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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

They've sold us the wrong car!

77 replies

pandarific · 10/03/2017 19:18

I am Shock. Fiancé came home yesterday to tell me that during the service of the 2 year old car we bought 7 months ago it has come to light that they have sold us a car that has the wrong plates on it! The log book and V5 are for a car with a completely different set of plates.

So we have been driving around in a car with effectively no insurance, massively breaking the law, for seven months! We took the thing to Europe and drove around in it for 2 weeks! Shock Angry

It's not stolen, but when the car was new and having its plates fitted they were somehow swapped and the mistake was never discovered. Not so bad, but the previous owner had it for 18 months and it was never picked up in any of the services - and then the kicker! We bought it as part exchange from a VERY fancy dealership (of much more £££ car makes) and at no point, either when they bought the car from the other person, or sold it to us, did they check it!

We are being fawned over by the dealership and have been given a very nice car to drive around in while they sort the whole mess out, but this is a really bad error on their part - apparently the director of the chain dealership has been called about it.

WWBU to take the feckers to small claims court for this? We're so bloody lucky we didn't get stopped by the police.

OP posts:
ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 10/03/2017 19:46

Does that mean there is another car driving around with the same problem as you?

KungFuEric · 10/03/2017 19:46

I'm confused How this went undetected by you. When you enter the registration number into an insurance policy, it comes up with the automated car details? Did that not match the car you have?

Smurfpoo · 10/03/2017 19:49

It happens more than you think it would.
I knew of two range rovers wrong plates at registration it went unnoticed for three years. They had servicing and 1st mot on the wrong plates, it was a nightmare to unpick.

There's not a lot you can get as compensation as you've not lost anything as others have said. I would go full tank of fuel, and next service free. Or parking sensors/ hands free kit type thing.

Rainmaker1 · 10/03/2017 19:49

That's a slightly different kettle of fish than just having the wrong plate which I was prepared to say YABU. This is a real issue, not sure how it can be sorted. DVLA are going to have to contact the other owner and you'll effectively have to swap plates and the log books will have to be switched. With a bit of luck the dealer will give you a full refund and you can buy a different car then they can sort the mess out.

Ameliablue · 10/03/2017 19:53

Surely it is the reg number that is important for insurance so would you have been breaking the law?

Smurfpoo · 10/03/2017 19:53

There could be a wrong plated car or they just made the wrong one up.
We're the plates fitted at the new dealer or we're they the original supplying dealer plates?

Original poster
pandarific · 10/03/2017 19:53

kung fu, it looks identical, same distinctive colour option, same specs, and we renewed our insurance on the phone, so nope.

We didn't think to check the chassis number against the v5 when we picked it up - we will in the future!

OP posts:
Viviennemary · 10/03/2017 19:55

I'd be worried there was something more sinister in this rather than a mere mistake. Maybe the car was used for a crime and then the number plates changed. Hmm I'd report it to the police.

Original poster
pandarific · 10/03/2017 19:57

Smurfpoo apparently they were fitted wrong at the original supplying dealer.

OP posts:
PossumInAPearTree · 10/03/2017 20:01

So they need to get you a new v5 and a new log book and change your plates?

I'm guessing somewhere there's another car with the same problem? You have their v5 and log book and they have yours?

If that's the case and documents need to be altered for change of ownership you may have a case for loss. You won't be able to sell it saying "one careful owner", the logbook will look like there's been two owners?? Unless they can sort that with the dvla??

Original poster
pandarific · 10/03/2017 20:05

Rainmaker1 oh no, I was hoping they could just give us the car back after sorting it out.

Its probably even more complicated as we've got it on PCP and it was a real steal at what we got it for as the dealership do much more premium cars and wanted rid of this quite nice, but utterly normal one.

OP posts:
Original poster
pandarific · 10/03/2017 20:09

Yes possum that's my understanding of it, there is another person who'll be getting the call - if they haven't already.

OP posts:
Rainmaker1 · 10/03/2017 20:10

Well, what I meant was that a refund might be better for you than all the hassle.

