Bought a car & now find out its a Cat D write-off!

iconic944ss

I've just used a fair part of my 25 years of endowment to buy myself the newest car I've ever been able to afford.

It drove beautifully on the test drive and the private 'owner' told me the only fault was the air-con didnt work very well.

I DID ask if the car was a write-off or had outstanding HP and was catagorically told - NO.

There were a few things that seemed odd at purchase but the very nice family man who I bought the car from had answers for each of my questions however, I didnt buy the car at that time.

He phoned about a week later to say the car was still available and was I interested - I stated the maximum price I would go to and he offered the car to me.

One problem I found straight away the parking sensors not working but it was a week before I could get the car booked into a local garage - I had a look underneath and the sensors were all in place BUT there was NO wiring running to them ??????

To cut a long story short - after the car staying overnight at the garage I got a very sympathic call to say the car has been involved in a serious crash to front & rear, the whole front has been replaced and rear repaired, externally very well but internally - pattern parts have been used, electrics chopped and the computer fault codes not even reset which shows an airbag was deployed in the past.

They estimate £3000 to put the car right to manufacturers specs.

Worse still my son-in-law did a quick £3 internet check (that I thought cost much more for a HPI type check) and it turns out the Car is Cat D write-off from last year.

I dont accept the seller did NOT know what he was selling.

How can someone sell a faulty car that might be relied upon not only by adults but by our grand-children that I also carry?!?!

I have not contacted the private seller yet but did contact trading standards who did not sound very hopeful. I've read of threads on here of buyers getting money back but I think I might be in for a long haul and a possible small claims court case.

Anyone's experiences in this area will be welcomed.

Thanks in Advance. F

undetterred

Tough luck,buyer beware,as you say a £3 HPI check would have sorted this,lesson learnt move on.

richardvc

I hate to say it too but HPI everything !

I have no idea about the legal side of things but if the car was sold as seen then it is just that.

Rolandtheroadie

Cat d doesnt sound like extensive damage.

eschaton

iconic944ss wrote: »

I've just used a fair part of my 25 years of endowment to buy myself the newest car I've ever been able to afford.

Worse still my son-in-law did a quick £3 internet check (that I thought cost much more for a HPI type check) and it turns out the Car is Cat D write-off from last year.

Private sale so buyer beware.

£3 or £20 for a check it doesn't matter. You haven't said what car cost, quite a lot I guess but you were too tight to get the car checked out.

It's your own fault really.

tightrs

not a lot of sympathy on here then

was the car advertised ?
have you a copy of the advert and have you checked the wording ?

you have to contact the sellar with this revelation asap and demand your money back hopefully you might get lucky

undetterred

tightrs wrote: »

not a lot of sympathy on here then

was the car advertised ?
have you a copy of the advert and have you checked the wording ?

you have to contact the sellar with this revelation asap and demand your money back hopefully you might get lucky

Sympathy?????????you think the seller is gonna refund,an HPI check is a must,relatively peanuts when a buying car with the proceeds of an endowment.

Pew_Pew_Pew_Lasers!

If she asked if the car was a write-off, and the seller said no, then she has an opening to demand her money back.

Proving it is another matter.

Keith

Pew_Pew_Pew_Lasers! wrote: »

If she asked if the car was a write-off, and the seller said no, then she has an opening to demand her money back.

Proving it is another matter.

As the buyer says, the statement was made at a prior viewing. So isn't relevant to the purchase.

It really amazes me that people will ignore the cheap HPI deals (not all are correct) and then complain when the car they purchase for many thousands of pounds has a history.

Lum

Doesn't it say on the logbook when the car is a Cat D? The one I bought (£100 Volvo 460 that I got 2 years of trouble free motoring out of) said it on the front under "Special notes".

Also, how many previous owners?

davemorton

Lum wrote: »

Doesn't it say on the logbook when the car is a Cat D? The one I bought (£100 Volvo 460 that I got 2 years of trouble free motoring out of) said it on the front under "Special notes".

Also, how many previous owners?

Nope, thats Cat C