Rip off Britain

barnaclebill15

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clk220cdi/2006/diesel
Just watched this mornings show, looks like when you do an Hpi or any of the other firms to check a cars history they all use the same data base MIAFTR motor insurance anti fraud and theft register.
If a car is an insurance write off the insurance company have to inform the DVLA by law but not the MIAFTR this is voluntary with no time limit and there is a huge difference between the number of cars reported to the DVLA and the same reported to MIAFTR.
One of the people in the investigation got a clear bill of health from the RAC check then found out the car had been a write off 9 years before but when she complained it is now showing as a write off, she has no come back as RAC say she should have checked the V5 also before buying.
There is another data base you can try for cars that have been salvaged as a double check.
They then went to some big car dealers and found them selling cars that had been write offs as they had just believed the basic check they carried out on hpi but a good mechanic could have seen they had been in a bad smash and repaired.
 

Tony Dyson

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2014 C 220 CDI W204 OM 651
The discrepancy between DVLA and MIAFTR databases are the details of 80,000 vehicles!
 

peterws1957

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sl350 /2004/3.7 and CL65/2009/6.0
Databases are only as good as the accuracy of the information put onto them. I've lost count of the number of people I know who have been stopped by the Police and told that they have no insurance in force, only to be able to show that they have. Databases simply cannot be relied on 100%.
 

A.J.

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UnMerc - 2020 VW Polo 2.0t GTi Plus, DSG. Flash Red, Traditional VW GTi Tartan seat trim.
Even reputable dealers are leaving themselves a bit exposed using HPi then, I am very surprised they rely on the information supplied in that case :(
 

umblecumbuz

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S204 and CLC 204 cdi, MX5, Kia Soul
Databases?
Rubbish in, rubbish out.
Unreliable.
 

M80

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2014 639 Viano- 651, 5sp Auto. 2009 S211- 646, 5sp Auto.
Tbh I'm thinking that these pre purchase vehicle checks are just another money making scam by the larger companies that will wriggle out of any later claim.

I bought a single car check from Experian, they charged me for 3, approx £23 if memory is right.
The information on the car was incorrect on a couple fo points, it didn't even tally with the VIN information.
Their mileage was way out.
I raised an online complaint, an auto response informed me they would respond within weeks, 6 or 10 I don't recall.
I got regular emails telling me my complaint would soon be looked at.
After months the response was that they were right to charge for 5 checks, huh. Because they were so kind hearted they refunded £3.

As is often I / we don't waste more of our lives chasing these small(ish) amounts. We accept being ripped off, again.

Another story but for many months I've been attempting to get approx £1,850 of my Thai Baht back out my Nat West currency account, and close it. Since I started this the exchange rate has penalised me by nearly £100 and the Ski holiday it was ear marked for wouldn't be as much fun w/o snow.
While they have admitted being at fault, surprisingly, they still have my dosh.

Why is it every time I return to so many internet sites I need to accept some terms and conditions I have no intention of trying to understand?

Victor Meldrew you used to be funny, now it's just everyday life.
 
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Frontstep

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T210 320cdi
My lovely cousin has just bought an electric reclining chair from M&S it is absolute rubbish.
They persuaded her to have an "independent" expert to inspect it, big mistake.

You sit on it and your back side slides into the gap between top and bottom, the stuffing is uneven the fabric pattern badly distorted and the wheels supplied cannot be fitted.

Send it back I hear you say,

"that will be £50 madam".......... "there's nothing wrong with it".

I looked on the tinternet to see if anyone else is having similar problems, oh yes loads of them.
 

LostKiwi

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'93 500SL-32, '01 W210 Estate E240 (RIP), 02 R230 SL500, 04 Smart Roadster Coupe, 11 R350CDi
Was it an online purchase or in store? If online distance selling rules apply....
 
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M80

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2014 639 Viano- 651, 5sp Auto. 2009 S211- 646, 5sp Auto.
but the buyer is responsible for return costs, unless otherwise stated like eBay.
 

LostKiwi

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'93 500SL-32, '01 W210 Estate E240 (RIP), 02 R230 SL500, 04 Smart Roadster Coupe, 11 R350CDi
but the buyer is responsible for return costs, unless otherwise stated like eBay.
In which case I'd pack it into car and drop it at my local M&S in the middle of their entrance....
 

Stulc

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W203 C180k
Then they'll do something as they won't want the embarrassment.
 

ajlsl600

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france
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clk3202001,sl6002003 with everything regrettably sold ,A class 170cdi auto. NG/TF1800 ML250
Databases are only as good as the accuracy of the information put onto them. I've lost count of the number of people I know who have been stopped by the Police and told that they have no insurance in force, only to be able to show that they have. Databases simply cannot be relied on 100%.


they CAN be relied on to ruin yr day tho ,has anyone banked the lottery by error ?
 

Craiglxviii

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970 Panamera Turbo; W221 S500L AMG Line, C215 CL500, W251 R350L AMG Line, plus several more now gone
There was that woman in New York who had $22m deposited in her bank account, turns out her account number was a single digit transposed error from a CIA slush fund. She spent half of it, then they came knocking asking for it back... prosecution to the full extent of the law.
 

M80

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2014 639 Viano- 651, 5sp Auto. 2009 S211- 646, 5sp Auto.
They can afford it, it 'aint even their money.
But on seeing that amount available in the balance box buying half of Equador and going for a permanent vist would be more than tempting, much more.
Mind less attractive if Juli Assange had managed to soil the place.
 

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