Strange DVSA car mot check: two different results: how?!
Discussion
Dear all,
I'm new to the site, but had the most bizarre experience of running the DVSA mot check on a used car we are interested in buying. We ran the check one evening after having done an Experian car data check. The check revealed a history inconsistent with what was advertised, in particular, 20,000 additional miles on the clock. We were already concerned because an H.P. warning was flagged on the Experian check, although we've now received written confirmation from the H.P. Company that this relates to a personalized number plate that was transferred to a brand new car, but had previously been used on the car we are/were interested in.
So although the H.P. issue was resolved, the inconsistent history remained troublesome. But this is where it gets odd. After getting the H.P. all clear, we idly ran the DVSA check again the next day, almost to remind ourselves why we shouldn't proceed. But on re-running the test, we got a completely different set of results, which was consistent with the sellers history/documents.
Before you jump to the conclusion we must have put the wrong information in first time, I ran the original check at least two times as I was disappointed and hoping I'd made a mistake, I hadn't - I ran it again when showing my husband, with the same results returned each time. Not only was there a mileage difference, but mot details were completely different too. Hubby recalls the first set of results mentioned things like 3 worn tyres one year; the second set of results mentioned one tyre being severely worn.
Aside from deciding this car's history is just too murky, it has however started me wondering how on earth anyone can rely on DVSA check for anything. Any thoughts on how I can have turned up such different results (NB I did run a check on the personalized number plate as the seller knew what make of car this had been transferred to - no results came back, which seems consistent with it having been transferred to a brand new car)
All thoughts/help greatly appreciated.
I'm new to the site, but had the most bizarre experience of running the DVSA mot check on a used car we are interested in buying. We ran the check one evening after having done an Experian car data check. The check revealed a history inconsistent with what was advertised, in particular, 20,000 additional miles on the clock. We were already concerned because an H.P. warning was flagged on the Experian check, although we've now received written confirmation from the H.P. Company that this relates to a personalized number plate that was transferred to a brand new car, but had previously been used on the car we are/were interested in.
So although the H.P. issue was resolved, the inconsistent history remained troublesome. But this is where it gets odd. After getting the H.P. all clear, we idly ran the DVSA check again the next day, almost to remind ourselves why we shouldn't proceed. But on re-running the test, we got a completely different set of results, which was consistent with the sellers history/documents.
Before you jump to the conclusion we must have put the wrong information in first time, I ran the original check at least two times as I was disappointed and hoping I'd made a mistake, I hadn't - I ran it again when showing my husband, with the same results returned each time. Not only was there a mileage difference, but mot details were completely different too. Hubby recalls the first set of results mentioned things like 3 worn tyres one year; the second set of results mentioned one tyre being severely worn.
Aside from deciding this car's history is just too murky, it has however started me wondering how on earth anyone can rely on DVSA check for anything. Any thoughts on how I can have turned up such different results (NB I did run a check on the personalized number plate as the seller knew what make of car this had been transferred to - no results came back, which seems consistent with it having been transferred to a brand new car)
All thoughts/help greatly appreciated.
TBH there is nothing that sounds particularly iffy about the car from what you have said, finance showing up on an hpi because of a link to a private plate is a fairly common occurance and if the MOT test history differed from one day to the next it is either a glitch on the VOSA system or human error (in this case the former is the most likely).
Tread carefully and check all you can check about the car but I don't think you should be put off completely.
Tread carefully and check all you can check about the car but I don't think you should be put off completely.
Edited by Nickp82 on Tuesday 4th April 18:50
Thanks very much for those thoughts - we did phone DVSA to ask how this could have happened. They said they do update records if they receive submissions/evidence that records are wrong, but they wouldn't retain a record of what had gone before to account for the updating - so no way to check the reasons/request for a change. I think I'll put this to the Seller and see what explanation I get; then let instinct kick in...
The MOT check site is clearly labelled a "Beta" site and does have glitches.
Are you sure this isn't all due to a private plate being taken off? The various check sites can take a while to catch up and the MOT site in particular sometimes loses information or points to the wrong car when there has been a recent plate change.
It is also very easy to put the wrong reg in and still get info - because cars tend to be registered in batches and sets of number plates issued to dealers if you put XX12ABD instead of XX12ABC it will still often be from the same manufacturer so will come up as valid.
Are you sure this isn't all due to a private plate being taken off? The various check sites can take a while to catch up and the MOT site in particular sometimes loses information or points to the wrong car when there has been a recent plate change.
It is also very easy to put the wrong reg in and still get info - because cars tend to be registered in batches and sets of number plates issued to dealers if you put XX12ABD instead of XX12ABC it will still often be from the same manufacturer so will come up as valid.
Hi there - I'm as sure as I can be it wasn't a wrong plate entry - we did the check several times to make sure. I wondered if it was the personalized plate thing, but, again, all I know is that this was moved to a brand new car before being on our target car, so how that could result in a full (alternative) car history showing for a car with a 120k mile history is anyone's guess. What is clear is that DVSA don't maintain records/details of requests for amendments, which would help, but we assume they go through some sort of verification checking before amending. Anyway, aside from an unusually low mileage for the last year of ownership (and one service showing a tyre was worn through to the threads - which I've nearly been guilty of myself through inattention rather than cheapness/general tendency to neglect), nothing else raises an eyebrow - the chap seems reasonably genuine on the small dealer scale of dodginess - working from his own home. He had no idea why we got a different history so we'll hope this was just a strange glitch and risk lashing out on an AA report and see what comes back.
Gassing Station | Car Buying | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff