years? Why couldn't you store it? Or pay to store it?
New V5 issued. My guess is as above, either been sold by him (maybe as payment to cover storage costs?), a family member or has been re-registered in one of their names. I'd say in any case, it would need some sort of court case to get it back? Did your father pay for the storage or have any sort of contract for storage?
Unless it's worth £'000's, and worth a s
t load of hassle, personally I think this will be a struggle?
E63eeeeee... said:
If the old friend wasn't the type to be this unreliable, have you considered that he might have shuffled off the mortal coil a few years back, and a relative has inherited what appeared to be his car?
This hypothesis has not been ruled out, however (though I haven't checked personally) he appears on the ERIf you don't want to appear to be trolling, what car is it? Was there anything in writing or just an informal agreement? Has there been any communication at all during the 12 years?
Otherwise you look like you have made all this up. 140 miles is not a lot to do if you want a car back. Hell, I do that to visit my grandfather's grave for 20 minutes.
Otherwise you look like you have made all this up. 140 miles is not a lot to do if you want a car back. Hell, I do that to visit my grandfather's grave for 20 minutes.
Thanks to all posters. It's not too much trouble for my father to head up there, rather he was wondering if there are any other ways to conclusively learn about what happened to his car in advance. The gent who was/is storing it was a reliable friend so it's out of character for him to have become unresponsive, though there was no contact for the last several years. I'll add to the thread with news as and when, in case anyone is curious.
Tyre Smoke said:
If you don't want to appear to be trolling, what car is it? Was there anything in writing or just an informal agreement? Has there been any communication at all during the 12 years?
Otherwise you look like you have made all this up. 140 miles is not a lot to do if you want a car back. Hell, I do that to visit my grandfather's grave for 20 minutes.
1977 XJS V12. Also, I'm a very long way from a troll (longstanding PHer with history of in-person contributions). Otherwise you look like you have made all this up. 140 miles is not a lot to do if you want a car back. Hell, I do that to visit my grandfather's grave for 20 minutes.
Nevertheless, no there wasn't a written agreement of a sort. The friend has plentiful covered space and money was of no concern to either party.
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