Purchased car from Vertu Jaguar Landrover to find out 2.5 years later it has stolen parts on it

Poshshoegal

I bought a car in Jan 2023 from Vertu Jaguar Land Rover.
i have tried to sell the car to WBAC - they could only find 1 vin number which was in the window.  no markings under the bonnet or boot.
We looked on you tube and found you could see the VIN on the digital dash, we followed the steps, to our horror the vin number displayed is different to the one in the windscreen.
we came home and reported it to the police.
The police came out and looked at the car and told us the vin number showing on the digital dash is from a car still showing as stolen.
We also found out that my car had been seized as stolen as it was driving round with the other cars number plate on it. - JLR say there was no information showing this when they carried out their checks.
 Vertu JLR  were informed but said it must have been changed before they bought the car and basically washed their hands of it.
The police have since seized the car as the Met police want the stolen part as the other vehicle is still showing as stolen.
i have car finance on this vehicle through Lloyds.
has anyone experienced similar?
what do i do?
Thanks for reading

Aylesbury_Duck

Contact your insurer for advice.  You need to notify them anyway, it will be a condition of your policy.

Poshshoegal

i have told them and had to cancel the policy when it was seized by the police :-(

Ayr_Rage

Which VIN shows on the V5C?

Which VIN has been used on service records and how far back do they go?

Poshshoegal

The vin number in the windscreen matches the V5 and the other paperwork shows Vin in window number too.
nothing showing on MOT certs

Aylesbury_Duck

Poshshoegal said:

i have told them and had to cancel the policy when it was seized by the police :-(

Did they not provide any advice on next steps?  Do you have legal cover with them?

born_again

Stolen car could have been broken for parts & that is the reason for the part being in your car. 

Checking the screen vin will prove that. As it would clearly have been tampered with.

Would be worth having a word with finance co, but not sure that they will do anything.

Alderbank

Poshshoegal said:

i have car finance on this vehicle through Lloyds.

what do i do?

What sort of finance?

If it's a PCP deal, and these are quite common, you are paying to lease the car from LBG. They are expected to own the goods they lease to you. Speak to them.

If you believe you bought the car with a loan, an implied contract term of a consumer contract is that the trader has good title to the goods sold (ie., he owns the goods). That seems not to be the case here.

What have Vertu (they might have called themselves Bristol Street Motors back then) had to say to you?

Grumpy_chap

Prior to purchase, did you undertake any due diligence such as HPI check?
Some of these services provide a level of financial cover for subsequently finding a problem.

One difficulty that might arise here is the fact you had this car for a couple of years so it could be suggested that the incorrect parts were fitted after your purchase of the car.

Vitor

That’s a classic ringer/clone case. Once the police find mismatched VINs and a stolen identity, the car is gone – you can’t own stolen property no matter how innocent you are.

Your route is through the finance company, not trying to argue with the police. Lloyds technically own the car, so it’s their problem to chase Vertu JLR. Write to Lloyds with the police reference number, tell them the car has been seized as stolen and demand payments are suspended. Quote the Consumer Credit Act and Consumer Rights Act – the car wasn’t as described or fit for purpose.

Don’t waste time arguing with Vertu directly, let Lloyds and the ombudsman channels deal with them.

caprikid1

"That’s a classic ringer/clone case. Once the police find mismatched VINs and a stolen identity, the car is gone – you can’t own stolen property no matter how innocent you are."

Case law believes otherwise, but unlikely to apply in this case.