Hi, I was wondering if someone could enlighten me.
Last November I part exchanged a Mk IV Golf for a brand new Passat at my local VW dealership. The Golf had blown a head gasket, and as I had done 139,000 miles in it in just 4 years I decided to get rid.
The Golf has a private index plate on it, one that has been in the family for 42 years, so I wanted it transferring to the new car. This was not an easy process as the DVLA lost some of the paperwork, but it was all sorted out just before Christmas.
That's where my involvement should have ended. However ...
I just received a call from the apparant new owner. He has called because on the V5 I am the only person named. Once as the first owner, and then there is an entry for Dec 2001 when the personal plate was transferred to the Golf. I don't know how he got my number; I assume he just looked me up in the phone book. He was calling because he was concerned that the car may not be legit as he had purchased it from a dealer, who was not named on the V5.
We chatted a while and he then told me that he thought he had got a bargain at £4500 for a Golf with 72k miles on the clock.
Now I know that it had 139000 on the clock when I sold it, and I told him so.
Now I know that there was some damage done to the engine when the head gasket blew, so my question is this; if the engine was not repairable and was instead replaced with a 'second hand' engine, would the clock be set to the replacement engine, or should it still reflect the mileage that the chassis has covered?
The guy didn't seem to be too bothered, but I did give him the name and number of the dealership I sold the car to.
TIA
Will
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Dealers aren't named on the V5, ever - unless they've used the car for their own pleasure or businesss rather than to sell it. That's one reason why there are different sections on the V5(2) for sales to traders and private people.
As for the mileage - it is an offence to wind it back. Ever, even with its new engine and box. The dealer is quite within his rights to say that the engine has 72k or is brand new or whatever on it, but not via the mileometer.
Things like the clutch (if original), gearbox (though IIRC you'd replaced that too), suspension, seats and so on still have 139k+ on them and, to the extent that mileage travelled so far is an indicator of likely life, may not last as long as the mileage indicates.
I'm not at all a fan of paying a premiu for low mileage, but who exactly would have bought the car with 139k on it if not a clocker is a difficult one...
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DavidHM,
Maybe you'll know the answer to this one :
What is the legal situation if the odometer packs up at 160,000 miles and a new one has to be fitted ?
Should the new odometer be set to the mileage where the old one packed up ? I wouldn't imagine this would be easy with the old style analogue speedos.
If not, maybe it could be argued that the mileage had been "wound back" ?
Or am I missing something here ?
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>should it still reflect the mileage that the chassis has covered?
Yes
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I think that someone somewhere along the line has ripped this poor guy off.
He just called me back and said that the VW dealership have confirmed the work that they did and the mileage on the clock when they sold it to a trade dealer. The new owner has received the car without an MOT, which is rubbish because it was MOTed the day before the gasket blew, and he didn't receive the service book. The MOT would show the true mileage and the service log would have shown 13 10,000 mile services.
He did say that the VW dealer was surprised that the car could be clocked, but it's just a computer so I guess its a doddle to do.
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Weirdly, I think he's actually paid roughly what it's worth. 70-80k cars in AutoTrader seem to start at about £6k. Regardless, he is probably still entitled to a refund if he can find the seller, but how you then quantify his damages I don't know. In any case, if he gets his £4500 back, he won't be able to spend it on a genuine lowish mileage new shape Golf.
If I were the clocker I'd have gone the whole hog, put the mileage back to 39k, got a dodgy service book and a new MoT showing the new mileage - even the seller sounds like an amateur! (Not that I would do that of course...) I guess this case gives the lie to the idea that clockers can't catch anyone out.
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The guy did say that he thought it was a bargain because they are usually about £6500 for that mileage.
I guess that the alarm bells don't ring for somepeople if they think they are getting a bargain.
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As ever, with any used car - esepcially those bought in these cricumstances - ring the previous owner listed on the V5 and/or get an HPI-style check done.
Incredible deals are usually just that.
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Unless the mileage can be verified without question, either via documentation or by contacting the previous owner(s), then it should be completely disregarded, even if it's a digital display.
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even if it's a digital display.
especially if it's a digital display.
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I got done in thew same way. Bought a VW beetle with 43000 on the clock, great, when i researched the history it had done 175000 but clearly marked on the servive records from the VW main agents new engine fitted at 132000 and new speedo head fitted!! Personally not concerned as i\'m restoring and will go right through.
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As my old grannie used to say:
- When all else fails, try telling the truth.
Surely the simple answer, for anyone selling a car with a new speedo is to say - but, there is xxx thousand to add to the mileage shown, because it has had a new speedo?
OR - if it has had a new engine is not to wind the speedo back, but to say, it had a new engine at xx thousand and here is the invoice to prove it. QED. Mais oui?
Regards to all Don drbe
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