New Car from Dealer. Found it's Stolen/Recovered, what next?
Discussion
Hi guys, hopefully you can give me some opinions/advice.
I've just bought a new car from a local dealer for £10,500. All checked out HPI clear and the car is lovely all round, problem free and I love it.
As you do being a car nut, I wanted to find the previous owner to ask if he had any issues and so on, it's a 2015 car so hasn't done much but always nice to know a bit about it.
On we go and I find the chap on Facebook. I've not befriended him as scrolling down his timeline I see a post shared multiple times that his car was stolen in August 2017! It was recovered 5 weeks later and he said that there could be unconfirmed damage and so he wouldn't be getting the car back.
Now when I viewed the car, as I say, it checked out fine, looked excellent, really nice little dealership (on first view) - nicely presented unit, carpeted, numerous prestige cars (around 30) and seemingly good, non-pushy sales man in his 60's who looked after me.
One of the first things he mentioned which I didn't pick up on (possibly naive, not looking for a flame war) was the car has had one owner but he lost his V5 so a new one was presented however DVLA had put him down as a second owner. I looked at the V5 and both current and previous owners were the same person at the same address. I considered it a DVLA oversight and ran the usual HPI checks. In fact I have now ran 2 on the car, from different providers.
Another thing I noticed when I came to tax it was the car had not been taxed since 27th August 2017. This co-incides with the date the chap put on Facebook of when the car was stolen.
Obviously as I say the car is "HPI clear", however would you agree the dealer knew more of it's history than he was letting on? Did he mention the V5 very early on to gauge a reaction from me? To see if it scared me off? I called DVLA this morning to query my thoughts, see if a marker was present and they were not particularly helpful. I asked if it is likely that a lost V5 would then see an additional owner added to the cars history and didn't get far, the rep said to assume the car was sold to a trader then re-purchased... unlikely to me.
The car was a good value deal all in all looking at the current marketplace. I asked if the owner PX'd with him and he said no, he just bought it in to sell...
So now I have a car which strictly speaking is perfect, problem free, HPI clear but I am very dubious that the dealer knew more than he cared to divulge to me.
I am away with work until Saturday, where I will be visiting the dealer to gauge a reaction when I query what history he knows about this car.
I am happy to keep it, but obviously I feel misled... as I see it I would like to persue one of two options.
1) keep the car with perhaps some financial refund.
2) reject the car based on new found info and request a full refund and return the car.
Idea 1) is most favourable to me.
Do you think I am right to go in and ask for some money back based on my findings? Or am I better rid of this car "just in case"?
Thanks in advance,
Dave
I've just bought a new car from a local dealer for £10,500. All checked out HPI clear and the car is lovely all round, problem free and I love it.
As you do being a car nut, I wanted to find the previous owner to ask if he had any issues and so on, it's a 2015 car so hasn't done much but always nice to know a bit about it.
On we go and I find the chap on Facebook. I've not befriended him as scrolling down his timeline I see a post shared multiple times that his car was stolen in August 2017! It was recovered 5 weeks later and he said that there could be unconfirmed damage and so he wouldn't be getting the car back.
Now when I viewed the car, as I say, it checked out fine, looked excellent, really nice little dealership (on first view) - nicely presented unit, carpeted, numerous prestige cars (around 30) and seemingly good, non-pushy sales man in his 60's who looked after me.
One of the first things he mentioned which I didn't pick up on (possibly naive, not looking for a flame war) was the car has had one owner but he lost his V5 so a new one was presented however DVLA had put him down as a second owner. I looked at the V5 and both current and previous owners were the same person at the same address. I considered it a DVLA oversight and ran the usual HPI checks. In fact I have now ran 2 on the car, from different providers.
Another thing I noticed when I came to tax it was the car had not been taxed since 27th August 2017. This co-incides with the date the chap put on Facebook of when the car was stolen.
Obviously as I say the car is "HPI clear", however would you agree the dealer knew more of it's history than he was letting on? Did he mention the V5 very early on to gauge a reaction from me? To see if it scared me off? I called DVLA this morning to query my thoughts, see if a marker was present and they were not particularly helpful. I asked if it is likely that a lost V5 would then see an additional owner added to the cars history and didn't get far, the rep said to assume the car was sold to a trader then re-purchased... unlikely to me.
