Dodgy purchase??
Discussion
Hello
A close relative mine found a sports car for about £40-£50k. On AT link to dealer website. The dealer has only 6-8 cars all relatively high end.
Car is 2-3k cheaper than others. My relative visited and said car drove well, outside and interior really nice but was surprised how dirty engine bay was. Car still in manufacture warranty 2yrs old about 20k miles.
Now the interesting bit. Car is not sold under his dealership so will be private sale as it’s his sister’s who wants something more economical. I personally thought that’s a bit odd as on website looks as it’s not a private sale. Got my relative to do car vertical check and all comes fully legit. Annoyingly my relative has already transferred deposit to dealer’s sister bank account.
Thinking this situation a bit unusual I ring about a different car on his website. The story with this different car is it’s his brothers car who has too many and wants to downsize. However this would be sold with a warranty and not private sale.
So my question, is this dealer looking very dodgy or am I being overly cautious and paranoid?
Car has passed a car vertical check which we did ourselves and apparently going to main dealer for a service in a few days.
A close relative mine found a sports car for about £40-£50k. On AT link to dealer website. The dealer has only 6-8 cars all relatively high end.
Car is 2-3k cheaper than others. My relative visited and said car drove well, outside and interior really nice but was surprised how dirty engine bay was. Car still in manufacture warranty 2yrs old about 20k miles.
Now the interesting bit. Car is not sold under his dealership so will be private sale as it’s his sister’s who wants something more economical. I personally thought that’s a bit odd as on website looks as it’s not a private sale. Got my relative to do car vertical check and all comes fully legit. Annoyingly my relative has already transferred deposit to dealer’s sister bank account.
Thinking this situation a bit unusual I ring about a different car on his website. The story with this different car is it’s his brothers car who has too many and wants to downsize. However this would be sold with a warranty and not private sale.
So my question, is this dealer looking very dodgy or am I being overly cautious and paranoid?
Car has passed a car vertical check which we did ourselves and apparently going to main dealer for a service in a few days.
Hifly130 said:
Hello
A close relative mine found a sports car for about £40-£50k. On AT link to dealer website. The dealer has only 6-8 cars all relatively high end.
Car is 2-3k cheaper than others. My relative visited and said car drove well, outside and interior really nice but was surprised how dirty engine bay was. Car still in manufacture warranty 2yrs old about 20k miles.
Now the interesting bit. Car is not sold under his dealership so will be private sale as it’s his sister’s who wants something more economical. I personally thought that’s a bit odd as on website looks as it’s not a private sale. Got my relative to do car vertical check and all comes fully legit. Annoyingly my relative has already transferred deposit to dealer’s sister bank account.
Thinking this situation a bit unusual I ring about a different car on his website. The story with this different car is it’s his brothers car who has too many and wants to downsize. However this would be sold with a warranty and not private sale.
So my question, is this dealer looking very dodgy or am I being overly cautious and paranoid?
Car has passed a car vertical check which we did ourselves and apparently going to main dealer for a service in a few days.
Seems a bit daft transferring a deposit when so unsure but if have receipt that makes it acceptable. A close relative mine found a sports car for about £40-£50k. On AT link to dealer website. The dealer has only 6-8 cars all relatively high end.
Car is 2-3k cheaper than others. My relative visited and said car drove well, outside and interior really nice but was surprised how dirty engine bay was. Car still in manufacture warranty 2yrs old about 20k miles.
Now the interesting bit. Car is not sold under his dealership so will be private sale as it’s his sister’s who wants something more economical. I personally thought that’s a bit odd as on website looks as it’s not a private sale. Got my relative to do car vertical check and all comes fully legit. Annoyingly my relative has already transferred deposit to dealer’s sister bank account.
Thinking this situation a bit unusual I ring about a different car on his website. The story with this different car is it’s his brothers car who has too many and wants to downsize. However this would be sold with a warranty and not private sale.
So my question, is this dealer looking very dodgy or am I being overly cautious and paranoid?
Car has passed a car vertical check which we did ourselves and apparently going to main dealer for a service in a few days.
The sale of private car but advertised through dealer isn’t uncommon.
Mad Maximus said:
Seems a bit daft transferring a deposit when so unsure but if have receipt that makes it acceptable.
The sale of private car but advertised through dealer isn’t uncommon.
It is common though that it’s a dealer trying to avoid their statutory obligations, sharp practice.The sale of private car but advertised through dealer isn’t uncommon.
I’d be asking to go and collect it from the registered address and pay the owner directly on that basis.
My relative wasn’t that concerned and it was only when he spoke to me that I said it was a bit odd.
Yes my main concern is he could drive away and something major breaks and he has no return. I’m hoping he can get a good report from the garage when it goes in for a check but the garage have already said they need permission from the seller.
I had thought about calling about a 3rd car. It would probably be his uncle’s car 🙄
Yes my main concern is he could drive away and something major breaks and he has no return. I’m hoping he can get a good report from the garage when it goes in for a check but the garage have already said they need permission from the seller.
I had thought about calling about a 3rd car. It would probably be his uncle’s car 🙄
Hifly130 said:
My relative wasn’t that concerned and it was only when he spoke to me that I said it was a bit odd.
Yes my main concern is he could drive away and something major breaks and he has no return. I’m hoping he can get a good report from the garage when it goes in for a check but the garage have already said they need permission from the seller.
I had thought about calling about a 3rd car. It would probably be his uncle’s car ??
