why do people cover their plates on done deal

homeless student

hi, just wondering why people cover their plates on sites like done deal? would you be wary of buying a car from anyone who does this?

L1011

Perceived risk of the plate being used in a cloning operation. However it just drives away potential customers.

homeless student

MYOB wrote: »

Perceived risk of the plate being used in a cloning operation. However it just drives away potential customers.

thought of that before, seems like a stupid idea though, sure if you wanted to clone a car you could just spot it in traffic and write the plate number down. when I see plates blanked out, I automatically think theres something dodgy about the car.

Chris_Heilong

some people just do it because they see other people doing it and so feel its the safe option. Alot of the time they will cover there plate but then put up a picture of their NCT disc with the reg number on it so its all a bit nuts:rolleyes:

corktina

Paranoia!

aman23

can also be done, to hide the cars id, from a previous owner. i.e you sold a car with 200,000km on the clock, and it turns up a week later on donedeal with 78,000km on the clock.

Fred Swanson

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Supergurrier

Because they don't have a cool reg, poor sods

Del2005

homeless student wrote: »

thought of that before, seems like a stupid idea though, sure if you wanted to clone a car you could just spot it in traffic and write the plate number down. when I see plates blanked out, I automatically think theres something dodgy about the car.

It's easier to clone a car if you put your current car and colour into an site than chance driving/walking around till you find a match. Thieves by their nature are lazy, so if they can sit down and rob they will.

I doesn't bother me about hiding the reg, if your interested in the car a quick call will get it for history checks if they won't supply it then it's a good reason to not bother. What does annoy me in ads is POA:(

Royal Legend

homeless student wrote: »

hi, just wondering why people cover their plates on sites like done deal? would you be wary of buying a car from anyone who does this?

It stops people ringing the Garda, claiming that the car was speeding or driving dangerously etc etc.

SCOOP 64

Del2005 wrote: »

It's easier to clone a car if you put your current car and colour into an site than chance driving/walking around till you find a match. Thieves by their nature are lazy, so if they can sit down and rob they will.

I doesn't bother me about hiding the reg, if your interested in the car a quick call will get it for history checks if they won't supply it then it's a good reason to not bother. What does annoy me in ads is POA:(

Agreed with you on that, POA,Also, ready for NCT.

ABajaninCork

I blanked out mine when I was selling. To me, it's common sense. You want the car? Then you can see the reg, when you test drive it and I see the colour of your dough!

bazz26

This topic is a double edged sword.

On one side the seller maybe reluctant to display their reg plate as it makes it very easy for a criminal to use their reg to clone another similar car or forged plates going through tolls or petrol station drive offs.

The other side is that a dodgy seller or scammer hides the reg plate because either the photos were stolen off another advert or he is hoping that the seller will not bother getting a history check done which shows something doesn't add up.

I hear the argument all the time that if someone wants to clone your reg they can pick a random car in a car park but it is alot easier to just surf donedeal or carzone from the comfort of their own gaff so one could argue not to make it extra convenient for them.

Being honest, this is the order of how I would do things if I was a buyer:

1. View advert.
2. Ring seller with a list of questions about the car.
3. Arrange viewing if you get the right answers.
4. Take a test drive.
5. Take a note of the reg, view the car's documents, ask the seller more questions if necessary.
6. Agree a price pending a history check and mechanical inspection.

dazey

So that you don't call up the nct crowd to see what it failed on, instead you go to view the car and waste loads of time before discovering it needs A LOT of fixing

bazz26

dazey wrote: »

So that you don't call up the nct crowd to see what it failed on, instead you go to view the car and waste loads of time before discovering it needs A LOT of fixing

Or you can save yourself time and ask the seller why they haven't NCT'd the car before putting it up for sale?

homeless student

if the seller has a full check done on the car e.g motorcheck.ie, should you do your own check?

ABajaninCork

homeless student wrote: »

if the seller has a full check done on the car e.g motorcheck.ie, should you do your own check?

Yes.

homeless student

ABajaninCork wrote: »

Yes.

why?

Gumbo

homeless student wrote: »

why?

