‘Caveat emptor’. This is my first post on fulfatrr so I beg the indulgence of those who wish to read it. The legal caveat meaning, literally, ‘buyer beware’ may be familiar to most of you on this site but prior to 2015 I was totally unfamiliar with the implication when buying a used vehicle. Indeed, I admit to making a foolish and very expensive error of judgement in trusting a person I thought was a bone fide company CEO and the purpose of my post is to reiterate the message that I have now learnt and to warn others of making the same mistake.

In January 2015 I responded to an eBay advertisement for a Range Rover that was in the price bracket I thought reasonable. I contacted the seller, who waxed lyrical about the car in support of the very impressive advertisement and photographs, which can be viewed in the Sales section of fullfatrr. (At the time I did not even know this website existed.) The upshot was that I decided to buy the car subject to a test drive and inspection and paid a deposit to have the advertisement taken off eBay.

When I was eventually able to view the car with the purpose of finalising the deal, it was under a cover in his workshop and due to being unable to raise the roller shutter door I was persuaded to complete the paperwork and bank transfer first and then, together with a friend of mine, help the seller try to fix the door; a process that took some five hours and was at the end of the day, unsuccessful. At this point I still trusted the seller’s sincerity even though I had been unable to examine or drive the vehicle or even start the engine. I saw no reason to think that there was anything wrong with the car when my friend and I left to return to Forfar. (Big mistake!)

Eventually I was able to collect the car but within a few days of returning home I became aware of a potentially serious problem with the engine; however, it took a number of months before I was able to have the engine stripped down to determine the extent of the damage; both sets of cylinder heads and valves were badly corroded and in need of replacement.

Following a failed attempt to get the seller to compensate me for the repair to the engine and convinced that he must have known about the damage when he sold me the vehicle I undertook an investigation into his background and the vehicle history including related and other posts he put on fullfatrr.

Having gathered what I believed to be enough evidence I took advice from my solicitor, first going to the police, who put me in touch with Trading Standards who agreed with my assumption and wrote to the seller. All to no avail!

Eventually, I felt forced to take him to court because I believed, as did others, that I had a strong case. The case was heard in Paisley Sheriff Court in March and the Sheriff finally made his decision in May. I lost and must now pay the defendants costs as well as my own.

It is my intention to tell the true story behind the purchase of LV56 XBW, my investigation, including all the documentation, and of my failure to win the court case.

I accept that many of you will perceive me as a naïve idiot but please read my story before judging me and it might just prevent others from falling into the same trap.

lol a quick check on https://www.check-mot.service.gov.uk/ tells you that ain't a loved car
can I sell you a jar of Michael Jackson's breath?

I'm confused?
I'll listen to your story lol

Update: He thinks its funny about the garage door!!!

Not nice when this happens, but equally I would have walked away from that if I couldn't drive it.

I imagine it is pretty difficult to prove the seller knew about any engine problems before selling it to you. Was it a private sale? If so, then sold as seen and up to you to check it over.

For example, I have been trying to buy an exhaust for my M5 Touring and someone in Ireland is selling one and I have chased him a couple of times for pictures of it off the car to make sure there is no damage to it etc...and he can't find the time to do it so I'm not going to try and buy it.

I hope you can enjoy the car at some point in the future.

cheers Alex

2018 Skoda Kodiaq vRS
2009 Caterham Supersport Race car
2007 M5 Touring
2005 Range Rover Vogue SE Supercharged
2004 SL55 AMG

Yes, yes! you can all have laugh at my expense but at the end of the day I have my integrity intact because I told the truth in court and that cannot be said for the person who sold me the car. Read other posts relative at the time the car was sold and you might conclude I had a good case!

The story will probly have to appear on Facebook or Twitter as it is long and complicated with a lot of documentation which would not be allowd here but I can say that it is illegal to offer a warranty if not registered with the FSA and it is also a criminal offence to fail to register as a new keeper with the DVLA.

meanwhile, I now have to try to sell the car in order to pay the court costs.

Does anyone know how to invert photos from an andriod phone so that they appear the right way up on this site?

I think you have to turn them up the right way on your phone first!

If you are being truthful (not coming to ANY conclusions) i do feel for you, the last 3 cars i've purchased have been lemons, i hate buying second hand cars! 

Thanks Stacker, they are the right way up on my mobile bu they invert when added to websites. On some sites there is a butt0n to invert them but there does not appear to be one on this site.

I am being truthful, I assure you and the whole experience has cost me £30,000.00 and almost my marriage.

Trouble is integrity has cost thousands and doesnt pay bills or save money, but hate to say it but when spending thousands and not starting or try is just stupidity no excuses sorry to be blunt. Goodluck in recovering funds. _____________________________________________________
Zambezi silver Vogue Se unique

I couldn't agree more Scottyav but I was brought up to be honest and truthful and I was in the police branch of the RN which probably makes me look even more stupid. There were extenuating circumstances that made it difficult to undertake a proper inspection of the car but even had I done so I could not have known of the damage to the engine because the EML had been covered up.

BruceB, being a crusher is normally regarded as making you look stupid, no need to buy a ropey motor to do that

Ian (ex RN) 4.2SC; 1960 TR6; XF Sportbrake
Previous:
Jaguar XF Sportbrake
Landrover P38 4.6 Freelander x2
Mitsubishi Shogun 3.2 x2
BMW M3 Conv x2; 840Ci; M Coupe; 325SEx2
Mercedes C180x2
Vauxhall Vectra 3.0D Cavalier & Astra Sri; Corsa
Ford Mondeo Escort Mk2
Triumph 11 owned
VW Type2
ISUZU DMAX

Thanks for that Ian, I was the writer not the reader when we went in pairs!

So was the seller a trader or private?

I have no idea who it is so am being genuine  Alex

2018 Skoda Kodiaq vRS
2009 Caterham Supersport Race car
2007 M5 Touring
2005 Range Rover Vogue SE Supercharged
2004 SL55 AMG

I bought the car through a trade account but in court it was claimed that it was a private sale! Trading Standards also believed on the balance of probability that it was a trade sale. In court this was not introduced as evidence because it was deemed irrelevent. Think about it! A private seller would not normally be in a position to offer a warranty? Also, the seller only had the car for one month before advertising it for sale and never registered it with the DVLA. It was bought at auction as I later discovered! Too late!!!

Confused. Where is the story?

+1

With the greatest of respect i don't really think its story worth telling. Surely to heaven we all know the pitfalls of buying a RR and the circumstances in place when you exchanged money are almost laughable.

I admire you sharing the facts as you see them, personally I'd be too embarrassed.

Good luck anyway.  405 AB exec seats Baltic and Cirrus
93 RR Classic efi

Remember it's easier to get forgiveness than permission!

Gone in order:
4.4 TDV8 SE - gone to a good home
93 Classic hard dash Plymouth Blue
03 L322 Oslo Blue
2000 Disco TD5 ES Epsom Green
98 P38 Rioja Red
89 Classic Cairngorm Brown