Bought a used car I suspect the previous owner was a driving instructor

estera2022

Hi,

I recently bought a car (few days ago) and I suspect it had been used by a driving instructor previously- it has the little mirrors on the side, but when I asked the dealer, I was told some people use them for the dead corners. Now I doubt that. It had only one previous lady owner, it sounded good for me, despite the mileage a bit high. Waiting to go for a check up& see what the mechanic says. My question is: if my suspicion proves true& indeed the car was used for giving driving lessons, what are my consumer rights? Can I return it? Can I confront the dealer about it& how do I do it. As he was not honest with me about the previous use of the car, how can I approach him? I would be grateful to hear your opinion.

Robin9

If it was a Driving School car it is likely to have been maintained very well.  

user1977

Why do you only now have "suspicions", and how are you proposing to prove that they're true (or that the dealer had said it definitely hadn't been used by a driving instructor)?

DullGreyGuy

So its been well maintained because someone's livelihood depended on it and its not been driven hard or thrashed because its learner drivers under supervision... and you want to get rid of it?!?!?! 

Dealers have a duty of care but they dont ask 1,000 questions about you when you trade a car in so there is a finite amount they can tell you.

Brie

Wouldn't a mechanic be able to spot how the second brake pad was hooked up so the instructor could brake if the student failed to?  

As for mirrors - we had those when I was teaching OH how to drive my car and we left them after that because it meant the passenger had a great view of cars everywhere.

k3lvc

estera2022 said:

Hi,

I recently bought a car (few days ago) and I suspect it had been used by a driving instructor previously- it has the little mirrors on the side, but when I asked the dealer, I was told some people use them for the dead corners. Now I doubt that. It had only one previous lady owner, it sounded good for me, despite the mileage a bit high. Waiting to go for a check up& see what the mechanic says. My question is: if my suspicion proves true& indeed the car was used for giving driving lessons, what are my consumer rights? Can I return it? Can I confront the dealer about it& how do I do it. As he was not honest with me about the previous use of the car, how can I approach him? I would be grateful to hear your opinion.

The seller doesn't necessarily have any knowledge of previous keeper so could either be an honest answer or a downright lie.

Irrespective I'm not sure why you went ahead and bought it if you had suspicions - it shouldn't be too difficult to check the interior re dual pedals, scratches where advertising/L-plates might have been etc or to get a 3rd party inspection.

Instead you've gone ahead and made your life more difficult by trying to prove after the event.

But, as others have said, what's the issue if it was ??

Jenni_D

k3lvc said:

But, as others have said, what's the issue if it was ??

I'm going to guess "excess wear on the clutch" (whether real or imagined).  

NBLondon

estera2022 said:

 It had only one previous lady owner

Ladies are allowed to be driving instructors y'know...

born_again

How old, mileage, type of car, cost?

many people fit the "little mirrors on the side" as they might have to park in a tight space, or simply want a better view behind.  

DanDare999

DullGreyGuy said:

So its been well maintained because someone's livelihood depended on it and its not been driven hard or thrashed because its learner drivers under supervision... and you want to get rid of it?!?!?! 

Dealers have a duty of care but they dont ask 1,000 questions about you when you trade a car in so there is a finite amount they can tell you.

Depends on the instructor and the pupil isn't under instruction on test. Could have been driven on several tests in a wholly inappropriate gear riding the clutch bouncing off a number of kerbs. 

Alderbank

Driving school cars are leased. The previous owner would be for example Hitachi Finance.
Plenty of driving instructors own private cars and only do their teaching in the leased one with the big sign on top.
If the 'one previous lady owner' is a self-employed driving instructor it would be pretty easy to find her on Google or Yell.