SealSong · 10/03/2017 20:14

I think sorting it out now is going to be the real issue for you, OP, I'm afraid.
Have you spoken to the dealer?

Blodplod · 10/03/2017 20:15

Why on earth is it frightful? Simple mistake, easily rectified, bother on insurance (you can claim mistakes weren't yours) why the huge hand wringing drama over such a minor problem in life? Confused and then some!

ThreeFish · 10/03/2017 20:18

You will suffer a financial loss.
Your insurance will need changed to the correct registration plate for the car. Your insurance will probably charge for the amendment.

Your log book will show an additional owner than there has been when you trade it in it will have less residual value.

I would push for a complete change of car now to whatever they have in stock. In fact, they might suggest that as it will be easier for them to sort if they own the car.

Pollyanna9 · 10/03/2017 20:21

So, OP, because it was actually a different car (albeit the same model/spec), did it have a higher mileage than it should have had - I think you say it was a used car 2 yrs old.

If the mileage was more than it should have been they will owe you for that because in effect you'd have paid for a car that was of less value than the one they supplied you with, if the mileage was higher.

Thank goodness it wasn't a car manufactured in a year which had known serious, dangerous defects, you'd never have received notification about it would you. And thank goodness you had no accidents and it came to light it wasn't actually the correct car.

I'm gonna check my little car tomorrow and see that it matches!!! You wouldn't necessarily think of doing that buying from a main dealer, like you would buying from a private seller (in case it was nicked). It's totally their mistake and let's see what they offer. I'd keep quiet and see what they come up with before chasing on to any other actions.

They're on the back foot so I can image they'll be coming to you very much cap in hand with lots of suggestions for how to put it all right.

mellicauli · 10/03/2017 20:22

The director has probably been called in because something criminal has happened here. My guess is person a gave person b some money to swap the plates of a bottom of the range car with a top of the range car, thus getting several £000 of car for free. It's not always that obvious. Your loss could be you gave ended up with a car which was a different spec to the one you thought you'd bought. But without the car you can't tell.

WildwestWind · 10/03/2017 20:23

Similar thing happened to us. Everything was registered in one number but the plate was different. Dealer just popped a new set of plates in the post

Pollyanna9 · 10/03/2017 20:26

threefish is right. There are lots of implications including financial and very real and therefore those who cannot understand the 'hand wringing', I think you'd be gobsmacked if this was you and it was your car and you'd been driving round in it for a long while. I've freaked out when I once was 3 days late with my MOT!

The personal finance technically will have been taken out on the wrong vehicle as well - the PCP interest calculated could be wrong if the starting mileage of this wrong car was higher than the one they actually selected (not sure if it was or not).

Original poster
pandarific · 10/03/2017 20:29

Thanks threefish, useful to know.

An issue could be that as the dealership do premium cars, and their entry level models are not in our price bracket either to run or to insure. Our car is the kind of jolly, economical thing you can fit bits of wood in and fold all the seats flat. Grin

But they could probably find us something brought in part exchange from one of their other dealerships? Who knows.

OP posts:
Rainmaker1 · 10/03/2017 20:33

Similar thing happened to us. Everything was registered in one number but the plate was different. Dealer just popped a new set of plates in the post

That's not what's happened here.

Hulababy · 10/03/2017 20:35

It could, I guess, have happened with the initial garage selling the car brand new.
Two cars - same spec/colour etc, two sets of plates - wrong plates fitted to both cars. So may not be an intentional crime occurring late ron.

And how many people genuinely check the actual chassis number on their car with the books, especially when buying a car from a proper dealership? Neither me or dh have, having only bought from proper dealerships and all new. You assume the dealership is doing their job surely?

ThreeFish · 10/03/2017 20:39

panda hold off contacting them. They may well suggest that themselves. That's a bit of a nightmare scenario for them tbh.
But keep in mind your PCP valuations.

londonrach · 10/03/2017 21:01

What losses have you had. Theyve given you a car whilst this is being sorted. Re small claims...youve no loss. Hopefully you get a legal car soon

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