Thoughts on this...

SixTwoSix · 28 Jul 2011 at 11:30

Just browsing through the local used cars on autotrader and came across this...

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201129403628482/

2002 RENAULT CLIO 1.6 16V Dynamique...only 71,000 miles, seems a little too good to be true, similar specced cars are going for around £200-£500 more.

Extremely tempted to go take a look considering the mileage and price, anything in particular I should be checking on...thinking it could possibly be a Cat C/D car at that price or am I being overly paranoid?

Maz · 28 Jul 2011 at 12:01

Defo been in some sort of front end collision, the front number plate has no borders but the rear does so has been changed at some point.

MikeHiow · 28 Jul 2011 at 12:06

So because the front numberplate has been changed on a 9 year old car, it's definitely been in a front-ender?

[TW]Fox · 28 Jul 2011 at 12:08

MikeHiow said:
So because the front numberplate has been changed on a 9 year old car, it's definitely been in a front-ender?

I think his 'defo' was a tad strong. It is, however, an indicator - and makes it quite likely that its had some sort of issue with the front end.

My 530i has different plates front and back. The reason, some prat with a towbar backed into the front plate.

SixTwoSix · 28 Jul 2011 at 12:11

So I am on the right track with thinking this falls into the "too good to be true" category for the price and mileage?!?

Maz · 28 Jul 2011 at 13:07

MikeHiow said:
So because the front numberplate has been changed on a 9 year old car, it's definitely been in a front-ender?

No but after it was declared a CAT D right off on the 1st of May 2011 it's more than likely to the point where it's pretty certain that it was.

Maz · 28 Jul 2011 at 13:10

And he's sold it already, I was going to ask him if it had been written off in the past to see how dodgy this seller is!

SixTwoSix · 28 Jul 2011 at 13:32

Maz said:
No but after it was declared a CAT D right off on the 1st of May 2011 it's more than likely to the point where it's pretty certain that it was.

Is there a free site to find out that info...I googled and everything I searched wanted a payment for each search you did

Kenai · 28 Jul 2011 at 13:37

SixTwoSix said:
Is there a free site to find out that info...I googled and everything I searched wanted a payment for each search you did

Doubtful, Maz is in the trade isn't he? It'll cost him peanuts to do such searches. Something like a 100g bag of honey roast per search.

Philz0r · 28 Jul 2011 at 13:38

only costs like 3 quid. Not really a bank breaker.

SixTwoSix · 28 Jul 2011 at 13:38

Kenai said:
Doubtful, Maz is in the trade isn't he? It'll cost him peanuts to do such searches. Something like a 100g bag of honey roast per search.

Must remember that in future

SixTwoSix · 29 Jul 2011 at 10:16

Philz0r said:
only costs like 3 quid. Not really a bank breaker.

It is if you're checking through about 10 cars a day trying to find something decent

paradigm · 29 Jul 2011 at 10:34

You don't need to HPI check every car you look at on the internet you know. Go see a few, THEN HPI check the ones that are decent/you are interested in.

BennyC · 29 Jul 2011 at 11:28

paradigm said:
You don't need to HPI check every car you look at on the internet you know. Go see a few, THEN HPI check the ones that are decent/you are interested in.

This.

I HPI'd one when I bought my 182. And two with the 330D. Subsiquently the one I bought showed up via RAC as a 'VRM & VIN match for the Vehicle Security Register' + 1 plate change. The experian check done by the trader showed it as all clear apart from a plate change from a private plate.

A quick call to the finance company as to why they still have an interest/marker on it to discover they have no interest in it any longer and it is now removed from the VSR.

You can buy a small batch of HPI's for about another £5-10 on top of the cost of one. So if there's a few cars you've seen you can check them all out at a slightly lower cost.