New car wrong number plate

codie

We purchased a new VW Tiguan back in 2019. Out of the blue the main dealer rang

Could we come back with our car ASAP it was an emergency more or less. They told us there is something wrong with the car. Turned out we were driving the car with the wrong number plates for 4 years. The Vw Tiguan which was identical to ours had just failed their NCT because they had our reg and vica versa we had their reg. So now they changed the number plates and re registered the cars with their proper reg. My VW Tiguan which I purchased from new now has 2 owners on the log book. Apparently nothing to be done about it.

Any advice for me . What's your opinion? Is there anything I can do?

They apologised and said all they can do is put it right and make sure it doesn't happen again.

They also offered a years warranty onto my car which is basically worthless in my opinion.

Ash.J.Williams

Anything you can do? Is it not sorted ?

User1998

Why couldn’t they just put a new set of plates on the car instead of re registering the cars? This happens more frequently than you might think

Cormacca87

There's a number of things to consider there. What would have happened, had you been in an accident? You technically weren't the registered keeper from the sounds of it. Biggest thing to consider as part of the what, as opposed to what if - your vehicle has now effectively devalued through no fault of your own, with a second owner. I'm not sure if this something the dept. of transport can sort but if not, you're left with only two options.

First is to accept it, see what the dealer proposes for the inconvenience and loss of value. Seems you're down that road already and an extra year of warranty was proposed. I'd want that in writing, if you accept it. You don't know what may happen reliability-wise in the next 12 months and it may cover you for a big ticket item which is worth more than having two owners.

Second is to go the legal route but at the very least, that's going to cost you time and money. The likes of SIMI are not the consumer's friend here either. You will need to consider what you view as suitable recompense for the ordeal I guess.

Once you have that clear in your head, talk to the MD or equivalent in that dealership. Meet in person and document what has happened so far. Outline your views on the whole thing and document what you want, to compensate for what happened. I've been down this route before, with a new car damaged on it's PDI - A calm head and reasonable expectation can go a long way and certainly helped me to avoid a legal headache.

Best of luck with it & update us on what happens.

PS: Don't make the mistake of naming and shaming, if even thinking about the legal route for now.

kirving

I mean, nothing bad actually happened to you, and incredibly unlikely that it ever would as the first owner because you can always refer back to the garage. Had you been in a collision, it could have been paperwork nightmare I'm sure, but would be sorted.

When is your own car's NCT due?

For the hassle of having to bring it back, and having second owner on the car, you should be getting something of actual value like a few free services.

R.O.R

Ignore what the plate on the vehicle says, does the Chassis number on the vehicle match the chassis number on the Log book you got after you taxed it the first time.

It's very common to get the wrong plates on a vehicle, but it's not common to get the wrong vehicle (i.e. incorrect chassis number) as dealers use the chassis number as the internal reference of the vehicle as it doesn't get the reg until shortly before it's collected.

Del2005

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121912455#Comment_121912455

A 5 year old car with 1 owner isn't worth anymore than a 5 year old car with 2 owners, most cars are sold after 2 or 3 years. It's when you get 5 owners in 5 years that raises red flags.

hoodie6029

Ask them for a couple of free services? Solicitors letter and with an angle to get a few hundred quid out of them for their mistake?

That’s about it.

I know you are put out by all this and your one owner car is no longer that. Not to sound harsh or insensitive but in perspective, it’s a 5 year old car with two owners, who cares? Plenty of people buy demos and ex-rentals at 6 months old and they are the second owner.

colm_mcm

If they’ve changed the number plates they haven’t really reregistered them?

Mech1

5 years??? I made a 1 digit out front plate for my sister in law a few years ago cause she dented it against a towbar.

Totally my mistake.

She got stopped and questioned about it 4 days later by a garda on a motorbike.

No problem he understood the mistake, but it made me look a fool!

codie

Thanks for the replies. They had to re register the cars. My wife was registered to the other owners chassis number and he to our cars chassis number. It was only 1 digit.

I am fairly peeved because they promised us there would still only be one owner. The car is in immaculate condition and having 2 owners pisses me off . I know when I look to buy a car I always look for a 1 owner just like everyone else would.

God forbid it doesn't bare thinking about if we had a serious accident and the hassle we would of been in. I would of been in serious **** and I think it would of cost me thousands in money and time.

I have no notion of naming and shaming.

I have purchased 4 new cars over the years from the garage and expected better than that and a better offer of compensation.

