Mileage Discrepency

[samuel welwyn 1]

 

Good morning all,

 

Hope you are all well.

 

We have just had a customer come in with a P/X, We checked the car with autotrader Experian vehicle check and got a report that declared all checks passed so we purchased there car.

 

I have now had a look at the MOT history and noticed a major mileage discrepancy of circa 20k miles being taken off.

 

I have contacted the customer who has told me that he had no knowledge of the discrepancy and had bought the vehicle from a large retailer a couple years ago who did not disclose the discrepancy.

 

Im really not sure now how to go about this as do not have a huge margin and do not in any case fancy selling a five figure car with a mileage discrepancy.

 

I would really love to hear any advice which you may may have on how we should proceed?

 

Warm Regards,

Samuel 

 

[petrol head 46]

What paperwork has he signed in relation to the mileage declaration?

Regardless of the above, you will be deemed the expert and the customer an innocent victim, I would wipe my mouth and move on. 

[trade vet 701]

You appear to have shown the usual due diligence.I would be informing your customer that under the circumstances,the transaction has to be rescinded plus your costs unless a lower p/x allowance can be agreed for you to accept the vehicle .I would also inform the customer to get in touch with the supplying dealer to see what their reaction is. The buck stops with the supplying dealer and if they are still in business ,I think your customer is entitled to a refund as he has been misrepresented.

[petrol head 46]

Just now, trade vet said:

You appear to have shown the usual due diligence.I would be informing your customer that under the circumstances,the transaction has to be rescinded plus your costs unless a lower p/x allowance can be agreed for you to accept the vehicle .I would also inform the customer to get in touch with the supplying dealer to see what their reaction is. The buck stops with the supplying dealer and if they are still in business ,I think your customer is entitled to a refund as he has been misrepresented.

I hear you, but if he hasn’t checked the MOT history a court would probably say he hasn’t conducted the necessary due diligence? 

[trade vet 701]

1 hour ago, petrol head said:

I hear you, but if he hasn’t checked the MOT history a court would probably say he hasn’t conducted the necessary due diligence? 

Nice one but surely the customer would have signed for the mileage on the sale invoice.Do Experian not also confirm the mileage .It’s the customer who should threaten Trading Standards/Court action with his supplier.Unless things have changed,in my experience ,things like this and also with any outstanding finance ,its the first dealer in the line who has the problem. ( if they are still trading ).

[Halfpenny 114]

11 hours ago, trade vet said:

Nice one but surely the customer would have signed for the mileage on the sale invoice.Do Experian not also confirm the mileage .It’s the customer who should threaten Trading Standards/Court action with his supplier.Unless things have changed,in my experience ,things like this and also with any outstanding finance ,its the first dealer in the line who has the problem. ( if they are still trading ).

In this case it seems that the mileage discrepancy arose before the customer owned the car. The customer can therefore claim that they had no knowledge of the discrepancy and would not be liable. The law recognises that an individual can only give assurances or guarantees according to what they know, not about what they don't know.  A private individual would not be expected to carry out mileage verification of a car they are buying or selling, whereas a dealer would be.  I think in this case OP slipped up and has to take it on the chin. 

[Willoughby 15]

Few years ago I sold a 3 years old car that I bought at BCA with warrantied mileage. About 2 years later turned out it had been chipped to adjust the mileage. Unfortunately its not just the issue of sorting the customer out (who in my case couldn't have been any more understanding - and in the end wanted to keep the car)  The bigger worry is that if you end up with a car that you know has been clocked - you'll need to draw the attention of this to any prospective buyer ......which is a bit like saying it was a damaged and repaired....

I'd just try and have a conversation with the bloke you bought it from and try to come to some sort of reasonable agreement, if he won't play ball then I think you are stuck with the problem - I'd then price it accordingly, be 100% up front with enquiries and get rid and move on....  I feel your pain..

[trade vet 701]

6 hours ago, Willoughby said:

Few years ago I sold a 3 years old car that I bought at BCA with warrantied mileage. About 2 years later turned out it had been chipped to adjust the mileage. Unfortunately its not just the issue of sorting the customer out (who in my case couldn't have been any more understanding - and in the end wanted to keep the car)  The bigger worry is that if you end up with a car that you know has been clocked - you'll need to draw the attention of this to any prospective buyer ......which is a bit like saying it was a damaged and repaired....

I'd just try and have a conversation with the bloke you bought it from and try to come to some sort of reasonable agreement, if he won't play ball then I think you are stuck with the problem - I'd then price it accordingly, be 100% up front with enquiries and get rid and move on....  I feel your pain..

Did you not bill BCA or better still,the vendor for your consequential losses.

[It's me 615]

One word

Homework

Remember all buyers and sellers are liers

[samuel welwyn 1]

*UPDATE*

Thanks everyone for your great and valuable advice.

Thankfully our customer has been really cooperative and genuinely did not know about the mileage discrepancy.

He contacted the dealership that the car was originally purchased from and they agreed to purchase it off me for the P/X price that was originally given.

We are very lucky to have had this sorted out with both the customer and original dealer being good, honest bloke.

Moral of the story is check MOT history manually as a discrepancy will NOT show on a HPI check.

 

 

 

[It's me 615]

Good, nice to see things like this get a happy result

I use the app

Total car check

It's really quick and accurate and free, have a look everything's on it once they have an email address

[trade vet 701]

4 hours ago, samuel welwyn said:

*UPDATE*

Thanks everyone for your great and valuable advice.

Thankfully our customer has been really cooperative and genuinely did not know about the mileage discrepancy.

He contacted the dealership that the car was originally purchased from and they agreed to purchase it off me for the P/X price that was originally given.

We are very lucky to have had this sorted out with both the customer and original dealer being good, honest bloke.

Moral of the story is check MOT history manually as a discrepancy will NOT show on a HPI check.

 

 

 

Good result.The moral of the story is ‘ don’t let anyone stitch you up ‘ especially with other dealers and auctions,never take things on the chin when there is a lot of money involved without ‘ having a go’ .For those who operate larger pitches and employ sales guys ,firefighting stuff like this is a regular occurrence and you get used to it.