MOT mileage error help

[NB90]

Hi All
I’m hoping someone with more car selling/buying experience can help me with a problem I have.

I purchased a car from Sytner BMW in Birmingham back in February 2018 (they've since closed). The car had its first MOT in December 2017 with mileage of 51k. I queried this with BMW and they ran an NMR report which came back showing ~31k miles (same as the car dash). Note: I suspect the input was 51k kilometres as that converts to 31k miles. BMW also gave it a fresh MOT at the time of purchase.

Anyway, I’m now selling the car and I’ve ran into all sorts of trouble because of this. Motorway, CarWow etc. won’t touch it because they think it’s been clocked. I rang the MOT centre who carried out the test (Halfords) and they’ve confirmed a record of the MOT and can see the mileage, but won’t share it with me due to GDPR. Their argument is that as I was not the owner at the time of the MOT, there is no way in hell they can share any form of documentation with me as it contravenes GDPR.

Frankly I think it’s ludicrous as I’ve asked for any documentation that shows the mileage and omits the owner’s personal details. They aren’t having it so I’ve raised a complaint with Head Office to get something (currently TBC).

In your experiences, should I go ahead and put the car on Autotrader and openly explain the mileage issue, or is it worth continuing this fight to get the MOT mileage corrected? I'm being sent in circles with DVSA telling me to speak to Halfords, who tell me to speak to the previous owner (I have no idea who this person is), who I’m sure does not keep hold of MOT receipts for a previous car 6 years later.

Thanks

[charltjr]

There’s nothing you can do about getting the MoT record it changed now. If the rest of the history backs up the correct mileage then a private sale should be no problem, it happens.

Halfords are just being corporate, there is nothing whatsoever in the GPDR regulations to prevent them giving you a copy of the information you need without any personally identifiable data.

[SkodaIan]

Those car buying websites won't really interested in buying a 9 year old car, so even if the MOT was corrected their offer would be pretty low in any case.

Your easiest option will be to go somewhere where you are dealing with a real person and take all the evidence you have that the mileage is correct and this was a "fat finger" data entry error at the MOT test centre. A trade-in at a BMW dealer could be easiest as they could check the mileage history themselves if they wanted to.

[NB90]

What is strange is that these dealer websites (WBAC, Motorway) are all offering in the region of £7-8k, whereas they are going on Autotrader/AA for £11-12k. The Car Buying Group said that the mileage discrepancy makes it undesirable hence the low-balling. I know they low-ball but that is a massive drop.

I don't feel like being stiffed out of £3-4k because Halfords pressed the wrong buttons, so I'm hoping it won't put off too many buyers. The rest of the history is perfectly fine, 100% first-time MOT and service passes with an annual trend of 6-12k per year in mileage increases.

[8bit]

NB90 said:

What is strange is that these dealer websites (WBAC, Motorway) are all offering in the region of £7-8k, whereas they are going on Autotrader/AA for £11-12k. The Car Buying Group said that the mileage discrepancy makes it undesirable hence the low-balling. I know they low-ball but that is a massive drop.

I don't feel like being stiffed out of £3-4k because Halfords pressed the wrong buttons, so I'm hoping it won't put off too many buyers. The rest of the history is perfectly fine, 100% first-time MOT and service passes with an annual trend of 6-12k per year in mileage increases.

That's about what I expect from WBAC etc., don't think that's anything to do with the mileage discrepancy. Just how they roll.

[Robertb]

NB90 said:

What is strange is that these dealer websites (WBAC, Motorway) are all offering in the region of £7-8k, whereas they are going on Autotrader/AA for £11-12k. The Car Buying Group said that the mileage discrepancy makes it undesirable hence the low-balling. I know they low-ball but that is a massive drop.

I don't feel like being stiffed out of £3-4k because Halfords pressed the wrong buttons, so I'm hoping it won't put off too many buyers. The rest of the history is perfectly fine, 100% first-time MOT and service passes with an annual trend of 6-12k per year in mileage increases.

Write to Halfords explaining that their error has caused a financial loss for you and you are looking to them for redress, unless they are able to provide the evidence they have of the vehicle mileage at the time of that test.

[hairykrishna]

WBAC only doing you for 3 grand seems pretty good. Obviously they'll chip you for more when you actually go there.

Mileage is fairly irrelevant. If you want to sell it for close to the private sale value you have to sell it privately. The big car buying sites have to price in a big gross margin.

[_Hoppers]

Have you thought about taking it to a local used car dealer to see if they want to buy it from you?

[Oceanrower]

NB90 said:

What is strange is that these dealer websites (WBAC, Motorway) are all offering in the region of £7-8k, whereas they are going on Autotrader/AA for £11-12k.

What is strange about that?

You do realise that WBAC and Motorway are buying the car whereas on Autotrader they are selling the car.

The difference is called ‘profit’.