Seems like the ideal van for us .... but ? (1 Viewer)

[joggerman]

Ok, I have found our ideal van at around £25k, in first class condition.
Private sale from a pleasant Irish couple living in a nice area.

Q. How long have you owned the van?
A. Four weeks. (He is selling as the van is not suitable for him)

Ok, bells should start to ring here but I figure he buys and sells a bit but does not tell the taxman.
I have no problem if this is the case, as the van is A1 condition, plus I would have a MACIC inspection done anyway before purchase. (the van is not SCAM cheap but similar to lower end of other private ads for same van).

So, given that the van will be proved as being A1 condition, I have two questions -

1. Does an HPI check (which is included in the inspection cost) indisputably prove ownership etc?

2. Would an instant bank transfer remove any risk from the transaction?

Or, do you think I'm nuts to even consider going for the van?

Any advice or opinions warmly received.

 

[hilldweller]

How about contacting the previous owner. If he won't tell you who start worrying.

 

[joggerman]

How about contacting the previous owner. If he won't tell you who start worrying.

I asked to see the paperwork, so I have the prev owner's name and address from the "logbook", which checks out on line. He let me have as much time as I wanted perusing mot's and service receipts etc.
Unfortunately I think she's ex directory, as I can't get the number?

Apparently she sold the van due to the death of her husband.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[kevin]

HPI

all i know is hpi check will only cover you against theft if you pay by transfer or card but not cash

 

[Forestboy]

Sounds like you're having doubts and think it may be dodgy in which case walk away plenty of vans for sale.

 

[hilldweller]

I asked to see the paperwork, so I have the prev owner's name and address from the "logbook", which checks out on line.

Apparently she sold the van due to the death of her husband.

Did he show you a receipt ?

Sounds hopeful, can you visit her ?

Trouble is all conmen are not like the idiots on ebay, they are so good they get you to want to be conned.

Have you visited his house and do you think it really is his house ?

Can you see any cars you could check are his.

Well anything to give you confidence in him.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Vlad The Impaler]

If he has only owned it 4 weeks,has he got a registration document ? Probabaly not,if not wait till he has one.If so that should cover the ownership issue.Whats your gut feeling ,what are they like,what's the neighbourhood like.
There's every possibility that its been bought without proper thought,tried and not liked.Ask lots of questions and if your happy with the answers ask to take it for a test drive .
Not everything is a scam there are a lot of good vans out there at the right money for you,it's a buyers market.Trust your feelings and good luck.


Vlad.

 

[Snowbird]

Not all of the right priced vans are dodgy. If what he says is correct and he has bought it from a widow then what he says is possibly right. Put yourself in the shoes of the widow. Her husband has died and she does not want to drive the van. She goes to a dealer who offers her some ridiculous offer and someone she knows that does a little dealing offers more money with no hassle. The guy buys it and puts a little profit on it and everyone is happy except you as you think its too cheap. If the van is right for you and everything checks out what he says buy it. If on the other hand you find the guy selling does not tell the truth on any question you ask then walk away. That has stood me in good stead all my life.

 

[joggerman]

If he has only owned it 4 weeks,has he got a registration document ? Probabaly not,if not wait till he has one.If so that should cover the ownership issue.Whats your gut feeling ,what are they like,what's the neighbourhood like.



Vlad.

I saw the V5 and other paperwork, and he let me have as much time to inspect as I wanted.
He said they had had it six weeks, but the V5 showed three weeks which is why I said three weeks.

Very nice detached in a nice close, within a mixed neighborhood.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Chris]

Did he say why it wasn't suitable for him?

 

[lunarman]

If he has only owned it 4 weeks,has he got a registration document ? Probabaly not,if not wait till he has one.If so that should cover the ownership issue.

Vlad.

I always understood that the V5 (registration document) did not prove ownership only registered keeper. There could be an HP charge or loan charge against it.

Lunarman

 

[simsy56]

If it checks out, why not buy it? There are some bargains, and there are some people who want rid after a few weeks. I have picked up some incredible bargains over the years, but, i have done my homework. Good luck.

Craig

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Snowbird]

If it checks out, why not buy it? There are some bargains, and there are some people who want rid after a few weeks. I have picked up some incredible bargains over the years, but, i have done my homework. Good luck.

Craig

Thats exactly what its all about...doing your homework :thumb:.

 

[Philiphall]

Is the van taxed and insured? or is he using a dealers insurance, and trade plates? Does he have other vehicles parked at the address. Check the chassis number to make sure it has not been tampered with and actually matches the log book. If you get an insurance quote off your current insurer they will normally tell you if there has been any accident damage etc. I think an HPI check will only guarantee that there is no finance on the vehicle.

 

[kiwicamper]

We have a website that tells you if the vehicle has any finace owing on it.Do you not have similar in UK? We do pay a fee but it's well worth it.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[chaser]

If it checks out, why not buy it? There are some bargains, and there are some people who want rid after a few weeks. I have picked up some incredible bargains over the years, but, i have done my homework. Good luck.

Craig

get it bought afore its gone

 

[deanroofing]

Find out how long he as lived at the present address, or that he owns the house,as said shame to lose a deal if the guy is genuine.

