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Do not buy this car!!!! I'm serious!!

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buy serious
6K views 38 replies 21 participants last post by  Joski 
#1 ·
I was looking through the Autotrader Classified when to my surprise I saw my old Alfa for sale (PX’d over 2 Years ago for a measly sum of £1000).

To my horror I noticed it was up for sale for £4000 and with 74,000 miles on the clock (Strange! As when I Px’d it, it had over 105,000 on the clock!) CHEEKY B*&tards!!!!

Not only that it had a damaged wing and to top things off the cambelt was shagged and so was the turbo! Oh and another thing all the glow plugs will need hell coils as some numpty at my local garage cross threaded every single one.

What should I do now? Should I contact the local Police or Trading Standards as I’ve got all the proof to hand?
Oh the link to the page is:

2003 ALFA ROMEO 156 2.4 JTD Veloce 2
 
#3 ·
The car could have been repaired of course, bit different with the mileage though! I'm sure Local Authority Trading Standards will be pleased to hear from you.
 
#5 ·
I would report it. But having looked on the DVLA website I'm not sure how you would go about it. Maybe Trading Standards or Crime Stoppers? I would be reluctant to report it directly to the police as it's likely to cost you an arm and a leg for the phone call, (you can't use 999, so it will be an 0871 number or something), plus they may come round take your fingerprints and check your own vehicle over for 'non-compliances'. These comments are based on my own first hand experiences after reporting an abandoned vehicle, reporting the theft of a car stereo from my car and reporting the break-in of another car owned by me (obviously on separate occasions). :rolleyes:
 
#6 ·
The old bill can only fingerprint you after they have arrested you on suspicion on commiting a crime, they will only give you're current motor over if they suspect that you are the person responsible for falsifying the mileage.

As per the 0871 numbers you local phone directory will give you local numbers for your local nick, alternatively use a site like SayNoTo0870 or make a free personal visit to you're local cop shop.

You must report this and I hope my post addresses some of the concerns raised.
 
#11 ·
The old bill can only fingerprint you after they have arrested you on suspicion on commiting a crime, they will only give you're current motor over if they suspect that you are the person responsible for falsifying the mileage.
Unfortunately, not true. I was fingerprinted in my home when my car was broken into for 'elimination purposes', after they promised to check my car for prints to see if they could catch the offender. Like a mug I agreed. As soon as they had my prints, they legged it without dusting my car. And yes, I'm deadly serious. On a previous occasion, when I had another car broken into and the stereo stolen, the police came round, checked my tyres and tax disc and then legged it again.
 
#8 ·
I would report it as well.

I doubt they will try an accuse you of clocking it, as you are hardly likely to report your own crime are you...
 
#10 ·
I would report it , but if the police in the UK are of the same standard as in Holland, nothing will happen...
I did report vandalism some time ago, had to personally go to the police station (costed me half a day)
they hammered a keyboard for half an hour and that was it !! nothing happened I even knew the names of
the culprits.. but no proof so they said
What the police are good in is standing behind trees with laser guns and radars... in 2009 12 million tickets
where issued in Holland (population 16 million) mainly speeding and parking fines. Thats where the priority lies,
money grabbing......
 
#15 ·
Doesn't matter, it is an offence to wind back the mileage. A trip to the police station, the garage selling the car and finally a letter with photocopied proof of the mileage to Trading Standards.
 
#16 ·
It's not just the engine that clocks up the miles, it's the whole car. So yes, of course the mileage has to show the full amount that the car has been driven - unless the clocks have been changed and there is proof of the mileage at the time this was done, so that the two figures (old clocks and new) can be added together to calculate the total vehicle mileage.
 
#18 ·
I would report it too, £4,000 is a lot of money to someone like me and if I had saved up all year round to find I had bought a dog of a car because it was advertised falsley i would be gutted.

You could be saving someone from having a massive let down and a crap start to the new year.
 
#20 ·
Thanks for all your advice.

I called the local police station near the garage who told me to contact Trading Standards and the DVLA. I've since been in contact with the local Trading Standards who are in the process of investigating the matter. I've tried to contact the DVLA but due to the "Adverse Weather Conditions" as they put it, no one was able to deal with my query. So I'll be trying again tomorrow.

I know the car could have been repaired and possibly a new engine, but as a few of you have already said, the mileage just can't be rolled back by over 30,000 miles.

I feel it is my moral duty to inform the relavant authorities.
 
#22 ·
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.
 
#23 ·
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!?
 
#24 ·
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.
 
#26 ·
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.
 
#28 ·
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.
 
G
#29 ·
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:
 
#30 · (Edited)
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
 
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