Used Car Purchase - Quick Advice Needed
 

Hi Guys,

My dad has just bought a new (used) car (Volvo V70) from a garage detailing themselves as an Alfa Romeo specialist.

All seems good and the guy was extremely nice and whilst joking around and talking about my car he asked me to sign something which turned out to be the 'Seller' part of the log book. Now i stopped half way through signing... and he just laughed and said 'thats enough, it doesnt matter anyways'.

Is this true? have i done anything wrong? i know i shouldnt have even partially signed because he should have, but i didnt think until i was half way through. Looking over the car it seems 100% straight, and it has a FVSH... so i cant see much being wrong.

I have learnt a lesson though... because i never thought i would sign something (and never do) without reading it through first. (even if i have seen the same sheet over and over)

Might have been an idea to cross it out, initial it and get the actual seller to sign it..? You always got to watch the "extremely nice" ones more closely than the rest IMHO....

I was thinking that when i was coming home... but whats the worst that can happen? When i first done it, a part of me thought i was just signing as a witness to the purchase.... but he whipped the form away and chucked it in a tray so fast and said it didnt matter anyways.

The garage seems to have been around for a while, mainly specialising in Alfa's... but as with anyone, some people seem to have had no issues with the cars they have bought (generally anything other than Alfa) yet Alfa owners seem to have a few posts where things go wrong (but it seems like more general Alfa build issues than the garage being dodgey)

Someone please help me put my mind at rest... cos i cant think of anything else but this atm.

This all sounds very dodgy to say the least. Why were you asked to sign anything? Were you buying the car on your dad's behalf? Very strange behaviour by the garage and yourself for signing the form.

what do you mean sign something, then go on to ssay it's the V5 - surely you know if you've taken your V5 out with you and signed it??

Did you know that you don't have to take your V5 when someone else is buying a car?

Are you trying to say that whilst your dad was purchasing a car you just so happened to chat with the salesman and he produced your V5 and you thought this was normal and started to sign despite not actually trying to sell your car?

What I'm thinking too TBH. :wonder:

The way i read it, he was there with his dad... The salesman got him to sign something, which turned out to be the signature section of the V5 for the car his dad is buying that should have been signed by the cars previous owner.
The salesman probably did this as the previous owner hadnt signed it when the car was traded in.

Its not serious if you ask me. I have bought several cars from auction that have not been signed by the previous owner. I have just put a random squiggle in the box and sent it off without any problems.

If the car was sold to the dealer they would usually sign the sellers bit as they own the car even though their compnay does not register it as their vehicle, I think this is done this way to keep the number of drivers down.

I really don't think you have anything to worry about as you could have been working at the dealers and sold the car, the chances are they won't understand the signature anyway & the DVLA will know the car is registered to the dealer, the prvious owner should get a letter telling them they no longer are responsible for the vehicle & if all is not right they should contact the DVLA.

Thanks guys,

It wasnt the V5 to my car.... it was the V5 to the car my dad was purchasing.. and i only started to sign it because i thought it was a witness box or something, didnt even think until i read that it said 'Seller' and by this time i was already half way through.

Sounds like i got nothing to worry about though, and thanks for the feedback.