Need help quickly - car/HPI question to the masses

[old.user4556]

I know this should be a petrolhead topic, but it's open to the general masses.

A mate spotted a car on ebay (Audi A4 TDi 130, 2001 on a private plate, 46000 miles showing, silver/blue in colour) which was local, the price was brilliant for a private sale (estimated at ~£8800 for a trade in, price was £8995 buy it now).

The car was immaculate inside and out, not even breath marks on the paint, interior didn't even look sat in, alloys looked untouched, brake discs and tyres had acceptable wear on them. Infact, the paintwork was so good, it looked too good, like it had done 5000 miles; but I didn't want to piss on my mates parade by saying "looks just too good mate". Full Audi service history (three services), bought from an Audi dealer last July, V5 and MOT docs looked fine, remainder of Audi warranty until July - all looks fine?

Agreed on a price of £8800 and a paypal £200 deposit tonight to secure the car.

Got home, about to do the paypal to the bloke for the deposit when I suggested to my mate (just to be crystal clear and 100% sure it was kosher) to do an HPI check (there may have been outstanding finance, always ebb on safe side).

Well.... it turns out there is a mileage discrepancy recorded against the car. There is an entry by the DVLA that it has had in the past a recorded mileage of 270,000 miles and additionally the HPI identified that the VIN and the VRM (reg number) didn't match up. Futhermore, the bloke is leaving the country to live abroad and the price for the condition of the car is so good it had me worried before we even HPI'd it - he clearly stated it was "HPI Clear", what is clear is that he didn't HPI it himself as he would have noticed this. A further phonecall to him only got the response of "heh ... well it's news to me mate" - a bit short considering he was so friendly in person.

Being safe, we've pulled from the sale.

My questions are thus:

How can a car with "Audi approved this and that" have that sort of a mileage recorded against it? And why have Audi never picked up on it or mentioned it to the current owner

Can the mileage register have got it wrong? Clerical error somewhere?

Is the starship mileage of 207,000 miles actually an accumulation of all the mileages that personal plate has done on different cars?

If the VIN and VRM don't tie up, what can that mean?

Any help much appreciated.

 

[Trem]

All it takes is a mate who works at Audi.

If they have that they can do/get what the fuck they want for the car.

Close call that one G.

Edit : My current car has had a new private plate with each owner it seems, around 5 or so. My mileage is what it says on the clock and also all the plate changes showed up on the HPi report, it all tied in.

Basically if you aren't sure walk away, the guy saying "news to me mate" is a guy saying he knew something.

 

[old.user4556]

Thanks Trem,

The plate changes for this A4 also tied up fine, it was just the mileages that didn't tie up. The clock showed 46000 miles (and the log book with servicing indicated realistic miles) but the national mileage register check showed a mileage of 270,000. We had too many doubts, it was a beautiful and mint example - i'm gutted for my mate as he wanted it badly.

If he had stated up front about the HPI check showing a silly mileage and had a reasonable or valid explanation for it, then we'd have thought about it in more depth.

What I advised my mate was that if he tried to sell that car down the line, every wise person would HPI it and see the mileage and VIN/VRM problem and probably stay well clear of it.

In honesty, what got me was:

1) The car looked like it had done 5000-10000 miles if that... (my Clio 182 had more stone chips on the nose after 9000 miles!)
2) It was showing 46000 miles
3) The NMR had a recorded mileage of 207000 miles

Just too fishy.

Never get emotional about cars.

 

[Gumbo]

Never get emotional about cars.

I may have to sell my Lotus in order to pursue a business opportunity, I need a crying smilie...

On my works vrm lookup thingamie, personalised plates often lead to blatently wrong or missing bits information. However in this case you're absolutly right to walk away. Buyers market for cars at the moment.

 

[old.user4556]

HPI came back to us: that's the mileage recorded against that car, if we have sufficient proof they can add a note to say that the mileage is in dispute but they'll never be able to remove it or have it amended.

This car has something hidden in it's five year life and will continue to raise eyebrows to future buyers or indeed Audi dealers.

My mate has pulled the plug, plenty A4s out there.

 

[~Yuckfou~]

Can you say "ringer"? Stolen car, number plate off a "safe" car, forged Audi docs. I'm sure the local plod would be interested, actually they probably wouldn't unless he was doing 31 in a 30 zone.