Nissan Note - bought used car but something does not match up | Motoring discussion | Back Room Forum

Sun 6 Nov 2016 19:24

Nissan Note - bought used car but something does not match up - peterboet

Hi,

I was wondering if anyone could shed some light on this puzzle. My wife bought a used Nissan Note. The paperwork says that it was registered as a Nissan Note Ntec 2011 but when I saw it on the back of the car it says Note and on the other side SVE.

I looked at the Ntec on google images and it seems the label says Ntec underneath the Note label on the back left of the car. I tried to google if there was an SVE version of the Ntec but I cannot seem to find anything.
How can you be sure that the car you brought is the right one. I am not a pro at this by any means it just seemed odd to me. All the paperwork says Ntec but no NTEC on the car. Is there any other way I can confirm this or am I just being paranoid?

Thanks
Pete

Edited by peterboet on 06/11/2016 at 19:25

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Sun 6 Nov 2016 19:45

Nissan Note - bought used car but something does not match up - Mike H

or am I just being paranoid? Thanks Pete

Try this link. The model designations changed for the 2012 model year, so there may have been some confusion.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nissan_Note

Edited by Mike H on 06/11/2016 at 19:51

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Sun 6 Nov 2016 19:52

Nissan Note - bought used car but something does not match up - peterboet

so are you saying I must check the engine is N TEC? does that not mean that something happened to the car. I dont understand you changed what you said. I cant really find anything in the wikipedia. All I want to know is there a way to confirm what car you really have - would taking it to a nissan dealership shed any light?

Edited by peterboet on 06/11/2016 at 19:54

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Sun 6 Nov 2016 19:58

Nissan Note - bought used car but something does not match up - SLO76

No such model existed. The SVE was the top model designation from the pre face lifted car and came only with the 1600 petrol or 1500 Renault diesel if I remember right.

Ntec is one from the later post facelift range. There was never an Ntec SVE. Could be as simple as the previous owner sticking a top of the range badge on to kid on he's got a higher spec car or it could be a sign the tailgate has been resprayed and the wrong badge fitted afterwards. I'd take a close look for signs of crash damage repair. Where did you buy it and have you carried out an HPI check?

Do you have the V5 yet?

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Sun 6 Nov 2016 20:10

Nissan Note - bought used car but something does not match up - peterboet

It is a cat c my wife got it from her mechanic who brought it through another dealership. V5 is still awaiting but DVLA and insurance have it all registered as an N TEC. I just want to know how I confirm what car I have googling it just seems to lead me in circles. Also not sure the DVLA can be trusted as for HPI check I do not know if that has been done all my wife said was that she had checked that it was stolen- which is was not. Would taking it to a Nissan Dealership confirm what has gone on or is their some specialist out there. It is just driving me batty not knowing. Please advise.

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Sun 6 Nov 2016 21:48

Nissan Note - bought used car but something does not match up - SLO76

It'll be an N Tec, it's certainly not an SVE at that age but it's likely a crash damaged repaired insurance total loss that someone bought cheaply and repaired using scrap parts. It'll be an N Tec but the tailgate probably came off an SVE Note along with several other bits and pieces no doubt.

While it can make sense to buy a cat C write off if it's a low value motor that has been written off by minor damage, often a cracked bumper is enough on an older motor. But I wouldn't touch a higher value write off that would've required a far higher level of damage. This wee car in good order is worth around £4K at a dealer so it's likely to have seen fairly extensive damage.

I've seen plenty of similar motors in 20 years in the trade and almost every one of them I advised people to walk away from. Only one I ok'd was an old Astra that had been written off for a cracked front bumper. Even if it was cheap, it's likely to be a false economy. Better to buy an older straight car with history and long term ownership. I hope you got it very cheap as it's next to worthless I'm afraid.

Edited by SLO76 on 06/11/2016 at 21:50

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Sun 6 Nov 2016 22:53

Nissan Note - bought used car but something does not match up - peterboet

oh wow, is there anyway to know how bad the damage was before our mechanic got it? got it for 1850 and paid 650 for repairs, mot and service. But if what you said is true we are going to have a hell of a time trying to trade it in later?

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Sun 6 Nov 2016 23:01

Nissan Note - bought used car but something does not match up - bathtub tom

If it's been previously written off, shouldn't that be on the V5?

I once owned a Fiat 850, but it didn't have the front chrome trim. Whilst on holiday in Spain, I stopped at a scrap yard and obtained the relevant trim from a SEAT 850 with a SEAT logo on it.

All the RHD Fiat 850s sold in this country were actually made by SEAT (so I understand) and had a plate in the engine compartment confirming this. Mine certainly did.

When SWMBO T-boned a Cavalier pulling out of a side road, this caused no end of problems. The front of the car stated SEAT, the rear Fiat 850.

Edited by bathtub tom on 06/11/2016 at 23:09

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Sun 6 Nov 2016 23:47

Nissan Note - bought used car but something does not match up - Big John

If it's been previously written off, shouldn't that be on the V5?.

Only if it was scapped

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Sun 6 Nov 2016 23:24

Nissan Note - bought used car but something does not match up - SLO76

oh wow, is there anyway to know how bad the damage was before our mechanic got it? got it for 1850 and paid 650 for repairs, mot and service. But if what you said is true we are going to have a hell of a time trying to trade it in later?

No way to tell how badly damaged it was as far as I'm aware other than getting someone who knows what they're doing to inspect it on a ramp which i'd strongly advise before using it. There could be major safety implications. Another issue is that many insurers refuse to cover cat C or D write offs or impose higher premiums. You have to inform them, they'd find out if you ever had to claim anyway so don't try to sneak it past them. As a trade in it's only worth a few hundred quid even if a dealer would bid on it, most won't. It seems cheap compared to a good one but you'd be far better off with a nice 57-08 plate honest car that's been looked after for around £2k. Pay a good mechanic to look it over. If they condem it as unsafe or likely to be a liability to your wallet then send it to the nearest auction and take whatever you can get for it. Selling it on would be immoral if it's unsafe and it could come back to bite you.

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Mon 7 Nov 2016 09:28

Nissan Note - bought used car but something does not match up - pd

Sounds like like it has had a bump up the back and needed a new tailgate. If it is a Cat C then it should be mentioned on the front page of the V5 when it comes back.

There is always ready demand for Cat C/D cars - even if UK buyers don't want them as long as they offer a saving over a "normal" one there is high demand from buyers who export them where a UK recorded Cat C/D is irrelevant.

I think the problem with them is not so much that they are only worth a few hundred quid but in actual fact that they are frequently too expensive these days to be worth the hassle versus a non repaired one.

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