Bought a clocked car - where do I stand?

[joe406]

I have just bought a 2003 VW, which I was led to believe had 96k on the clock with previous MOT's and a stamped service book. I stupidly failed to do online VOSA mot checks before handing over the £2850 for the car.

 

Since owing the car for a week, I have been trying to get some service receipts from the various VW dealers I have been told - and the service book states - the car has been serviced at. I then tracked down the actual VW dealership where it was serviced until 2007, where it had done 130k miles when it stopped going there!

 

There was 2 previous owners before the guy I bought it off and by end of 2007, the car was MOT'd with 44k miles on the clock. The service history book supplied with the car is obviously falsified and doesnt correspond what so ever with the vehicle I own.

 

However, I believe the car was clocked after being purchased at an auction etc as an ex company car. I was wondering if there is anything I can do to try and find out who has clocked the vehicle as I dont believe it was the owner I bought the car off or where I stand in terms of going back to the private buyer I bought it off? I know it's sold as seen though.

 

Any help would be appreciated.

 

Joe.

[queensclose]

contact trading standards..

 

was it bought private or trader

[joe406]

contact trading standards..

 

was it bought private or trader

 

Unfortunately I bought it privately, I am pretty sure that owner didnt realise the car has been clocked as he owned it for three years and was as open and honest as he thought he could be.

 

Trading standards wont do anything if it was a private sale and was clocked 4/5 years ago or can they?

[sailor sam]

Unless the car was advertsied as having 'genuine mileage' or some other definitive claim about the mileage then it's game over. If you did have any claim, it could only be against the person who sold it to you and if he did turn out to be an 'inocent' party, then it would be for him to persue whoever sold him the car.

 

Please Note

 

 

The advice I offer will be based on the information given by the person needing it. All my advice is based on my experiences and knowledge gained in working in the motor and passenger transport industries in various capacities. Although my advice will always be sincere, it should be used as guidence only.

 

I would always urge to seek face to face professional advice for clarification prior to taking any action.

 

Please click my reputation 'star' button at the bottom of my profile window on the left if you found my advice useful.

 

[DerbyDude]

If you have a current M O T certificate you can go to the VOSA site part of the Gov site and read off a current history of the MOTs registered to that car............... If I recall you will need a number from an MOT in your possession......

 

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/OwningAVehicle/Mot/DG_10020539

 

Was the current MOT mileage, near the milage recored on your invoice............ or advert ... Check out the Sales of goods Act 1979 .............

[oddjobbob]

Sailor sam is correct... if yuo bougt it privately and there ws no mention of genuine / warranted / correct mileage then there's not much you can do.

 

Even had you bought it from a dealer, if the invoice sais 'incorrect mileage' or similar then there's nought yuo can do.

 

Your only way forward is to show that the person you bought it from bought it with higher mileage than when he sold it to you and he had it clocked.

 

I thought the clockers days were over, sadly it seems not, but the sooner they're hounded out the better.

[DerbyDude]

 

Your only way forward is to show that the person you bought it from bought it with higher mileage than when he sold it to you and he had it clocked.

 

I thought the clockers days were over, sadly it seems not, but the sooner they're hounded out the better.

 

That's why I mentioned the MOT site as it lists several years of MOT's and where they were performed etc ... with the recorded mileage on, so at least you can check out the guy YOU bought the car from, and poss earlier too.....

[sailor sam]

That's why I mentioned the MOT site as it lists several years of MOT's and where they were performed etc ... with the recorded mileage on, so at least you can check out the guy YOU bought the car from, and poss earlier too.....

 

Waste of time unless the seller sold it as having genuine mileage. The only come back in a private sale is if the car was falsely advertised or described.

 

Please Note

 

The advice I offer will be based on the information given by the person needing it. All my advice is based on my experiences and knowledge gained in working in the motor and passenger transport industries in various capacities. Although my advice will always be sincere, it should be used as guidence only.

 

I would always urge to seek face to face professional advice for clarification prior to taking any action.

 

Please click my reputation 'star' button at the bottom of my profile window on the left if you found my advice useful.

