Has my "new" car been accident damaged?

andyshrapnel

Thanks again for all the replies.

I have checked the glass, and the windscreen, two front doors and side glass has different markings to the rest of the vehicle.

This seems a little strange and I would like to find out if I can return the car if it is found to have been in an accident and I have not been informed as such.

This car is costing a few thousand pounds and I don't want to be left paying 4 years worth of finance on a car with possible safety issues.

We are on holiday for a week as from tomorrow and when we get back I will have had the car for about 3 weeks, is there a time limit on returning a vehicle (if it comes to it!) if it has been badly damaged in the past?

Thanks again,

Andy

darich

here is what HPI checks

As for returning it - i think the best way is, as someone suggested, get an independent check done by the AA or RAC and approach the garage with the report.

A dropping door doesn't mean the car is as death trap. Again as someone suggested, it could be a bent hinge pin. The difference in colour could be the result of a damaged door skin rather than a smash.

You're right to question the car though because at the very least the garage should have pointed out the faults, unless you could reasonably have been expected to spot them yourself.

I'd expect the garage to sort the hinge on the door as a minimum but depending on the independent report it may be a case of returning the car and getting Trading Standards involved.

If the AA/RAC recommend returning the car i'd start with a nie approach asking for a refund/replacement since the car has been damaged and show the report if the dealer is stubborn. Then mention getting trading standards involved. If the car has been severely damaged then the police may be interested too - definitely if it's a cut and shut.

Is the car red by any chance? Red is amongst the most difficult colours to match for a body shop. Metallic colours are difficult too.

harveybobbles

Or maybe your car had had a scratch repaired off a key or a kiddies handlebars...?!

Jeez...

andyshrapnel

harveybobbles wrote: »

Or maybe your car had had a scratch repaired off a key or a kiddies handlebars...?!

Jeez...

And this key or handle bar would have damaged the two doors, windscreen, door glass and quarter light glass aswell?

I do not profess to know about these things, but I would not, personally, replace two doors (or repaint them) and glass for key or Kiddie scratches, these can be repaired by colour matching!

I have also noticed the door handles (interior) and hinges are different between the front and back doors, this does seem unusual?

This is why it just does not look, right.

knowledgeman

Its really irrelevent anyway as HPI just means its not a complete write off

If its been repaired thats perfectly just and if you didnt notice the damage or difference thats your own fault

The dealer has to make sure they dont misrepresent, and that the car is safe and fit for the purpose

A minor accident repair wouldnt be any of the above unless they specifically stated it hadnt been damaged and I dont think you asked

andyshrapnel

knowledgeman wrote: »

Its really irrelevent anyway as HPI just means its not a complete write off

If its been repaired thats perfectly just and if you didnt notice the damage or difference thats your own fault

The dealer has to make sure they dont misrepresent, and that the car is safe and fit for the purpose

A minor accident repair wouldnt be any of the above unless they specifically stated it hadnt been damaged and I dont think you asked

OK, If the dealer states that all cars come with a HPI report or are HPI checked and I have not received one, then, am I not within my rights to ask for one?
The point made about not "spotting" accident damage, is, I feel unjust, when you go to the shops to buy your shopping, you expect to buy what is advertised, not be expected to examine a product before purchase, just in case!!! The car was on a forcourt and I could walk round the vehicle, but it takes a longer look to spot a slight colour difference.

As an added note, if the vehicle is advertised with, say, 50,000 miles on the clock and on collection has 55,000, with 12 months MOT and only has 6 months when collected, is that also my fault? or has the dealer misrepresented the vehicle?

Thanks for the replies.

harveybobbles

andyshrapnel wrote: »

Thanks again for all the replies.

I have checked the glass, and the windscreen, two front doors and side glass has different markings to the rest of the vehicle.


Andy

Windscreen chipped or cracked, so it was replaced (this does happen).
Someone has fitted 2nd hand glass to it after a break in? (this also happens if replacement glass is a bit pricey...)

harveybobbles

I had a Punto from new, after 12 months I had a fight with a Range Rover and I lost! I had to have a new wing and door fitted, the A post needed pulling back out 8mm and the rear wing needed filling and spraying.
Nothing showed up on HPI cos it never got wrote off.

I have about 40-50 cars on the pitch at work and i'd say at least HALF of them have had paintwork at some point. Some will be for minor scuffs and scrapes, others will be for heavier stuff like front or rear end damage.

You sound like you're unsure about cars, so maybe you should have taken somebody with you who was, or paid 40quid to have an indipendant AA inspection of your own done.

I often have firms visiting our place replacing windscreens for chips that are too big/deep to repair or for cracked ones...

knowledgeman

andyshrapnel wrote: »

OK, If the dealer states that all cars come with a HPI report or are HPI checked and I have not received one, then, am I not within my rights to ask for one?
The point made about not "spotting" accident damage, is, I feel unjust, when you go to the shops to buy your shopping, you expect to buy what is advertised, not be expected to examine a product before purchase, just in case!!! The car was on a forcourt and I could walk round the vehicle, but it takes a longer look to spot a slight colour difference.

As an added note, if the vehicle is advertised with, say, 50,000 miles on the clock and on collection has 55,000, with 12 months MOT and only has 6 months when collected, is that also my fault? or has the dealer misrepresented the vehicle?

Thanks for the replies.

A HPI check may have been done though, just because the report isnt given to you means nothing

As for your next point its a car, not a tin of peas, you are expected to examine it, as for the SOGA, the car is fit for its purpose ( I assume)

Unless you can show they categorically lied to you then you have no claim

As for the next point it would depend.

If they said the car had 60k miles and it had 120k you might have a claim, if it it had 60100k you probably wouldnt * and Ill bet slight discrepancies like this are covered in the terms

As for the MOT I doubt you could set aside the contract based on that and would more likely be able to claim the costs of getting a years mot added to it

In all honesty I think you now regret your decision and are trying to back out, not something im a fan of as you should have purchased until you were sure

harveybobbles

oldagetraveller wrote: »

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!!

Insurance companies only log stuff on with HPI IF the ins company have had to make a payout to the client.
It'd take more than a front end repair to write off a car thats a few months old (bearing in mind that rental companies only keep their cars for 9 months at the most, so it'd have to be a high ins claim to write it off/log it on HPI...)