Vanlife Nightmare! We Got Scammed
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- Опубліковано 18 вер 2024
- Vanlife Nightmare! We Got Scammed
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This vanlife vlog didn't go to plan. After buying a camper van last week, we listened to the comments telling us to take it to a mechanic. After going, we found out the van should have been condemned and it had illegally
been declared roadworthy when it passed its MOT. It was a death trap and this video we try (and succeed) in getting a refund.
Hopefully, this video shows how to buy a camper van safely. We would now always recommend going to a mechanic before you buy it, even if it comes with a service and MOT.
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Why did these idiots drive it back? Why not look under the van BEFORE you bought it? Did you report them?
All answered here ua-cam.com/video/5sbggrEKNCA/v-deo.html
Love your honest emotions, good vibes. I'll be definitely get my next car checked out pre purchase.
Sorry, but maybe I missed it but .... did you get your money back?
@Alex If you know absolutely nothing, why are you giving "advice?" Making payments leaves your car in the hands of the financier. Running into the misfortune of a layoff or health crisis and you lose your car. After I had my Prius repoed because the payments and insurance were too high, I bought a 30-y.o. van for $1300 that runs fine, and no one will take that away from me rain or shine.
@Alex bore off Alex 💤
@Alex yeah then lose £1000's in depreciation and it goin back to the Stealers for months with "teething problems" mostly electrical, modern cars and vans are electronic plastic shite.
There is absolutely ZERO possibility that the car dealer didn't know about the condition of the car.
X112PNW
Date tested
9 January 2021
PASS
Mileage
171,030 miles
MOT test number
2132 4790 8309
Agree,they had it sprayed to get max profit,so must have sun the underside,it’s even reported on previous mots which I posted in an earlier comment
He's sold quite a few cheap runners I know of - some were good most were bad
'Old age and treachery will triumph over youth and enthusiasm.'
@@oyajiblues
They're saying the car is good... The car isn't.
It's been miss sold with is against consumer law.
Getting your money back is not the end of this.
Report the dealer and MOT station before they kill a family!
Don't leave that on your conscience.
No no no...do not believe this type of excuse Come on wake up! If they MOT it... this a photocopy MOT certificate report them to the police.
It's an expensive option but the best way to avoid this type of thing in the future is once you've set your heart on a vehicle have view by the AA or RAC I once paid the RAC to carry out a full history check... I believe it was called although it was many years ago I had this done..
At the time it cost me £ 70 and for you get everything for you.. eg is it stolen, has it any outstanding finance on it. If it does & your buying privately then I suggest you call the finance company directly & pay it off, should you decide to go ahead & buy the vehicle otherwise you could end up being pulled over by the police several months later for the police to tell you the finance company has reported the vehicle stolen if this happens to you
because you haven't done your due diligence the police take the vehicle from you there & then. You guys would be left standing by the side of the road with no vehicle to your name!
So please avoid that mayor mistake.. Also with the RAC full history report they will inform you if the vehicle every been in a accident before.. if so has it been written off or just a bump & it will ascess currently road worthiness eg does it have a genuine M.O.T certificate
so a family is more important then a normal human being?
Right
They could of killed them. If that was me I would of beat the shit out of whoever sold it to me.
The time to have it independently inspected is *before* you pay for it and sign the papers, though. If the seller has a problem with you doing that, walk away.
^^^^ THIS ^^^^ I have bought several vehicles Sight Unseen one with 10K the other with 67K...500-600 miles away... I called a local mechanic, paid the money for them to do a once over inspection... Not a complete take the wheels off type...But I expect that buying a vehicle with 10,000 miles will not need much, and KNOW that one with 67K will likely need Brakes/Belt/and Tires and other routine "crap" at that age...as I have owned many from new, you get a feel for what mileage things need maint... But I wanted the mechanic to look at and take pics of the Body/Frame for damages and look at Fluids (Nasty ATF says a tranny may be needed $$$$) and look for leaks... it cost $100-$200 for an hour or so of his time, *ANY Good Mechanic worth his salt will do this, its EZ Money and he doesn't need any special tools, just a phone camera, cardboard, a flashlight and paper towels!* ...But it beats driving 12hrs to find a turd on the lot and drive 12hrs back home empty handed and pissed off... The independent mechanic has no reason to lie to you, and he isn't going to try to sell you services, you aren't local to him, unless he sees something terribly wrong and at that point you'll likely NOT buy the vehicle anyway. (I was a pretty decent Tool Twister myself, Long Ago, I have done literally 100's of these "Quick-N-Easy" inspections on lower mileage cars...On a "Higher Mileage Car" - you want a thorough inspection, which costs more...)
I have just made the mistake of buying a vehicle before getting it checked. Think we may have lost 10-15k as a result. That’s a mistake I won’t be making in the future.
Absolutely. Whomever buys a "death trap" surely should blame themselves.
Exactly what I said!
The vehicle passed an MOT, which is the main inspection in the UK. The van clearly isn't up to MOT spec due to the rust and corrosion, which means that the garage who issued the MOT isn't doing their job properly.