 

[Terry]

Get HPI done and check what HPI says must be checked ie chassis numbers match what hpi have etc if all ok buy it
terry

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Sidney]

HPI check

VIN Check (you can do this online to see if registered stolen or write off)

V5 - 1, in his name and address - 2, matches VIN on vehicle

Buy it

 

[TheDogMan]

When I bought mine from an ebay advert apart from all the usual research & checking owners house etc the HPI check told me there was finance outstanding but on my second visit when he realised I was serious the owner told me about the finance, how much was owing and who to, he did not know I already had the information, I paid the Black Horse finance direct an the balance to the owner.
Its a scary business buying from a stranger when there is a such a lot of money involved which in my case was over 40k.
Thats why people buy from dealers - peace of mind !!

Best of luck how it all works out for you:thumb:

Dave

 

[rainbow chasers]

There are some genuine reasons why someone would sell after short ownership. But these tend to be very rare. Had he said he had bought it without consulting the wife, then you could understand. I would look at the vehicles known faults and see if it has these.

It could just be it was never test driven, and he really is scared of the size of it.

There could be other reasons, I have just been contacted by a customer asking me to help sell hers, she has only had that for 10 months - the reason being she has been diagnosed with cancer and after a few ops can no longer drive it. Such a shame as they were lovely people, and she loves the van.

HPI will show up if it has been REPORTED stolen and it is on it's ORGINAL identity. If it is cloned- it won't!

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[simsy56]

I HPI checked a car i wanted to buy, and it came up with outstanding finance to Mercedes Benz. The 'owner' never told me this, and when i confronted him, he said, "Oh, i was going to pay it off when i sold it". mmmmmm....
If i had bought it for cash, as intended, he could have kept the money, and i would be liable for the outstanding finance.
I could have paid the finance off, and given him the little difference, but, he didn't want to do it that way, so, NO DEAL!

Craig

 

[joggerman]

Thanks for all the advice.

It seems the HPI is the true test of ownership and that it is free of finance etc so I will get one ordered.

My only remaining issue is the best way to pay, so that I end up with the van and he with the money.
I will not entertain handling that much cash, so it must be by some sort of transfer.
From answers to my other post it seems that a direct transfer is the quickest, although my bank says it can still take a couple of hours !

 

[simsy56]

That's about right. It will give you time to get your insurance sorted. HPI is worth the money, believe me.
Just a quick one, have you been in his home? Sat down and had a cuppa? It's amazing what you can glean from this. Photos, his wife, his familiarity with the home, lived in, children coming and going, etc; You will know if it a bone fide home, as opposed to a fake address. Gosh i am sounding like a detective now!

Craig

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[jhorsf]

The MACIC inspection looks impressive but then at nearly £300 it should be I can see no warranty from them that if they say its ok and blows up next day what then ?
do they stand by their inspections? I can see no mention of it on the web site so is the inspection really worth anything if you have no recourse ?what if you find a leak the next time it rains and they said it was not damp?
Just things I would ask them before parting with £300

 

[ericonabike]

When I used to buy cheap cars I'd always buy private and my maxim was 'buy the car not the owner'! If I got a bad feeling about the owner - any sense of evasiveness, or something just didn't add up - I'd walk away. Amazed how often people had bought a car 'for the wife' but hadn't got round to re-registering. My guess is that yer man is a trader of sorts - again, nowt wrong in that, but if he misrepresents himself as a motorhome owner who has just 'bought the wrong vehicle' then personally I would take fright. Especially if I was parting with £25k rather than the £1k or so I used to spend on cars!

 

[joggerman]

The MACIC inspection looks impressive but then at nearly £300 it should be I can see no warranty from them that if they say its ok and blows up next day what then ?
do they stand by their inspections? I can see no mention of it on the web site so is the inspection really worth anything if you have no recourse ?what if you find a leak the next time it rains and they said it was not damp?
Just things I would ask them before parting with £300

I know £295 is a lot, but although I'm more mechanically minded than many, I'm not a mechanic nor habitation expert. I figured that the 300 point mechanical and habitation plus their HPI check would at least detect any existing critical problems. If you look at the checks they do they are incredibly detailed. Takes around two hours apparently.
I don't think any inspections have much recourse when you read through the bumf. It's more a case of peace of mind for me.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[laneside]

I see you are a Lancashire lad and I bet the trader lives in a nice bungalow in Chorley he has been trading on Ebay for four years that we are aware of.

We went to look at an Autotrail he had for sale and I believe him to be straight but unfortunately the van he had was not for us.

Suprising enough the van we looked at was from a similar situation where the husband had died whilst abroad, he seems to have contacts with various insurance type companies.

I may be completely off the mark with this guess but good luck and as always tread carefully

 

[Snowbird]

Having read through all these posts I have now changed my mind. The best thing you can do is forget this one and go and pay another £5000 and buy from a respectable dealer who will guarantee the van until it goes round the first corner and out of sight.

 

[chaser]

The best thing you can do is forget this one and go and pay another £5000 and buy from a respectable dealer who will guarantee the van until it goes round the first corner and out of sight.

cant make my mind up if this serious advice or tounge in cheek

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}