Confused about how a vehicle is registered

Treecol

Treecol

Joined
Sep 2, 2016
Posts
205
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384
Location
Dorset
Funster No
44,930
MH
Rapido 786f
Exp
Newbie
Hi all. I had to suspend my search for my 1st MH due to a close family member being diagnosed with a terminal illness. I'm finally feeling clear headed enough to continue my search but wonder if I could have your thoughts please?
I'm looking at a CI on a Mercedes chassis cab currently. However, the current owner inherited it and knows little about it. It appears on both the current MOT & log book as an Autotrail on the correct chassis cab. But it isn't an Autotrail. An old receipt for it from 2009 has it correctly as CI Cipro 55 from a dealer. Any ideas what could be going on? Thank you in advance. We could really do with this MH if it's all kosher after the time we've had recently.
 
Any pictures?
 
If I can post. Its def a CI Cipro 55 by the body just not log book.
 

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Needs much more investigation.... could be a cloned or stolen Motorhome on false plates or just something dodgy ...
 
Yes I agree. As I said, in 2009 on the sales receipt it has the current reg and correct body. Could it simply be the DVLA are somehow at fault?

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Treecol said:
Yes I agree. As I said, in 2009 on the sales receipt it has the current reg and correct body. Could it simply be the DVLA are somehow at fault?
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could be a fake receipt.... I got conned out of £18k for a stolen Motorhome, it even took the police 3 days to discover it was a ringer it was that good...

has it had the same owner since 2009 that put up with a different Motorhome on the log book...?

it would show up on ANPR as a ringer and get pulled over by the police, I wouldn’t want to try explaining that one on the road side...
Walk away... there’s plenty more out there.... OR is the price too good to be “true”... if it is I rest my case...
 
Could check VIN number on V5 corresponds with actual VIN on vehicle. If any discrepancies use the DVLA vehicle enquiery site. Would not be 1st time DVLA have wrong info recorded. Can go further and instigate a VQ1 vehicle enquiery which generates a VQ5 form response (if memory serves me correctly) you have to pay for that service. It is way more detailed than an HPI check regards the vehicle and history.
Glass codes will give year and model for manufacture aswell.
If it were me I would bin the idea as soon as you have a doubt or suspicion go by gut feeling.
Could of course involve plod who would be duty bound to do your investigation FOC then you could buy it afterwards (but thats a bit hard necked)!
 
I would be more worried about the lack of history and the owner not knowing anything about it......

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A CB Motorhome would normally be registered as a Merc not an Autotrail or CI.

Run, run, run away as fast as you can.
 
Has the current owner bought it without much research and then realised the problem with the documentation and is trying to get rid. Unless there is a 100% clear reason then I would walk away as you will have the same problem when or if you try to sell it in the future.
 
When we got our Hobby from a dealer (2nd hand) I noticed that the tax disc said,"Trigano"
As it was obviously a faux pas, I ignored that as far as buying it.
When it was mine I wrote to DVLA and asked them to change the details on their system.
The only problem was that DVLA don't have a computer code for Hobby (and they probably won't have one for CI too)
I had to register mine as a Fiat. You may have to reg yours as a Merc.
It all boils down to who Registered it originally.
Mine was done by Buffoonhills (sic) Say no more.
 
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when i read the title i thought you were talking about the dvla ::bigsmile:
 
Again thank you. We've actually got the vehicle sitting on our drive. The current owner's brother owned it originally. He has died and his sister has inherited it, if you like. He owned it for almost 2 years. The paper trail with the documents that are there all have the vehicle and it's reg number correct. You can tell the paperwork, ie service receipts, sales receipt etc are genuine but every MOT has it as an Autotrail. Local people we know, who told us about the vehicle knew the late owner and also he was known for driving around in it.
So we were offered the vehicle to buy, it does have some work needing doing to it, but we need to get to the bottom of everything. If things don't add up, we will sell it for her but I'm sure whoever comes to look at it will also be concerned the log book is wrong.
Also, to address a couple of your comments, I would have thought the log book would say "Mercedes 3whatever it is motorhome" not Autotrail. But what do I know?

