Car Not Declared At Cat C

[footymum]

My 17 year old son has recently passed his driving test and has been saving for the past 3 years for a car of his own. Yesterday he found a Renault Clio on AutoTrader which he went to see with his dad last night...he fell in love with it and gave the owner 50 quid as a hold deposit. When they got home he did a vehicle check and found out that the car was Cat C following a write-off in Feb 2012...this has obviously made it impossible for our son to find insurance.We called the current owner who denied all knowledge and said that he'd had no problems getting insurance...he at first agreed to giving my son his 50 quid back but called again within 5 minutes and said he'd had a rethink and he wasn't willing to give it him back...even though he said he'd had lots of interest since last night (he never took the car off the website even after receiving my son's money)...has my son lost his money or is there anything we can do? Anyone got any help or advise please? footymum

[Jemisa]

I think FM its a lesson well learn't. Never buy a car off of the Internet.
(Insurance for a 17yr old £3.000 +)

jem.

[jake-the-peg]

Never buy a car off the internet is not the lesson here!

I've bought plenty of good cars that way - the lesson is to check the car out before parting with money - there are a number of companies offering checks for this over the phone.

I'm afraid I don't think he's got much of a case there unless there's something mechanically wrong with the car.

Jem is right though about the exhorbidant cost of insuring a 17 year old on his own car - have you checked that out properly.

He'd be a lot better being a named driver on your policy for a few years first

[EDDIE51]

The insurance is going to be far more than than the price of the car even without it being a cat C. The owner is almost certainly a lot older than 17 and with several years NCB so it is not surprising he can get insurance no problem.
The problem your son had finding insurance is more to do with his age and lack of driving experience than the car. A large number of companies will not insure teenage drivers especially males any more at any price. Remember 33% of 17 to 19 year olds have to make an insurance claim in the first year.

[EDDIE51]

Is this a trader? if so he should have checked the database to see if the car had been written off. A private seller could get away with it but not a trader. The cat C write off is significant information and should have been disclosed.
Tell him that unless he gives the £50 back you will report him to trading standards.

[Prudie]

@ Jem - Buying a car off Autotrader that you then go to see is not buying a car off the internet.
Good luck footymum, what a mean man.

[tonyav]

He denied all knowledge footymum, he is lying, he knew. It will be on the logbook.

[Prudie]

My OH says threaten him with small claims court based on the fact that if he didn't mention it was a Cat C in the advert then it was a false description. Or send some hefties round.

[tonyav]

Your oh is right Prudie, the seller was lying. I would go with Prudies last option.

[maclarencat]

I am not sure but I think that omitting the fact it was cat c will not make any difference. He was not lying he simply omitted a fact. Not fair I know but I think its true. I imagine it was sold as seen. A tough lesson . Check before you part with cash not after :(

[tonyav]

I think he was lying, he denied all knowledge. I don't believe that for one second.

[kjn2]

Was a receipt issued ? If so what is stated thereon.

[TWR]

Get the ad from the Auto Trader ( the one that advertised the car, take all the details regards the car then contact Auto Trader, in these circumstances they will help you.

[slimseeker]

sorry to here bout your mis fortune but re insurance my son also found difficulty with cost so opted for the co-op young insurance where you have a smart box fitted which have a few restrictions like it monitors the car drives within speed limit, how he breaks, corners etc all good for new drivers. also if you put a female on as a second driver and put excess up this brings the price down a lot. good luck in finding him a car I know how hard it is

[Canary42]

You can't do any harm by threatening Court action - go for it.

[Stevesw]

Isnt it a case of buyer beware here? You need to check logbook thoroughly and do the HPI check there and then before handing any monies over. A lesson learnt surely?.......