I’d be backing out of this pronto, asking for a deposit refund and calling trading standards if the dealer wont comply.Yes my main concern is he could drive away and something major breaks and he has no return. I’m hoping he can get a good report from the garage when it goes in for a check but the garage have already said they need permission from the seller.
I had thought about calling about a 3rd car. It would probably be his uncle’s car ??
Have you run a full vcheck as well as a hpi?
Dodgy
Print the Autotrader advert
This is common where dealers have a car with an issue, and they want to avoid their obligations.
They register it in a private name, make up a story as to why selling so quickly.
So go onto Dvla tax check site, see if it's taxed, and in use.
It also shows the date of last V5c issue.
If that's recent, dodgy as hell.
If it isn't so recent, slight chance story stacks up
But my wild, armchair, guess is that dealer bought car, found out mileage not genuine hence dirty engine bay, and is now outing it from the back door.
Print the Autotrader advert
This is common where dealers have a car with an issue, and they want to avoid their obligations.
They register it in a private name, make up a story as to why selling so quickly.
So go onto Dvla tax check site, see if it's taxed, and in use.
It also shows the date of last V5c issue.
If that's recent, dodgy as hell.
If it isn't so recent, slight chance story stacks up
But my wild, armchair, guess is that dealer bought car, found out mileage not genuine hence dirty engine bay, and is now outing it from the back door.
Edited by Trevor555 on Wednesday 13th March 09:46
Edited by Trevor555 on Wednesday 13th March 09:47
Addition to above
How much deposit paid?
Maybe better to risk losing that rather than own a 40k car with an issue.
Try to find out where the car was owned/registered
Call the local main dealer to see if they've had the car in for anything, and ask the mileage.
I've weeded out a few clocked cars doing this.
Please don't let your relative become another victim to this sort of dodgy practise, and report the advert to Autotrader. Advertising as a trader, but then saying it's a private sale is not on.
How much deposit paid?
Maybe better to risk losing that rather than own a 40k car with an issue.
Try to find out where the car was owned/registered
Call the local main dealer to see if they've had the car in for anything, and ask the mileage.
I've weeded out a few clocked cars doing this.
Please don't let your relative become another victim to this sort of dodgy practise, and report the advert to Autotrader. Advertising as a trader, but then saying it's a private sale is not on.
Edited by Trevor555 on Wednesday 13th March 10:10
Edited by Trevor555 on Wednesday 13th March 10:15
How did your relative establish that the sister is the legal owner and that she is in fact related to the dealer?
What legally-valid evidence is there that the transfer was to pay for the car?
If she isn't the owner (and/or his sister) then the money has been sent to someone totally unrelated to the sale, and if she chooses to disappear into the sunset, I'd imagine you might never see her or the money again.
ETA: Dodgy people are prone to fitting dodgy things like mileage blockers.
If the state of the engine bay (and driver's seat, pedals, etc) says 50k miles then maybe the mileage is actually that and not 20k.
So many questions.
What legally-valid evidence is there that the transfer was to pay for the car?
If she isn't the owner (and/or his sister) then the money has been sent to someone totally unrelated to the sale, and if she chooses to disappear into the sunset, I'd imagine you might never see her or the money again.
ETA: Dodgy people are prone to fitting dodgy things like mileage blockers.
If the state of the engine bay (and driver's seat, pedals, etc) says 50k miles then maybe the mileage is actually that and not 20k.
So many questions.
Edited by GT9 on Wednesday 13th March 10:55
So he’s been sent the last two services from the Audi garage ( although this dealer is about 150 miles away from the registered keepers address).
It was first registered back in June 2021 and has now done 18000 miles. It’s had 3 services and mileage recorded seems realistic. Checked the dvla website and 1st and only recorded keeper is the name on the V5.
£1000 deposit was put down. If it was me I would not have even gone to see it as the description on AT clearly makes out it’s a dealer sale with a supposed ‘highly professional team to help with enquiries’. Will report it to AT.
Apparently interior condition is good.
It’s the other side of the country for me so I can’t go and see it. Will keep digging.
It was first registered back in June 2021 and has now done 18000 miles. It’s had 3 services and mileage recorded seems realistic. Checked the dvla website and 1st and only recorded keeper is the name on the V5.
£1000 deposit was put down. If it was me I would not have even gone to see it as the description on AT clearly makes out it’s a dealer sale with a supposed ‘highly professional team to help with enquiries’. Will report it to AT.
Apparently interior condition is good.
It’s the other side of the country for me so I can’t go and see it. Will keep digging.
Hifly130 said:
Checked the dvla website and 1st and only recorded keeper is the name on the V5.
If this is the person they're paying, then could be legit story about sisters car.Still shouldn't be using dealership advert for a private sale though.
A performance car done about 20,000 miles?
Depending on what type of car, look at the date stamps on the tyres.
If, for example, you're looking at a performance front wheel drive car done 20k, and it's still got tread on the original tyres, that could point to it being genuine mileage.
Very likely its a dodgy sale. A friend at work bought a car from someone out the back of a dealer. They advertised it using the profile of the Company, but when he went to buy it told him they weren't selling it via the company as "its not the sort of thing we normally retail". He bought it, and then found it had a major fault with the fuse box, which made the headlights act erratically. He test drove it in the day so it was only that evening when the issue became apparent. Seller just replied "sold as seen innit mate, not a trade sale" and blocked his number.
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