 

[oddjobbob]

Not necessarily sam, its against the law for anyone, private or trde to knowingly alter the odometer on a car.

 

Some dodgly dealer out this way used to buy high imles carp then zero the miles on EVERYTHING on his site, selling them as 'incorrect imleage'... until about 8 years ago, then TS clamped down on him, you can't do it.

 

If the OP can demonstrate beyond reasonable doubt that the private seller clocked the car or it was clocked while he owned it then he will have a case to get a partial refund, private seller or not.

 

Lets hope he does... clockers need driving out of business!

[sailor sam]

Not necessarily sam, its against the law for anyone, private or trde to knowingly alter the odometer on a car.

 

Some dodgly dealer out this way used to buy high imles carp then zero the miles on EVERYTHING on his site, selling them as 'incorrect imleage'... until about 8 years ago, then TS clamped down on him, you can't do it.

 

If the OP can demonstrate beyond reasonable doubt that the private seller clocked the car or it was clocked while he owned it then he will have a case to get a partial refund, private seller or not.

 

Lets hope he does... clockers need driving out of business!

 

Agreed Bob, but in this case the OP dosn't believe that the seller knew it had been clocked. Had the seller made a claim in any advert that the car had 'genuine' mileage then he would have a case against the seller whether he knew it had been clocked or not.

 

It surely must be very hard to clock cars now days with digital technology ect.

 

Please Note

 

The advice I offer will be based on the information given by the person needing it. All my advice is based on my experiences and knowledge gained in working in the motor and passenger transport industries in various capacities. Although my advice will always be sincere, it should be used as guidence only.

 

I would always urge to seek face to face professional advice for clarification prior to taking any action.

 

Please click my reputation 'star' button at the bottom of my profile window on the left if you found my advice useful.

 

[oddjobbob]

i know sam but if it can be shown that the car was clocked whilst in the sellers pssession then whether it was advertised as genuine miles in immaterial, you simply aren't allowed to clock a car no matter who you are.

 

the seller may or may not have known.. I suspect he did.. most of them do lol.

 

No its supposedly a doddle and even easier to clock one nowadays provided yuo have the computer program.

[Surfer01]

A problem arises when you want to sell it on as you now know the mileage has been clocked.

[oddjobbob]

Surfer... the OP's get out for the car is to reauction it but with 'incorrect mileage'... no comebavks and anynoe with half an ounce of sense should know what they're buying.

[sailor sam]

Deleted

[sailor sam]

Spot on advice. Let it be somebody elses problem. You buy at auction with unwarranted miles then it is no surprise it has had a haircut.

 

The OP didn't buy it from an auction.

 

Please Note

 

The advice I offer will be based on the information given by the person needing it. All my advice is based on my experiences and knowledge gained in working in the motor and passenger transport industries in various capacities. Although my advice will always be sincere, it should be used as guidence only.

 

I would always urge to seek face to face professional advice for clarification prior to taking any action.

 

Please click my reputation 'star' button at the bottom of my profile window on the left if you found my advice useful.

 

[sailor sam]

I agree providing that the OP indicates that the actual true mileage is not necessarily that what is shown or words to that effect. Most of us do not advise people to simply pass the problem onto someone else. That 'someone else' may come here looking for advice further down the line!

 

Please Note

 

 

The advice I offer will be based on the information given by the person needing it. All my advice is based on my experiences and knowledge gained in working in the motor and passenger transport industries in various capacities. Although my advice will always be sincere, it should be used as guidence only.

 

I would always urge to seek face to face professional advice for clarification prior to taking any action.

 

Please click my reputation 'star' button at the bottom of my profile window on the left if you found my advice useful.

 

Edited February 13, 2012 by sailor sam

[sailor sam]

Hello... posts being deleted! Any reason why?

 

Please Note

 

The advice I offer will be based on the information given by the person needing it. All my advice is based on my experiences and knowledge gained in working in the motor and passenger transport industries in various capacities. Although my advice will always be sincere, it should be used as guidence only.

 

I would always urge to seek face to face professional advice for clarification prior to taking any action.

 

Please click my reputation 'star' button at the bottom of my profile window on the left if you found my advice useful.