My Car's Been Clocked – Be Warned!

[thedktor]

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Last week picked up a 2007 Passat 2.0 TD, in great shape with unmarked interior and a perfect drive. Now, there was no service history so a bit of a gamble, but the car was priced accordingly.

3 MoT’s came with the car, starting from March 2010 when the car was 3 years old, another in March 2011, and a more recent one Sept 2011, presumably done by another garage selling the car to give the new owner a year.

All looked fine, and backed up the mileage on the clock of 94k.

After buying the car I phoned VW customer service to ask about the injector problem on this model and to arrange the free check. The lady noted my car details and then paused, and said: “ We have a complete service history on our computer going back to when your car was new, and in Feb you car had a 155k service”!!!!!

Oh sh—t!

So, go to Direct.gov to check the MoT history and find first MoT March 2010 shows as 126,607 miles, but the paper certificate shows 65,931!

2nd MoT March 2011 online shows 155,900 miles but the paper certificate only 87,824!!

Oh sh—t!

On closer examination the paper copies have been done on the same printer, despite the garages being many miles and one year apart. All details correct, apart from the mileage. The 3rd MoT from Sep is actually genuine, but obviously done after the mileage change.

So the car has done at least 60,000 extra miles plus whatever its done since March, so could be knocking on 200k for all I know.

I phoned the dealer who refuses to take the car back saying it was made clear that the mileage could not be guaranteed. So I have no choice but to take legal action (after advice from Trading Standards) using the Sales of Goods Act and the fact the car was not as described (c/o the MoT certificates). And selling a vehicle with forged documents is of course illegal.

Interestingly if they had declared in writing that the mileage had been altered it makes my consumer rights more complicated, but the forged MoTs are a clear breach of contract and they have failed to take reasonable steps to verify the vehicle’s mileage.

Needless to say I deeply regret not doing more checks to verify the car’s history, the benefit of hindsight. But a reminder for us all not to trust anything, or anyone, when it comes to used cars….

- Steve