You two are adorable! I love how through out this whole unfortunate situation you’re both still laughing & still want to pass along valuable information for ... Thank you
Lesson learned: do a third party inspection BEFORE purchasing. Make it a condition of sale. The seller can take it to your mechanic.
This! And don’t put money down without a contract (that would’ve helped with the apartment scam too).
Tbh it is pretty dumb not to do this beforehand or even consider it....
The fact he took it back so easy shows he knew and doesn’t want to bring attention to the mot garage.
As a retired motortrader with 40 years experience my advice to you is as follows:
1/ Don't look at VW vans, they have cult status and are always vastly overpriced. Your budget will only ever buy a poor quality VW. Instead look at Renault Traffic or Master, your budget will buy a much much better quality van than a VW for the same money.
2/ You have built a relationship with Worle Garage so make sure they check your next van out first. Even better ask them if they would locate and supply one for you.
3/ As a dealer my reputation meant the world to me. Scammers such as the retailer that sold you the van, and the MOT station that passed the vehicle as roadworthy when clearly it was far from it, damage the reputation of the whole motor trade. I ask you to report both garages to trading standards, they must not be allowed to continue ripping people off.
Finally don't give up, your dream van is out there waiting for you to find it 👍
Listen to this guy
Good advice
Dead right about the vw cult status.... I was a little suspicious of the new colour scheme.
This is so right. We bought a master to convert. Absolutely fab van. Immaculate condition. Bought privately. We did look at VW but their prices are ridiculous. And most of them had problems.
I also love the way you handled yourselves. I would have exploded in front of them. Your humour is priceless and their feeble excuses, read big liars is incredible. Again all the best to you guys
To me it is ridiculous their feeble reaction. They don't have the balls
He knew exactly what the van was like because he didn’t put up any fight.You should report the dealer and the mot testing station .
It would be criminal not to report them immediately, that van will be going to another couple like you otherwise..
Oh, without a doubt! Probably already sold it again?
Yep I would not want it on my conscience. Not only that there are probably other death traps passed as well.
Please report both the MOT and this car dealer. In addition, write reviews. I have a feeling this is NOT the first unsafe car this used car dealer has sold! Happy you got your money, and thankful you two were not seriously injured in a crash! Buy from a large reputable dealer, check their reviews and YES always have your garage look at the vehicle first. Your new van is just waiting for you to find him/ her...😊~Cara
Being scammed is so awful. Thanks for sharing your story it may help someone else!
THE BOTTOM HALF RE SPRAY IN BLACK SHOULD HAVE WARNED YOU .
not them :)
100% What I would say it is a classic trick to use .Others are thick underseal ,swimming pool paint and go faster stripes ...........All good fun until it happens to you.
Fair play you guys for being so humble. Tough learning curve for you there, but putting this video up could be an education to many.
The best way to avoid others from falling for this is to report the MOT service!
I certainly agree 👍
They'd have to report the dealer first, and then the MOT station. And they really ought to so it.
I bet the MOT was faked, some crooks will go far to rob you blind
@@thefreedomguyuk Local Trading Standards and VOSA would have a field day with those two pairs of idiots. No doubt it's an arrangement that been going on for some time. Large fines and shut them down.
Did you actuslly check with the MOT office IF it was a legit MOT cett? Or a fraud?
Definitely get a car individually checked out as well.
We’re just starting the journey of buying a camper and seeing this has helped tremendously. Even though for many years I worked for a company that checked over vehicles for insurance claims it never crossed our minds to get any van we are interested in checked over we will now. We are planning on spending a fortune on the van so thank you for your video. Hope you found another one x
Knowing very little about cars, when I am buying one I assume that I am being ripped off from the get go. I just bought a camper van last week, it was a Sunday afternoon... I found a mobile mechanic and had him meet me and the seller in the grocery store parking lot. He went over the entire vehicle and ran a computer analysis of the engine before I made an offer! If the person you are buying from does NOT want you to take it to your own mechanic... RUN FAST AND RUN FAR!
My dad always taught me if your not confident in checking something then get someone who is competent before you part with your money.
Indeed. Nothing wrong with having someone else inspect a vehicle. We all have our own aptitudes and if auto mechanics is not one of them there is nothing wrong with that. Not everyone's a brain surgeon either. lol
@@jerrys.1910 RAC ? AA?
As an ex-dealer myself. You are correct: They knew exactly what they were selling! When dealers buy cars to sell, they crawl all over them, because they know what they’re looking at/for... I can spot a painted panel from metres away for example.
Exactly, same with any decent salesperson, no matter what the product is. The salesman is full of shut, he knows the state of it. Wouldn’t be surprised if the garage that passed the mot didn’t even look at the van.
@@stephenpeacock2627 Exactly, I worked as a storekeeper at a VW dealership, I used to maintain my golf. The little garage / mot tester behind my flat asked me why the Scirocco in for test the rear brakes are not working. I explained how the fitted load proportioning valve worked. Some months later they wrote me an mot without my car entering the garage as they new I took care of my car.
Same here , they must be bunging the mot garage , i would rather buy a car off arfa daily
I am a mechanic and before you put any money down ask the dealer if you can get a independent MOT. Watch for there response and you will know right there and then if they are reputable or honest!
