My SL60 AMG has been nicked

[COUPE FREAK]

I just phoned Universal Salvage.
Unrecorded is a little misleading.
They are recorded on HPI but not with any category (if that makes sense?).

so any car thats been stolen/recovered,, damaged or not,, will be on the hpi data base,, even if there's nothing on the log-book,,

 

[Shude]

so any car thats been stolen/recovered,, damaged or not,, will be on the hpi data base,, even if there's nothing on the log-book,,

Not always true.

I had a car stolen and I didn't inform the insurance company. It was found a few days later by the police and I had my breakdown company recover it for me, to be towed to a local garage. I had the steering column/lock, cowling, locks, ignition etc replaced at my own expense and AFAIK there is no evidence of these events in the logbook or HPI or anywhere. Technically my car was stolen/recovered but who would know that?

 

[newbie]

so Nick - am i right in thinking that your insurance didnt pay out or make you an offer even after 8 months???

 

[Shude]

so Nick - am i right in thinking that your insurance didnt pay out or make you an offer even after 8 months???

Yeah they paid out and he bought a new car, just like the old one!

 

[COUPE FREAK]

Not always true.

I had a car stolen and I didn't inform the insurance company. It was found a few days later by the police and I had my breakdown company recover it for me, to be towed to a local garage. I had the steering column/lock, cowling, locks, ignition etc replaced at my own expense and AFAIK there is no evidence of these events in the logbook or HPI or anywhere. Technically my car was stolen/recovered but who would know that?

so really,, you dont know what you're buying,, with a second-hand car,, it's just pot-luck,,

 

[Shude]

so really,, you dont know what you're buying,, with a second-hand car,, it's just pot-luck,,

If I drive my own car into a wall (or roll it down a hill which for me is more likely) and then pay for all the repairs out of my own pocket, it has no salvage category or HPI recording etc - it is clean and straight as far as any paperwork is concerned.

 

[janner]

As with most things .... caveat emptor

 

[COUPE FREAK]

As with most things .... caveat emptor

yes,, all you can do really is use your eyes and ears,, ask questions,, then go on your intuition,, and hope for the best,, as has been stated,, paperwork is'nt the be-all and end-all when buying a second-hand car,,

 

[Dieselman]

Where did all these come from then?
http://www.universal-salvage.com/titles/sr_wootton.htm
http://www.universal-salvage.com/titles/sr_chester.htm
http://www.universal-salvage.com/titles/sr_sandwich.htm

The answer is on the Universal Auction site.

First clue was that you looked in "stolen recovered" section, secondly it clearly states in the text " A category ‘D’ stolen and recovered vehicle is one that has been stolen and the claim for loss has been settled by the insurance company prior to it’s recovery."

I'm sorry but I don't know how to make this more clear.

Every car where an insurance company pays out for a total loss is recorded on the insurance database.
In addition YOU have to legally declare that to any prospective purchaser of the vehicle, as it will affect resale value.

 

[Koolvin]

(or roll it down a hill which for me is more likely) QUOTE]


hmmmm..... hope your not sore still! you got a much nicer 202 now

 

[janner]

The answer is on the Universal Auction site.
........
I'm sorry but I don't know how to make this more clear.

What it actually says is...
"Vehicles may be HPI clear or recorded as a category 'D', this will be indicated in the vehicle description."
Every vehicle in the Stolen/recovered section is 'UNREC' in the description. None are shown as CAT D.

 

[nickg]

Just got a call from the garage who have my car. It sounds like its is pretty much untouched inside and out and in unusually good condition for a stolen recovered. They have not tested it mechanically in any way.
It has done around 6k miles since it was nicked and still has the satnav stereo, cd changer, wind deflector and A-Z in it.
Lets assume that if it had not been stolen it could be privately sold now for £20K - how much realistically could one get for this one sold privately as a stolen recovered vehicle? £10K? Less?

I am in a unique position in that I still have all the original docs for the car including service book etc (I think). Theoretically I could buy it back really cheap (subject to inspection etc) and keep it long term, and sell my current car and pocket the cash difference.
If auctioned I can't see the ins co getting more than £7-8k max, or could it fetch more than that?

