Buying a car without a V5 or service history

2ba3c

Our car was written off in an accident, and Ive just got the cheque to buy a new one. I've found a particular model I like (the highest spec) and its a really good price, from a dealer about 2 hours and 30 mins away from me.

BUT they have advised they don't have a log book, If I buy it I canopy for a new one with some form. It also doesn't have any service history. They tell me it also doesn't come with a warranty, but we are covered by something or other, selling legislation?

It's a lot of money for me (£10,000), is it dodgy to buy a car without a V5 and service history?

They genuinely are a proper garage, and I can see now why its a good spec at a cheaper price. Is there any way to protect myself and still buy the car?

Or is it just a really stupid idea?!

skivenov

If I were spending £1000, maybe. £10000, no way.

Marktheshark

No V5 is a warning sign for "log book loan"
No HPI can detect a log book loan as the firms behind them ignored the "guidelines" .
If it has a Log book Loan once they default, the car gets Repo's and the car and your money is gone, so a double hit risk.

enfield_freddy

ask yourself why are they risking a potential lose of a £10,000 sale , for the sake of spending £25 (ish) on buying a replacement V5 from the DVLA


would any of the online car checks actually cover you for lose (fraud) if you were not able to verify the info was correct on the V5?

forgotmyname

No V5C = do not buy it until they get it.

A £300 car with no service history is one thing, A £10k car is another, I wouldnt touch that either.

Its going to be cheap for a reason. The V5C may have info about it previously being written off.

No service history maybe hiding the fact its a lemon.

enfield_freddy

Marktheshark wrote: »

No V5 is a warning sign for "log book loan"
No HPI can detect a log book loan as the firms behind them ignored the "guidelines" .
If it has a Log book Loan once they default, the car gets Repo's and the car and your money is gone, so a double hit risk.

log book loans ARE covered by the company called HPI http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/news/buying-and-selling/2011-05/logbook-loans/


however you must be in possession of the log book to verify the info.

kwmlondon

Yes, it may be a bargain and, if you buy (at least partially) with a credit card you can get protection, but with no service history you're going to find selling a tough one and will have to be prepared to take a hit a couple of years down the line. If this is a long-term purchase then consider one of the extended warranties, but if they're not prepared to give it a warranty from the showroom I'd be asking what the issue is.

gjchester

enfield_freddy wrote: »

ask yourself why are they risking a potential lose of a £10,000 sale , for the sake of spending £25 (ish) on buying a replacement V5 from the DVLA

Possibly because it increments the number of registered keepers.

A previous Fiat was an ex hire car, (11 months old, 12K on it and almost and 1/3 of the new retail price) I bought it from a main Fiat Dealer, and it had no V5 as Hertz never supplied them on to the dealers. The garage said they could apply but didn't as you need to be a registered keeper to get the V5 and it would then be two owners not one on the form. Applied to the DVLA and got one in a week or so.

May be worth enquiring as to why there is no V5, if its Ex Hire that may be valid reason, rather than anything else.

Now I think about it the only service history was the initial dealer stamp in the service book nothing more for the first year was available. They Did give me a 6 month warranty through.

And Yes it served me well for 12 years....

colino

Have to a very rare, top quality version of a great car to consider buying it from a trader 21/2 hours away, with no paperwork and no warranty. You already know the answer, it's a pig in a poke.

Marktheshark

No HPI company can detect a Log book loan 100% as they are a bill of sale contract, the code to "register them " is voluntary and most firms ignore it as it is not in their interest to do anything else.

They make the money on people defaulting as they now own a car for the sale price of the loan.
The last thing they want is people getting tipped off.

When one of the HPI steps forward and offers to insure 100% against a log book loan surfacing then take them seriously.

At present no VC5 = no buy, unless you can not resist that can not miss bargain.
Then you will soon find out why it is so cheap.

The crux is people that borrow on such eye watering interest rates are not going to pay it back, if they could they would not need it and the clock runs out before they get time to obtain a replacement V5.
The entire business plan is based on the fact most wont pay and they get a car to sell.

harveybobbles

So no V5..
No history..
And the trader is saying no warranty..


Most of the FB car selling pages are full of people selling there £600 car with "cant find V5.." in the description. This screams log book loan.