Dirty Nails

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121914785#Comment_121914785

Some young lad put plates on the wrong cars. Probably the garage would have tried to deregister & register both cars.You'd have ended up as first owner that way. Revenue didn't like it being done years ago & it was only possible on new cars before they were taxed.

Better just chalk it up as a good story for the grandkids at this stage.

User1998

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121915142#Comment_121915142

It seems like OP was given the wrong car not just the wrong plate hence why they had to change the ownership

kirving

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121914785#Comment_121914785

It'd be messy with paperwork, but the "god forbid it doesn't bear thinking about" is a bit dramatic. You weren't in any danger due to this mistake, and it wouldn't have cost you money. It woulda been a couple of hours of an insurance assessor thinking wtf, calling the dealership, them thinking wtf, and then checking their records. Messy, but nothing major since the numbers were very similar.

Kaisr Sose

This should not have happened if they had proper checks and controls in place. Its easily avoided.

The OP is correct to be pissed off and is also correct to be seeking some form of redress for what happened and the inconvenience 4 yrs later. Its just not ok for the garage not to recognise this. No matter what happened or did not happen, they are the ones getting off light here.

codie

Kirving I don't agree with you. In a serious road traffic accident the first to go over the cars involved are the RSA not an insurance accessor. Technically was I even insured ?

It even cost us because we had to cancel our NCT at short notice. Then we had to wait until the whole re reg was sorted out which went on for more than expected. We were driving for months. If you met the wrong guard or a young garda making a name for himself at a checkpoint. Would they believe the story and tell you ok drive on.

Also what would happen if the other owners car now our reg was involved in a serious crash and repaired. Our even worse it was written off and later repaired and road worthy again. Would you believe the story if you came into my yard if I was a private seller. You wouldn't touch my car with a barge pole

I know these things didn't happen but they are the possibilities .

It was an honest mistake but the consequences could of been very serious and embarrassing .

Gumbo

Did you not have your own NCT in 2023?

codie

Done our NCT in the summer much later than when it should of been.

eusap

If you had Chassis ABC123 and Reg 9876 and the other owner had chassis ABC1234 and Reg 9875 they must have re-registered to correct the chassis numbers, i would not be concerned about the extra owner but with how it looks on a car history checker website as it might look like you swapped the chassis on the car and people might question WHY?

codie

I have always driven a VW . Always had a golf and this was our second Tiguan. Thinking of changing now to keep up the years. So I asked the garage owner how will I explain the 2 owners if I trade in. He said tell the garage I'm dealing with to ring him and he will explain everything.

If they offered me a good trade or a good deal I would of been happy but they were happy for me to look elsewhere. No loyalty at all after buying 4 new cars there.

FDave

I agree. OP did you get the spec car that you paid for

geotrig

you've given a whole lot of scenarios that did not happen and what ifs , that aren't a problem anymore , while its a pain in the whole 1/2 owners on a 5 year old car wouldn't change much. you being late doing an nct says as much as having 2 owners etc

The thing I'm curious about is what do you actually think the mistake is worth to you and what are you looking for ? your line above seems to suggest you want a good trade /deal which sounds like a good few k off , if you were in this business what do you think is a good offer ?

codie

The 2 cars were identical and both collected the same day so spec was what we purchased

TheBigLebowski

OP, I've lost count of the number of times you've said 'could of' or 'would of'. It's 'could have' or 'would have'. If you want to shorten it you could use 'could've' or 'would've' but definitely not 'could of' of 'would of'.

Now that I've got that off my chest, I can kind of see why this scenario might piss you off as a bit of a minor inconvenience. But there's no need for all the dramatics about what might've been.

Gumbo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121915783#Comment_121915783

How did it go through the NCT with the wrong number plate?

codie

My friend just collected new Audi Q3 last week. Before he drove it out he asked are you sure the right plates are on the car.

They were astonished.

I have spoken to few lads I know in the trade and they can't believe what happened.

Unlike some said here that it often happens I don't think it does.

It's a major boo boo by a reputable main dealer. They have now got a system in place that it cannot happen again. Not a lot of good to me.

geotrig

Still don't know what you want ? them to sell you a car at a loss take you out for dinner ? can you see why that doesn't interest them ? is /was your car serviced on time why the delay going for NCT ?

Gooser14

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058342410/new-car-wrong-number-plate

Did you have any problems explaining this to your insurance company?

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121916057#Comment_121916057

I they were smart about it they should have offered him a car for cost when he next trades in.

