Hi just wonder if anyone can help, I am supposed to be picking up a car on friday, it was advertised on the autotrader, it was a trade sale. When I went to chat to the guy it was from his house, he was a student said he was a trader, used to buy cars from the students etc. His name is not on the log book, it was a company who was on there. I have HPI'ed the car and its come back ok, I checked the engine number from the HPI on the log book and they checked out.
I guess his name isnt on the log book because he was/is a trader, the car is parked outside so i would presume he is not trying to hide anything. The area is very dodgy but I know I cant hold that against this. When I looked at the log book there was a part missing which I presume was the bit to send back the DVLA, I cant get hold of them today to see if they can help me because there where shut due to the weather.
Im just worried if i loose my money for some reason , the autotrader hpi said they cant guarantee the car because its bought from a house thus this classed as a private sale, and his name is not on the log book.
What does anyone else think, i really want the car but not sure what to do?
Many thanks
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There are so many cars for sale, trade and private, why bother with something that you are concerned about? Unless it is unique, 110% exactly what you want and you can't find another with 25 miles why give yourself the worry?
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Yes, he gave me a receipt, it was on headed paper although not professional at all. He also gave me his address and there was an address on the headed paper, its a limited company and i cant find it on companies house, i know this all sounds very paranoid but im just erring on the side of caution. I was hoping the dvla would be able to confirm who is supposed to be holding the vehicle. I noticed his bank statement and that confirmed his name and address, I guess I can ask him to prove his identity, he had been okay so far.
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Sorry to keep banging on about this put new posters may not know the story, I put £100 deposit on a car and later did not buy it. I was all excited about it, then posted it on here some of the people here had some concerns, I then went to see my mechanic who told me stories how the seller was a well known dodgy trader, I lost £100 but I like to think I saved a fortune. I still see the car running around now with its new owners, it annoys me but I see so much smoke coming out the back my concerns about the HG were probably right.
I am sure the car is not stolen or anything but you need to able to trust the seller for other reasons and you clearly do not, so I would avoid.
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cheers for that, the car is a 2007 with 14 months manufacturers warranty so im not to worried about that, just the authenticity of the seller. We agreed bankers draft, he did want me to do a chaps (tt) transfer and gave me his bank details but I said i would rather be there on the transaction. So i have his name and address etc, if i can confirm he is a resident there? should i be okay. Also try and get some info from the dvla?
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Have you got the document number from the v5? DVLA will confirm that that is correct.
Who is the company listed as the previous owner? What addrress?
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No i dont have that, i guess i could ask him for it, all i remember is it was a company that was on the document, an LLP in london so I guess it was a solicitors. I guess he or his company wouldnt be on the on the log book as he is a dealer?
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Voter's List mayconfirm he lives there.
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Have you Googled his name and mobile number ?
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My first question is what proof has he given you that he either owns the car or has the right to sell it?
If neither - walk.
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this was my train of thought, what kind of proof though, if he is a dealer, a receipt? but he would have given that to the previous owner, im not sure
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In the current climate, referring to economics rather than the weather, a 2007 car bought in a dodgy area from someone who 'used to buy from students'......
I'd run. A long, long way away.
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And i'd agree with mlj, some wealthy students in that area with 07 cars?
I get the idea the car is at a bargain price, maybe look at it coldly, is it a little too cheap?
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its priced just under others in its class, a 335i 17,500, its a 56 sorry just checked
Edited by DrTroy on 03/02/2009 at 22:20
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Have you phoned the company it came from ?
Has it got all the documentation from BMW ?? There should be a leather like info pack full to the brim with BMW bits and pieces. ? Is still on the BMW Warranty ?
Is it an MSport ?
Edited by Pugugly on 03/02/2009 at 22:27
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yes it had all the documents, and he said 14 months left on the warranty, maybe ring bmw?
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I would not spend £17.50 if I had any doubt, let alone £17,500. The thread title says you have concerns, follow your judgement, if it doesnt feel right it probably isnt.
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Is the car appreciably cheaper than private/indy ? Is it overly cheap?
Ask for the name on logbook and tell him you're going to phone them to verify mileage.
If he baulks at that walk away. In the present climate if he has nothing to hide he shouldn't mind.
Be polite but firm, it's your money.
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Its very cheap - still a highly desirable motor despite the squeeze.
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Phone the supplying dealer. They'll carry the service history if it was done there. Check the visible VIN on the dashboard - check the windows to see if they're etched with a security code, if so check that they match - check the stamped in VIN (in the E46) under a cheap and nasty plastic flap on he floor by the driver's door. Finally check the number plates. Check they carry the supplying dealer's logo both ends of the car, they should be secured by four screws (well the E46 was anyway) - the chassis number is stamped on the suspension column....
