Buying HPI Clear car with missing Cat S write-off marker

mierzwin

Does anyone know what are my right in case I bought a car from trader/dealer/private person and got tricked into a dodgy one? I did a HPI Check and it was all green: no Finance or Accident history (NOT Written off). After few weeks of ownership I have found information from previous owner that it was actually involved in accident and it was sold to salvage company with category S marker as it was complete write-off and it was claimed via insurance.

I know HPI has 30k guarantee but what they guarantee is the fact whatever they display on their reports is 100% reflection of official databases. In case of this car official insurance database says this car has never had an accident and it has no write-off category but I was supplied images of the damage which I was never notified about and also there is information from salvage auction where car has gone that it was supposed to have category S write-off.

Who is responsible and can I get any money back? Will HPI take a hit or insurance company or maybe seller who claims he knew nothing about, but in his defence HPI was saying it was free from accidents and it says that until today...

debtdebt

Well was it a trader/dealer/private person you bought from?

angrycrow

If you can find out who the insurer that wrote it off are you could complain to them that their failure to correctly record the car on miaftr resulted in you buying a car which is potentially worth less than you thought/has had dubious repairs.

The issues you face are first working out who the responsible insurer are, previous keeper may help you here.

You then need to provide evidence that the car has been devalued. Whilst it was sold as salvage and the salvage company say it was cat s they could have it wrong and the insurer may have decided to do an economic disposal and sell it as non cat salvage. However far more likely the insurer simply forgot to put it on miaftr. If the insurer forgot they should update miaftr and pay you the difference between what you paid and the market value for the car as a cat s write off.

Technically if you purchased from a trader or dealer and you can demonstrate they were aware the car was previously written off you could reject the car. Dealer will have done the same hpi search as you so would have been unaware. A trader may well have bought it as salvage and repaired it himself but good luck proving that.

The fact it is a cat s marker rather than cat c says the write off was after June 2017.

motorguy

The dealer is the Expert. He therefore is expected to do his due diligence before reselling the car. He has missed this vital information as sold you a car with a significant history that should have been disclosed.

He has either :-

• Been aware of it and declined to tell you
• Hasnt been aware of it and should have

Either way, HE is liable. Return the car, present him with copies of all the information you have gathered and get a full refund. Not your problem to get involved as to WHY the marker wasnt applied. Its not your fault.

AdrianC

How do you know it IS really a Cat S write-off? Simply because you've seen a copy of the salvage auction listing?

If HPI say it's not on the record, and you checked using the VIN, then it's probably not on the record.
Copart or whoever might have mis-categorised it.

HPI do not - cannot - state that it's never been in any collision, simply because that isn't recorded anywhere.

mierzwin

AdrianC wrote: »

How do you know it IS really a Cat S write-off? Simply because you've seen a copy of the salvage auction listing?

If HPI say it's not on the record, and you checked using the VIN, then it's probably not on the record.
Copart or whoever might have mis-categorised it.

HPI do not - cannot - state that it's never been in any collision, simply because that isn't recorded anywhere.

Problem is I had an impression, and I am sure everyone has the same, if something is HPI clear it is free from accidents.

I feel when copart says it's cat S it did not make this out of thin air? What benefit they would have from doing so? I am not really sure if copart info is 100% accurate but seeing a damage I can assume either cat S or N was really the case...

My first post was just a speculation as I almost bought a car like that but see it below and judge yourself, this is from brand of Evans Halshaw, currently for sale:

https://shop.carstore.com/search/honda/hr-v/manual-petrol-blue-hatchback-yd67vrf
https://www.copart.co.uk/lot/39440908

AdrianC

mierzwin wrote: »

Problem is I had an impression, and I am sure everyone has the same, if something is HPI clear it is free from accidents.

Understandable, but... wrong.

I feel when copart says it's cat S it did not make this out of thin air?

Human errors happen.

My first post was just a speculation as I almost bought a car like that but see it below and judge yourself, this is from brand of Evans Halshaw, currently for sale:

https://shop.carstore.com/search/honda/hr-v/manual-petrol-blue-hatchback-yd67vrf
https://www.copart.co.uk/lot/39440908

And you're 100% sure that's the same car? You've seen the "carstore" one and compared the VIN with that visible in the copart listing? Half of the plate is blanked on the copart listing. Sure, it's the same colour and spec, but that's hardly proof conclusive. Against that is it not only having been repaired since the auction in mid September, but clocking up another 2,000 miles.

mierzwin

AdrianC wrote: »

Understandable, but... wrong.

Explain this to every other person who was paying for HPI for years thinking such things should not happen.

AdrianC wrote: »

Human errors happen.

What if this is not a single occurrence? And this happens on daily basis? Still human error?

AdrianC wrote: »

And you're 100% sure that's the same car? You've seen the "carstore" one and compared the VIN with that visible in the copart listing? Half of the plate is blanked on the copart listing. Sure, it's the same colour and spec, but that's hardly proof conclusive. Against that is it not only having been repaired since the auction in mid September, but clocking up another 2,000 miles.

Yes 100% same car, VIN is in the pictures and matches the one from car store.

angrycrow

As above they will not be the same car but probably sold new by the same dealer the same week with identicle spec.

Vin on the written off car is 3HGRU1790HM303118 someone with hpi access will be able to confirm the reg of the written off car does not match.

mierzwin

angrycrow wrote: »

As above they will not be the same car but probably sold new by the same dealer the same week with identicle spec.

Vin on the written off car is 3HGRU1790HM303118 someone with hpi access will be able to confirm the reg of the written off car does not match.

I wouldn't go on public forum not being 100% sure.

VRM from VIN: 3HGRU1790HM303118 is YD67VRF

david_a

Chassis number for YD67VRF is indeed 3HGRU1790HM303118