Wrong registration on car.

rs65

Leanne1812 wrote: »

When I contacted the dealer tonight he said they had 2 identical mercs being prepped for sale at the same time and this is where the mistake arose. They now have to contact the owner of the other one as they have our registration and we had theirs by the sound of it. Is this fishy?

So until they contact the other owner, there are two cars driving about with the same number on them?

colino

Sadly mistakes happen. As you (and the mixed up other car) have only been around on the mismatched plates and are both superficially (to ANPR) legal, there has been no reason for it to be drawn to anyones attention. If it is a glass and chrome Mercedes palace they will have already contacted the owner of the other car and be sending flowers and apologies to all concerned. As long as all the paperwork is reconciled at their expense, no real problem.

eddddy

Leanne1812 wrote: »

Our documents & road tax both have the registration which is the wrong one now removed and replaced today.

I think the issue is that you have the V5C that belongs to the other car - i.e. it shows the reg and VIN of the other car, not your car. (And vice versa.)

So it's not the reg that needs to be changed on the V5C, it's the name and address of the registered keeper.

Leanne1812

AdrianC wrote: »

Yep, if your V5C matches the VIN, but the plates are wrong, then they put the wrong plates on the car when it was new. Two identical (silver?) Mercs, two plates. Easy mistake to make without checking the VIN - chassis number, the actual serial number for your car.

Simple solution? Swap the plates back. You keep the "same car" - the one you've had all along. But the plates it should have had get put on it.

But when you got the V5C back from Swansea, with a different reg to the plates, did you not think "Hold on a mo... That's not my car?"

The V5C has the registration my car has had since I owned it ie the wrong one. So both the reg & the VIN on the document are for someone else's car.

I've never thought to check before that they matched up but I'd imagine anytime we buy a car in the future my husband will be out there checking the VIN does match the reg.

Leanne1812

rs65 wrote: »

So until they contact the other owner, there are two cars driving about with the same number on them?

Yes, I'd imagine that's correct. Hopefully tomorrow they'll contact the other owner and get them changed over to their rightful plate.

Leanne1812

eddddy wrote: »

I think the issue is that you have the V5C that belongs to the other car - i.e. it shows the reg and VIN of the other car, not your car. (And vice versa.)

So it's not the reg that needs to be changed on the V5C, it's the name and address of the registered keeper.

That's correct. I have the documents to someone else's car and they have mine. Hopefully the garage will get it sorted tomorrow.

We are the second owner of the car. Would I be right in thinking that in effect when the name and address get changed it will now appear that my car has has 3 keepers? I'm not sure if that affects the resale value, any idea? The car will be 2 years old in March.

Leanne1812

molerat wrote: »

Does the VIN (long number) on the car match the number on the V5C and is the registration number on the car (as you bought it) the same as on the V5C ? You can bin the tax disc - they are no longer required. I would like to know why a merc dealership is selling cars with mismatched information. The garage cannot just go round changing number plates to suit what their service system says.

I've just re-read this and realised I responded incorrectly. Both details belong to the other car. It has the reg number I've had on the car since I bought it hence it seemed correct to me. I never thought to check the VIN to my car before.

Car_54

You need to speak to the DVLA, not the dealer, and do it ASAP.

So long as this goes on, you will receive any speeding tickets etc. (or worse) that the other driver incurs, and vice versa. That will take a lot of explaining.

Instead of simply swopping plates, the DVLA should issue you both with new numbers.

Bollotom

It does seem strange that there has to have been a switch of plates at some stage. Why would you remove two sets of plates from two cars and then mix them up? As has been said, you should speak to DVLA as the car dealer, should be answering questions beyond a distracted apprentice. My own view is that there has been a stitch up somewhere, not a genuine mistake. :cool:

AdrianC

Hold on - The OP's now clarified, that the V5C doesn't relate to EITHER VIN or plates - so it's much simpler. Somebody, at some stage, has been handed the wrong set of keys for the paperwork.

But, yes, it's very easy to see how the wrong plates could be put on the wrong car. Think about PDI. Two brand-new identical cars parked next to each other. Two sets of paperwork and plates. How easy to just put the wrong plates on the wrong car at that stage?