Most modified cars will be for sale privately as dealers don’t tend to get involved with them. This means you will have to be more careful when buying a ride as private sales don’t have as many comebacks as buying from a dealer.
There are always going to be risks with buying privately but try to avoid letting this put you off. As long as you follow this guide carefully and use your initiative you will hopefully be the proud owner of a new ride very soon.
Here are a few things to be aware of:
As a buyer you are responsible for asking everything you need to know about the ride you are looking to buy. Try not to rely on the seller to provide the information if you haven’t asked for it.
The key is to try and save you some time. The first stage is normally contacting the seller via one of the available sources. Try to get as much detail as possible during this first stage as it will save you time in the long run!
Here are some of the questions you should be asking:
The viewing is the most important part of buying a new ride. Those that believe in love at first site have a tendancy to get roped in and switch off to the things that really matter.
How legal is the vehicle you are looking to buy? It may look amazing from the outside but it not much use to you when its failed its MOT or its engine dies so tread very carfully!
It’s a common enough request for a buyer to request a test drive so if for any reason your seller appears a bit sketchy or dubious to your test driving the vehicle then it is probably best to walk away. There is no reason why a seller should not want you to try before you buy unless they have something to hide.
There are things to do when test driving a vehicle:
The obvious first stage but try to start the ride up, don’t get straight in drive just let its worth doing a few personal checks first:
Once you are seat belted in and ready to pull off there are plenty of things to look and listen out for. Such as:
Once you are out on the road; try to stay alert for unusual symptoms that the ride may occur:
Once you arrive back to the seller’s house or unit there are a few more checks that you can make:
Here is some more stuff to remember during your test drive experience:
There are lots of things to check when you are looking to buy a new ride. A lot of people dont want to be to fussy but if you want to know if your ride is as mint as the seller says it is then your better to be safe then sorry!
When investigating a ride consider the following:
Here are a series of checks you can carry out yourself on the interior of the ride:
It doesn’t take long to have a look under the bonnet and those few extra minutes viewing could save you a lot of money and a lot of cash!
Thieves or TWOCers are not your average human being. Unlike many of us in the world they don not care about other people and how stealing from them will affect one another. Each and every day thieves are thinking of more ingenious ways of stealing from the ever so unsuspecting public.
It is a buyer or sellers duty in this world to try to prevent this happening. We have put together some advice for you to help trying to prevent thieving from happening to you.
If you are concerned about a buyer viewing your ride that may be a thief the answer is to never leave the ride unattended at any time while the buyer is viewing it, Never give out and hints or security codes about the ride until the buyer has shown you some identification and handed over at least a deposit for the ride.
The key to protecting your ride is to be careful where you’re parking it, especially at night. Make sure the area is well lit and frequently busy. Makes sure you check all your doors are locked, sunroofs and windows fully closed and any valuables are removed.
Leave Valuables or items that attract thieves lying about inside your vehicle. If it cannot be removed please hide it away somewhere where it cannot be seen.
Keep your keys in your sight at all times. Never hand them over to a buyer if you feel they are acting suspiciously. Never leave them unattended in your vehicle – even for short periods of time.
Make sure you keep them stored in a safe place at all times. It is not unusual for burglars to break into your work or home and steal your keys if you leave them on show or in an obvious place.
Logbooks are probably the most important document of your vehicle. Without one it is very hard to sell a vehicle that’s why these are also important to thieves. If they can lay their hands on the logbook of a vehicle it’s like handing them a free car as they can sign it into their name and sell it on in no time at all.
Try to keep your logbook in a safe place even if it is in between viewings of the vehicle as robbers will steal from you in broad daylight if they are given the opportunity so please don’t leave it in your ride, even for half an hour, it only takes seconds for a ride to be pinched!
The DVLA keep records of all logbooks and stolen logbooks so if in any doubt please contact the DVLA.
Remember
If you see anything unusual or suspicious, call the police immediately. In an emergency dial 999.
