Could it have been in an accident?

Catonthemoon

Considering buying a used car from a private seller. All looks good… the only question I haven’t asked is if it had ever been in an accident. 

(1) I know the registration but I can’t remember how you go about finding out this information. What’s the procedure?

(2) The seller said that it’s currently being driven on a private plate, which would be replaced with the original upon sale. I was wondering… what if it had an accident on the private plate (I don’t know this number), would this be recorded/logged on a database so that it would be picked up? In other words, I’d know either way, whichever plates were on at the time.

TIA

paul_c123

There are about 200 data providers that provide car checks, based on the registration. If I mention one, someone will say its crap and suggest another. I use the one I like though.

The record is based on the VIN. If its had a private plate, the record will 1) show this, 2) still be accurate throughout the life of the car.

fatbelly

The check will tell you if it's ever been declared a write-off by an insurance company.

Whether it's been in an accident is a different question.

Car_54

Catonthemoon said:

Considering buying a used car from a private seller. All looks good… the only question I haven’t asked is if it had ever been in an accident. 

(1) I know the registration you don’t know  but I can’t remember how you go about finding out this information. What’s the procedure?

(2) The seller said that it’s currently being driven on a private plate, which would be replaced with the original upon sale. I was wondering… what if it had an accident on the private plate (I don’t know this number), would this be recorded/logged on a database so that it would be picked up? In other words, I’d know either way, whichever plates were on at the time.

TIA

You say you don’t know the current reg. no.

So you haven’t seen the car? So how do you know “All looks good”?

Anyway, all you’d be able to check from a database is whether it’s been a write-off, which you’d see for fess from the V5C. Have you seen that?

facade

Run it through one of those vehicle checkers, under £10 which is nothing compared to what you would lose paying full price for an undeclared write-off on a mid- priced car (I wouldn't bother on a £500 banger, I'd just look at it)

That will tell you if there is outstanding finance, if it was a taxi, if it has been written off- and often it has the pictures from Copart of the "cosmetic damage" where one of the wheels is completely missing...

However, if the car was in a serious accident but wasn't written off by an insurer information will NOT be available. You will need to have it physically inspected thoroughly for signs of repaired accident damage- a few hundred pounds, but worth it on a £20,000 car that you intend to keep.

Mildly_Miffed

fatbelly said:

The check will tell you if it's ever been declared a write-off by an insurance company.

Whether it's been in an accident is a different question.

^ This...

If the insurance decline to repair it, and instead pay out the value, then that's a "write-off", and that's recorded. Those cars get sold via auction, and can be repaired or broken for parts. There's several categories - N and S are the ones that can be returned to the road.
N - bolt-on non-structural damage
S - structural damage to the bodyshell

If the insurance repair it, that's NOT recorded. If it's never claimed, that's NOT recorded.

There is simply no way to know if it's ever been "in an accident". Some estimates are that up to a third of brand-new cars have some body repair for shipping damage before they're ever registered to their first owner, who will almost certainly never know.

Is it even valuable information?
If the paint matches visually, who really even cares if a wing or bumper is not the one that was on when the car left the factory?
If there's, say, boot floor damage that was not repaired properly... look for that pre-purchase.

fatbelly

Yep. We had a car for many years with as far as we knew an unblemished history. One morning my wife caught the bodywork just in front of the rear wheel on a brick gatepost.

Out shot a huge area of fibreglass which had been laid into a previous dent in the same place.

The repair had been so good that we never suspected, nor would it have made any difference to us. It has now been repaired again and continues to serve us well

Mildly_Miffed

Car_54 said:

Anyway, all you’d be able to check from a database is whether it’s been a write-off, which you’d see for fess from the V5C. Have you seen that?

CatS is on the V5C.
CatN is not.

Same for the old CatD and CatC, pre 2017.

Catonthemoon

Car_54 said:

Catonthemoon said:

Considering buying a used car from a private seller. All looks good… the only question I haven’t asked is if it had ever been in an accident. 

(1) I know the registration you don’t know  but I can’t remember how you go about finding out this information. What’s the procedure?

(2) The seller said that it’s currently being driven on a private plate, which would be replaced with the original upon sale. I was wondering… what if it had an accident on the private plate (I don’t know this number), would this be recorded/logged on a database so that it would be picked up? In other words, I’d know either way, whichever plates were on at the time.

TIA

You say you don’t know the current reg. no.

So you haven’t seen the car? So how do you know “All looks good”?

Anyway, all you’d be able to check from a database is whether it’s been a write-off, which you’d see for fess from the V5C. Have you seen that?

I do know the current reg as it appears on the website photos. It was being driven on a private plate until recently- that’s the one I don’t know.

You’re correct, I haven’t yet seen the car. It’s located about 300 miles away, so I want to have as much information as possible before making such a long trip. What I meant by “all looks good “ is that the seller has satisfactorily answered all my questions & the photos on the website look really good. And the fact that it’s only got 16,000 miles on the clock… my instinct is telling me ‘just buy it’!

No I haven’t seen the V5C. Should I ask to see this before viewing? 

This would just be my 2nd car purchase (1st was 1998), so I’m no Mike Brewer, hence the questions/caution. 

Catonthemoon

facade said:

Run it through one of those vehicle checkers, under £10 which is nothing compared to what you would lose paying full price for an undeclared write-off on a mid- priced car (I wouldn't bother on a £500 banger, I'd just look at it)

That will tell you if there is outstanding finance, if it was a taxi, if it has been written off- and often it has the pictures from Copart of the "cosmetic damage" where one of the wheels is completely missing...

However, if the car was in a serious accident but wasn't written off by an insurer information will NOT be available. You will need to have it physically inspected thoroughly for signs of repaired accident damage- a few hundred pounds, but worth it on a £20,000 car that you intend to keep.

It would only be around £6500. Would you always recommend an AA/RAC pre-purchase inspection? As mentioned, it’s only got 16,000 miles on the clock. Rust free & full service history.

Desmond_Hume

What car is it? What makes the example - that’s 300 miles away - the most attractive to you?  Can you find something closer that you can view?

For me, travelling hundreds of miles to view a car only makes sense if it’s something rare or ultra specific. If it’s something totally generic like a Vaxhall Mokka, find one closer.