Dealer selling suspected write off?

HBC08

I'm going to look at a few cars tomorrow,the car I'm looking for is rare enough and there aren't any outside of Dublin. I live in the West so this involves a 6 hour return trip so might as well check out a few.
I have 3 lined up,I had a dealer friend run checks on all of them and one has a condition alert against it.Its an import and I'm guessing there's a good chance it was wrote off.
I'm going to drive it anyway just to compare it to the others, my question is does the dealer have to tell me this if I ask?

punisher5112

HBC08 wrote: »

I'm going to look at a few cars tomorrow,the car I'm looking for is rare enough and there aren't any outside of Dublin. I live in the West so this involves a 6 hour return trip so might as well check out a few.
I have 3 lined up,I had a dealer friend run checks on all of them and one has a condition alert against it.Its an import and I'm guessing there's a good chance it was wrote off.
I'm going to drive it anyway just to compare it to the others, my question is does the dealer have to tell me this if I ask?

If they don't know, they can say don't know.

I wouldn't bother unless it's well worth it.

Is it coming up cat *?

Driving it won't tell much especially if fixed well ...

Call them and ask before you waste your time and their time

HBC08

HBC08 wrote: »

I'm going to look at a few cars tomorrow,the car I'm looking for is rare enough and there aren't any outside of Dublin. I live in the West so this involves a 6 hour return trip so might as well check out a few.
I have 3 lined up,I had a dealer friend run checks on all of them and one has a condition alert against it.Its an import and I'm guessing there's a good chance it was wrote off.
I'm going to drive it anyway just to compare it to the others, my question is does the dealer have to tell me this if I ask?

Apologies for multiple posting,wont let me delete.

HBC08

punisher5112 wrote: »

If they don't know, they can say don't know.

I wouldn't bother unless it's well worth it.

Is it coming up cat *?

Driving it won't tell much especially if fixed well ...

Call them and ask before you waste your time and their time

They know,they bought it in jan and ran a check on it (how my car dealer mate knows this i dont know but hes never been wrong)
As I suspect they're trying to off load a possibly written off car to customers I'm not too worried about wasting their time if its of some small benefit to me (ive never actually driven this model before so the more i have to compare the better)

punisher5112

HBC08 wrote: »

They know,they bought it in jan and ran a check on it (how my car dealer mate knows this i dont know but hes never been wrong)
As I suspect they're trying to off load a possibly written off car to customers I'm not too worried about wasting their time if its of some small benefit to me (ive never actually driven this model before so the more i have to compare the better)

Why bother, you have been given good info, ok.... Why waste your time then.... Seriously...

Brought in from where? Uk or north.... Vrt will be totally different depending from where with new vat etc.....

HBC08

punisher5112 wrote: »

Why bother, you have been given good info, ok.... Why waste your time then.... Seriously...

Brought in from where? Uk or north.... Vrt will be totally different depending from where with new vat etc.....

Already vrtd.
As mentioned Im happy to drive it as I'm most likely going to buy one of these models and they are fairly rare (about 5 currently advertised in Ireland) Never driven one before so happy to get the experience in as many as I can so not a waste of time for me.

Toyotafanboi

To the letter of the law, if they are aware of it they have to tell you if you ask but usually they'll colour it pretty like "it just had the front bumper replaced" or whatever. Ignorance isn't a defence for a dealer not to be aware of what they are selling.

All that being said, without knowing the ins and outs of the particular car etc it could have been written off over the cost of a hire car or anything. The car could be reasonably tidy.

James Bond Junior

Can you post a link to the ad?

HBC08

Toyotafanboi wrote: »

To the letter of the law, if they are aware of it they have to tell you if you ask but usually they'll colour it pretty like "it just had the front bumper replaced" or whatever. Ignorance isn't a defence for a dealer not to be aware of what they are selling.

All that being said, without knowing the ins and outs of the particular car etc it could have been written off over the cost of a hire car or anything. The car could be reasonably tidy.

Thanks,that's the advice I got off a few people elsewhere.It might be worth a punt for someone on about half what they're asking but that sort if gamble isn't what I'm looking for.It priced about 20k.

HBC08

James Bond Junior wrote: »

Can you post a link to the ad?

I don't really want to be naming anybody on a public forum when I don't even know the full story.
He might tell me tomorrow it was written off or flooded or whatever,I doubt it but he might.

maddness

What make of car rather than a link to a particular one?

So other than it being an import, why do you think it's a write off? One doesn't lead to the other...

HBC08

[Deleted User] wrote: »

So other than it being an import, why do you think it's a write off? One doesn't lead to the other...