So glad everything worked out for you but lesson learned. Happy camping guys😊
I seriously considered 4 or 5 vans before I finally bought. I'm not going to name them, but each time I used an excellent company that provides a pre-purchase inspection service. Cost £££ a time but saved me from buying a death trap (had one too that should never have passed MOT) and meant that when I finally did buy, I had already had it checked, seen a video of it being inspected and had absolute confidence. It meant flying from London to Aberdeen to pick it up, but the drive back home was an absolute memory-maker.
The car salesman is lying and probably has an inspector in their pocket to pass cars that shouldn’t.
A lot of dealerships have an attached garage. So many bullshit MOT passes occur this way. Usually with a clean sweep.
yeah always take it to an independent MOT place like the ones that mot the police /ambulance/etc cars. they also offer mot to the public. they only fail what is actually bad and they dont "skip" stuff.
If these too had any sense they would of copied all the mots & service records & current mot & had a full car inspection from a recommended garage with full reports & photos ectra then take the dodge mot guy to cleaners there dvla/Vosa that wasn’t just a dodge no cat on exhaust system jobby or a bald tyre it was rotten as & full of bodges top to bottom..
Based on the footage of the rotted, rusted frame underneath I would say you're absolutely correct.
I’ve bought motorcycles on e bay that had very recent MOTs. Once I start checking them out I find things that wore out( swingarm bearings & similar) way back. I buy them to rebuild them anyway so it’s not been a problem for me, but there are definitely bent garages issuing the certificates. Report the test centre ASAP. The audit they get puts the fear of god up them !
The dealer was breaking the law, he needs to be reported.
Awww the dealer was breaking the law. Well boo frickity hoo! And what law is that. You don't know...do ya. Nikki H you sound naive!
@@dukeallen6562 Are you a car dealer yourself by any chance ?
@@MrBarrsy68 No I am not a car dealer. When I was 16 however I saved up to buy my first car and I climbed all over it before buying it. My frustration is these young people go skipping through life chasing unicorns and when the here the Santa Claus is not real they Blame everything else except themselves. The law is not protecting them from themselves. All they know is what they see...they want.
@@dukeallen6562 You really sound like a scammer to me , blaming the victim for getting scammed.....
@@randyrederson4860 Likely anyone who has a contrary view other than yours would be a scammer. Scamming who...YOU? Yes I am blaming the victim. Whom would get "put together" by faking a smile, or getting suckered by a carnie or pitch man. Ya, that would be a victim. The point here is don't go crying to the world ie: utube. that your an idiot, and you want to benefit from views and sympathy from subscribers just cause your naive. Ever van life wouldn't advise purchasing an old beater with out crawling underneath. "Caveat Emptor" Buyer Beware. See even ancient Greece knew that.
Funniest part is that an MOT station has absolutely no incentive to pass a car with faults, there's nothing to gain but lots to lose so the only way that got an MOT was if the dealers paid a backhander to the MOT tester.
Always report bent MOTs because unroadworthy vehicles can cause death on the road, it's your duty to report it.
Guaranteed backhander. This happened to me.
Makes me wonder if they purchased it without a proper inspection, so they try to get rid of it and screw someone over.
You hit the nail on the head with everything you said
@@willdrivesu7914 no they took it back to the second hand car showroom where they brought it from. They didn’t try & palm it off to anyone. You comment is crap & disrespectful to the couple
@@traciforsythe4362, you’ve misunderstood, ‘WilldrivesU’ meant he wondered if the car salesmen didn’t get it checked and therefore palmed it off (not the people who made the video)
It's unbelievable how some people can lie so much that they don't even know when they're lying! Well done for getting it sorted and getting the refund 👍😊
Can you please confirm that you have reported this garage to the authorities and shown them this video.... I feel you have a civic duty to report them... And avoid a potential death in the future... This is important.
We know. We have kept their name out of this video as we know it's serious and don't want to jeopardize any future investigation...
Thank you
DVLA look up the reg number, look up the MOT, get the place....
Cowered
I’d also report the seller, so he doesn’t try to sell it again, to someone else. It’s basic fraud.
Thanks for being up front about what happened to you. I love how you dealt it with such good humour and your openness.
They did good to take a break and reevaluate their lives.
Guys that card dealer has a relationship set up with the MOT to pass their less than quality vehicles. They must pay them off. This is corrupt left and right
That’s almost certain to be the case, there’s no legitimate benefit for an MOT centre to pass or fail a vehicle, the get paid either way...the dealer is clearly giving them extra to overlook things.
Thank sherlock 🤣
For sure the MOT place and the dealer are good mates.
Absolutely
I just realized, I bet BOTH the MOT center and the dealership are owned by the same people. It makes scams so much easier to pull of that way.
It's sad there are crooks around that are in it just for a buck. I'm glad you are safe. Videos like this are good to remind people of the bad people out there. I got scammed myself.
If I was the garage who found the faults, I would advise to get it towed back to the seller; invoice the seller for the towing charge ; compensate for the inconvenience and also for putting the customer in danger. They should have been named; shamed and reported .
