# Found a car but its showing as stolen??



## renton (Nov 27, 2005)

Hi all.

Ive been searching for an Octavia vrs diesel estate and have found one on ebay.

Its very well specced and seems well priced for the spec and age etc against other cars.

It is a private sale though.

Ive done a couple of HPI checks on the car and it is showing as stolen in 2013.
Speaking to the owner he says it was stolen and recovered the next day with no damage apart from locks which were replaced. It wasnt recorded as stolen recovered as the insurance didnt pay out anything?

Should I be wary of buying it? 

I had managed to negotiate on the price a little but this was before I had done the checks. seller is refusing to budge any more as he says its a bargain as it is?

What do you think ??

should it be worth less??

Can i post a link up to the car?

Cheers

Steve


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## Kerr (Mar 27, 2012)

I wouldn't.

You've no idea if you are really getting the truth. 

When you come to sell, when the next person does a HPI a check alarm bells will ring with them too. 

A stolen recovered car is worth significantly less.


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## Kerr (Mar 27, 2012)

I wouldn't.

You've no idea if you are really getting the truth. 

When you come to sell, when the next person does a HPI a check alarm bells will ring with them too. 

A stolen recovered car is worth significantly less. 

Surely it is recorded if it appears on the HPI check?


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## R7KY D (Feb 16, 2010)

Me personally , If I knew that i'd swerve it , I love HPI checks 

Your money , Your choice


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## Jonnybbad (Jun 12, 2013)

steer well clear


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## renton (Nov 27, 2005)

Kerr said:


> I wouldn't.
> 
> You've no idea if you are really getting the truth.
> 
> ...


Apparently as the insurance company didnt pay anything out its not recorded.

Its this one......

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/231420811921?_trksid=p2060778.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT


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## R7KY D (Feb 16, 2010)

If you did buy it every time you got in it the HPI thing would haunt you , Let it be someone else's problem


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## S63 (Jan 5, 2007)

You really shouldn't be needing to ask.

Walk away.


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## m4rkymark (Aug 17, 2014)

i notice in the advert he said it is HPI clear but its not really is it? hes been a bit economical with the truth on ebay.

I would stay away from it, there always more cars out there which don't show any issues with them.


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## renton (Nov 27, 2005)

He has just text me to say that he has been in contact with his insurance and it should be updated to stolen/recovered by monday.

What do you think?

It was stolen and then found the next day.


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## renton (Nov 27, 2005)

He has just text me to say that he has been in contact with his insurance and it should be updated to stolen/recovered by monday.

What do you think?

It was stolen and then found the next day.


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## Jonnybbad (Jun 12, 2013)

I'd still be steering well clear


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## Soul boy 68 (Sep 8, 2013)

That would put me off, the other posts above mine are spot on, don't bother, it's not worth the risk. I am sure you can find another VRS.


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## Starburst (Oct 10, 2014)

Personally I wouldn't, you may have trouble selling the vehicle on in future as well.


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## alan hanson (May 21, 2008)

its alot of money on something you can not safely say for sure everythign is ok


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## Jonnybbad (Jun 12, 2013)

It's now registered stolen/recovered so is worth less anyway


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## GleemSpray (Jan 26, 2014)

*IF* it gets updated to "Stolen / Recovered" *AND* you see it for yourself via another HPI check, then offer him about 1/2 of what you would consider to be a fair value for its age and condition and if he wont accept that, then walk away and find another.


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## Steve (Mar 18, 2014)

Stay away


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## PugIain (Jun 28, 2006)

Keep away, and hopefully he will update his advert for others.


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## davies20 (Feb 22, 2009)

renton said:


> Apparently as the insurance company didnt pay anything out its not recorded.
> 
> Its this one......
> 
> http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/231420811921?_trksid=p2060778.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT


How bizzare! I've been looking at this, even had the owner message me on Briskoda. I however hadn't done an HPI on it - so thanks!

Mrs was saying it was to big anyway - always trust the Mrs!


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## slineclean (Dec 23, 2011)

Honestly renton stay well clear it isn't worth it. I know its hard when your waiting a car , colour , spec etc etc you want BUT you will get that car one day.

Just bite your time and it will happen. Stay well clear it just isn't worth it. He hasn't told the truth about it from the start so what else has he been hiding.


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## percymon (Jun 27, 2007)

4 years old, average mileage and its just over half its original value- I'd say you could find one without the stolen/recovered tag for similar money.

When you come to sell you've cut your potential buyers by 80% if its recorded.


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## percymon (Jun 27, 2007)

Arbury Skoda in Leamington have 2010 model with 56k miles for £9995 ?


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## Kimo (Jun 7, 2013)

If it was actually stolen then don't you think it'd be on false plates ........

