Volkswagen Golf V (2004 - 2008) - Car bought from VW main dealer was stolen...

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Sat 3 Oct 2009 20:53
Car bought from VW main dealer was stolen... - quackhandle
I bought a Golf GTI from a main VW dealer (paid cash and CC) from their Used Approved scheme back in summer 08 - car was 18 months old at the time and since them have had no major problems with it.

Present day: I want to sell the car so I contact a mini dealer about a part ex so, when I tell him the reg, he comes back to tell me the car is listed as stolen/recovered a year before I purchased it. He uses Experian Motor check. I then pay for a HPI check myself (hpicheck.com) and do my own check and stranger still it comes back clean as a whistle.

I contact HPI who inform me that the adverse details were on their system however they were removed by the police. I have contacted Trading Standards as *before* I purchased the car I asked the sales guy who told me that "none of their cars have a bad histroy" So in effect they have lied to me. I have been contacted by VW dealer in question who, after a week of faffing about, informed me that my car had been stolen approx 6-9 months before I bought the car hence why it was on Experian. They said it was stolen from the forecourt and recovered 24 hours later (apparently). The dealership said my car's adverse history details have now been removed so everything is hunky dory! (Washing hands of situation).

I intend to fight this all the way and claim damages as I certainly would not have bought the car knowing the adverse history it had. Trading Standard have told meto write to VW and to contact my CC company as I paid an amount on CC and they can fight for me. I need to find proof of where a car's previous adverse history can affect the price. Any ideas?

Thanks

qh
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Sat 3 Oct 2009 21:13
Car bought from VW main dealer was stolen... - bell boy
I intend to fight this all the way and claim damages
>
>so the car disappeared for 24 hours and the dealer put it on the hpi at risk register,its quite normal to do this if say an audit shows the car isnt immediately available as an asset
it stops it being sold at another dealer or auction as a hpi flags a code
ive bought lots of cars over the years with this warning on it and only ever had the police round to arrest me due to the auction house incompetence once
i really think you are worrying about nothing,the flags been removed,youve enjoyed the car and now want to move it on
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Sat 3 Oct 2009 22:03
Car bought from VW main dealer was stolen... - Lygonos
The only compensation you are possibly entitled to is any loss you make as a result of the adverse history. This will be difficult to assess and subsequently prove I fear.
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Sat 3 Oct 2009 22:41
Car bought from VW main dealer was stolen... - Altea Ego
>I intend to fight this all the way and claim damages

for what? the car now has a clean history.
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Sat 3 Oct 2009 23:56
Car bought from VW main dealer was stolen... - quackhandle
I only have VW's word that it was stolen for 24 hours. Have asked the police force in question for detail of the report sheet.

And the fact that VW have lied to me.

It may prove fruitless but I won't know until I give it a go.

qh
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Sun 4 Oct 2009 09:05
Car bought from VW main dealer was stolen... - L'escargot
The question is ............. will the MINI dealer take it in part exchange?
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Sun 4 Oct 2009 09:14
Car bought from VW main dealer was stolen... - runboy
The question is ............. will the MINI dealer take it in part exchange?


It would be interesting what another VW dealer would say if you approached them with your car as part ex for another VW.....would they offer you any less on your car?
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Sun 4 Oct 2009 09:28
Car bought from VW main dealer was stolen... - jc2
Why should they?;it will come up clear if they check.
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Sun 4 Oct 2009 10:27
Car bought from VW main dealer was stolen... - ForumNeedsModerating
Why should they?;it will come up clear if they check.

Well, it quite clearly hasn't, from the OP, viz:

...when I tell him the reg, he comes back to tell me the car is listed as stolen/recovered a year before I purchased it. He uses Experian Motor check

It also seems that this MINI dealer is using that information in the negotiation - and I wouldn't think to the benefit of the OP.

If that dealer has access or uses the Experian check (which apparently shows 'expunged' or spent information) why not others too?

I would say the OP has been disadvantaged (at possible financial cost) & should persevere. I've been educated here, as I didn't know that the Experian Motor Check revealed the history in this way - it will certainly make me more cautious if buying used; I would request or make myself the Experian check & the HPI check for peace of mind.

