Buying from private seller in the UK?

ando

Hi,

4 years ago I went across the water to the Uk to buy a car from a dealer. All went really well and I enjoyed owning the car for the 4 years. Now its time to move on and Im thinking to go over again but this time I am interested in a private sell... Has anyone have any experience of this, buying from a private seller in the UK? I'd be getting it checked over by the AA but I remember seeing somewhere that it was a bad idea to buy from private seller??

jayok

FWIW - I bought my last two cars from private sellers. No problems with the transaction as such. Ran a HPI check on all the cars, requested the full service history copy, etc. If they are keen, they'll entertain you, if they are messing, details will be scant.

Re the transaction, bring cash if you can - it simplifies things. Bear in mind, though if it's about €10,000 you'll need to let customs know. It's a new limit they brought in.

Check for false V5 certs also, big scam in the UK at the moment.

ando

ok thanks jayok, any tips on checking for false v5?

Anan1

Run an RAC check, costs £10 and they'll check the serial number & issue date of the V5 against the stolen database. You do still need to check that the details on the V5 match those on the actual car.

jayok

ando wrote: »

ok thanks jayok, any tips on checking for false v5?

As Anan1 said, get the V5 cert and make sure the car's VIN matches. Also, I recommend you download and print a sample copy of the V5 cert from the DVLA's site. Things like the barcode in the top right can be missing, etc. But RAC should check this for you though.

yop

I also got an AA check done on the car, the guy spent an hour + and with the report I got he uncovered a number of issues and he recommended a "not buy" until fixed.
The seller wouldn't fix the issues so no sale.

antodeco

Did the AA guy say what they were?

yop

He did ya, got a phone immediately after with the issues and then a full report emailed within 12 hrs.

ando

Ok cool thanks for the advice. Im going to use the HPI check on www.hpicheck.com

They seem to check VIN/Chassis number, V5 serial number and issue date aswell as the other standard stuff, whether it was crashed or ever stolen etc

Thanks for the idea on printing out a sample V5, will come in handy!

tossy

What is the cost of an AA inspection?

ando

Its about €222 for the most intense inspection

Mad_Max

jayok wrote: »

As Anan1 said, get the V5 cert and make sure the car's VIN matches. Also, I recommend you download and print a sample copy of the V5 cert from the DVLA's site. Things like the barcode in the top right can be missing, etc. But RAC should check this for you though.

Is it possible to get the V5 cert/number off a car that was previously imported and sold again in Ireland?

ando

hi guys,

i got a car checked out, everything checks out well except ...


"Alert Details

The V5 registration document issue date does not match the information provided by the DVLA"


The date he gave me is the 5/11/08 and the DVLA say their record shows the 5/11/08.... so Im thinking there is an administration mix up?? All the other checks come up with no problem, chassis number matches vrm, the V5 serial is not recorded stolen, forged or duplicated

what ya think? The more I look at it the more i think its an administration error


Other bits of report:

VIN Match
The VIN (chassis number) and VRM (vehicle registration number) you supplied match

VRM and VIN not currently recorded by the police as stolen

VRM and VIN not currently recorded by insurers as a theft

VRM and VIN not currently recorded as having outstanding finance

VRM and VIN not currently recorded as at risk on the security register

VRM not recorded as having previous plates

yop

tossy wrote: »

What is the cost of an AA inspection?

I got the £154 inspection and to be honest I think it covers all that you want and at the same time giving you peace of mind.
If you buy the HPI checks also the price drops to £122.

jayok

ando wrote: »

hi guys,

i got a car checked out, everything checks out well except ...


"Alert Details

The V5 registration document issue date does not match the information provided by the DVLA"


The date he gave me is the 5/11/08 and the DVLA say their record shows the 5/11/08.... so Im thinking there is an administration mix up?? All the other checks come up with no problem, chassis number matches vrm, the V5 serial is not recorded stolen, forged or duplicated

what ya think? The more I look at it the more i think its an administration error

Could be an administration error - if you let the seller know, what is his/her response? There are honest errors out there to be fair. However, be 100% comfortable before parting with your hard-earned cash.

jayok

Mad_Max wrote: »

Is it possible to get the V5 cert/number off a car that was previously imported and sold again in Ireland?

Yep, if you look at the Irish VLC, the previous registration number will be listed on it. You can run a HPI, etc check against this and it'll give you the information.

cadaliac

Just be careful about flights also. Make sure the seller will hold the car for you. I was nearly caught when I was speaking to a seller on a Wedensday evening, I agreed that i would fly over the following Friday and see the car. All going well, i would have purchased the car. I told the seller that I was going to book flights and the following morning, I got a text from the seller saying the car was sold last night, sorry.
Just as well I didn't book the flights that night. The next car, I spoke to the seller and i asked him "will you hold the car for me if I buy flights?" - to which he replied "of course I will," and he did. Make sure you have this understanding before you pay for flights.

Mad_Max

jayok wrote: »

Yep, if you look at the Irish VLC, the previous registration number will be listed on it. You can run a HPI, etc check against this and it'll give you the information.

I did the HPI on the old english reg but that doesn't give you the V5, it asks for that before you run the check.

jayok

The HPI check asked for the V5? Does it not ask for the VIN (which is physically stamped onto the car?)

Mad_Max

Asks for both. The V5 is used for some different check against a stolen car database or something.

ando

Just a quick question. I have bought from a dealer in the UK before but not from a private deal. Whats the procedure?

As far as I can see, they fill out the purple section of the V5 and detach it (exporting car section), and then send it off to the DVLA? I keep the rest of the V5 and use it to register the car here in ireland? or do I keep the whole V5?

jayok

Ideally the dealer should send off the car for export section.

However, if you get the whole V5, just submit this to the VRT office. They'll send the whole lot off anyway. When this happens the DVLA will issue a certificate of export to the VRT office.

jayok

Mad_Max wrote: »

Asks for both. The V5 is used for some different check against a stolen car database or something.

Ah that's right. There was a big case of stolen V5's in the UK about 3/4 years ago now. What criminals were doing was stealing a similar car and using the false V5 document to make it look legit.

DVLA cancelled the stolen certs but they are still in the wild and look very much legitimate. You found this out when you submitted it to the DVLA and they said, nope this is stolen.

What you need to do is check the V5 against the car presented. That the VIN matches. The VIN on cars stamped into the chassis and (depending on age) visible on the windscreen. Make sure this hasn't been tampered with. The RAC/AA check will do this though.