scoobymoo

I was in the process of selling my MY99 to buy a P1 and the prospective purchaser had a full AA check done on it. Apparently the car has had a major smash in the past. Every panel except the bonnet has been resprayed and two doors and the roof have filler in them. Its also had the whole boot and one chassis leg replaced. I paid 15000 for the car 2.5 years ago as a Subaru approved used vehicle (ie Guaranteed never to have been in a smash) and now find myself the proud owner of an unsellable car . It comes up clean on an HPI check so it must have been repaired privately. I still owe 6800 finance on the car and wondered if any scoobynet lawyers have any idea where I stand. Its on balloon finace so Subaru in theory will buy the car back from me for 5400 in March when the agreement is up. Can I just give them the car back now and call it quits? Should I push for compensation as I had agreed a price of 8350 so would be 1550 out of pocket. Will Subaru have it inspected if I give it back and accuse me of damaging it? How can I prove it was like that when I bought it? I have really enjoyed owning the car but this has soured the whole experience, I just want shut of it now.

CraigH

Surely if the AA have it listed it will have a month/year that this happened so that should prove it was damaged before you bought it.

Are Subaru approved cars definitely warrented as never been in an accident?

scoobymoo

The AA man found the damage the car doesn't have the accident recorded on the HPI check.

LiamWR1

Strange that there is no history of the crash! it must of cost a packet to repair & I can't see anybody not claiming for it on their insurance when it happened? as by the description of the damage it must of been close to a write off...

Is it worth checking the log book and speaking to any dealers or garages that may of provided services on the car to see if they know it's history?

And I suppose the AA inspection would of noticed if the car had been cloned?

Liam.

Jools

Normally on your finance agreement it will stipulate that once you have paid so much of the car back to the finance company that YOU have the right to terminate the finance agreement with them in writing, then simply tell them where to come and pick up the keys, and the car.

Normally this is worked out on a percentage and can work out to your advantage. You have not done anything wrong if you use this option and they will offer you finance again no problems. I have a friend at a Subaru garage that advises people to do this with no qualms at all.

LeighJ

Jools is correct it is usually 50%, I wrote to the finanace company, they wrote back saying where I had to take the car, job done.

scoobymoo

Do the finance company not take into account the condition if the car? What if they notice its been in a bang? plus I'll still be 1500 out of pocket.

davegtt

put it down to depriciation and a lucky escape, Id never buy a car (especially a scooby that you'd push the chassis to its limits) that had been in a bump

DazW

iTrader: (1)

Scoobymoo ...Just a thought but have 'you' seen this AA report?

StickyMicky

i find it hard to belive that sumbody would pay privatly for all that work to be done

chris's scooby

Maybe they were skilled enough to do it themselves.

C

It wont show on the HPi report

The HPi report only shows accident damage if its recorded as a 'catagory write off'. Any normal crash that was repaired through insurers thats not catagorised (i.e. not of an extent where it was technically written off) will not show.

Your car isnt 'unsalable' by any means! you just now know about your cars past whereas others who have HPi'd thier cars & because it says nothing assume the car has never been crashed & repaired, don't

Bubba po

We like to keep our cars looking nice. Mine has had minor damage -panel dents, scrapes, rear bumper low-speed impact- repaired all round. (Not all done during my ownership!) Metallics need spraying onto adjacent panels even if the filled area is extremely minor, so that shouldn't be a worry.

WR-one

As I understand it you are protected by the sale of goods act as between you and the dealer who sold it. Further, any breach of contract/the act, on the dealers part or misrepresentation made by the dealer about the car which induced you to buy can be used equally against the finance company as the dealer. My advice would be firstly to dig out any info on what "subaru assured used car" actually assures ? remember what you were told about the car when you bought it, what you asked and what you were told; look at the purchase receipt and other paperwork at point of sale - to find something that could amount to a breach of contract; breach of the S of G's act (ie. not of satisfactory quality) or misrep - then fire a letter to the finance company refusing to continue payments because you were sold a lemon. You will then get their undivided attention....

Scoob99

iTrader: (1)

Sorry guys, If that had been me and I found out I would be ripping somone's head off.
Cheers
Colin

scoobymoo

I didn't need to see the AA report the AA guy showed me where the damage had been repaired ie welds at the top of the boot in the c pillar. Also you can see slight ripples in the paintwork where the fillers been used. The clincher was his paint thickness meter it showed there was filler all over the place, two doors, roof , c pillars. It also showed that the only place the car hasn't been resprayed is the bonnet. I reckon drivers side rear has taken a hit and the car has then rolled onto its roof. Apart from that the AA man said the cars in lovely nick and drives really well (no dodgy tracking or anything), he couldn't find anything else wrong with it and said the repairs had been done to a really high standard and it wasn't surprising that I hadn't spotted it.
I am going to consult citizens advice today to see where I stand legally. I am sure an impact like that there should be some record of it to prove it was done before I owned the car. I am also sure the dealer who sold it to me must have known. I have looked for documentation on what a Subaru approved used car is defined as but can only find what it says on their web site I got no such information when I bought the car. At worst I can give it back to the finance company but they will sting me for excess mileage so I will end up only receiving 6000 for a car that I thought was worth 8500.
Still, I am getting my P1 next week so that should put a smile back on my face.

LeighJ

Scoobymoo,

My car had been stolen and recovered, it looked in top shape when I give it them back, did I tell the finance company, did I f**k. I was out of pocket, but I wasnt stuck with a car which would have been really difficult to sell. They will give the once over, as I recall they only looked at wheels, tryes, they will accept "general wear and tear" so I doubt they'll be looking for welds, new panels etc, they didn't see any on mine. You may find that if you decide to give it back, you'll end up taking to an auction and not back to a Scoob dealer.

Good luck

Leigh

scoobynutta555

A good example of everyone getting their car checked by an expert even if buying from a Subaru dealer