Let professionals check the history of the used car you want to buy. If you are concerned about the history then try and get a legitimate company to do the checks. For the money you pay its worth having the check done properly after all.
The easy answer is you can’t. The best bet is to protect yourself from losing money and the ride with a full legal Data Check.
Companies such as the AA will carry out these types of checks.
The checks are very thorough and they will tell you:
Documentation is one of the most important things about buying a new ride. Without it your stuffed but incorrect documentation wont get you any further either, so be very carfeull to check for the right documentation and make sure its valid and legitimate.
The V5C replaced the V5 document recently. There are still some V5 documents around so don't worry if your seller has the older style V5. The V5C is a booklet with a front page so it is easily recognised.
Without a V5 or V5C Registration Document you will struggle to sell your ride so if you have merely lost your document we would advise contacting the DVLA.
You can visit the DVLA website at dvla.gov.uk or contact them on 0870 240 0010 for more information.
They have also changed the way the MOT works now. By law the MOT now has to be entered into a computer and stored on a database so the DVLA can keep a record.
This has been brought in to also prevent fraud and improve the MOT test standards across the board.
You can check the MOT status of any vehicle you own, or are considering buying by contacting the Vehicle & Operator Services Agency 0870 330 0444 or vosa.gov.uk.
The test will now be printed on paper which does make it easier to read compared to the older type written test paper.
If you have looked after your ride well and had it service every time it was due this will really show when you come to sell up. If u haven't had all the services carried out its not a big problem but any paperwork you have to go with the services you have had done will be very helpful for any buyer.
Buying a ride can sometimes be a daunting and tricky experience. It's always worth taking extra precautions when buying, especially for the first time.
We have readily available a copy of the Street Rides buyers rights for you to use as a back up at any time during your visit.
When buying a car privately you will have far less comeback that when purchasing from a dealer. The legal rights virtually go out the window and the only real obligation for the seller is to describe the car exact to their knowledge.
Unless you have solid evidence that the car you have purchased was faulty before you gained ownership and the seller was aware of the fault before the sale there is nothing legally you can do. A private seller normally states a car as ‘sold as seen’ which means unless you find a problem upon viewing the car it is mechanically sound and working the required standard.
As a buyer there are a few points you can still expect the vehicle to be:
By the Sale of Goods Act 1979 the Law simply states that a vehicle must be:
A, To the specification as the dealer described to you. You are by law allowed to refuse to buy the car, demand a suitable replacement or even demand a refund if the chosen vehicle doesn’t meet the seller’s described specifications.
B, Of reasonable or satisfactory quality, also considering the vehicle’s age, how much it cost and how it was presented to you in advertising and viewing status. The vehicle sold should be free from serious defects, unless made aware to you otherwise during the sale process.
C, Fit for the desired purpose. When specifying your requirements to the dealer they should be able to provide you a vehicle to suit your needs or otherwise say so. For example if economy is your requirement a 4-litre twin turbo’d V8 engined car is not suitable and you can by law reject the car.
There are some other points that you need to be aware of also:
If you pay for a vehicle to be inspected by an independent vehicle inspector the dealer cannot be held responsible for any faults found on the inspection. The key is to always ask for written statement on the car’s condition form the dealer when purchasing your new vehicle.
If you discover that your vehicle is found to be faulty anytime within 6 months of purchase you can reject it and demand either repair or a replacement vehicle of the same standard. This is unless it causes too much trouble or inconvenience to the seller.
An example of this would be if the vehicle’s repair cost was at a similar cost to a replacement vehicle of the same standard. The other option for a dealer is to offer a significant discount or refund for the vehicle you purchased.
It is now down to the vehicle dealer to prove that the vehicle was of a reasonable standard and up to the expectations required when the vehicle was sold. This will mean that you don’t need an independent vehicle inspection.
If you still feel that your vehicle has a fault you must stop using the car immediately and contact the dealer. You will then need to contact the dealer in writing and confirm the possibility of a fault and any possible evidence or diagnoses symptoms you have found to back this enquiry up.