Confused.... logbook... previous owners.... mess!

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I recently bought a "one owner" car from an independent dealer, and to cut a long story short..... after 5 weeks of taking ownership of the car I still hadn't received the logbook in my name. Phoned the DVLA and they said they had not yet received notification (the original logbook) from the dealer informing them that I was the new owner, so I spoke to the dealer and they said they had sent off the logbook to the DVLA weeks ago.

Anyway, the following day I received a call from the dealer saying they had just received the new logbook for my car in the post BUT it is in their name and address. They went on to say it was DVLA's error as it should've been issued in my name, but all they could do now is send it back to DVLA and put me down as the new owner again.
I mentioned that doing this would mean that when the logbook is issued in my name it will show 2 previous keepers (the original owner AND the dealer), when it really should only show one previous owner (the original owner). The dealer agreed this would be the case but unfortunately even though it was DVLA's **** up this is how it would be.

As I wasn't happy with this I contact DVLA to explain the situation and they advised me to tell the dealer to include a covering letter when they send the logbook back, explaining the mix up and asking for them to be removed from the car's ownership history so the new logbook only shows me and the original owner as keepers.
I did this and the dealer agreed to send the covering letter.

Fast forward a couple of weeks and I've received the new logbook in my name but surprise surprise.... it has the dealer as the previous keeper and shows two previous keepers instead of one!

Called DVLA again and they informed me that they didn't receive the original logbook (the first owner's logbook) from the dealer, they had only received a V62 form in the dealer's name (which is the form used to apply for a new logbook when the old one is lost etc). They went on to tell me the date of the V62 (which is dated two days before I bought the car) and the only way that the dealer could possibly be removed as an owner is if I can prove that I bought the car before the date on the V62.

Phoned the dealer again and told them that even though they told me they had sent off the original logbook to the DVLA it was actually the V62 they had sent, and they had sent it to DVLA before I bought the car. The dealer said that they sometimes put cars in their name so they can tax them?!
Now regardless of whether this is the case, the bottom line is I was told by them that they had sent the logbook to the DVLA, not a V62 in their name.

So anyway, the dealer has now said he will contact DVLA to try and sort it out and have them removed from the history of the car, but I'm not confident it will do any good and I'll probably be stuck with two previous owners on the logbook rather than just the one.

Ok, it's not major but it is very annoying that I bought a car with a one owner history and now it is a three owner car at only two years old.


I'm trying to get my head around why the dealer sent in a V62 in their name two days before I bought the car, especially as I had paid a deposit and agreed to buy it from them a week before that (so, 5 days before they sent in the V62).... and also what to do if, as I fear, the DVLA will not remove the dealer from the car's history. It means I have been sold a car that isn't exactly what it was advertised as.

Any suggestions?? Advice???


Other than this admin problem I'm totally happy with the car. If just takes the shine off of things a bit.

 

[StateOfPlay]

That is annoying.

When you bought the car, did you fill in a V5C?

 

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That is annoying.

When you bought the car, did you fill in a V5C?

Tell me about it.

It's hard to remember what I filled in now. I'm almost sure I did fill in something, which I think was the v5c, but now I'm not so sure, I don't know if that's just a fake memory.
Usually I'm good at making sure all the necessary steps are taken when doing this sort of thing but it's all a bit of a blank this time.

 

[voorhees]

If you did fill in the V5 you would have the little slip of paper as proof

 

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If you did fill in the V5 you would have the little slip of paper as proof

Yeah I was thinking the same, but I don't.
Whether that's because I wasn't given it or I just didn't fill in the v5c, I don't know.
I'm learning towards the latter though.

But either way, DVLA don't have the old logbook, they only have the v62 (logbook/v5c application form) which if left to me to complete everything would have been ok.

 

[StateOfPlay]

Yeah, the dealer cocked up and now you have a car that has 2 previous owners. Not sure how much difference it would make to the purchase price, but the least they could do is put that right for you.

 

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Yeah, the dealer cocked up and now you have a car that has 2 previous owners. Not sure how much difference it would make to the purchase price, but the least they could do is put that right for you.

Yep.

I believe they'll try to put it right, I just don't think they'll have any luck with the dvla.

Just trying to consider my options now, if there are any...

 

[StateOfPlay]

Was it a main dealer or an independent?

 

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Independent dealer.

 

[StateOfPlay]

They will probably do more to put it right than a main dealer would.

I was going to buy one in 2009 just after they were launched, but the wife couldn't get in and out. Shame.

 

[Ads]

They will probably do more to put it right than a main dealer would.

So far it seems that way. More to lose I guess.

I was going to buy one in 2009 just after they were launched, but the wife couldn't get in and out. Shame.

They are quite low set, making it more difficult to get in and out of it.
Once inside they are surprisingly spacious in the front though, maybe more so than my A3.

 

[StateOfPlay]

Yeah, it was a pleasure to drive. My wife has joint issues so cannot get in and out of cars easily, otherwise I would have bought it.

Anyway, I am going to look at getting a classic now, I am running a company car for a year or two and so I can get a nice car for the weekends.

Where about in London are you based? I work in East London and North West london most days, normally driving on the North Circ for my sins.

 

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I'm based in East London. The North circ is my route to most places.

Where abouts in East do you work?

 

[StateOfPlay]

From Whitechapel, out to East Ham, Stratford, Barking, Ilford, Walthamstow and Romford. All around that area.

 

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From Whitechapel, out to East Ham, Stratford, Barking, Ilford, Walthamstow and Romford. All around that area.

I'm a bit more north than those places, but all my old hunting grounds though.

 

[@udi A3]

I highly doubt the dealer will be able to do anything, not for lack of trying but because DVLA are total bellends!

Probably dont have grounds to return or refuse the car sale either tbh, as the extra owner is highly unlikely to affect the depreciation if you resell later.

Most dealers dont send the log book off, they send the trade slip off and keep the v5, then the new owner fills in the v5 and takes the green slip. I have taxed plenty of cars with the V5 intact just the trade slipp sent off, using trade insurance at a garage I used to work at.

I suspect they was still waiting for a log book from last owner when they agreed a sale with you.

 

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I highly doubt the dealer will be able to do anything, not for lack of trying but because DVLA are total bellends!

Probably dont have grounds to return or refuse the car sale either tbh, as the extra owner is highly unlikely to affect the depreciation if you resell later.

Most dealers dont send the log book off, they send the trade slip off and keep the v5, then the new owner fills in the v5 and takes the green slip. I have taxed plenty of cars with the V5 intact just the trade slipp sent off, using trade insurance at a garage I used to work at.

I suspect they was still waiting for a log book from last owner when they agreed a sale with you.

Yep I make you right about the dvla, very much doubt the dealer will get anywhere with them.

No matter the outcome I wouldn't want to hand the car back anyway. I plan to keep the car for at least 3-4 years. Three owners in a total of 6 years isn't so bad.

I'm just not happy about the stories the dealer spun re: the logbook etc.
Thinking back, when I went back to the dealer about the logbook being in their name he was very keen to try and convince me not to bother calling dvla as it would be "a waste of my time".

 

[shariain]

Would your receipt for your deposit not be proof of purchase in which case before v62 was sent off.

 

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Would your receipt for your deposit not be proof of purchase in which case before v62 was sent off.

That's not a bad call actually.
I don't have a receipt for the deposit from the dealer, only a receipt for when I paid the balance.... But I do have the credit card machine printout for the date the deposit was taken.

Definitely something to explore.

 

[shariain]

The dealer should be able to supply you with a dated receipt or paperwork for your deposit as all transactions should be traceable to counter fraud.