I have the history check on it as mentioned in the op.

punisher5112

HBC08 wrote: »

I have the history check on it as mentioned in the op.

So did you look at it or drive it, is it possible it was minor damage repaired correctly

fryup

HBC08 wrote: »

I have the history check on it as mentioned in the op.

does it go into detail about what category write off A B C?? is it a crash & repair? is it flood damaged?

Stihl waters

You seem to be looking for trouble for the sake of it

HBC08

fryup wrote: »

does it go into detail about what category write off A B C?? is it a crash & repair? is it flood damaged?

No it doesn't state what category.

HBC08

punisher5112 wrote: »

So did you look at it or drive it, is it possible it was minor damage repaired correctly

Yes took it for a spin.
Now in fairness it was a 10 year old car but a high end Jaguar,asking price 18k
The car was in bits and very obvious that it hadnt been loved.The door handle was missing,small things like the vanity mirrors missing and lots of things broken inside.The starter button was smashed,it had no service record after 2016.It wasn't valeted and was covered in birdsh1t.Not a great way to present a car at a dealership.
I took it for a spin and it seemed to drive ok.
Obviously I wasn't going to buy at this stage but wanted to see what i could get it for to get an idea of the market.The guy goes back into the office to figure out his best price which was........exactly the full price it was advertised at......No room for negotiation,hilarious!
Eventually offered €150 off for the smashed starter button.
That car has been sitting on their forecourt for 6 months and nobody in the country would pay nearly 20k for it.I really don't understand their angle here.
It was an interesting experience, like do people pay that kind of money for a 10 year old car and not run a history check?

Speedline

A cat d car in the uk(light damage) usually goes for 75% of retail. If you're not seeing that discount applied, walk.

punisher5112

Sounds like was a reps car or just someone that didn't give a crap about cars....

Definitely sounds like too much hassle.

HBC08

HBC08 wrote: »

I have the history check on it as mentioned in the op.

Yes, but on some of them the fact that it's an import triggers the condition alert. It would clearly state that it was a write off, with the Category.

HBC08

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Yes, but on some of them the fact that it's an import triggers the condition alert. It would clearly state that it was a write off, with the Category.

Ive never heard this before and suspect its not true.

James Bond Junior

HBC08 wrote: »

Ive never heard this before and suspect its not true.

It is true.

Magown3

HBC08 wrote: »

Ive never heard this before and suspect its not true.

It is true

JamBur

Any information on the car itself? OR even hints as to the model, or class?

wonski

Magown3 wrote: »

It is true

Yep. Because the car is an import some providers cannot access write off or damaged cars database in another country so they will warn you they can't verify it.

In reality even if car is not an import it could be damaged and repaired and never reported so check the paint thickness etc if you want to be sure.

They will give you no warranty the car was never crashed. They just give you a report on what they know aka what was officially registered in the database they have access to.

HBC08

James Bond Junior wrote: »

It is true.

Fair enough,genuinely didn't know that and apologies to Jeremy.

HBC08

JamBur wrote: »

Any information on the car itself? OR even hints as to the model, or class?

Xj

Mintoe

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Yes, but on some of them the fact that it's an import triggers the condition alert. It would clearly state that it was a write off, with the Category.

The fact it’s an import triggers an alert that it’s an import not a condition alert...... it would clearly state the category when it’s a write off in the uk (a/b/c/d/s/n) ireland only cat a & b are certain to be specifically mentioned as insurers in ireland largely refuse to publish cat c or d data

HBC08

Mintoe wrote: »

The fact it’s an import triggers an alert that it’s an import not a condition alert...... it would clearly state the category when it’s a write off in the uk (a/b/c/d/s/n) ireland only cat a & b are certain to be specifically mentioned as insurers in ireland largely refuse to publish cat c or d data

This is what I thought but a good few people have said different.
Had a look back at the report, doesn't specify if A,B,C category write off etc.Does say it was flooded,stolen or other stuff that would put anyone off buying it. (All of this is besides the fact the car was a in bits having seen it and had a spin)

JustAThought

HBC08 wrote: »

This is what I thought but a good few people have said different.
Had a look back at the report, doesn't specify if A,B,C category write off etc.Does say it was flooded,stolen or other stuff that would put anyone off buying it. (All of this is besides the fact the car was a in bits having seen it and had a spin)

Maybe the owner died or was in a nursing home and so no-one else could insure or drive/sell it until the inevitable happened. Happen to two people I know - both had extremely well kept high end luxury cars.


BtW is that why insurance companies always ask if your car was an import before giving a quote to insure it?