I’m quite surprised the garage that checked it allowed them to drive it away, if anything had happened it could have been an expensive mistake on their part
The Mot center must be in on the scam with the garage. Report them both to stop them doing it to anyone else
First mistake? Falling for the overpriced VW cult thing....
it's hard to resist....some are born into the addiction and it has a heavy genetic component (2 uncles, 1 grandfather, and my dad)...my mom said, I can understand the beetles, but why, why a bus ? Other than I like them, I had no answer...
Rust buckets - even(especially)the new ones!
Get yourself a Nissan elgrand. Eat any VW for breakfast. Engines don't blow up and they are sensible prices, not the hyped up vw prices.
😁😁
Buy a Hymer!
Two gorgeous people. I wish you a scam-free life of fun and adventure xxx
I think I would have had it towed back instead of driving it after seeing how bad it was.
I agree, driving it back was a huge risk
Me too.
I would have hired a flat truck and charged the dealer ship
I got caught out 20 years ago when a mot station close to an auction lot did a dodgy deal. Like you I took it to a know strict mot station and had a fail certificate as long as my arm. I reported it to the VCA (vehicle certification agency) who sent an inspector round to examine it. The mot centre refunded me but still had their mot authority removed from both the mechanic and the garage by the VCA, it closed down a month later. Mechanics have a legal duty to ensure any inspected car is roadworthy which is why most take their duties seriously. If you were killed and the mot was found to be fraudulent, the mechanics going to jail!
Unless something happens the moment you drive away, it's unlikely to be provable.
I can't belive you drove it back to the dealership. Very brave of you guys.
3:15 - should NEVER have rung the dealer. Just shown up with the van and the report - SURPRISE !!
Brave. Really. I'd have driven it and if they wouldn't refund ram raided the office with them in it.
They got found out, garages work with m o t???. A lot of them know someone passing tests.
I was about to say the same thing! Crazy!
Not brave but foolish. Could have ended up killing somebody else apart from them.
“It is what it is at the end of the day.” Profound words.
Always take a trusted mechanic when buying a vehicle.
On top of everything else, the steering wheel is on the wrong side. How could you not see that?
They're in England. The wheel is on the right side. Passenger seat on the left in England.
🤣
@@nope2075 you are no fun and more then likely a HUGE BORE at parties and in life in general.
sir what
@@nope2075 *woosh*
infact, if this is genuine, you should name and shame the MOT center.
Just wondering why you drove the van back after finding out it's 'a death trap' and 'unsafe to drive'? It's the dealership's responsibility to collect it. Apart from your safety and that of others on the road, you've made it easy for them.
That's a very good point,I wouldn't have moved it 1inch,ring up the crooks ERM pardon car dealership to get the lump of lumber lifted,that dealership and MOT garage are working together to scam innocent punters out of their hard earned money,you can bet your bottom dollar they're still working in partnership to the present day,and trust me this has happened before,all that suit about having a not very nice conversation with them is all pillow talk and they're still selling people deathtraps,karma shall prevail.....scumbags
Aint been to a mot centre thats a snide mot!
Two words. Due Diligence. That much rust...I'm speechless.
We just started bus life and got scammed out of $4000 in prepaid rent at a DIY build site. I hate getting scammed! So glad you guys were able to return the van, it was so cute, such a shame.
You’ve only got to look at the MOT history online and you can see it’s an absolute pile of stink. Failed MOT every year since 2013 then miraculously passed at another station. Whoever passed that needs their licence revoking.
Agreed! Shut them down
LOL...
If they have the v5 or a photo of it they can get the location the van was tested at and shut the garage down though reporting it
The tester if he signed that mot should be jailed.
Thats the only reason they gave them their money back so easy , they new exactly what the van was like
Your girlfriend did bloody well on the other hand after I got my refund I would have reported them to the police and trading standard for trying to kill me
I used to be a car salesman. I was honest and professional. I left the industry because everyone basically thought I was a thief, and even a few said as much to me. The reality is, guys like this are always gonna be out there. I’m so glad you got your money back, you were lucky.
John mcdonald how they got a refund so smoothly was a real result. That was pretty shocking!!
In the States, there are no returns...You bought it, you own it. Paperwork that comes with the car says you did your due diligence prior to purchase. Case Closed.
@@Zealor365 WRONG! I just got my money back on a as-is 2003 Honda Pilot because the dealer misrepresented it. And this was a Toyota Dealership.
A couple days sure if bad but a week nope AS IS stickers in USA cure returns.
Good to hear in your other video that you got your money back. I think this video was also a really important call-out of dodgy traders, you guys did well!
Pay a mechanic to go with you to check it out before you commit to buying.
I've done that in the past with cars and it makes a HUGE difference.
Pin this to the top. It's so obvious but people prefer to safe a couple of bucks instead of being safe. I wouldn't buy a house without an expert review, why doing it different with a car?
This is very good advice
I've been doing this and it can become very expensive. I now have enough of an idea to do the initial checks myself. Like the other commenter, arm yourself with knowledge via the web (or a friendly mechanic) and check the vehicle out yourself, and ask questions (for example):
- what's the service history, and when was the last service?
- Has this vehicle ever been in accident?
