Gut feeling. Does this sound strange?
Discussion
Hi All
Just looking for a bit of advice. I’m currently without a car and on the search for another one. I’ve found a W reg fiesta 1.3 for £695 with 67000 miles on the clock and a full MOT. It looks really good, phoned the advertiser and he said that he is a mechanic and everything on the car is sound, it was his sisters and she gave him the car and it has been in the family for a while. It has a few dings and scratches but other than that it’s spot on. I asked him how many owners it had and he said he wasn’t sure, fair enough.
Any way I didn’t ask him about the tax that was on the vehicle so thought I would check to see if it had any tax.
What I found strange is when I checked on a car data site the last time it was taxed was November 08 when it was transferred to him from his sister. That’s 2 years without tax so I sent him a text asking him if it had been off the road and if so why.
He replied saying it had been off the road from November 09 without tax not 08 and not been in a bump or anything but just used it occasionally as he already had a car and that he’s a mechanic and has several cars. He also said the old tax and Mot certificates are in the car.
I just found it strange that a car has been sat there mechanically sound for that length of time and 1 year later (or 2 years if he’s lying) it gets put on gum tree to be sold?
I’m going to view it today and the guys probably completely genuine but I always trust my gut instinct and just think it’s a little unusual
What do people think? Sorry I’ve gone on a bit.
Just looking for a bit of advice. I’m currently without a car and on the search for another one. I’ve found a W reg fiesta 1.3 for £695 with 67000 miles on the clock and a full MOT. It looks really good, phoned the advertiser and he said that he is a mechanic and everything on the car is sound, it was his sisters and she gave him the car and it has been in the family for a while. It has a few dings and scratches but other than that it’s spot on. I asked him how many owners it had and he said he wasn’t sure, fair enough.
Any way I didn’t ask him about the tax that was on the vehicle so thought I would check to see if it had any tax.
What I found strange is when I checked on a car data site the last time it was taxed was November 08 when it was transferred to him from his sister. That’s 2 years without tax so I sent him a text asking him if it had been off the road and if so why.
He replied saying it had been off the road from November 09 without tax not 08 and not been in a bump or anything but just used it occasionally as he already had a car and that he’s a mechanic and has several cars. He also said the old tax and Mot certificates are in the car.
I just found it strange that a car has been sat there mechanically sound for that length of time and 1 year later (or 2 years if he’s lying) it gets put on gum tree to be sold?
I’m going to view it today and the guys probably completely genuine but I always trust my gut instinct and just think it’s a little unusual
What do people think? Sorry I’ve gone on a bit.
If it ticks all the boxes I think I will. I’m going to do a HPI but the thing is I’ve got the reg but not the VIN and I know it’s best to do a VIN check just in case the reg has been cloned etc. what’s the best way to do this?
I know you can get the HPI report on a text but would feel awkward standing there next to a seller while punching in the VIN!
Don’t know what to do
I know you can get the HPI report on a text but would feel awkward standing there next to a seller while punching in the VIN!
Don’t know what to do
Just done a HPI check and it has come back as cat C in 2001 with no VIC check. this happened before to my old car and it turned out the plates on the fiesta used to be on a corsa written off, hence the reason it's best to put the VIN in so the text check has given me the last 4 number of the VIN. I'm thinking if that matches does that mean that it was written off?
If you just need a cheep little car I have a punto sporting for sale for £600 (sorry for blatent advert plug).
Its an old P reg but in nice condition, no rust, 1.6 8v 3 door, 99k miles with good sh, not fsh but it has all of its old mot's so the mileage is genuine, its taxed end dec, mot june just been in for an oil service and check over. its got PAS, alloys, c/lock, e/windows, cd player, airbag, seems to do 40 mpg on a steady run.
Its an old P reg but in nice condition, no rust, 1.6 8v 3 door, 99k miles with good sh, not fsh but it has all of its old mot's so the mileage is genuine, its taxed end dec, mot june just been in for an oil service and check over. its got PAS, alloys, c/lock, e/windows, cd player, airbag, seems to do 40 mpg on a steady run.
think a 1.6 punto would be expensive on insurance for me. My insurance is attrocious. Anyway this is where i stand. I've called my text check and they said it's deinately a category C so i'm thinking of catching the seller out and getting my friend to call and ask if it's any category because he may have been being clever when i text him asking if it was categorized and thought well no it wasnt categorized in 09 while it had no tax but in 2001 but he hasnt asked me that. does that make sense? Crack Fox your probably right i should walk away. it's a shame because that car ticks all tyhe boxes for me. so annoying.
If his sister gave him the car, it's unlikely he did a history check - hence he probably didn't now about the Cat C (it was 9 yrs ago, after all).
You really shouldn't feel uncomfortable about doing a VIN check there and then. Just put it in the conversation lightheartedly when viewing - 'Oh, just let me do an HPI check, make sure it all checks out OK'...... when it comes up as a CAT C, you have an extra bargaining chip right there. There really is nothing to feel 'awkward' about - you are making a business transaction, and you want to ensure the product you are purchasing is legit. I've never had a seller react negatively to me wanting to check out the VIN.... and I've also never been offended or against a buyer checking out the VIN on any car I've sold. Both parties should be sufficiently happy with the deal.
