UsedCarCheck.co.uk

Buying a used car privately

Simple advice and a printable checklist.
I was scammed, and I don’t want you to be.

OK, you’ve seen a car you might buy

I’m not going into how to find a car, checking tyres, fluid levels etc I’m focussing on if a car is legitimate.

I cannot highlight enough, if something is not right, take a breath and be cautious. Listen to the sensible voice in your head, not the one that wants a good deal the car. Deal voice wants the car and will be louder than the sensible voice.

If you think “that’s a small thing, I’ll let it pass”. Don’t let it pass, address it and get a good answer.

These scammers are good. I know.

Man looking at used car checking its tyres are ok

Run online checks on the car

First run a free checks on the car.
If you’re going to view it, pay for a proper car check beforehand

Free check

Get the basics:
Vehicle History:
www.gov.uk/get-vehicle-information-from-dvla
MOT History:
www.gov.uk/check-mot-history
Is it insured:
https://ownvehicle.askmid.com/

Paid Check

Go for the full check
Full Vehicle History check*

This one gives as more information than most.

*I get a small referral fee. One paid referral a day and I can recuperate my loss in 27 years and 4 months.

Read up on the vehicle

Know where the VIN number is located front, middle and back, not just the windscreen.
Know where the engine block number is.
Know what the spec of the vehicle should be.

Where I went wrong, with hindsight:
The car passed a Total Car Check online check which made me feel too confident.
I couldn’t find and check the engine number, if I had known where is was, I would have known something was wrong.
The vehicle spec didn’t match the model, I was told they were optional extras. Common sense should have told me otherwise.

Meet the seller and view the car

Time to meet them and the car

But, before you go, inform the seller you will be thorough. Tell them:

  1. You will check their ID.
  2. You will meet them at the premises the vehicle is registered to and will be going inside.
  3. You may bring a friend who knows about cars.
  4. You will need to see all the documents in full.
  5. You will take your time to look at the vehicle, running through a checklist and if something is not right you will walk away. Ask if they have a time limit when you meet them.
  6. You will meet them in daylight.

If they can’t agree to those. Ask why.

When you meet them

  1. Check their ID, is it legitimate? Take a photo of it and a photo of them.
  2. Meet them at the premises the vehicle is registered to and go inside.
  3. If possible take a friend, or have a friend you can call who will ask you if everything is in order..
  4. Ask to see all the documents agreed, Are any of them damaged or missing? More on that later.
  5. Check to see if they have still have time. Rushing you a sales/scam technique to make a hasty decision.

Please don’t

  • Feel like you have come all that way, you may as well overlook some inaccuracies.
  • Feel like you’re wasting their time if something’s not right and you’re going to walk away.
  • Feel like you need to rush because they have to get back to work or pick the kids up. If you asked if they have a time limit, make sure you can work to it.

You are doing nothing wrong in taking your time or calling a friend. Prep your friend to advise you to walk away if something is not right. At the time you may feel that you are getting a deal.

Where I went wrong, with hindsight:
The ID was fake, it looked like a drivers license, but wasn’t. I should have asked for two or three forms of ID.
We drove to the premises, then checked the car and did everything, including the deal, outside.
The service records were not on headed paper, they were fakes. The service book was stamped and had the correct mileage in it, but it had the front page missing. That page should have had the vehicle details on it.
He told me he really had to get back to work which made me feel like I was being slow and an inconvenience to him. That pressure hastened my poor decision.
If I had a friend, who had the checklist, they would have told me to move on.

Check the list.

Tick the list (or not).

Review the list.

I wish I had had a good checklist. You can get one here

Go through the checklist

Sounds obvious but go through it, tick each item only if 100%

  1. Did you see their ID or will they go and get it later?
  2. Did they forget the second key and will send it to you?
  3. Did they forget to mention the big scratch/repair? All these little things add up.
  4. Have they started say they need to go and “can you hurry up”?

Take a breather and think…

What would the guy who wrote Used Car Check think?

  1. Has anything been said that was odd. No matter how small.
  2. How come he doesn’t know why that’s wrong/missing.
  3. Could you double check that ID, maybe ask for another one.

We don’t buy cars regularly. We are inexperienced. In the moment, of a potential big purchase, you will forget to take the wider view.

Take the emotion our of your decision

  • Your first decision is “is this car 100% legitimate?”
  • Don’t let the thought of a good deal drive the decision for you.
  • Most people are trusting. Scammers make you feel comfortable. You trust someone who’s good to you.
  • There may not be one big red flag but a few little red flags.
  • If you’re still not sure call someone… a local garage for that brand of car, your friend who knows a bit about cars, your dad/mum, even your partner who can simply ask you “is anything not as you expected?

Where I went wrong:
The list I had made up was rubbish, I thought it was good:

Vehicle identification number matches V5C?: yes / no
Registration Document completed by Purchaser /buyer: yes / no
Registration Document (V5C) exchanged: yes / no
Purchaser has received V5C/2 (green slip): yes / no
Bits
V5 log book – address/vin checked yes / no
Service records yes / no
Cable(s) yes / no
Locking wheel nuts yes / no
2 keys yes / no

He said he would send me some original sales docs and that second key. He even texted me to say he would send them, he didn’t even have my address (I had the V5 document!)

Walk away, time to think or buy

Of course, there are legitimate private seller out there.

If you walk away

  1. Don’t feel bad, you’ve every right to walk away
  2. The seller is selling privately, they’re saving money by not going through a dealer, they have to do these things.
  3. You will have to keep looking for cars, but it’s not worth making the wrong decision.

Take some time to think

  1. Take your time, easy to say but hard to do when your in the buying zone. Maybe call a friend if you’re on your own.
  2. You have every right to come back to them the next day, or later. OK, they may sell it and you may feel you’ve lost out but that’s fine.

You want to buy it

  • It’s passed all the scam checks, you’ve test driven it. checked it for damage, tyres, oil/coolant/fluid levels, electrics, dashboard report etc.
  • I’d recommend you don’t pay cash. Bank transfer is best, if you have different bank accounts, use the bank most likely to refund you for a scam
  • Feel like you need to rush because they have to get back to work or pick the kids up. If you asked if they have a time limit, make sure you can work to it.

Where I went wrong:
I should have walked away.
I’m too trusting and confident