 

[glojo]

Just got a call from the garage who have my car. It sounds like its is pretty much untouched inside and out and in unusually good condition for a stolen recovered. They have not tested it mechanically in any way.
It has done around 6k miles since it was nicked and still has the satnav stereo, cd changer, wind deflector and A-Z in it.
Lets assume that if it had not been stolen it could be privately sold now for £20K - how much realistically could one get for this one sold privately as a stolen recovered vehicle? £10K? Less?

I am in a unique position in that I still have all the original docs for the car including service book etc (I think). Theoretically I could buy it back really cheap (subject to inspection etc) and keep it long term, and sell my current car and pocket the cash difference.
If auctioned I can't see the ins co getting more than £7-8k max, or could it fetch more than that?

Now your thinking.
If you have the spare time then I would make the calls. They may well decide not to give you the option, but if you don't ask; you will never know. I would DEFINITELY chase it up.

The documentation certainly adds value, the same way that missing documentation takes the value away.

I would even consider buying it off the Salvage company, but that is very much a personal decision. It sounds like it has not been treated any worse than a dealers demonstration fleet

John the optimist

 

[Seamster15]

Good luck with your investigation Nick,
It would be fantastic for you to end up the winner in this story.

Simon

 

[BTB 500]

sounds like its is pretty much untouched inside and out

Any idea how they defeated the locks/alarm/immobiliser when thery nicked it?

 

[janner]

If it's worth £20k then it will probably make £15-£20k at a salvage auction. It's a myth that stolen recovered cars can be had for next to nothing.
If I were you I would try to buy it off the insurance co. or ask them which salvage firm is handling the sale.
Buy it back, add the service history and sell it on. Your name will almost certainly still be on the V5.
You may be lucky and get it cheap at auction because no-one will know what it is. Some people will run a mile when they open the bonnet expecting to see a V12

Alternatively, go to the auction, see who buys it and sell them all the paperwork for a grand

 

[nickg]

by breaking into my house and nicking the keys!!!

I am chasing this up and have called the insurance company and asked them to keep me informed.
I was fortunate because the garage that have it did not know that they should have been speaking to the ins co rather than me. So the guy walked around the car and gave me a verbal description of its condition in and out over the phone. It sounds fine but will need a thorough mechanical exam.
I then called the ins co and told them where it was! Even gave them the phone number of the garage.
The ins co (actually a company called The Claims Service who manage claims on behalf of several ins cos) say they will want to have it inspected by an engineer before they can tell me what they intend to do, but will let me know.

Plan A is to buy it back for a song and sell my replacement car (good timing for Spring!!). If all goes well............there is a long way to go though and I would be taking a bit of a risk buying a car that would be very difficult to sell on if I wanted/needed to down the line and at risk that it breaks in a big way due to unseen damage - gearbox and suspension comes to mind!

All seems a bit bizarre at the moment to be honest.

 

[nickg]

If it's worth £20k then it will probably make £15-£20k at a salvage auction. It's a myth that stolen recovered cars can be had for next to nothing.
If I were you I would try to buy it off the insurance co. or ask them which salvage firm is handling the sale.
Buy it back, add the service history and sell it on. Your name will almost certainly still be on the V5.
You may be lucky and get it cheap at auction because no-one will know what it is. Some people will run a mile when they open the bonnet expecting to see a V12

Alternatively, go to the auction, see who buys it and sell them all the paperwork for a grand

I would definitely pay nowhere near £15K for it.

 

[janner]

This Audi is just about to sell at Universal for £12,500 + buyers premium.

For offers on £13995 (say £13000 cash) you could have this with FSH no damage to wing and bumpers. Not much of a saving considering you can't even test drive the auction one.

 

[nickg]

Well, I have nothing to lose. I never expected to get the car back anyway.

If someone is prepared to pay only slightly less than normal "retail" for my stolen car then a) jolly good luck to them and b) I'd be very surprised.

Janner, I bow to your obvious greater knowledge of this market but I would expect there to be a greater differential between normal trade price and insurance auction price for an SL60 versus a "bog standard" Audi A3.

I shall, if given the opportunity, offer buttons for the car, and if my offer is rejected then so be it.