- What did the vehicle have to have fixed to pass the roadworthy? (If they say "nothing" be suspicious!)
You can also use your phone camera to take photos of the undercarriage and have a quick look for rust and oil leaks.
Don't be duped. Even if you love the vehicle, any degree of 'hmm, this doesn't feel right' should make you walk away.
And always, always, get an independent mechanic check before you purchase!!
They were not scammed, they were somewhere between naive and stupid.
His waffling was just painful! 😂 I’ve just been shouting at my phone.... “give them back their f**king money!” Jeez. Hats kid to you both for staying that calm. Glad you got it all sorted, wish you luck in future.
It's unfortunate that this happened, but I love your positive attitudes and the way you handled it. I'm also so happy that you're calling it what it is...a scam! All of these people need to be put out of business because they have no regard for human life. Literally, lives could have been lost and they had to know that was a possible outcome of their dishonesty. So sad!
1.When checking a car/van press on the sills for weakness and visually check for rot or cover up,
2.Feel the discs if ridged then they getting ready for new discs and probably pads
3. Compare the mot if recently done with what you can see if it saying disc and pads all good but you can feel a few mm ridge on the disc more than lightly it been passed on a friend bases and now look harder for things wrong.
4. Check all electrics windows lights etc
5. If it has cam belt look for sticker or markings to state when changed or a receipt if they saying it been done recently.
6.brake pipes look for grease or paint if so see if mentioned in mot
7.always make sure the engine cold when you first start it, if its already been warmed up before you get there to view walk away!!!!
8. Hand over exhaust and get friend partner etc to rev it once engine warm see if it leaves your hand black (petrol car) if so mostly likely using oil
9.if abs traction control light on together this could mean a bigger bill than a sensor and be the abs braking unit
10. When test driving have all windows up and radio off this make it easier to hear for knocks etc
11. If air bag light on and it recently been mot'd more chance of a dodgy mot
Thanks for sharing your knowledge. I appreciate people like you! Thank you.
If you don’t report this to the DVLA it will result in a tragedy.
thats the most rotten underbody ive seen since the 1980's.
A lot of these van conversion DIYers seem to be great at glueing tongue and groove but pay no attention to the chassis or mechanical side of things. These a hippy type couple on here who do up the cheapest MOT scrape through or paid for rust buckets. Beyond the van I think they are you wanna look them up for a laugh
all you can expect it's a VW which don't do to well in UK CLIMATE.
We have had this problem you should have reported the mot station that mot’d the van to vosa, these rogue stations need to be shut down, it was clearly a dodgy mot and the dealer and mot station were in business together.
It’s usually the nicest, sweetest, honest people that get scammed. These folks are a perfect examples. I was scammed on my Toyota Tacoma by a friend. Head gasket was blown and he knew. Bought it for 7k, decided to keep it and 6k and a new engine later I’ve still got it
buy from a reputable dealer and always have an independent mechanic to check it out before buying.
They said they checked the reputation, though. The source of their reference is clearly suspect. Best wishes
A reputable dealer ,?even main dealers seem to sell shit these days .
My grandfather told me something when I was quite young and I’ve lived by it all my life, I’m 57 now and it’s never let me down. Here it is “If they have a hole in their arse, then don’t trust them. Make them earn your trust”. When ever you need to trust someone, say those words to yourself and listen. It will never let you down, I pray 🙏 you have safe travels for the future. 💋
Love this! It sounds something like my dad would have said.
Report them to trading standards and Report the mot station to vosa, that should never happen again.
They will sell that van to someone else.
They do want reporting to trading standards this lot sound like cowboys..
Definitely file a report to VOSA about the bent MOT with details.
Damn right report them. They will sell that to someone else. They got caught headlong and shit themselves for a minute. But sadly that van will end up in someone else’s hands who takes the garages word that “it is van of the week and is in immaculate condition.”
Arseholes. I hate garages like these. Burn them down.
Guys, take someone with you who knows about vehicles and what to check. I am one of these Vehicle nuts that is asked regularly by friends and friends of friends if I would go and check a vehicle for them before they buy. Another massive tip, buy private! If you had bought the VW van off a fellow van nut it would definitely been spot on.
Moral of the story: Get your car checked by a mechanic.
BEFORE YOU SIGN ANYTHING ffs.
Or bring a mechanic
so glad I am the son of an engineer (here is the states, that means someone with a college degree in engineering) and I didn't grow up this naive about mechanical things.
Sorry to hear about your bad experience. I was worried when I watched you drive the van back to the dealer -- as it is a death-trap. Bad car dealers know more tricks than private dealers. Having said that, I wouldn't know which is a good dealer and which is bad. I hope you get your full refund (no admin fees)!
I had a green VW T4 which I used for camping, but mine was in perfect condition as I bought it new in 2002... something to consider, mine had a single rear door that swung up, when it rains you can stand or sit (or cook) under it and be dry. By adding curtains to the upswung door you can even turn it into a little tent for some extra room.
My van significantly changed my life. Because of it I discovered Switzerland, and emigrated there in 2004. Just based on the Swiss salaries the van, though expensive, repaid itself 10 fold.
wow!! i live in america and it gives me so much hope to hear there are countries where you cannot be sold a car that's unsafe to drive. I have bought 4 vehicles in my life and every one of them was unsafe to drive within 2 weeks. its standard practice here for used cars.
