Sold a clocked car. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

hannahroberts1985

Hi,

So i'm feeling like a big of a mug. March 2015 I purchased a Renault Scenic from a garage for £2495 advertised at and contract stating 54258 miles on the clock no advisorys on the MOT (which was completed at the MOT centre attached to the garage)......I have just taken it for it's MOT to be given a list worth £800 of repairs needed to pass along with being advised I need a new clutch £500. This sounded alarm bells so I have been looking on the DVLA website over the past MOT's info to discover that it has on two seperate occasions (years before it came to the dealer that sold me it) been clocked twice totalling 45144 miles being removed from the car. Which would meant the total miles on the car when sold was 99402.

Now this is where I need your help if possible, I know I was daft/naive rushing into buying this car but due to the situation at the time...we had been involved in a car crash which resulted in our second car being written off. I was 5 days from returning back to work from maternity leave and sleep deprived and panicked I just needed a cheap car to get to work in we rushed without thorough research. Sorry for the sob story trust me I have learnt my lesson now when it comes to buying used cars!! Is there anything I can do with regards to asking for a refund/money towards the repairs as I feel I have been missold by 45144 miles.

Thanks for any advice.

Hannah

straighttalker

I doubt there is much you can do regards the repairs. The car might have needed repairs regardless of the mileage. The length of time which has passed may make it difficult to seek any comeback.

Where did you buy the car? Was it a trader or private sale? If it was a trader, try and go back with them with evidence of the clocking and ask for a full refund of the vehicle. How do you know the car has been clocked? Have you checked the MOT history online? That shows all the mileages at the previous MOT's. In future, you should do this first.

bigjl

hannahroberts1985 wrote: »

Hi,

So i'm feeling like a big of a mug. March 2015 I purchased a Renault Scenic from a garage for £2495 advertised at and contract stating 54258 miles on the clock no advisorys on the MOT (which was completed at the MOT centre attached to the garage)......I have just taken it for it's MOT to be given a list worth £800 of repairs needed to pass along with being advised I need a new clutch £500. This sounded alarm bells so I have been looking on the DVLA website over the past MOT's info to discover that it has on two seperate occasions (years before it came to the dealer that sold me it) been clocked twice totalling 45144 miles being removed from the car. Which would meant the total miles on the car when sold was 99402.

Now this is where I need your help if possible, I know I was daft/naive rushing into buying this car but due to the situation at the time...we had been involved in a car crash which resulted in our second car being written off. I was 5 days from returning back to work from maternity leave and sleep deprived and panicked I just needed a cheap car to get to work in we rushed without thorough research. Sorry for the sob story trust me I have learnt my lesson now when it comes to buying used cars!! Is there anything I can do with regards to asking for a refund/money towards the repairs as I feel I have been missold by 45144 miles.

Thanks for any advice.

Hannah

Without the age of the vehicle nobody can advise if you paid a reasonable amount.

Scenics had issues with the clocks failing, not sure if the effected yours.

And if you were able to find out from the MOT history now you could have found out from the MOT history a year ago.

Many dealers have a disclaimer stuck on the clocks when the vehicle is on their lot. Stating that the mileage is not warranted.

And why would an MOT station say your car needs a clutch when surely you would have noticed this yourself.

Sounds like the garage you have taken the car to could be taking you for a ride.

hannahroberts1985

Thanks for your advice.

I trust the garage that have completed my
MOT this time and have reccomended he replacement clutch. I haven't noticed this myself as I really don't know much about cars. He said it is high and will start slipping soon if I haven't noticed it already (which I haven't)

There was no sticker on the clock at the show room. It was a trader in a garage I purchased it from. 54 plate scenic.

Hannah

motorguy

hannahroberts1985 wrote: »

Thanks for your advice.

I trust the garage that have completed my
MOT this time and have reccomended he replacement clutch. I haven't noticed this myself as I really don't know much about cars. He said it is high and will start slipping soon if I haven't noticed it already (which I haven't)

There was no sticker on the clock at the show room. It was a trader in a garage I purchased it from. 54 plate scenic.

Hannah

Its very common for Scenics of that era to have the clocks replaced due to a fault, the new one having zero miles. The car subsequently gets sold on and the owner "forgets" to mention it when they're trading it in or selling it.

I think you're too far down the line to have any claim now from the dealer. At the time you could have rejected it for a refund, but whilst you could "maybe" get the dealer to do something, he would only be obliged to buy the car back at the purchase price - an amount for the year odds driving you've had in it, and he certainly wouldnt be reimbursing you for any monies spent on the car.

Also, personally, i replace a clutch when it starts to slip. A high pedal is not uncommon and could be like that for months or years.... that said, if hes subsequently saved you from a breakdown at some point in the future then it could be said the preventative maintenance was well worth it.

Finally, i am sure when you sell the car you'll tell the subsequent buyers of the mileage discrepancy, but i would put it that the clocks were changed due to a fault and the mileage is approx ?? (whatever you estimate it to be at the time).

The value difference between a low miles and a well maintained average miles on an old Scenic will be minimal anyway.

motorguy

straighttalker wrote: »

and ask for a full refund of the vehicle.

There is absolutely no mission of this - the dealer is not obliged to give a full refund. You are setting an expectation there that will not be met.

"at best" the trader might refund, but it would be based on the fact the O/P has had a years usage of the car, so he could legitimately say "you paid £2,495 for the car, after over a year of motoring, i'm refunding you £1,595" and he would be under no obligation to pay for any of the £800 maintenance in the meantime either.

After this length of time, i think i'd be clocking it up to experience and performing my due diligence better next time.

AdrianC

Did you get an HPI check done on the car when you bought it?

An MOT certificate issued in 2015 would have had the mileages of the last five MOTs printed onto it - did they show the discrepancy?

hannahroberts1985

Thanks for the advice about the clutch....as I said in my original post I don't know a lot about cars and naively rushed into buying as was in a rush. I have come on her for advice not a telling off or to be made to feel stupid.

This is the first time I have noticed the issues with the car as the first time I have had it checked since buying it. I have written to the garage and asked my mot garage to hold of on and repair work until I get work back from the trader and can make a decision about where to go from here.

david_a

Legally the dealer has committed an offence. He is obliged to check the mileage is genuine, ignorance is not a defence.

arcon5

I'd be weary of a garage wanting to change your clutch because of a high bite point! You could still have thousands of miles left before it causes any problems.

Rain_Shadow

hannahroberts1985 wrote: »

. I have come on her for advice not a telling off or to be made to feel stupid.

.

You haven't been 'told off'. You have been offered some very sound advice on how not to be caught out again. And that will also help others who read this thread.


I'm not sure what we can do about how your actions make you feel.