Edited by woodbines on 04/10/2009 at 10:28

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Sun 4 Oct 2009 13:43
Car bought from VW main dealer was stolen... - Pugugly
Funnily enough when I came to sell Mrs P's Golf GTi, bought new for cash, its HPI showed it had outstanding finance - a word in the ear of the company resolved it easily enough - mind you they sent me a letter showing the wrong registration number. It was a mistake (along with a number of others) by the, supplying dealer (VW) - the absolutely worst dealer I ever had the misfortune to deal with including Vauxhall !

One of the many reasons I would never go back to VW.

Edited by Pugugly on 04/10/2009 at 13:45

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Sun 4 Oct 2009 13:47
Car bought from VW main dealer was stolen... - ifithelps
..the absolutely worst dealer I ever had the misfortune to deal with including Vauxhall !...

I think that is a classic example of 'damning with faint praise'.

Made me laugh, too.

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Sun 4 Oct 2009 13:55
Car bought from VW main dealer was stolen... - Pugugly
Well Vauxhall are universally "dissed" here - when we had a Vectra SRi in the family (it was a 97 - both local delaers would score a notional 7 on a 10 scale - Ford a 5 - BMW were never less than good than an 8 and Skoda a 9. Honda so far are on a par. Both VW dealers we dealt with were unremittingly poor - ironic as one was part of the same group as the Skoda supplying dealer which were very good.

Edited by Pugugly on 04/10/2009 at 13:57

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Sun 4 Oct 2009 23:04
Car bought from VW main dealer was stolen... - cheddar
Well Vauxhall are universally "dissed" here >>


Come on, Dave flies the Vauxhall flag proudly!
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Mon 5 Oct 2009 00:42
Car bought from VW main dealer was stolen... - Dave_TD
The other question is, once the MINI dealer had identified your Golf as (as far as they were aware) a stolen car, did they do anything to prevent you leaving with it until its ownership had been verified?
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Mon 5 Oct 2009 00:47
Car bought from VW main dealer was stolen... - Pugugly
Just re-read the OP- oit may be worth checking the original documents, especially concerning the T&C of the Approved Used Car Scheme - there may be a mention in there about used VWs have a known and guaranteed history - if this is the case it may prove an useful lever with the dealer. Another option with them is to threaten to go public.
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Mon 5 Oct 2009 00:55
Car bought from VW main dealer was stolen... - Hamsafar
The car is HPI clear and was when you purchased it. An HPI check is for the purposes of securing a loan on the car and that's all. Anything else, such a record kept of previous HPI status changes is purely ancillary.

Edited by Hamsafar on 05/10/2009 at 00:55

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Mon 5 Oct 2009 11:45
Car bought from VW main dealer was stolen... - pd
HPI/Experian are not perfect - lots of strange anomolies come up. This car had one which has now been corrected - so what's the problem?

You've had the car, used and enjoyed it and are now moving it on. It is clear on HPI & Experian so is no different to any other used Golf.

So it was stolen for a while - so what. If it is a perfectly good car, undamaged and no worse for whatever happened in the past in what possible way is it inferior to any other used Golf?
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Mon 5 Oct 2009 13:01
Car bought from VW main dealer was stolen... - nortones2
It all depends on whether you're buying or selling! If a dealer is buying, it's a negotiating point in their favour. If you're selling, its not a significant issue, at all. Absolutely trivial:)
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Mon 5 Oct 2009 18:22
Car bought from VW main dealer was stolen... - J1mbo
I think this debate is pointless unless we know if the OP is really out of pocket for it. I gave up trying to px my immaculate mazda with FSH and low miles, squeeky clean. Was offered stupid price. So, dealers gonna try and rip you off whether its stolen or not on its history.

If you want a good deal then worth selling private or using auction sites/webuyanycar etc.. I'd go with the opinion its not worth "fighting for", its not like you've just purchased it the car its self its sound so why worry? They will always pick at something.

Good luck.
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