Contacting previous keeper

matt_fsr · 5 Aug 2009 at 11:19

OK so I got my 'new' car the other week and recently got the registration documents through, which of course has the previous owners address.

Although the car has its original manuals, there's no service history, and only 1 key for it, so I'm kind of hoping that the previous owner may have another key or at least a couple of bits for the car.

Anyone ever contacted a previous car owner before, did it turn out OK? Is it a good idea or not?

Also, I'd be happy to offer a small payment for any items relating to the car, but is that a good idea to mention or not?

Dugganator · 5 Aug 2009 at 11:30

From what your saying I'm guessing you brought this from a dealer or something. You can contact the person but i doubt they will have any of this because they would have normally given it all to the person who you brought the car from.

Cant hurt trying but I doubt you will hear anything.

paradigm · 5 Aug 2009 at 11:48

Duggan said:
From what your saying I'm guessing you brought this from a dealer or something. You can contact the person but i doubt they will have any of this because they would have normally given it all to the person who you brought the car from.

Bought.

It will do you no harm in trying. The dealer I got my LCR from had never recieved the 2nd key from the previous owner, so I contacted him directly. He did tell me to FO though, even though he still has the key (I can only assume anyway).

whitecrook · 5 Aug 2009 at 15:02

I did this once to find out what the code for the radio was. The woman just went oh riaght yeah is 5342 (or whatver it was) and I just said thanks cheers. And that was that.

Sukh · 5 Aug 2009 at 15:04

I did this before, sent a postal order. They didn't have what I needed and sent back the P.O.

matt_fsr · 5 Aug 2009 at 15:40

Only got a postal address, so I think I'll probably scribe a quick note to the guy.

Would be great if he did have a 2nd key for it, given the horrendous price Mercedes want to get another one made - ~£200 :eek:

Meridian · 5 Aug 2009 at 17:24

I've had a later owner contact me (I though it odd that anyone buying a 96k-mile Peugeot 309 would care about odd noises) and contacted the previous owner of my current car (who was mightily ticked off that I'd got hold of his unlisted number) to find out what exactly had happened in the accident he had clearly been involved in.

The worst that can happen is that they'll tell you to go forth and multiply, so you might as well try it.

M