Id still not buy it though as can get others for the same price that are clear of any form of hpi check


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## steveo3002 (Jan 30, 2006)

recovered next day , yeah he's not gona say they rallied it over some fields and smashed the hell out of it 

same as the cat d cars , theyre all jsut had a back bumper bruv


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## davo3587 (May 9, 2012)

If something is too good to be true, then it genuinely is. Walk away and forget about it.


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## RD55 DUN (Dec 30, 2008)

Id walk tbh…you may be able to buy it cheaper but when you come to sell it will be a real PITA!!


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## slim_boy_fat (Jun 23, 2006)

S63 said:


> You really shouldn't be needing to ask.
> 
> Walk away.


Make that RUN.....


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## e32chris (Sep 21, 2011)

might of only been stolen for a day but a hell of a lot of damage can be done to the mechanicals in that time. if its been redlined everywhere by the thief it may well be a time bomb and cost big bucks to fix in the future. I know the same can be said for any car but I don't imagine the thief drove it carefully!

patience could save you a lot of agro and money


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## 182_Blue (Oct 25, 2005)

You say its not showing as stolen yet it comes up on a HPI check, i would walk as when you try and sell you will have the new buyer showing the same concerns.


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## Starbuck88 (Nov 12, 2013)

If it's on the HPI Report, it HAS been recorded. How else would they have that information if it hasn't been reported by the insurance company.

Regardless of whether that stays on the HPI. 

The fact is, it's probably had the worst day of its life whilst it was stolen as others have mentioned.

Do the right thing for yourself. Steer clear.


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## SteveTDCi (Feb 8, 2006)

If it was £1000 then I'd take a chance but 10k is a lot of money to potentially lose. I'd steer clear of it.


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## Hasan1 (Jul 1, 2011)

If it was my money I'd stay well away.


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## Nick-ST (Mar 4, 2013)

Walk away


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## nbray67 (Mar 22, 2012)

Post 34 and no-one say's give it a go!!

Fingers crossed you'll heed the advice on here and leave it alone. The fact that he neglected to include the 'stolen and recovered' comments in his ad kind of tells me he was only EVER going to mention it if somebody queried it.

That alone means that he is not really being 100% truthful about the car. Can't remember the name of the member who was also looking at it via Briskoda but (see earlier post's) but he was not aware of it being a S+R car when he enquired about it. Poster was davies20. - Post #20.

As many have said, leave it alone buddy, that's a lot of dollar for a motor you'll be stuck with when it comes to resale.


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## AllenF (Aug 20, 2012)

Jeesus ****ing christ.
Walk away from the piece of ****.
If its been nicked its been ****ed simple as that.
An engine can do over 200 000 miles happily. Give it to a joyrider and it may not make the end of the road.
I would want it at completly silly money like single figures ( offer him a fiver. If he says yes get it and break it if he says no then count your lucky stars).


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## renton (Nov 27, 2005)

Steering clear of this one folks, may be looking at a mondeo instead now !!


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## nbray67 (Mar 22, 2012)

renton said:


> Steering clear of this one folks, may be looking at a mondeo instead now !!


Good lad!


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## Andy-P (Jun 1, 2014)

Buy it. If it's a really good deal, then go for it. 

I don't know the value of these cars, but if it checks out ok, and there isn't one that can match for price, then why not. You'll just need to make sure when you sell it that it's cheaper than any other one on the market, and I'm sure that you will have it immaculately presented for sale as you're obviously posting on this site.

If the sellers allegation is correct, it's likely the doors and locks won't have been damaged, and the locks will have been replaced because the thief will probably have stolen the car with the keys he's stolen from the owners house. He'll have then parked it up in a car park somewhere to see if it's got a tracking device fitted, but in between times the car was recovered.... damage free.


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## SteveTDCi (Feb 8, 2006)

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/used-ca...5dr-southampton-fpa-201412179691814?logcode=p

I'd be leaning towards one of these.


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## renton (Nov 27, 2005)

SteveTDCi said:


> http://www.autotrader.co.uk/used-ca...5dr-southampton-fpa-201412179691814?logcode=p
> 
> I'd be leaning towards one of these.


Thats just a re direct loop to autotrader bud??

What are you linking to ?


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## renton (Nov 27, 2005)

this is a response from the owner on the skoda forum........

Ok, ok, everyone calm down here. It's my car and so I thought I'd make some comments to counter a lot of the nonsense that's been posted here.



The car was stolen after we were broken into one night and they took the keys to three of our cars and drove away with two.



The Skoda was reported as stolen to the police and the insurance company the following morning and in fairness to Aviva (with whom the Skoda was insured) they made an offer for the car that afternoon (they apparently make rapid offers because most people don't want their car back). However, before I could accept the offer the police called to say it had been found.



We were told that the thieves take the cars and then dump them in order to see if they have trackers fitted. If nothing happens within three days or so, they go back and do what they were intending to do (put in a container and send to Europe of break for spares, etc.).



Because the key was not recovered by the police, we needed to have the locks replaced. The car was taken from the compound to a repair centre arranged by the insurance company and after they checked it over they invited me to go and have a look. There was no damage to the car, there was nothing missing (unlike the Audi where they'd removed the handbook wallet, which we never got back) and the tank was at roughly the same level it was before they took it.

I had to wait approx 6 weeks to get the car back due to the delay in Skoda providing new locks.



The insurance company, as I found out today, hadn't updated the database to say that the car had been recovered. Hence why the check shows the car as being stolen. However, the check also shows that there was no pay out for it being stolen or for the car being written off. The insurance company are now updating the records and the status should change in the next 48 hours.



Now, the OP expressed the concern to me (via txt) that the car "could have been ragged" whilst stolen. Indeed it may, but it was for a journey of approx 10 miles at most! (I've owned the car since new and he didn't seem overly concerned about the way I'd treated it for the other 48,000 miles or thereabouts).



Other's on here have said that because it was stolen it's value should be heavily reduced, er why? The car has not been written off, it has a full dealer service history a valid MOT and has never had any paintwork or body repairs. What difference does the fact that it was stolen and recovered (with no damage done) make to it's innate value?



Other's have said that it would get picked up by ANPR and it would get stopped - well you're wrong. In the 18 or so months since it was stolen, I've never once been stopped. For those who haven't bothered to check, there are two databases, one which the police use and which is uploaded to ANPR systems and one used by the insurance industry. Seeing as the police recovered the vehicle, they updated their database. Aviva forgot.



The OP also said that if I dropped the price by £500 he'd still be interested. If his concerns are genuine, I fail to see how a monkey makes him sleep easier at night. I'd already dropped the price by £800.



Obviously it's entirely up to the OP, or any buyer for that matter, to ensure that whichever vehicle they buy meets their needs, but I do have to say the that turning to forum 'experts' for advice can lead to as much confusion and misinformation as it can be a valuable source of useful advice.



Sleep well and don't have nightmares!


What do you thnk ?

Worth a punt or stay away?


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## S63 (Jan 5, 2007)

I really don't know why you post these questions Renton. Whether it's buying or selling a house, part exing your car, and now this, you're given the advice you ask for but you seem to continually stay firmly on one track, like you've already made your mind up.

I'll be honest and say I haven't bothered to read the above post. For someone who wants to get every last penny of value as you do (nought wrong with that) and is serious about spending a shed load of cash on an Ebay item with a theft in its history totally mystifies me.


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## Kerr (Mar 27, 2012)

The car is still stolen recovered and subject to an insurance claim for that plus expensive costs to change locks and keys. 

I've honestly never heard of an insurance company offering a settlement the day after a car is stolen. Everyone else complains how long they drag it out. 

I've also never heard of someone getting the option to reject the car back when the damage has been minimal. 

The guy was telling a lie on his ebay advert saying the car was HPI clear. He either didn't check himself, or is lying but he should have known the theft and insurance claim would have shown. 

I'm not buying that explanation either.


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## renton (Nov 27, 2005)

S63 said:


> I really don't know why you post these questions Renton. Whether it's buying or selling a house, part exing your car, and now this, you're given the advice you ask for but you seem to continually stay firmly on one track, like you've already made your mind up.
> 
> I'll be honest and say I haven't bothered to read the above post. For someone who wants to get every last penny of value as you do (nought wrong with that) and is serious about spending a shed load of cash on an Ebay item with a theft in its history totally mystifies me.


Sorry its not clear but I am walking away.

Just thought I would post his so called explanation up?


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## Starburst (Oct 10, 2014)

You've done the right thing mate.


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## nichol4s (Jun 16, 2012)

Next thread,

Bought a stolen car can the police take it off me?


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## renton (Nov 27, 2005)

Just put a deposit down on a 2011 mondeo titanium x from a dealer. 

Thanks for all the help with this. S63 I do listen sometimes matey !!


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## Steve (Mar 18, 2014)

renton said:


> Just put a deposit down on a 2011 mondeo titanium x from a dealer.
> 
> Thanks for all the help with this. S63 I do listen sometimes matey !!


What the one reported stolen with out standing finance?


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## Starbuck88 (Nov 12, 2013)

renton said:


> Just put a deposit down on a 2011 mondeo titanium x from a dealer.
> 
> Thanks for all the help with this. S63 I do listen sometimes matey !!


Hope it goes well for you mate, best of luck with it and enjoy it


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## S63 (Jan 5, 2007)

renton said:


> Sorry its not clear but I am walking away.
> 
> Just thought I would post his so called explanation up?


Not clear at all

"Worth a punt or stay away?"

Good luck with the Mondeo:thumb:


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## cossiecol (Jun 29, 2014)

No chance!

It's not worth the risk when buying.

It's not worth the hassle you'll get when coming to sell it on.

You'll constantly be thinking "should I be worried" every time a police officer looks at the car for longer than 2 secs.

Plenty of vRS's for sale too. Make me a good offer and I'll consider selling mine


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