BAD BUG
Every now and then we end up checking out a car for a roadworthy and have to deliver some bad news to the owner. And I’m not talking mechanical issues, but the identity of the car.
One recent example was a Volkswagen Beetle, of all things, where the numbers on the car didn’t match the paperwork, leaving the owner with a massive headache.
It’s likely it had been cut and shut at some stage, which is fine if it’s done right, and it’s critical the paper trail is complete. We eventually sorted it out, but it took months.
If you’re in the market there are some basic checks. First is a REVS check, which lets you know if the vehicle is reported stolen, or has a loan against it. In either case, you can fork over your money and still not own it. When it comes to theft, there are stories out there of cars which have been bought and sold a couple of times before someone has woken up and got the bad news.
Next step is a little more involved and means thoroughly checking the car’s ID before handing overas part of a crash repair or restoration. If they don’t match the rest of the car, and the change hasn’t been lodged with the local road authority, you could be in strife.