The car was a good value deal all in all looking at the current marketplace. I asked if the owner PX'd with him and he said no, he just bought it in to sell...
So now I have a car which strictly speaking is perfect, problem free, HPI clear but I am very dubious that the dealer knew more than he cared to divulge to me.
I am away with work until Saturday, where I will be visiting the dealer to gauge a reaction when I query what history he knows about this car.
I am happy to keep it, but obviously I feel misled... as I see it I would like to persue one of two options.
1) keep the car with perhaps some financial refund.
2) reject the car based on new found info and request a full refund and return the car.
Idea 1) is most favourable to me.
Do you think I am right to go in and ask for some money back based on my findings? Or am I better rid of this car "just in case"?
Thanks in advance,
Dave
I've ran a couple of HPI checks and nothing comes up against the car.
I am more than confident this is the identical car in question which was "stolen", lost for 5 weeks, then found.
Odd about the V5 though, no?
Not looking for any kind of flame war what so ever, just wanted to explore my options.
Would you have bought it Tyre Smoke or indeed be happy about it's history following the completed sale and further research? That's all I am saying.
You are correct, I do like the car, but it's really not nice finding out such history as that. I.e. was it badly abused? Has it had new locks etc etc, who actually knows. I know they can repair and give back to the owner if the value of repairs doesn't warrant it to be categorized.
Thanks all.
I am more than confident this is the identical car in question which was "stolen", lost for 5 weeks, then found.
Odd about the V5 though, no?
Not looking for any kind of flame war what so ever, just wanted to explore my options.
Would you have bought it Tyre Smoke or indeed be happy about it's history following the completed sale and further research? That's all I am saying.
You are correct, I do like the car, but it's really not nice finding out such history as that. I.e. was it badly abused? Has it had new locks etc etc, who actually knows. I know they can repair and give back to the owner if the value of repairs doesn't warrant it to be categorized.
Thanks all.
It is odd ref the V5, it's also odd it showed un-taxed from 27th August too.
His dad has a different first name, he and his mum also shared their sons post at the time.
The dealer claims he bought it from the original owner. His story about the V5 was it was lost, so a new one was requested and a second owner with identical details was added...
My girlfriend manages a post office and was adamant the DVLA wouldn't add the owner as a duplicate/second owner and would charge to re-issue a new V5 for all intents and purposes identical to the original. The DVLA were not forthcoming with info when I called and queried earlier.
Thanks
His dad has a different first name, he and his mum also shared their sons post at the time.
The dealer claims he bought it from the original owner. His story about the V5 was it was lost, so a new one was requested and a second owner with identical details was added...
My girlfriend manages a post office and was adamant the DVLA wouldn't add the owner as a duplicate/second owner and would charge to re-issue a new V5 for all intents and purposes identical to the original. The DVLA were not forthcoming with info when I called and queried earlier.
Thanks
Not gonna lie, had a few interesting second hand cars but this is the first one I've ever spent so much on, perhaps why I feel I am "owed" something maybe. Ah well.
Not too sure insurance would allow only third party cover on a brand new car in response to someone else above (well, he had it from new at least).
Another thing I have found is the dealer is not VAT registered nor on Companies House, I need to take another look at my invoice tonight after work just in case. I have found they had a previous property business which was struck off after a couple of years being active.
The seller says he had a forecourt locally for quite a number of years but moved to their current unit last year, being under cover from the elements...
Not too sure insurance would allow only third party cover on a brand new car in response to someone else above (well, he had it from new at least).
Another thing I have found is the dealer is not VAT registered nor on Companies House, I need to take another look at my invoice tonight after work just in case. I have found they had a previous property business which was struck off after a couple of years being active.
The seller says he had a forecourt locally for quite a number of years but moved to their current unit last year, being under cover from the elements...
Thesprucegoose said:
The law is actually on your side. It is a criminal offence for a dealer to sell a car withholding iformation that would be pertinent in any car buyers buying decision.
I would say selling a stolen car and not informing you is one. The law also clear you don't have to ask the actual question. Now if they actually knew might be an issue.
This is very interesting, thank you. Would you know of a source where I can see this in black and white to add to my case should I decide I have one? Cheers I would say selling a stolen car and not informing you is one. The law also clear you don't have to ask the actual question. Now if they actually knew might be an issue.
I haven't as I am concerned he may be friends with the garage owners son/business partner.
