Pros and cons of buying a council car (Auctions from car pounds)

AdrianC

Grumpy_chap said:

How do you know it has the EML on?  The photo of the dash may not be with the ignition fully on.

The engine is idling.

Grumpy_chap

Thanks Adrian,
I did not zoom in to that detail and just thought the lights were showing like when you first turn a car on all the lights come up.  I can also see now, of course, that a lot of lights that would show as lamp test are not showing.

Freecall

alihd said:

1. They hide the plate numbers, unless you email them and ask for it, why?

It is common to obscure number plates when posting pictures of a car you own on the internet.

This prevents those who wish to stop their own car being traced from 'cloning' your vehicle.

Say I drive a red Mini but don't wish to pay tax, insurance etc then I look on the internet until I find a picture of someone else's (your) red Mini.  Ideally, you will be in another part of the country and have it parked outside your respectable looking house but that's not crucial.

I fit a number plate with your registration on it.

Life is all good, any checks by ANPR cameras (or whatever) on my car show that it is all fully taxed, insured, not stolen etc.  You are none the wiser and it doesn't really affect you so you are happy as well.

Like I say, life is good for everyone.

Then one day you get a speeding ticket (or worse) through the post.

Then the fun begins.....

  

AdrianC

Freecall said:

alihd said:

1. They hide the plate numbers, unless you email them and ask for it, why?

It is common to obscure number plates when posting pictures of a car you own on the internet.

This prevents those who wish to stop their own car being traced from 'cloning' your vehicle.

Except the listings have the reg in them.

williamgriffin

AdrianC said:

Freecall said:

alihd said:

1. They hide the plate numbers, unless you email them and ask for it, why?

It is common to obscure number plates when posting pictures of a car you own on the internet.

This prevents those who wish to stop their own car being traced from 'cloning' your vehicle.

Except the listings have the reg in them.

They're unlikely to be insured and showing as being in trade which make freecalls point somewhat limp.

Grumpy_chap

Don't traders simply put ad plates simply as a form of advertising and to prevent others from passing-off the photos as their own?

ontheroad1970

williamgriffin said:

AdrianC said:

Freecall said:

alihd said:

1. They hide the plate numbers, unless you email them and ask for it, why?

It is common to obscure number plates when posting pictures of a car you own on the internet.

This prevents those who wish to stop their own car being traced from 'cloning' your vehicle.

Except the listings have the reg in them.

They're unlikely to be insured and showing as being in trade which make freecalls point somewhat limp.

Private ads on auto trader etc are more likely to still be in use and fully taxed and insured.  So not so limp after all.

williamgriffin

ontheroad1970 said:

williamgriffin said:

AdrianC said:

Freecall said:

alihd said:

1. They hide the plate numbers, unless you email them and ask for it, why?

It is common to obscure number plates when posting pictures of a car you own on the internet.

This prevents those who wish to stop their own car being traced from 'cloning' your vehicle.

Except the listings have the reg in them.

They're unlikely to be insured and showing as being in trade which make freecalls point somewhat limp.

Private ads on auto trader etc are more likely to still be in use and fully taxed and insured.  So not so limp after all.

This isn't about private sales. 

prowla

Some years ago we bought a car for our son which had been seized for non-payment of fines; it had a smashed window and some other damage which we sorted and it turned out to be a good buy at maybe 1/4 of its value plus around the same again to get it sorted.

We got it home by having a friendly mechanic drive it back on temp plates.

prowla

A Vauxhall with the engine warning light on is an issue; I had one some years ago and the sensors kept failing, at a cost of £300 a time to replace.