Has my "new" car been accident damaged? 4 September 2007 at 8:22PM edited 30 November -1 at 12:00AM in Motoring 22 replies 15.5K views

andyshrapnel

Hello,

I would like some advice if possible.

Just over a week ago I bought a car from a local dealer, which I had to finance via welcome finance, We did all the paper work which went through fine and collected last Saturday (25th Aug) and seemed ok at the time.

This weekend I noticed that one of the doors was a slightly different colour to the rest of the vehicle and the same door seems to have dropped a bit, which is noticeable on closing.
They state that all cars are HPI checked, yet stupidly I never asked nor received any such report.

What I would like to find out is, where do I stand if I find out it has been involved in an accident? Should the dealer have disclosed this information?
Can I give the car back or replace with another?

I don't know how to approach the dealer.

Sorry for the long story, I hope someone can help.

Regards

Andy

custardy

it happens quite often that cars are damaged in transit.generally these are repaired at the dealers.
however are we talking 'new' or brand new?
somthing like a damaged door is easily not reported so wouldnt show on HPI

jesdan

I know the feeling! I went to Yes car credit got loan through Welcome, when I went to sell the car (after paying off the loan) a few people came to view and advised me that it had been involved in an accident with exactly the same comments as you mention. I too never questioned the HPI check and just assumed it was done OK.
I don't know what you can do with the dealer (sorry) but does seem a bit co-incidental that these agreements were both done through Welcome?!!

andyshrapnel

Hi,

Sorry if the title was a little mis-leading, the car is second hand from a show room, it is an 03 reg.

I am getting a little worried about the safety issues for my family, if the vehicle has been involved in an accident,especialy as no HPI report was actually offered to me, although they advertise HPI's being been carried out on all the vehicles they sold.

Thanks for the replies so far

Andy

balsingh

To be safe, why dont you just do a HPI yourself? If it shows the car has a bad history, then you can use this against the dealer as they state that all their cars are checked. If the car wasn't checked by the dealer, then they have gone against the Trade Descriptions Act.

If the HPI comes out OK, then there isn't too much to worry about. Many cars are involved in minor accidents and a slightly mis-aligned door can easily be re-adjusted by most mechanics/bodyshops.

moonrakerz

andyshrapnel wrote: »

I don't know how to approach the dealer.

Go back to the dealer and just say you are not happy with the car, say what you have found and see what response you get.
It may be something quite innocent, for example some (2 door especially) cars do have droopy doors where people pull themselves up by the top of the door - it could be just a bent hinge pin.

oldagetraveller

Surely an HPI check is useless with respect to accident repairs if those repairs are completed without involving insurance companies?
So if the car has been damaged and an individual or dealer has the car repaired at a body shop or similar and paid out of their own pocket then it will not show on an HPI check. No doubt someone will "correct" me if wrong
The HPI mileage verification is a joke as well, I sold a car twelve months ago and HPI contacted me, the seller, to confirm/verify the mileage was correct!!! That same car had an HPI check when I bought it which didn't reveal the car had been accident damage repaired. It was an ex rental car and no doubt the rental company had it repaired prior to selling/auctioning on. That 's why I got rid after finding this out - various small clues which I missed prior to purchase. The most glaringly obvious was a new front numberplate with the repairers name emblazoned on it!!

chrisw

An AA or RAC vehicle examination is probably the best bet. They should be able to tell the extent of any damage and whether it has been repaired safely. They are not particularly cheap but will either give you ammunition to go back to the supplying dealer or put your mind at rest. It may simply be that the door has had a small parking knock or been scratched and needed repainting. The door could have been removed for the repair and not quite lined up again properly when replaced.

blue_haddock

A HPI check will only show if the vehicle has been written off by an insurance company - it may have been in a accident and as the vehicle was deemed economically repairable then it would not show on any register.

Dealer does not have to inform the vehicle has been involved in any accidents and unless they looked closely at the vehicle then they may not know that it has ever been inside a bodyshop..

With regards to old age travellers problem many large vehicle operators self insure so in effect they are their own insurance company, which means they would not place a damaged vehicle on the HPI register, if a vehicle was beyond economic repair they would sell it on as salvage or if repairable just get it done. By not recording it as write off they keep the sale value of the vehicle higher.

sarymclary

Try checking the windows on each of the doors. I discovered my old Focus had been in a far worse accident than 'a gate swung back on the bumper', and discovered it had had a new windscreen and f/passenger window! The glass should all have the same etchings, and be of the same type all round. I think mine even had a year date on them. If they differ, ie. they're a different manufacturer, then the door may have had damage. If it's a breakers part, and came from another undamaged car of the same type, it might be harder to spot.
A dealer has to declare to a purchaser if an HPI report has registered damage, but very often cosmetic damage, like a door, would not be registered. The salesman isn't a mechanic, and as such probably hasn't got a clue about spotting such things. Why not take it along to a local bodyshop repairs and see what they think; they won't charge you to take a look.

jonathon

sarymclary wrote: »

Try checking the windows on each of the doors. I discovered my old Focus had been in a far worse accident than 'a gate swung back on the bumper', and discovered it had had a new windscreen and f/passenger window! The glass should all have the same etchings, and be of the same type all round. I think mine even had a year date on them. If they differ, ie. they're a different manufacturer, then the door may have had damage. If it's a breakers part, and came from another undamaged car of the same type, it might be harder to spot.
A dealer has to declare to a purchaser if an HPI report has registered damage, but very often cosmetic damage, like a door, would not be registered. The salesman isn't a mechanic, and as such probably hasn't got a clue about spotting such things. Why not take it along to a local bodyshop repairs and see what they think; they won't charge you to take a look.

I disagree about the windscreen and the side window i had both replaced on my landrover neither through accidant. windscreen through a stone chip and side window from a brake in. so haveing different glass does not allways mean an accident.