Have I been sold a lemon? Is this MOT illegal? Please help!

norserose

Bought a camper van yesterday from a dealer (through Ebay) but when driving it home turns out the speedometer and odometer don't work (meaning the "low mileage" could be anything) and the brake lights are out.

It was supposed to have been MOT'd a month ago, by same garage I bought it from. Any one of these things would have failed outright, so have they issued it with a dodgy MOT to sell it?

I'm going to call the bloke later but does anyone know legally what the situation is here? We can't drive it again until we get all these bits fixed, but it was bought on the basis it passed an MOT a month ago...

iltisman

In my view low milage can only be verified by lots of paperwork eg old MOTs and service info. If there are more than a couple of previous owners I also suspect very low milage readings. The MOT on your vehicle is only an indication that on that day the car was road worthy I am not sure you need to have a working speedo to pass and its possible the brake light switch has failed since the test.
I have bought a couple of cars on Ebay without viewing and have had no problems but I have always been prepared for the worst taking big toolbox and tow-rope.

steveo3002

cant say ive ever seen them test the speedo on a test...both items could fail next day

as with any purchase its up to you to test it and check it over, for the mileage i would judge on its condition, wear and tear on the pedals, steering wheel etc . if it doesnt have any proof like previous mot's and service reciepts it doesnt mean alot

both should be a easy fix...speedo is prob the cable

flutterbyuk25

Contact VOSA on 0870 6060 440 and they should be able to help advise you as to whether the MOT is valid/genuine.

x

Wig

The speedometer and odometer are not part of the MOT test. The brake lights could have failed any time in the last month. You have nothing to stand on.

Speedo could be cable,
lights could be a fuse.

You didn't notice the speedo not working when you took it for a test drive - or when you drove away with your new van? And you didn't check all the lights were working?

[strike]Caveat Emptor.[/strike] Actually you might have some guarantee as it was a dealer.

Also in todays world, No mileage is guaranteed, low mileage means very little to a sceptic who knows what is possible. For an older car with a analogue speedometer you look for misaligned digits, and if it has been clocked it is unlikely to have been clocked more than once.- because of the hassle.
If it is an electronic mileage, the thing could have been clocked before every MOT it went to - easily!

oldagetraveller

The MOT is an indication of the vehicles condition at the time of testing. So a month later anything could have happened. The speedo isn't tested.
However, as it's a dealer surely they have an obligation to sell the vehicle, eBay or not, in a roadworthy and legal condition? Depending on their integrity though they could just fob you off and state the items were working when you bought it. Didn't you notice the speedo was not working as soon as you drove away?

norserose

Thanks for the replies.

He'd waited for us to arrive as he was going away, and once he's shown us round the vehicle and done the paper work he was off, so by the time our insurance policy started and it was ok to drive, the garage was shut.

Is it illegal to sell a vehicle with brake lights out? Is it illegal to drive it with these faults?

MrsTinks

It is not illegal to sell a car with those faults no.
Yes it's illegal to drive with it in that state.

blue_haddock

Your best hope is to speak nicely to the garage you purchased it from in the hope they will repair it as a gesture of good will. However as others have said the speedo and odometer not working are not MOT failures and the brake lights not working could be a number of different things but may have happened since the MOT was done.

Inactive

norserose wrote: »

Is it illegal to sell a vehicle with brake lights out? Is it illegal to drive it with these faults?

They may well have been working when you bought it, you didn't check them, they could easily have failed since.

It is certainly illegal to drive without brake lights.

anewman

Inactive wrote: »

It is certainly illegal to drive without brake lights.

Have seen many people do it, and also people with brake lights stuck on all the time.