Because your the one handing over your money.
I could creat a fake motor check report for you in about 15 mins

homeless student

kceire wrote: »

Because your the one handing over your money.
I could creat a fake motor check report for you in about 15 mins

how long does it take to get a check done?and what are the best companies to use

L1011

homeless student wrote: »

why?

Because its pretty easy to fake a printout.

ABajaninCork

homeless student wrote: »

why?

Is that a serious question???

homeless student

ABajaninCork wrote: »

Is that a serious question???

yes. just think it would be stupid to forge things like that because you would be in court for fraud if found out.not worth the risk imo.

L1011

homeless student wrote: »

yes. just think it would be stupid to forge things like that because you would be in court for fraud if found out.not worth the risk imo.

When you're using a disposable mobile number, meeting in a carpark, and have a fake NCT disc on the window, do you really think a civil case from a car history site is going to scare you that much?

ironclaw

homeless student wrote: »

yes. just think it would be stupid to forge things like that because you would be in court for fraud if found out.not worth the risk imo.

Best of luck to you taking a private individual to court for forgery or misrepresentation. I consider every single seller to be out to pull a fast one and thats the attitude you have to have. It might seem aggressive but sadly thats our world.

homeless student

ironclaw wrote: »

Best of luck to you taking a private individual to court for forgery or misrepresentation. I consider every single seller to be out to pull a fast one and thats the attitude you have to have. It might seem aggressive but sadly thats our world.

ya I get ya, to be honest im usually the same, and from my experience lately in trying to buy a car iv come across a lot of cowboy's. ill be getting my own test done for sure. anyone know how long it take to get a check done?

testicle

ABajaninCork wrote: »

I blanked out mine when I was selling. To me, it's common sense. You want the car? Then you can see the reg, when you test drive it and I see the colour of your dough!

I'll not be buying any cars from you so!

ironclaw

homeless student wrote: »

ya I get ya, to be honest im usually the same, and from my experience lately in trying to buy a car iv come across a lot of cowboy's. ill be getting my own test done for sure. anyone know how long it take to get a check done?

Its instant.

ShadowHearth

homeless student wrote: »

thought of that before, seems like a stupid idea though, sure if you wanted to clone a car you could just spot it in traffic and write the plate number down. when I see plates blanked out, I automatically think theres something dodgy about the car.

It is a lot easier to type in search box the car you need to clone, then going and looking for car you need. Chances are low to find exact car with colour you need in your town.

Other thing why people cover plate - it's easy for thief to find the target if they are looking for particular car. Steal for order or for part list.

Others cover the plates, so the potential owner could not do history check up.

ABajaninCork

testicle wrote: »

I'll not be buying any cars from you so!

Sorry, but you mistake me for someone who cares...:rolleyes:

D_murph

Del2005 wrote: »

It's easier to clone a car if you put your current car and colour into an site than chance driving/walking around till you find a match. Thieves by their nature are lazy, so if they can sit down and rob they will.

I doesn't bother me about hiding the reg, if your interested in the car a quick call will get it for history checks if they won't supply it then it's a good reason to not bother. What does annoy me in ads is POA:(

This^.

The thieves may not be carrying around a pen and pad taking down numbers all day but places like carzone etc, are dead easy to get a reg from quick and easy. They then use this reg (yours if youre selling on there) to clone a car they are trying to offload to someone.

This could possibly result in you (the original car's owner) getting letters in the post for M50 toll bills etc, or penalty points when the clone car driver passes a Gosafe van while speeding.

If I am wrong in this, feel free to tell me why.

I was once issued a parking fine incorrectly though and the only reason I was able to appeal it sucessfully was because the make and model didnt match the car that was parked where mine was supposed to have been on the date and time in question.
This may well have been (and most likely was) down to a genuine error from the traffic warden on the day but what if someone had seen my car for sale and cloned it? If the make and model matched the reg plate, I would have no way of getting out of a €40 fine that I didnt deserve if it was a clone of my car that was parked there.

For this reason, I would hide my reg plate too. Most dealers do it and probably with good reason too. I always trade my cars in anyway so its not an issue for now.

ABajaninCork

Three pages of this? .

Look - Either the buyer wants the car or they don't! It's that simple. It should not make a difference whether the bloody number plate is covered or not.

Fred Swanson

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