When is a 'new' car not new?

Inch_High_2

motorguy wrote: »

If its not in your name, then its not your responsibility to display the tax disc?

He owns the car and will be driving it so it is.

warehouse

I recently purchased a year old car. It had 1 owner. If it had been advertised as 2 previous owners I wouldn't have looked at it because I'd have wondered what was wrong with it to be sold within the first year, and then again.

The price might not be affected much but the amount of buyers will drop significantly if you decide to sell early IMO. Over time this isn't such a big issue obviously.

colino

OP, I'm sorry you think you have been hoodwinked on this, it is a recurring query on this and other motoring sites. You have obtained a brand new car at a handsome discount from list, the manufacturers, brokers, dealers and buyers have been doing it for years and it helps maintain the artificial manufacturers list price for less savvy buyers. Everyone in the chain benefits and the only downside of these brokered, ex-demo, managers or fleet cars is in the paperwork. Someone, somewhere is always the paperwork holder for a pre-determined time to pretend there has been a business reason for the new car not to be in the hands of a consumer straight away.
It's not a big issue, DVLA incompetencies have devalued the, "only one owner" as a major selling point, but if a savvy buyer or trade buyer buys it from you in the future, they will use it as a chipping tool.
Incidentally through the way DVLA has screwed up paperwork and plate changes I have a car outside that I know its history from new. Main dealer sold it to my Accountants Firm, he bought it from his own firm and I bought it from him for my Wife. Number of previous keepers? Seven!

Inch_High_2

motorguy wrote: »

It was a bit of a tongue in cheek comment.

Forgot some people on here had a humour bypass operation.

Was it a painful op?

napoleon1769

motorguy wrote: »

It does seem there were smoke and mirrors used by the broker so that it wasnt absolutely clear that they would be registering the car first.

I would be curious as to who the broker is, as it doesnt sound like one of the big players? They're usually straight up about that sort of thing.

Unfortunately, I'm not prepared to name and shame at this stage. It wasn't a big player, but I did my research beforehand and this company got some glowing reviews on various online forums. I paid my deposit on my credit card in order to protect me if they ran off with the money.

motorguy wrote: »

Realistically, i dont think the O/P has a pups chance of getting a full refund and it doesnt look like the broker has any intention of paying comp-pen-say-shun.

You're right that the broker simply do not want to assist. They sent a very rude final response to me and won't respond to my emails or telephone calls. They are obviously aware of their own dodgy practices.

motorguy wrote: »

If its not in your name, then its not your responsibility to display the tax disc?

The car is taxed (as it is newly registered), but the DVLA have advised that it would be an offence to drive the car without displaying a tax disc. Any dispute of the registered keeper would be irrelevant in this case.

motorguy

warehouse wrote: »

I recently purchased a year old car. It had 1 owner. If it had been advertised as 2 previous owners I wouldn't have looked at it because I'd have wondered what was wrong with it to be sold within the first year, and then again.

The price might not be affected much but the amount of buyers will drop significantly if you decide to sell early IMO. Over time this isn't such a big issue obviously.

Its a fair question to ask - although i cant see anyone advertising a year old car with a selling feature of "two owners", but its simply covered off with car was previously registered by the broker, or car was a pre-reg, etc. Clearly there is nothing there that would suggest a fault with the car.

I would say 25% of "new" cars sold these days are pre-reg / not-the-first-name-on-the-tax-book type sales, so its happening all the time - yet there is nothing in the trade guides that says a car with two owners / pre reg is worth less, so clearly no real impact in the real world.

motorguy

napoleon1769 wrote: »

Unfortunately, I'm not prepared to name and shame at this stage. It wasn't a big player, but I did my research beforehand and this company got some glowing reviews on various online forums. I paid my deposit on my credit card in order to protect me if they ran off with the money.


You're right that the broker simply do not want to assist. They sent a very rude final response to me and won't respond to my emails or telephone calls. They are obviously aware of their own dodgy practices.


The car is taxed (as it is newly registered), but the DVLA have advised that it would be an offence to drive the car without displaying a tax disc. Any dispute of the registered keeper would be irrelevant in this case.

Personally, if it were me i would chalk it up to experience and continue to enjoy your new purchase.

You could spend months of hassle trying to get somewhere with this and there are no guarantees of success.

If you really really really want to push it, get valuations from several dealers of it being one owner or two owner now, and then submit a claim through the small claims court for the difference. But be prepared for them to weasel their way out of it if at all poss.

neilmcl

Inch_High wrote: »

The small print on that document [STRIKE]may[/STRIKE] WILL over ride the website small print. So long as they don't say they can supply a substitute etc you may have a case.
My bet would be they have a loophole for this clever con. You may also find the car is an import, intended to be sold somewhere like Cyprus.

Corrected that for you. T&Cs on a website are not classed as a durable form.

neilmcl

motorguy wrote: »

yet there is nothing in the trade guides that says a car with two owners / pre reg is worth less

But you can guarantee any dealer and private buyer will use the fact to knock the price down when buying/trading in.

jaydeeuk1

This could affect your insurance payout if you smashed it up. When I bought my car, I was told in the event of a write off I would receive a brand new replacement as I was first owner/keeper by hastings. If I was the 2nd keeper or once it reached a year old, I would receive market value. Suppose thats what GAP insurance is for.