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walk...... if you feel unsure ....walk!
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cheers for the advice, am gonna ring the dvla, bmw and give him a list of questions, hopefully should be okay the hpi checked out so just need to know he is actually allowed to sell it. this trader bit is pants but hoping dvla can confirm, i know they cant say too much cuz of data protection but surely they are there to protect the consumer
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left, right, left, right all the way!!
How will you feel if your £17500 disappears? Don't do it - go to a dealer for that sort of car.
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The VIN might match the reg and match the documents.
But what if its a cloned car? The same real car might be driving about somewhere else.
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Sounds like it is ex-lease the seller has bought from auction.
He is declaring himself as trade which in its self is a good thing and it is correct that the V5 should not be in his name. When a trader buys a car from auction or anywhere else it is not normal for them to register the car and the V5 remains in the previous owners name.
I'd be more concerned if it was in his name and he'd only owned it for a week in which case it would be a trade seller passing themselves off as private.
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he said he has had it 8 months, i think the trade thing is so he can drive cars under that insurance, i remember a passing comment that it was cheaper
its only got 9k on it and he said it came from bmw
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Should have bmw.co.uk on the number plate and carry a reg plate from the home counties.
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not necessarily. lot's have a Yorkshire plate (including mine), I assume they're registered at Thorne while they're prepped.
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2.5rs old and 9k miles - and low price - riiiiight.
At the very, very least make sure you pay his "company" and not him. If his letterhead is carp then he'll not be able to cash the draft.
Just sounds uber-dodgy so far.
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The DVLA site says "Our primary aims are to facilitate road safety and general law enforcement by maintaining registers of drivers and vehicles, and to collect vehicle excise duty (car tax)". They are not there for consumer protection in the sense that I think Dr Troy may mean. I have a lot of sympathy in his obvious desire to buy the car but would personally err on the side of caution.
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he has been up front, why is this so difficult!
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Difficult, because if this really is a company it'll be registered at Companies House.
Honestly, don't do it. Look on Autotrader for similar BMWs and in this day and age you are sure to find some from a reputable source. An independent BMW specialist like James Paul near Horsham is the sort of place to look.
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Buying 'proper' retail has its advantages. I'd say think about waving bye-bye to your deposit & going to a franchise BMW dealer for something similar. You may pay a bit more - but maybe not that much more in the current climate - and you'd have somewhere to take it back to in extremis.
Buying private is ok for cheapish cars & traders, but someone like you (and no disrespect meant by this..) I think is taking a risk with a considerable sum of money.
In 6 months you'll not even remember or notice any extra premium you'd have paid for a franchised dealer sourced car - and you'll have peace of mind & cast iron BMW warranty/AUC check etc.
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Personally, I wouldnt. Ive never spent any decent amount of money on a car at anywhere other than a very reputable indie or main dealer, because it IS more expensive if the car turns out to be dodgy and who would gamble with anything more than a grand or so?
The fact that your on here asking should be all you need to know. Just dont sit there convincing yourself it will be fine when it may not be.
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It's not cheap car if you lose nearly £18'000. Walk away. If ou've got enough doubt that you felt the need to post on here, leave it.
I wouldn't touch it with a bargepole. If you've got no p/x, walk into a BMW dealer and negotiate hard.
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The warranty is only valid if the car has been serviced properly.
Perhaps call the company on the V5 and see what they say.
I think you can check the V5 serial number as part of the HPI check - there's a guy on the Mercedes forum who bought a Sprinter in similar circumstances to the ones the OP is talking about and it turned out to be a stolen vehicle that had been cloned and was being sold with a stolen V5. HPI wouldn't pay out, of course, as the address he'd bought from didn't match the V5.
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thanks for all the replies, I have spoken to the dvla, they basically cant help me much. I cant believe its so hard to show who the legal owner is. Anyway spoke to the guy, he said he would come down to the dvla that day before i pay to get them to prove it all etc. Im not sure they can actually do anything. He is also sending me the keepers address on the log book so i can contact them.
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Simple - If you are in any doubt walk away and find something else. . . do not get unless you are 100% Sure
If you are asking questions at this stage, and you are trying to prove who the owner is I would run away its not worth the hassle and losing £18k if it all goes wrong!
£18K is a lot of money to lose! think about it!
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Dr Troy, how much cheaper is this car than buying the equivalent from a dealer?
And I don't mean sticker price - I mean actual haggled price?
Then decide if that saving is worth the hassle.
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Its looking up, I have the details of the previous owners and spoken to the one on the log book and they confirmed it was sold last year at auction. Also spoke to the bmw site that actually serviced the car in october and its in the area im buying it and they confirmed the car was fine, mileage also adds up to... Guy said we can both nip to dvla to confirm everything before any transaction....
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