Repossesed STILO :(

I am not very happy as i brought my car from a garage and paid cash up front for my well loved fiat stilo; after working a nightshift and being a sleep i get a knock on the door. Its a bailift telling he has come to take my stilo, i was like over my dead body! But looks like ive got to hand it over, as the guy who owned it before me traded it into the garage and they forgot to do a hpi check on it and he has decided not to pay the rest of the finance on the car which is nearly 12k; when i asked about the check the said they had done 1 and that it was fine! Looks like im screwed really, they garage cant gaurantee to get my car back for me but they are going to try? But they have offered me a full cash refund of what i paid.. but i dont want to part from my stilo, as good will they are giving a bmw 320 as a courtesy car while my car has gone! does anybody know legaly were i stand or have had this happen to them before and what is the chance that i will get my stilo back! I mean i could buy a another stilo if i get the refund; but i dont really want another 1??

ask repo company what car auction they use. take cash refund off garage. go to the auction an by your car back for half the price that it proubly cost you, party with the change

garage did you buy it from?

****! I hope somebody has serious advise for you.

I would get the garage to put it down on paper what they are offering you straight away and that they did claim to have done a HPI check but hadn't - I can imagine that they may change their stance.

I am sorry this has happened to you!

i believe it's your responsibility as the purchaser to ensure it is HPI clear. I'd do as paul suggests and get them to write down everything they are offering as compensation.

TBH, i dont fancy your chances much.

Sorry to hear about the loss.

They are writting an agreement as we speak; had my solicitor contact them! They are being all right about things at the moment hope they dont change there stance like said! They are paying the insurance on the courtesy car aswell and paying the cost to take my private plate off the car to freeze it and saifd they pay to get it put back on! Im still in doubt though! Its just one of these things that you never think will happen to you. Maybe a note for people and a personnel refference to myself to always check the hpi! N badger to c it.. I do trust the garage as the owner is a close family freind! I just hope all is sorted soon! They rencon they can get my car back to within 2weeks; onyl time can tell!

plus the car i took is the garage owner garage they tryed to fob me off with some clapped out 1.4 nissan almera or something like that, no chance! Dnt know if i should say the garages name as i dont want to shame them. bcos they do seem to be trying to do the right thing!

I think Dave has the right idea

Just hope you get it all in writing etc. - I have no idea whether or not you would be held responsible over the garage as it stands, I expect you could be unless you could prove they told you they did a HPI test etc. I assume it would all get very complicated etc.

Best of luck and it is a lesson for all.

Oh and 1.8, don't be so defensive about the company, they tried to save what, £15 is it (???) and have put your car at risk. Sadly they will know be massively out of pocket - i hope the person who sold on the car without owning it will be dealt with.

OK Paul, I see what you're saying but have to say that not disclosing the garage involved is the right thing to do given the circumstances as they are trying everything they can to put things right.

Granted, it looks like someone cut a corner on th HPI but the important thing to remember is that it was an individual who made that decision and not 'the garage' and therefore it would be wrong to shame the garage due to the actions of that employee.

@ 1.8 Stilo: keep us posted as to how things go - hopefully verything will work out in your favour.

Yes sorry, I also agree that the name shouldn't be brought up until the end outcome is known possibly.

The size of the garage too depends on whether the garage cut the corner or an employee if that makes sense. And also the reputation of a company is made only by its employees and service.

I just hope they keep their word. I am worried that won't...

you're contract is with the garage (although legally the bailift was correct in repossessing the car) and you do have legal redress against the garage on the grounds that the contract is void as they did not have legal title of the car but hopefully it won't go that far.

I read in Whatcar? once that there are various levels of HPI checks that can be bought by garages and it depends what level they have bought .The cheaper offerings often 'miss' things and it may be the case that they have bought an HPI check in good faith but it simply didn'y cover all the areas of risk. This has happened before.

If it is the case that the garage have bought the higher level one then they will have redress against the company who provided the check. Free insurance cover comes as part of the HPI package in the event HPI have made a mistake.

Hope this helps

cmc

What was the outcome?

dave is right 1.8 stilo. take the money and buy the car back from the finance company. they will be more than happy to sell it to you for a very good price. that way you should end up a few grand to the good. which is nice.

After talking to the repo guy ive found out that my car got taken from there lock up and delivered to the auction house on monday and is going to be auctioned either today or sometime wednesday; but that my car would be coming back to me on wednesday?! Well roll on wednesday... (fingers crossed & touching wood)