kieronf
New Member
- Posts
- 223
- Location
- Holsworthy, Devon
A Range Rover/Land Rover etc is essentially a vehicle constructed in two parts - the chassis with running gear and the 'bolt-on' body. As is the nature of the vehicle, the majority of Rangie/Landy write-offs are as a result of serious body damage when the vehicle has rolled. In such cases the mechanicals are fine but nonethelesss the car is written off.
Unscrupulous types have for a long time been buying these salvage motors, simply lifting off the damaged body, stealing an identical colour/spec motor and using the body from it, to bolt back on the original damaged chassis. Once the plates etc have been replaced on the donor body, to all intents and purposes the car appears to have been 'repaired' and using the original V5 is returned to the market place either through auction or Ebay where anonimity rules.
What a good number of people don't know is that since the year dot, Land Rover have had the good sense to replicate the VIN/Chassis number on the actual body of the vehicle, a so-called 'secret number'.
So what to do if you are in doubt. First of all if your AA or HPI check reveals the car to be 'damaged repaired', ask to see receipts for the repairs and the purchase of the requisite parts.
Next, check for obvious signs that the body has been replaced such as signs of activity at the body mounting points. Check also for dating features such as glass, some plastics even the battery can sometimes show a date.
The most obvious thing to look for is at the repair site. However good the repairs might be, if there is absolutely no sign of repair activity then there is a good likelyhood that no repairs have been completed, rather the whole body has been 'lifted'.
If you are still undecided and you have the chance to get it to a dealer then do so, they know where the 'secret number' is and can check in a flash for a few quid.
One thing to remember - if ever you buy something that turns out later to have been stolen, you will lose it, at the very least you will have to buy it back all over again from the insurance - on top of what you already paid.
If in doubt - walk away. If the car is obviously a wrong-un then phone plod and save someone else the same hassle
Hope this helps
Unscrupulous types have for a long time been buying these salvage motors, simply lifting off the damaged body, stealing an identical colour/spec motor and using the body from it, to bolt back on the original damaged chassis. Once the plates etc have been replaced on the donor body, to all intents and purposes the car appears to have been 'repaired' and using the original V5 is returned to the market place either through auction or Ebay where anonimity rules.
What a good number of people don't know is that since the year dot, Land Rover have had the good sense to replicate the VIN/Chassis number on the actual body of the vehicle, a so-called 'secret number'.
So what to do if you are in doubt. First of all if your AA or HPI check reveals the car to be 'damaged repaired', ask to see receipts for the repairs and the purchase of the requisite parts.
Next, check for obvious signs that the body has been replaced such as signs of activity at the body mounting points. Check also for dating features such as glass, some plastics even the battery can sometimes show a date.
The most obvious thing to look for is at the repair site. However good the repairs might be, if there is absolutely no sign of repair activity then there is a good likelyhood that no repairs have been completed, rather the whole body has been 'lifted'.
If you are still undecided and you have the chance to get it to a dealer then do so, they know where the 'secret number' is and can check in a flash for a few quid.
One thing to remember - if ever you buy something that turns out later to have been stolen, you will lose it, at the very least you will have to buy it back all over again from the insurance - on top of what you already paid.
If in doubt - walk away. If the car is obviously a wrong-un then phone plod and save someone else the same hassle
Hope this helps