I absolutely needed to see this. Thank you, I will forever be more cautious even here in the states knowing how unscrupulous used car dealerships can be.
Especially in the US! Most used car lots are scam artists!!
Omg yes. US used car salesmen have no morals and lie non stop then laugh at there scammed customers after scamming them. I briefly dated one. He was a absolute nightmare. But I saw the side of car sales that taught me a major lesson. He also stole my social security # somehow and sold himself a very expensive car in my name as if I was a customer of his....without my knowledge. Signed My name on the loan and all.
Then when he missed a few payments and they came after me I found out.....thankfully he mis spelled my name on every signature. Lol and after about 9 months of fighting with everyone and involving the police I got out of owning the money. Never trust a used car Salesman.
Here's the real lesson... YOU'RE TOO NICE!!! It's like a red rag to a bull, and to coin another: they seen you coming.
The black paint on the lower half was a massive red flag.
Just a few things from someone who used to resore cars. When looking at a used vehicle I always take the following things with me. A head lamp, a metal pick, a magnet, plastic bag, and one of the small cameras on a tube to look down in all the tight spots. When you get there tell them you are going to look it over. I use the magnet everywhere with the plastic baggie under it so it does not mar the paint. When there is a large amount of filler the magnet will not stick. The baggie you can put your hand in and slide it across the car and feel imperfections. On the underside poke at the frame rails if it goes through anywhere you are done. Also poke through the carpet and see if you feel crustiness. everything comes out of the trunk when you look the rear seat comes up, and yes crawl under the car. Bring jack stands and a jack for that part. Look at all hoses and any rubber or seals you can see.
When I saw your van a big red flag came up right away that was the fresh paint on the outside. I can gauruntee that if you looked at the body pannels they were filled with filler and rusted out. The van had structural components rusted through underneath and that greatly affects the vehicles ability to hold up in an accident. Take a basic mantenance course if you know nothing about cars and before money changes hands have a mechanic you trust look at the vehicle if you do not have a mechanic take it to 2 shops minimum and if they say do not buy it have them show you why on the car. DId I buy cars with sever rust sure, but they were stripped down fixed correctly with the repairs documented and not put on the road until the restoration was complete.
Some states here in the US have yearly inspections as well.
Vanlife in a VW, Brighton apartment, beanie hats, lol this wasn't easy to see coming.
Not everyone knows cars or what to look for. This is exactly why you should get a professional to help and check it before you buy.
The moment the dealer said “The van’s got character” the 1st thing that popped into my head was “beautiful plumage” from Monty Python’s parrot sketch.
The character he had in mind was Freddie Kruger
I think with all things on social media, you cannot take online reviews to heart too much. I am so glad you got your money back, that was a close call!
Greatly appreciated that you made us aware of your dreadful experience. I mean really to think that, professional MOT Testing stations passing serious death traps, well they should be prosecuted and struck off. Never did we imagine this was happening today in the UK. Pleased that you did with diligence what you did and also film some of it. Many would never think to get a second opinion with a fresh MOT. You could have both been seriously injured in a unthinkable situation and involving others. We are thinking about conversions and you’ve given us some caveats to list. So well done and thank you guys.
Why was she being so nice to the dealer, he put their lives at risk, i wouldn't of been so friendly
I agree ..would be livid
Yeah they hadn't given them the money back at that point so I guess that's why they were being nice
Id wait til I had my money back then go mental!
4:55 Every reputable seller (Dealer OR Private seller) will be **more than happy** to have you arrange a pre-purchase inspection.
They did, but the PPI they provided was bogus.
@@vegawan4765 It not a pre vehicle inspection if it is done/paid for by the seller. they have a vested interest in overlooking things. you need to have a place you trust and pay for it yourself. Either that, or you have to be extremely knowledgeable about vehicles.
You two kids are just too nice and polite - you were brought up to be pleasant to people and have come up against the rest of the world. You don't have to be kind to everyone! Be an a**hole when you need to be! Don't be afraid to make them cry! Good luck! :-)
Facts. Some people deserve a slap but the kindness of others keeps them safe to be scummy
@@Noname-dg1bn I like that! :-)
I think you both handled this perfectly. Polite but firm. Well done for taking a professional and calm approach rather than ranting or screaming (like I do!). It's far harder for con men to scam people who are calm and reasonable than the ranting ones. WELL DONE for your attitude and common sense approach to getting it checked. My only criticism is that you took a small personal risk driving it back to them. Should have had it transported and claimed the cost back off them via small claims court if necessary. Glad you're keeping both safe and savvy!
I would have started with, "are you trying to kill people?!?"
@@oliviamartini9700 Yeah, that too, lol!
You're too polite. These ppl are scammers, pure & simply. I would have had it towed back the next day, first thing in the morning after receiving that report. It's too unsafe to drive. On the plus side, you two have a beautiful energy. These scammer (not the MOT) didn't expect you to have the van checked out so soon.