You can also always use the line 'this is a considerable purchase for me, and I would just like to take the correct steps to protect my money/investment'. I have used similar lines when discussing payment for a car I've sold also. The only people who would get offended by that are people that have something to hide.
You really shouldn't feel uncomfortable about doing a VIN check there and then. Just put it in the conversation lightheartedly when viewing - 'Oh, just let me do an HPI check, make sure it all checks out OK'...... when it comes up as a CAT C, you have an extra bargaining chip right there. There really is nothing to feel 'awkward' about - you are making a business transaction, and you want to ensure the product you are purchasing is legit. I've never had a seller react negatively to me wanting to check out the VIN.... and I've also never been offended or against a buyer checking out the VIN on any car I've sold. Both parties should be sufficiently happy with the deal.
You can also always use the line 'this is a considerable purchase for me, and I would just like to take the correct steps to protect my money/investment'. I have used similar lines when discussing payment for a car I've sold also. The only people who would get offended by that are people that have something to hide.
Otto said:
If his sister gave him the car, it's unlikely he did a history check - hence he probably didn't now about the Cat C (it was 9 yrs ago, after all).
You really shouldn't feel uncomfortable about doing a VIN check there and then. Just put it in the conversation lightheartedly when viewing - 'Oh, just let me do an HPI check, make sure it all checks out OK'...... when it comes up as a CAT C, you have an extra bargaining chip right there. There really is nothing to feel 'awkward' about - you are making a business transaction, and you want to ensure the product you are purchasing is legit. I've never had a seller react negatively to me wanting to check out the VIN.... and I've also never been offended or against a buyer checking out the VIN on any car I've sold. Both parties should be sufficiently happy with the deal.
You can also always use the line 'this is a considerable purchase for me, and I would just like to take the correct steps to protect my money/investment'. I have used similar lines when discussing payment for a car I've sold also. The only people who would get offended by that are people that have something to hide.
What he said. If he has nothing to hide then he will encourage you to do a HPI/DATA check, i would. When it does come back as a cat-c then you can push him to drop the price 1-200 quid. You really shouldn't feel uncomfortable about doing a VIN check there and then. Just put it in the conversation lightheartedly when viewing - 'Oh, just let me do an HPI check, make sure it all checks out OK'...... when it comes up as a CAT C, you have an extra bargaining chip right there. There really is nothing to feel 'awkward' about - you are making a business transaction, and you want to ensure the product you are purchasing is legit. I've never had a seller react negatively to me wanting to check out the VIN.... and I've also never been offended or against a buyer checking out the VIN on any car I've sold. Both parties should be sufficiently happy with the deal.
You can also always use the line 'this is a considerable purchase for me, and I would just like to take the correct steps to protect my money/investment'. I have used similar lines when discussing payment for a car I've sold also. The only people who would get offended by that are people that have something to hide.
Thank you all for your replies, really appreiciate it.
I called him and asked him if he knew it was cat C and he didnt so I went to view the car and spent about 20 seconds looking over the car and that was enough. Looked tidy from a distance. Got close up, there were panels that werent alligned up properly. The drivers door was bent from where someone had pried it open probably to steal it.
plenty of rust spots which i know fiestas are rusty but not a tidy car. got off before the guy come out to save any awkwardness.
I know it was only £700 but i always trust my gut instinct and if something doesnt feel right then i'll walk away.
It cost me a £3 HPI and my lunch hour, not the end of the world.
Back to the drawing board.
I'm looking for something like a fiesta, focus 1.6 or 1.4, peugeot 306, 106. Would spend up to about £1200
I called him and asked him if he knew it was cat C and he didnt so I went to view the car and spent about 20 seconds looking over the car and that was enough. Looked tidy from a distance. Got close up, there were panels that werent alligned up properly. The drivers door was bent from where someone had pried it open probably to steal it.
plenty of rust spots which i know fiestas are rusty but not a tidy car. got off before the guy come out to save any awkwardness.
I know it was only £700 but i always trust my gut instinct and if something doesnt feel right then i'll walk away.
It cost me a £3 HPI and my lunch hour, not the end of the world.
Back to the drawing board.
I'm looking for something like a fiesta, focus 1.6 or 1.4, peugeot 306, 106. Would spend up to about £1200
Im surprised you even bothered to go and see it, there must be Fiestas of that age and price all over the place without having some suspect history.
However, I must congratulate you on keeping your buying whits about you regardless of the cars age and pedigree... a lot of us would probably have completely foregone the HPI checks etc due to the car being of 'low value'
However, I must congratulate you on keeping your buying whits about you regardless of the cars age and pedigree... a lot of us would probably have completely foregone the HPI checks etc due to the car being of 'low value'
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