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Actually guys the instrument cluster may have been replaced because it was faulty.UNLIKELY but possible, take many modern cars and a new fuel gauge would cost more than a complete second hand cluster.I also believe its not an issue to have a new cluster with a different mileage but it is an offence to state the mileage is correct.Where an unscrupulus dealer car can get caught out is when they advertise the current mileage knowing/presuming its correct or not false without stating the fact clearly.
 
If the dealer can prove thats how they got it, then nothing will happen. They can sell it like that if thats how they genuinely believe it is condition wise, and also are as far as is practical to do so convinced of the mileage.
If they have receipts from the seller for a new instrument cluster or they know the engine has been changed they must disclose this to a buyer, but if they have no proof that milelage is wrong they are breaking no law in selling it that way. It would be up to a buyer to attempt to verify it by condition of the car etc etc. Maybe read the ECU as that will confirm the mileage.
What I am getting at is that if there is no proof this dealer has altered the car then there is no case.

Any chance they just stuck your cloned plates onto a lower mileage red car!?
 
Actually where they can get rumbled is because ANYONE can go to the DVLA vosa website and type in vehicle reg and current mot station number/v5 doc ref number and get full mot history (since 06)and mileage history FREE.As can any dealer as well as jo public so the mileage history is for all to see as well as doing a £5 hpi check.
 
Actually where they can get rumbled is because ANYONE can go to the DVLA vosa website and type in vehicle reg and current mot station number/v5 doc ref number and get full mot history (since 06)and mileage history FREE.As can any dealer as well as jo public so the mileage history is for all to see as well as doing a £5 hpi check.

sure - thats a free service, not the law so the dealer isn't going to do that - they want to sell a 70k mileage car to whoever buys it and have deniability if YOU later go back and say its done more than it was sold with - " really guv?"
IF they have a bunch of previous MOT or service book that states the mileage and they are aware of the genuine mileage then I would quiz to see if they disclose but what I am saying is it would be very hard to prove the dealer to be in the wrong unless he admits ringing it / changing the mileage. Lets face it , you don't just run a car in reverse on blocks anymore to clock it :) you have to have a computer and proper software.
 
With respect im in the motor trade you are wrong mate!!
in what way? I certainly didn't have any luck when trying the exact same claim on a motor trader. How can I take you to court when I am unable to prove you have any involvement in a car being not as it should be? - I'd like to know so I may be successful in my prosecution.
 
car dealers have 2 choices

1/ guarantee a mileage, usually backed up by old mot's etc. don't just rely on a stamped up service book, very easy to fake

2/ put a disclaimer on the speedo along the lines of "we cannot guarantee this mileage to be accurate so it should be considered incorrect"

if they do niether then they are liable for selling a car with incorrect mileage.
noticed the stickers on speedos at 2nd hand car sale splaces :rolleyes:


at least that's how it used to be, but it has been 15 years now since i've had anything to do with it all :lol:
 
Exactly - this is their choice, the law put upon them just says if they can't confirm it then they should make it aware to you the buyer (so if this car has a sticker in it somewhere, job done) and its practically impossible to attach liability to, again, without concrete PROOF but as the rules are so wooly thats hard to get. Its one of those 'as far as is practical to do' jobs. They have to verify the mileage to the best of their knowledge, and if they can't then not market the car on the mileage. Regarding a second hand car that means if the dealer has a couple of MOT's or otherwise, and the person he got it from said 'yup its genuine' - and the dealer has no reason not to believe him - thats it! He has no legal duty to check through some other means, just a couple of clauses in the RMIF code of practice drawn up by the Retail Motor Industry Federation, the Scottish Motor Trade Association and the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders in consultation with the Director General of Fair Trading.

points 7&8 of which state:

Reasonable steps will be taken to verify the recorded mileage of a used car and dealers will use their best endeavours to obtain a signed statement from the previous owner as to the car's mileage. Dealers should pass on any known facts about an odometer reading to a prospective customer.

Unless the dealer is satisfied that the quoted mileage of a used car in accurate, such mileage should not be quoted in advertisements, discussions or negotiations or in any documents related to the supply of the used car. Where the car's mileage cannot be verified the customer should be informed. The law requires that any disclaimer used must be bold, precise and compelling as the car's mileage reading itself and as effectively brought to the prospective customer's attention.

So again, basically if you want to take this to court with a dealer you got a car from and the dealer says I took all reasonable steps to verify it with what I had, then he is in the clear - and I have yet to meet a dealer who says "I don't have any paperwork and the mileage is well above what it say on the clock - infact I wouldn't take it as read that its not been wound back" :)

If you are buying and can't verify it satisfactorily walk away and don't use the dealer. If you are selling it add as much clout as you can to prove the miles.
If you see your car advertised for less miles than you know its got.... maybe go see the dealer and ask them how this can be!?

If you believe the vehicle was sold with a false mileage reading, you should report the dealer to Consumer Direct on 0845 404 0506, or visit www.consumerdirect.gov.uk. In Northern Ireland, phone Consumerline on 0845 600 6262, or visit www.consumerline.org
 
My point was anyone can check the mileage history via Vosa and the hpi register,so can the dealer hence these are easy checks.If the daeler advertises the mileage as correct even though its not they could be in trouble.
 
My point was anyone can check the mileage history via Vosa and the hpi register,so can the dealer hence these are easy checks.If the daeler advertises the mileage as correct even though its not they could be in trouble.
Have you got a link for that? Could be useful in future
 
My point was anyone can check the mileage history via Vosa and the hpi register,so can the dealer hence these are easy checks.If the daeler advertises the mileage as correct even though its not they could be in trouble.
Not anyone.....

MOT information website said:
What you will need

Before you can access the information from the MOT Computerisation database you will need the following:

The vehicle registration mark from the number plate
And EITHER

The MOT test number from the VT20 MOT Test Certificate or VT30 Refusal of an MOT Certificate
OR

The document reference number from the V5C Registration Certificate issued by the DVLA (Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency.)
so you will need vehicle specific documents in order to do the checks

website = http://www.motinfo.gov.uk/html/home.html
 
My point was anyone can check the mileage history via Vosa and the hpi register,so can the dealer hence these are easy checks.If the daeler advertises the mileage as correct even though its not they could be in trouble.
Totally agree that they could check - I am saying if I am a dealer and I am pretty convinced of the mileage, I am probably not going to check and just slap a sticker on the dash. End of my liability! This neither proves or disproves the mileage which is the painful part for buyer and seller. Especially when I am as legit as "Trade Carz Direct" :)

purple145 - "maybe not in a conviction sense, but someone will not be buying a clocked Alfa, which is for the greater good."

Again totally agree who would buy a clocked car - IF you knew
 
But they have advertised the mileage!!!!! If the mileage is incorrect as the original posting suggested then a dealer is putting his neck on the block if he advertises the mileage.You can ask any legitimate seller for the cars registration and registration document reference number or mot certificate number to check its validity and then do a Free check with vosa.If the seller is relutant to give you this information let them sell it to someone else.
 
you worry so much,if it was lithuania- they would just laught...cause no matter for how much you buy,the matter is to repair it cheap, and resell with a profit....the alfa looks gorgeos,and i dont doubt that some fixes where done.....atleast some....
 
Discussion starter · #39 ·
The car is definatley mine. I'd be amazed if someone could clone the interior, the spoiler which wasn't standard (as I fitted it) and the battery that I personally fitted (it's the original as I replaced it on the day I part ex'd it.). I'd be interested to see if it's missing an airbox too? As I removed the one I bought as the original bots for the maf had rusted solid. I then fitted a naff Max Power Cone :lol:
 
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