Should of gone straight to trading standards. Also shouldn't of driven van back in that condition.
"Wanna buy a campavan"?
"Yeh, sure. Here's the money."
"Cool. Bye then"
Can anyone imagine what may possibly go wrong in the above scenario FFS?
To be fair, they had the MOT. Before this, it was perceived as a bill of health.
@@andrewhancock2451 Only up to a certain point, and only on the day of the MOT
Join the AA and get AA report, if the dealer or seller refuses, walk away.
You don't need to be a member of the AA or RAC for them to do a vehicle inspection.
Don't need to be a member, they will also do the inspection before you buy.
As a female, I've always listened to my Dad. He says when test driving go down road with pot holes, drive on the freeway fast as allowed take to nearest big parking lot drive a tight circle to the right then a tight circle to the left stop there get out look underneath anything leaking? Not necessarily dripping (but can drip as well) but it'll be gunned up looking. Open the hood for a look and listen at the engine. Do you hear and air sounds kinda like a flat tire? Is the motor sitting tight? Any leaks? Check all fluids yourself. Turn it off check oil, power steering (by the way, the tight circles if you hear squealing the pump is going out) brakes sound like your dragging something under the car. Do NOT open the radiator just look for leaks check the belt on the moter and the wheels the belts ride along see any leaks? Do they wobble? If you answer yes or maybe to any of these questions.... pass on it. Used car lots will leave bad moters dirty on purpose ( hoping it hids a leak) don't buy it. A good vehicle will be clean inside and out top to bottom. It's always better to error on a misjudgment than have a bad vehicle.
I hope it's not too jumbled to understand. But so far I've always bought good vehicles. Keeping my fingers crossed. Much love.
I’m glad they didn’t take the vehicle to the same MOT centre for inspection before they purchased it.
They would have rejected if not paid well
@@AF-wr8ig 100% dodgy MOT when its that bad
As a semi-famous American once said, "this is a teachable moment".
Right on! Mom and Dad taught us to look at All sides of an apple before biting it. You may just discover a half of a worm!
@Saint 12 pretty much every teacher who ever lived. I am sure lots of parents have said it also.
@Saint 12 Obama
You could have crawled under it and in 5 seconds seen the frame was hopeless.
as could the MOT station and sales company,,,,.
Yeah, I’m just saying there is trusting and then there is extremely trusting. As humans we tend to fill in the unknown with the familiar. So if you are a good person who doesn’t scam you add those traits to new people you don’t know. You’ve been taught a couple times not to do that.
@@davidstuart4915 the dealer obviously has a relationship with the closest MOT and why wouldn’t a scammer do that. At this point in life I’ve been scammed by dealers so many times I NEVER buy from them. I only buy from individuals which means I will never own a new car again.
@@Ask-a-Rocket-Scientist good point, well made :)
@@davidstuart4915 Yeah this is rubbish comment to make.. many car dealers also run MOTs from their workshops.. They should've looked underneath the car holes re holes no matter your experience with cars
I have done solid repairs (On panel work), and we used to get the tar paint out to cover them (after undercoat). Then blow vacuum bag dust onto the tar paint to hide the repairs. It just made it easier to not be looked at for Warrant of Fitness.
You didn't get scammed, you just took an illegal MOT centre out of the game. More amateur detective adventures please.
As a Vw technician & an mot tester, I was shocked to see this video.
You guys are unbelievable, I would have gone apeshit! Possibly even driven the van through their window.
How you kept you cool and humour to do this video is unfathomable.
It’s cretins like the people you have encountered which give us genuine technicians a bad name.
I hope you get to buy & enjoy your new van.
My advice would be to get a mechanic to go with you for an initial look around.
Also trust your gut instincts.
Keep up the good fight 🥊😊
You want to see him go apeshit? Tell him you voted for Trump.
@@plsniper Trump voted for us.
Biden voted for the CCP and Russia.
Oh, and al Qaeda
I have trouble deciding who are the Cretins here..
Would love to know if you've been shopping this January, considering your track record I think I would have bought in December instead! 😂 PS An MOT seems to mostly concentrate on general road safety checks like windshield and wipers, bulbs and light beams, seatbelts, brakes etc, structural integrity and general functioning is not so much even though common sense would think they matter. PS Buy a Mercedes, I bought a 30 yr old 207D, with full service history and all repairs from a private sale in Berlin, considering I was going to tour Europe it was an obvious and very successful find. Used it for two years everyday, absolutely no problems! Sold it for more than I bought it for which was an added plus. It was worth every penny. PSS I didn't take it to a mechanic! Drove it back to England, then we began our journey together across Europe after I painted it purple! Hope you've found your van, hope you're making some fabulous memories.
You wouldn't have bought it because you had more sense than these two.They saw a shiny painted T4 and went blind they are idiots
Wow, this like one of my biggest fears. So sorry you two :(
That call seemed so nerve wracking!!
You Sen get the AA to carry out an inspection when you buy a vehicle, which is very much recommended. Seeing as cars are usually one of your biggest life expenses.
Learn about cars. Find out what's good and what's not. This van wasn't structurally sound... That was a death trap. The frame was toast.