If I was a garage owner especially a main dealer I don't want a disgruntled customer telling everyone that has ears how badly my garage screwed up or posting negative reviews online or hassling me with solicitors letters or contacting VW directly.

JVince

what's the issue. there is still one owner (not that it makes much difference).

If the fact that two names are on the registration then just ask the garage for a letter to explain.

Problem sorted.

Now you could let it fester and you can create a non issue in your head because of some ridiculous thought that you now have a car that has a second name on a piece of paper and there is some sort on unfounded issue with that.

Frankly, for me, there are far far far more important things to worry about in life

hoodie6029

My takeaway from this is to buy a new car in a unique colour rather than the sea of bland grey, white, black, primer etc that is all that ever seems to lined up outside dealers these days.

No chance of them messing up the plates on my brand new purple 2 series coupe (I wish).

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121915994#Comment_121915994

Thanks. For all intensive purposes, that gets on my wick too 😂

codie

Wouldn't would of could of.......

Look I have named and shamed no body . I haven't gone to a solicitor or anything or maybe should I, Wouldn't I be entitled to. Maybe shouldn't or maybe could I talk to someone else about it. Prob should.

God almighty you come on here looking for a bit of advice on the matter and people tear into you.

Do people not read posts probably or what before they give their twopence worth. Why do you think there was a delay in the NCT? How did it go through the NCt with wrong number plate.?

Maybe ye could be trolling . Ye shouldn't do that even if ye could.

On more serious note I didn't think of a dinner. Maybe ask them for a weekend away smarty pance. How about that?

Sam Russell

I had a similar problem with a three year old car that was not right from a main dealer. It was a serious issue.

I came to a reasonable solution with the dealer who took back the car and replaced it with a brand new version of it, and I paid a reasonable, but not excessive, amount for it.

That might be the approach to take if the OP were in the market for a new car.

codie

JVince solution of a letter

Do you really think that a reputable main dealer that's in the business a long time is going to give me a letter with a company heading saying we have made a big fck up with this man's car and have given him a letter to explain the situation.

Have a think about it.

User1998

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121917300#Comment_121917300

We, “main dealer”, confirm that Mr Codie has owned “enter vehicle” from new, but due to unforeseen circumstances a change of ownership was carried out by us on “enter date”.

Regardless, having a letter or not will make little difference, the same way having two owners will make little difference.

The older the car gets the more insignificant it becomes.

A free service or a years warranty is good compensation, and a refund of your NCT fee perhaps?

hoodie6029

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121917058#Comment_121917058

Build a bridge and get over it would seem to be the general gist of the advice you’ve been given.

Anyone who doesn’t agree with you isn’t going to start agreeing with you. Welcome to the internet.

FDave

The problem with getting a solicitor involved is that you aren't at any financial loss except maybe a small amount from there being an extra owner. I think asking for a couple free services is reasonable compensation

kirving

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121917058#Comment_121917058

Look, you have to look at this from their perspective too. How can they justify to upper management to give a customer a weekend away or voucher for anything other than their dealership?

You could do a PhD on the potential loss of value of 2 vs. 1 previous owner, but the fact is negligible in monetary terms on anything other than a classic Ferrari. NCT fee, of course you should be covered for. You could force them to give you this in cash if you wanted to be awkward, but you'd get far more value out of a free service.

They want to put this to bed and leave you happy. Make it easy for them - something that they can do without hitting their bottom line too much. Asking one of the lads to skip booking hours on a service or two is easy, and you'd otherwise be paying €100/hr for it.

artanevilla

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121917834#Comment_121917834

This, you haven't suffered any loses as far as I can see. Anything you recieve from this point would be a gesture of goodwill on the garages part, which I'd accept gladly.

In reference to the insurance "issue" earlier, you sign the declaration on the basis that it is to the best of your knowledge. A refusal to pay out based on a third parties (assumed genuine) mistake would not stand up to scrutiny.

Is no one else surprised the garage didn't seem to offer something to him to keep him sweet and not kick up a fuss..

End of the day it is a pretty big **** up regardless of potential consequences large or small and they have a reputation to maintain as a main dealer.

Just from a business perspective I'm surprised he didn't get alot more of an apology from the owner and some form of sweetener offered in the form of a trade in discount on a new car or something

Esel

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121915832#Comment_121915832

Except you cannot 'swap the chassis on the car'. The VIN is on the actual chassis itself.