Don't buy this 135i

[spikeyboy 0]

Just do a my car check for £2.99 - this will show if stolen / recovered and the date.

Just found all this out myself when looking at an RS4 which Audi dealer was selling - it was HPI clear but my car check flagged it as stolen / recovered.

Best £2.99 i have ever spent

[theduisbergkid 2,121]

Someone should stick this on PH too...

ETA - Fukking amazing ! I posted this on PH and within 60 seconds the bellends who moderate the place deleted the thread ! I was only stating facts and not breaking their uber-sensitive name and shame rule either...

Edited June 21, 2011 by theduisbergkid

[Tipex 1,738]

While I appreciate the warning may be very useful to anyone in the market for a 135i, and I wouldn't want a stolen/recovered vehicle myself, what do the TSN collective expect to happen to these cars?

Should they be crushed? Sold at half price? It could be a perfectly decent reliable car, and may not have been abused whilst it was 'away', ultimately, the insurers need to recover as much of what they've paid out when they move it on, and the dealer that buys it needs a profit too, so I'm wondering what people think should happen with these type of cars?

Given HPi seems to be the industry standard used by dealerships, is it really a surprise they don't flag this up? /conspiracy theory.

[DHA 0]

What, this for real?!?! I'd go through the fecking roof if my car was nicked and the insurers said I couldn't have the plate back.......... but that I could BUY it back off them?

The moment one realised their car had been stolen, what would stop them going to the DVLA office and getting the plate taken off and put on retention? You'd not have the tax disc, but don't need to hand this in at the time of transfer.

Once the insurers pay out the car becomes their property. If you transfer ownership of a car to someone with a "cherished plate" still attached they then technically own the plate as well. The insurers notify the DVLA that it is stolen, and the owner also has to declare it SORN when it is stolen.

[DHA 0]

While I appreciate the warning may be very useful to anyone in the market for a 135i, and I wouldn't want a stolen/recovered vehicle myself, what do the TSN collective expect to happen to these cars?

Should they be crushed? Sold at half price? It could be a perfectly decent reliable car, and may not have been abused whilst it was 'away', ultimately, the insurers need to recover as much of what they've paid out when they move it on, and the dealer that buys it needs a profit too, so I'm wondering what people think should happen with these type of cars?

Given HPi seems to be the industry standard used by dealerships, is it really a surprise they don't flag this up? /conspiracy theory.

Selling it is fine, but they have to be up front about this. If you go to trade a car that has been stolen recovered the dealers are of course going to sting you for it no question. The sale price is just under what the insurance payout was at the time, so Admiral lost money on the car (assuming the dealer is making a profit on what they paid in the trade).

[fizzbitt 1]

Once the insurers pay out the car becomes their property. If you transfer ownership of a car to someone with a "cherished plate" still attached they then technically own the plate as well. The insurers notify the DVLA that it is stolen, and the owner also has to declare it SORN when it is stolen.

So you need to put the plate on retention before the insurance company payout?

Sounds a bit iffy considering the amount that people pay for private plates. £10/15k plates can be in effect taken away and then offered back to the owner to buy?

If they paid out on my car with the value i put on the plate on top then fair enough.

Does this then mean we have to advise the insurers on the value of the private plates on the cars?

[NewNiceMrMe 3,155]

This thread has taken on a whole new meaning and direction that I think is very interesting indeed (and DHA's thread was already interesting).

I had no idea about this technicality regarding a stolen car and a cherished plate on it. It is utterly ridiculous.

It's no different from my car being stolen with £10,000 of cash in it. It's mine and it just happens to be in the car. Just as the plate is mine and I have temporarily put it on the car. Are there any high profile cases of the transfer of ownership of a cherished plate being legally challenged when a car is stolen?

[fizzbitt 1]

Actually just had a thought. (scary i know)

DHA - When they offered you to buy it back was it just at the base rate of what it costs to buy any plate circa £300 or was it for the value of the pate in a private sale as in its true worth.

[DHA 0]

I didn't take up the "offer" so not sure what the price would have been. Part of me wonders if my car was more obvious with the plate on it, the police do feel that my car had been watched prior to the theft taking place, did the plate make it more obvious?

[DHA 0]

Just as the plate is mine and I have temporarily put it on the car.

I think you are just the grantee and the DVLA still "owns" it.

[DanG 104]

Presumably you still had the V5 doc and tax disk details so could have applied to retain the plate prior to agreeing the insurance amount and therefore 'losing' your plate?

[DHA 0]

You have to send the V5 to your insurers to start the claim process.

[bazza_g 369]

The plate thing sounds very strange - my mate has had two cars nicked with private plates on - each time he's got them back but had to wait 2 years before dvla would let him have them. In both cases his cars were gone for good, if that's what makes the difference it's a rubbish system!

Will check with him

[scooby_simon 0]

You have to send the V5 to your insurers to start the claim process.

Interesting; I was TOLD by my insco to reclaim the plate and then send in the V5; they wanted a copy of it....

[Tipex 1,738]

Yep, always get the plate put on retention immediately, then send docs off to the ins co.

You can actually buy insurance for private plates, the companies that sell it rely on the myth that you might lose it if the car is stolen, which is total bollox, you just put it on retention and forward the vehicle docs when they arrive.

[Ian_C 420]

Interesting; I was TOLD by my insco to reclaim the plate and then send in the V5; they wanted a copy of it....

It's the logical thing to do and makes perfect sense doesn't it? Cheers Simon. Panic over!

[Tarmac_Terrorist 0]

It was about 19 years ago when my RS Turbo was stolen with a cherished plate on it. The car never turned up and I was informed that I had to inform DVLA that I plan to keep the plate after a 'cooling down' period of 12 months. I did this and the plate was automatically put on retention for me after 12 months. I have used the plate ever since. The insurance company paid up a very fair amount for the car exactly 3 weeks after the theft. They came and interviewed me about the theft, checked my licence and car documents but surprisingly they didn't seem to care that I was the main driver of the car yet it was insured in my dad's name back then - I was even the registered keeper! Those were the days lol!

[bazza_g 369]

DHA - Pretty much what I've been told by my mate who had the cars stolen : The plate is in holding for 1 year or until the car is recovered. Talk to the DVLA but the plate was owned by him and is due back to him after 12 months, that's what happened to me.

Contact the DVLA directly, I can't believe the insurance company have any stake in your plate at all!