Otherwise I was about to yesterday until I saw the stolen car post.
EDIT: reason I mentioned the above is the chap who dealt with me (Father) said it was his son who sourced this car and knew more about it, it's a local car also, so a bit concerned to drop myself in it should I pursue this. When I made my offer he went off to call his son before refusing, but we agreed on a price 500 less than listed, which was offered by them initially rather than a figure I came up with!
Otherwise I was about to yesterday until I saw the stolen car post.
EDIT: reason I mentioned the above is the chap who dealt with me (Father) said it was his son who sourced this car and knew more about it, it's a local car also, so a bit concerned to drop myself in it should I pursue this. When I made my offer he went off to call his son before refusing, but we agreed on a price 500 less than listed, which was offered by them initially rather than a figure I came up with!
Edited by Davros81 on Monday 23 April 15:55
I'll call DVLA again in a sec and push more
I know I've mentioned facebook a lot, oddly the car I have is listed on the garages facebook page which I have found and the previous owner has been tagged in the post. No comment from him was made however.
Will post back with what the DVLA say this time.
I know I've mentioned facebook a lot, oddly the car I have is listed on the garages facebook page which I have found and the previous owner has been tagged in the post. No comment from him was made however.
Will post back with what the DVLA say this time.
Perhaps it is but £10500 is a lot of anyones money I guess. Especially to me
The DVLA weren't interested at all really on take two. They reeled off a multitude of possibilities and even with provision of the document ref number they said it'd tell them nothing apart from the cars reg etc so to them it's a dead duck and they cannot answer any of my questions.
Ah well.
The DVLA weren't interested at all really on take two. They reeled off a multitude of possibilities and even with provision of the document ref number they said it'd tell them nothing apart from the cars reg etc so to them it's a dead duck and they cannot answer any of my questions.
Ah well.
I guess none of us may know the full facts.
I've called HPI and MyCarCheck and there is no marker recorded against the car at all, HPI were not very helpful but MyCarCheck were very friendly but nothing is listed so that's that I guess.
I just wanted to say I'm not trying to come across as a scammer by any stretch, merely asking for advice. Perhaps it's best not to persue it but to get something out of it see if the garage will cover MOT costs come July seeing as they're supposed to provide 6 months MOT as part of their AA gold dealer promise.
Better than nowt.
Cheers guys.
I've called HPI and MyCarCheck and there is no marker recorded against the car at all, HPI were not very helpful but MyCarCheck were very friendly but nothing is listed so that's that I guess.
I just wanted to say I'm not trying to come across as a scammer by any stretch, merely asking for advice. Perhaps it's best not to persue it but to get something out of it see if the garage will cover MOT costs come July seeing as they're supposed to provide 6 months MOT as part of their AA gold dealer promise.
Better than nowt.
Cheers guys.
Bennyjames28 said:
I would not be happy if I spent all that money and found out the car had been stolen at some point. I would rather just buy one that hasn't been stolen.
Just phone your local police and ask.
It's nice to see someone else agrees with how I feel Just phone your local police and ask.
Thanks everyone for your input. I'm going to speak to the AA ref the MOT today, after all if I am entitled to it then why not?!
As for "compensation", I won't pursue it, but I am going to pop in to see the dealer none the less on Saturday to let him know my findings even if all it does is make me feel better about it all, true or not.
swanny200 said:
The find out from a previous owner stuff really does my head in after having it been done to me. Sold a 2 year old Grand Picasso to a couple of guys who travelled up to Scotland from Manchester to buy it and then 2 years later get a letter to me from the new owner saying there were all these faults on their "new" car and was it there when I had the car 2 years previously.
In my case it transpired that the garage had used it for a run around for 18 months transporting parts etc and run it into the ground. A classic car I can totally understand maybe contacting the previous owner, but not a 3 year old car.
Oh don't get me wrong, I really aren't that kind of person, but having predominantly always owned modified cars it's nice to know who did what sometimes so I have a better idea of previous work done and when etc.In my case it transpired that the garage had used it for a run around for 18 months transporting parts etc and run it into the ground. A classic car I can totally understand maybe contacting the previous owner, but not a 3 year old car.
I'm not too bothered what someone else thinks of my train of thought however regarding finding out a bit more about what I've bought as I never mean any malice by it.
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff