Big Warning To All 205 Buyers...

[AdamF 19 1 Cars]

I'm new around here but I'm sure some of you will remember me posting pics of my lovely black 1.9 I bought only 4 weeks ago.

 

I've been working away for two weeks and so left the car with a forum member to carry out some basic servicing.

 

Heres the car when I bought it:

 

 

 

 

In my eyes I thought it was a nice example, sadly not.

 

Here's what was discovered:

 

 

It's a cut and shut! A black and red 205 stuck together. Words cannot describe how gutted I am. I've spoken to the guy I bought it off and he claimed he knew nothing as he only owned it for a week. Last registered keeper on the V5 was a chap called David Webber, is he on here?

 

What's weird is that it comes with tonnes of history and receipts. Its clearly an old job done a long time ago so someone down the line knew about it and a garage was clearly giving out dodgy MOTs.

 

I really don't know what to do, if I inform the police then the car will be taken away and I lose everything. I certainly don't want to drive it now as you can imagine and I morally wont sell it to anyone. If I can keep my spirits up then I'll try and source another shell and pay for everything to be transfered over.

 

Its a big lesson to me when viewing an old car, next time I'll take the carpets up!

 

Not a very happy bunny right now. Any advice or tips would be welcome.

 

 

Adam

[jackherer 543]

When was it last MOT'd?

[AdamF 19 1 Cars]

Last MOT was 3rd October 2013 in Exeter at a garage called:

 

Vanborn & Radford

Lions Holt Garage

Victoria Street

Exeter

EX4 6JG

 

Tester was Anthony Barr

Edited April 15, 2014 by AdamF

[Daviewonder 533 3 Cars]

Strip all the bits off it that you want to keep then report it.

[willis 18 1 Cars]

Surely this shouldn't have passed an MOT?!?

 

I work in Exeter so I can go and check out the garage and see if they seem dodgy if you'd like?

[Rock Lobster 28]

Gutted for you mate. What a nightmare.

 

Strip it down completely and transfer to a good car/shell I would! You will make. Good chunk of money back from selling the parts off at least.

[jeremy 70]

How/where did you buy it eg Ebay, private sale etc. Do you have a copy of the original add? Also maybe worth having a chat with CAB to find out your legal rights.

[jord294 92]

Absolutely gutted for you mate!

[AdamF 19 1 Cars]

How/where did you buy it eg Ebay, private sale etc. Do you have a copy of the original add? Also maybe worth having a chat with CAB to find out your legal rights.

It was advertised on ebay, I called the guy up and viewed it a few days after.

 

Adam

Edited April 15, 2014 by AdamF

[AdamF 19 1 Cars]

Surely this shouldn't have passed an MOT?!?

 

I work in Exeter so I can go and check out the garage and see if they seem dodgy if you'd like?

That would be great if you could mate!

[Edp 67 3 Cars]

Gutted for you, how could that have passed an MOT??

[AdamF 19 1 Cars]

But not just one MOT, theres no way this was done recently. Must've been done in the early 90s when it was cool and fashionable.

 

Not sure if its linked but in 1992 it had a private plate added and thats when I have the first MOT certificates from.

[harryskid 193]

You may find this a help!

http://www.devon.gov.uk/de/tsdocfulldetails.htm?docClass=eng%3Bcons%3Badv%3Bpwc&docId=122489&returnTo=motor_vehicle_leaflets

[willis 18 1 Cars]

I guess it depends on which identity it took? I'm assuming the chassis numbers all tie up?

 

I would find it quite surprising if it has lasted 20 years this bodged and all of the previous owners had ignored it.

Edited April 15, 2014 by willis

[hexhamstu 9]

Wow, I've never actually seen pictures of a real cut and shut before. You must be gutted. Does insurance cover this in some way or form?

[Slo 283 1 Cars]

When i saw the pictures I was going to ask you if there could be any chance it had just had a non sunroof top welded on and new sills at some point. But seeing that rot underneath it pretty much gives it away that the 7 month old mot is dodgy or they didn't bother to check it for someone they knew with a back hander. Is there any red paint anywhere at all in the boot or behind the rear door cards?

[Edp 67 3 Cars]

I thought it had a new roof skin!

[jackherer 543]

Can you post some interior and under bonnet photos please? What year is it meant to be?

[AdamF 19 1 Cars]

Can you post some interior and under bonnet photos please? What year is it meant to be?

Haven't got many pics of it currently, can get some more.

 

Its a 1989.

 

The lad whos been working on it is gonna post something later on, hopefully he can answer some of your questions.

[pp205 17]

I live in Exeter, never heard of that garage and didn't know it was there....just checked it on google maps and know the area it is in. I have several friends who are mechanics in Exeter so will ask around to see if they've heard anything about that place being dodgy.

[deathbringer929 49 1 Cars]

buyer beware......... look a bit closer next time or have someone quaified view for you.

[AdamF 19 1 Cars]

I live in Exeter, never heard of that garage and didn't know it was there....just checked it on google maps and know the area it is in. I have several friends who are mechanics in Exeter so will ask around to see if they've heard anything about that place being dodgy.

Thanks guys, appreciate the community spirit!

[ATK 140 1 Cars]

Must be gutting mate. Feel for you. Must admit, I didn't pull up my carpets when I bought mine either (luckily mines ok).

 

Not sure what the current position is but didn't cut and shuts used to be legal as long as they were done to a good standard and safe, and they're then put on a Q plate? Or am I wrong?

Edited April 15, 2014 by ATK

[jeremy 70]

Now, not exactly the same situation, but here goes. My wife sold our caravan through ebay, stating damp free which to the very best of our knowledge it was, and allowed the buyer to fully inspect the caravan whilst we stayed indoors. Within less than a week we were contacted by the buyer advising this was not the case. The man had really done his homework with reports and his legal rights all documented through email to us. To cut a long story short we gave him back his money and we collected back. So you may find although you bought from a private seller the goods clearly are not what was stated and maybe able to get your money back. Good luck.

[AlexRS2782 136 1 Cars]

Not much I can offer I'm afraid other than to say I feel for you - must be absolutely gutting to discover this tbh

 

At a guess it must have been done many, many years ago, when it was far more prevalent in the old days and rarely checked by the DVLA, etc, although how that's got through that many mot's in more recent times is worrying.

 

Back in '99 I nearly got stung by a Renault 5 GTT that was essentially 2 cars, 1 black, 1 white, that had been cut & shut together some time around the early '90's - thankfully that was a bit more obvious as they'd not made enough of an attempt to cover up the white paint in the rear end, but I still gave the seller a fair bit of stick (and reported him) for attempting to pass the car off like that. He couldn't deny it either as he was the 1 & only registered owner of the car

Edited April 15, 2014 by AlexRS2782