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Dvla mot and tax check the reg details. It will come back with the chassis details and its current position with tax and mot . By that ...Ford or Mercedes or Fiat etc Motd or not when due etc
The Autotrail bit....is a little concerning because it does not state that on the log book any where ? Its not relevant as it is a Mercedes Chassis you have.
I have Just looked at ours and it states quite clearly the Build of chassis and its type (Fiat Ducato) it then states use " Motorhome " ....Not Adria as in my case. Just a thought

kev
 
Treecol said:
Again thank you. We've actually got the vehicle sitting on our drive. The current owner's brother owned it originally. He has died and his sister has inherited it, if you like. He owned it for almost 2 years. The paper trail with the documents that are there all have the vehicle and it's reg number correct. You can tell the paperwork, ie service receipts, sales receipt etc are genuine but every MOT has it as an Autotrail. Local people we know, who told us about the vehicle knew the late owner and also he was known for driving around in it.
So we were offered the vehicle to buy, it does have some work needing doing to it, but we need to get to the bottom of everything. If things don't add up, we will sell it for her but I'm sure whoever comes to look at it will also be concerned the log book is wrong.
Also, to address a couple of your comments, I would have thought the log book would say "Mercedes 3whatever it is motorhome" not Autotrail. But what do I know?
Click to expand...
Just read this again....It sounds as if the fault lies with the MOT garage and not DVLA . The DVLA will look at it as a mercedes nothing else
The garage would have put in the mercedes details and mistakingly put it as a Autotrail hence the paperwork trail you have. It will not be the DVLA...

Kev
 
From my experience of registering and re-registering classic cars and m/bikes the DVLA are not concerned about what badge is on the vehicle so long as the VIN number and the reg'n number agree with what's shown on the V5 and on their computer record (which you can check online).
They wouldn't know an Autotrail from a Papertrail........or need to.

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Well the log book states Make: Auto Trail Type: blank Variant: blank Version: blank Model:blank Body Type: Motor Caravan. Nothing else. No Mercedes or anything else so it is a DVLA issue then? I guess the MOT garage just entered the reg, as they do, and it came up as an Autotrail automatically.
There is no etching on the windows BTW. I will check the chassis and engine number tomorrow.
Bit of a mystery. How would someone insure it? If I gave my ins company the reg number, they tell me what it is as per DVLA data base. They say Autotrail, I say no, they won't insure it.
 
Go back to my comments (post 13) above.
Contact DVLA by telephone. Tell them you have a Mercedes manufactured CI motorhome, reg no XXX chassis no XXX. Further tell them that someone in the past, unknown to you has registered this vehicle as an Autotrail which is incorrect.
Seek their advice and offer photographs if necessary.
They may want the vehicle to be inspected by dvsa,
 
I intend to, thank you. Just waffling really to clarify a few points others made :smiley:
 
Acquired more paperwork. It looks as if AutoTrail were agents for CI when the MH was sold new. It came from a local dealer to us fortunately and they were able to confirm they have seen a number of odd entries on V5 over the years. I've got a quote from our insurance company no problem and when the girl out the reg into her system, she asked me the make and model so obviously no issue to insure either. So next we wait for a mobile chap to do a habitation check and give us a quite for a couple of repairs, then hopefully our 1st MH. Yaaaaay!
I'll tackle the DVLA at some point then.

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Treecol said:
I intend to, thank you. Just waffling really to clarify a few points others made :smiley:
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Our 2018 Hymer is registered on V5C as Hymer and no mention of Fiat just gvw and PHGV and that’s from new so DVLA don’t need engine type?
 
Emmit said:
The only problem was that DVLA don't have a computer code for Hobby (and they probably won't have one for CI too)
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just looked at our registration document CI Motorhome
 
scotzsue said:
just looked at our registration document CI Motorhome
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That's good. Ours is Fiat because of this.
Apparently, without a make that their computer recognizes, they are unable to issue reminders for taxation.
 
Emmit said:
That's good. Ours is Fiat because of this.
Apparently, without a make that their computer recognizes, they are unable to issue reminders for taxation.
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If you mean emails, don't think i signed up for that, did getthe MOT one though.
 
Treecol said:
Again thank you. We've actually got the vehicle sitting on our drive. The current owner's brother owned it originally. He has died and his sister has inherited it, if you like. He owned it for almost 2 years. The paper trail with the documents that are there all have the vehicle and it's reg number correct. You can tell the paperwork, ie service receipts, sales receipt etc are genuine but every MOT has it as an Autotrail. Local people we know, who told us about the vehicle knew the late owner and also he was known for driving around in it.
So we were offered the vehicle to buy, it does have some work needing doing to it, but we need to get to the bottom of everything. If things don't add up, we will sell it for her but I'm sure whoever comes to look at it will also be concerned the log book is wrong.
Also, to address a couple of your comments, I would have thought the log book would say "Mercedes 3whatever it is motorhome" not Autotrail. But what do I know?
Click to expand...
Sounds like you need to HPI it, get it professionally checked out etc any doubts walk away.

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