Export marker and other red flags

[Craigdarlo]

Good evening all, I'm looking for some advice and thoughts on a car I'm due to look at tomorrow morning.

The car in question is a 2003 Seat Leon Cupra R. I found the car on facebook marketplace local to myself and have been talking to the owner through out the day to find out more information. Tonight I've sat down to do a bit of research on the car and I'm seeing some major red flags. I've never bought a car privately before and could do with the experience from people who are used to buying and selling.

Firstly I ran a hpi check using vcheck. Everything comes back fine apart from a marker next to export. I asked the seller about this and he's claiming the car was used by Seat (presumably for marketing/press) which is plausable as the cars were produced from May 2003 and the car is registered November 2003. Also under notes on the V5C it has "was registered and/or used. declared manufactured 2003".

Then going on to check the MOT history the car had no MOT between October 2012 and September 2015, only gaining 2,000 miles within that time. Baring in mind the car would only have been 9 years old by this point it seems a little strange to have been taken off the road. All mileages tally before and after this gap, however in the video he has sent me there is strangely another set of clocks in the boot of the car.

The car also had an ownership change in 2015 a week after getting it's new MOT, from there the new owner kept the car for 8 years until October last year where it was sold by Mathewsons via auction. That owner then kept it for 4 months taking us to February this year and this current owner has had it for around 2 months now.

When talking with the current owner he's claiming it was his dream car and he's having to sell it due to lack of space to keep the car. The car is taxed and MOTed however he does not have insurance on it (possibly can't get it due to the export marker?).

Am i being over skeptical here or is this one to walk away from? The car was to be used as weekend car so it would not be the end of the world. Thank you in advance for all help and advice.

[cuprabob]

Craigdarlo said:

The car in question is a 2003 Seat Leon Cupra R. I found the car on facebook marketplace local to myself and have been talking to the owner through out the day to find out more information. Tonight I've sat down to do a bit of research on the car and I'm seeing some major red flags. I've never bought a car privately before and could do with the experience from people who are used to buying and selling.

Firstly I ran a hpi check using vcheck. Everything comes back fine apart from a marker next to export. I asked the seller about this and he's claiming the car was used by Seat (presumably for marketing/press) which is plausable as the cars were produced from May 2003 and the car is registered November 2003. Also under notes on the V5C it has "was registered and/or used. declared manufactured 2003".

When you say the cars were produced from May 2003, are you just referring the 225bhp (BAM) version?

When the MK1 LCR was launched I ordered one back in Aug 2002 and picked it up on the 14th December 2002. It was one of the 210bhp (AMK) versions.

Edited by cuprabob on Sunday 31st March 22:57

[Craigdarlo]

cuprabob said:

When you say the cars were produced from May 2003, are you just referring the 225bhp (BAM) version?

When the MK1 LCR was launched I ordered one back in Aug 2002 and picked it up on the 14th December 2002. It was one of the 210bhp (AMK) versions.

Edited by cuprabob on Sunday 31st March 22:57

Yes sorry, its a 225 bam, thats my understanding anyway that it was produced from May 2003

[Drive Blind]

all the checks are telling you to leave it, so leave it.

[georgeyboy12345]

That second set of clocks in the boot is a major red flag to me. I’d probably avoid based on this.

With regards to your concerns about not being able to get insured, there is nothing stopping you from running a few quotes on the car now.

[Tam_Mullen]

Theres enough there that I would be uncomfortable parting with my cash. Having a second set of clocks is a strange one, unless theyre known the for LCD panels failing... but still.

[paradigital]

Interestingly, my 53 plate LCR was off the road from late 2012 for a few years, it was a third car so was taken off the road for a bit for a refurb and awaiting a new house with somewhere good to park it.

What’s the reg of the one in the OP?

[MikeM6]

Was is registered in Northern Ireland and brought to the UK?

The car could have been laid up for a variety of reasons, including nefarious reasons, but also owner ill health etc.

The seconds set of dials could be an upgrade or because the originals were broken etc. I changed the dials on a 2006 Leon to upgrade to the larger screen.

Is the car cheap?

[Craigdarlo]

paradigital said:

Interestingly, my 53 plate LCR was off the road from late 2012 for a few years, it was a third car so was taken off the road for a bit for a refurb and awaiting a new house with somewhere good to park it.

What’s the reg of the one in the OP?

The reg is KE53 UWH, would be interesting if it was.

[66HFM]

Have you asked the owner why there is a 2nd set of clocks in the boot?
How much is it up for sale for?

A couple of big red flags including the previous 2 owners only owning it for a total of 6 months...

I appreciate there aren't that many left for sale but unless its a bargain I'd be cautious...

[jonwm]

Craigdarlo said:

paradigital said:

Interestingly, my 53 plate LCR was off the road from late 2012 for a few years, it was a third car so was taken off the road for a bit for a refurb and awaiting a new house with somewhere good to park it.

What’s the reg of the one in the OP?

The reg is KE53 UWH, would be interesting if it was.

Unlikely to be a press car with that reg, I had a seat Leon cupra R which was a "seat" car, not sure if marketing or management but was OV04, they used to all be registered "O*" for fleet / press etc back then.

Traded mine in for £2500 back in 2012, gutted should have kept it.