Just use Google, all the advice you need is there
HI JESA YU WULD BUY DAT vANN WITOUT A MEKANIC INSPEKSHON TOO?
My daughter too got scammed buying a van... but it was a private sale... and she too ignore my advice to get a mechanic to check before she parted with her money... I forget how much she paid, but it was her lives savings.... when she did take it to a mechanic they immediately put it off the road as the chassis was eaten out by rust,,,, and no body shop worker would touch it... so they now have an expensive lawn ornament they cant drive..... Since then they have bought another of the same model, again not getting it checked out, but they can use the parts of the original van as spares.... Sad ending to that second van though when my daughters partner rolled it and again it was an $18,000 paperweight this time.... hard lessons learned.... But there next car they never got checked either, so I guess some people just never learn
In USA here. I have a bit of information for you. My son and daughter in law owned and ran a four mechanic garage in Oklahoma and I worked with them for about a year. My son refused business from several car dealerships in and around their City because they asked my son and his mechanics to just get it running so the potential buyers would be unaware of severe, (this vehicle should be in the car dump) problems. Yes, you are right, get it checked out before you buy. You have to keep others honest.
I bought a Cavalier many years ago - looked in great condition - from a guy who'd just lost his hand (it was missing and wrist was bandaged) so he now needed an automatic. Turned out that he sold many dodgy cars with the same excuse. He'd only had it a month, but the excuse looked genuine. I got contacted by DVLA as soon as I renewed the MOT as it had done 40k miles less than the previous MOT.
That chap now works on computer modelling for SAGE
I always buy used and always have my mechanic check out. One time he said it looked good, but alignment felt off, so have a speciality alignment place check it out. After an hour they said it's unfixable. A prior accident bent the frame.
Most people don't even know about car auctions but in fact they can be the best place to go for a bargain. Look at the ticket in the windscreen which will tell you any faults and watch and learn what the traders are bidding for vehicles similar to what you are after. Be patient as there will be many through unless you are after something really rare or exotic. A bit of time and research can save you literally thousands over forecourt prices. Once you have bought it take it straight to your trusted garage / MOT Centre and get it checked and any work done.
If you are at all unsure simply don't bid but also, don't get overwhelmed by the money you might save and don't then go for something newer / more expensive. Use the savings to service, maintain and put aside for unforeseen future issues.
I wouldn’t have driven it back to the dealer if it was that unsafe to drive, but have them pick it up
It’s actually illegal to drive a vehicle it’s those faults on the road. Even if it has an MOT
My thoughts on that also.. Down to the garage to arrange recovery at their expense..
@@feroxgordon Indeed; here in the US the mechanic would likely have been obligated NOT to release the vehicle to the road.
Buying a vehicle is one of the more stressful things in life, I always fell like I am getting scammed, buying a used vehicle just adds that extra layer of stress.
I would have been one of those people that didn't get the car checked out and been scammed too so I hope not being alone provides some measure of comfort.
The AA will do vehicle a check for around £150. You can use this as a purchase negotiation. If the vehicle passes the test you'll pay for the test but if it fails on a few things and is still worth purchasing they deduct the cost of the test plus cost of the work that needs to be done from the purchase price. If a seller is confident in the vehicle they are selling they have nothing to loose. If they are hesitant or make excuses just walk away.
That took some guts to even drive it back to the dealership!!! Thank Heavens it didn't fall apart as you drove!!!
You two are so nice and polite - I so hope you have managed to find another van to fulfil your dreams. Stay as you are - open, honest, friendly, polite. 💕
Sorry it turned out this way. hope you find your dream T4. Great vid and well done for not turning it into a hate filled rant about the dealership or MOT center, it's refreshing to see a product return without a load of embarrassing shouting Karen's. Bravo!
There are no 'dream T4'... They all are rusted. Same for T5, it will be the same for T6 in a few years :(
Pat yourself on the back for not just absorbing the loss as a learning experience! Sometimes you have to say, ‘I don’t think so, not so fast!’ You did good!
Always do an online MOT check which should list everything it has failed on in the past couple of years. At least you can then check if these have actually been rectified.
Only problem with this is that often, when garages rectify the major faults, they give it just a blank "pass" without including all the advisories etc- so it can be hard to tell what's fixed and what isn't.
One of the most valuable things I've learned in my life is how to ignore BS around me. Rise above my friend.
There is a lot of garage's out there like that but look at the van I could see it was a dog as soon as I see the video , You need to report the garage before someone dies
Once bought a MK 5 Cortina from a dealer back in the 80s that turned out to be two cars stitched together, welded right across the full width of the body. I got an independent engineer to inspect the car and he found that despite the car being petrol blue it was a mish-mash of colours under the paint. The rear was red, the bulkhead brown one wing was yellow and one was orange.
It ended up with me getting a solicitor’s letter sent to the dealership and they eventually paid up. The most important thing is, once an expert has deemed the vehicle as unroadworthy, you don’t drive it because if it goes to court and you’ve been using the vehicle, you will contradict your expert.
Since then I’ve always took someone with me, usually my brother and we both go over the vehicle with a fine tooth comb and if the seller doesn’t like it, I just walk away. In addition if I’m at the point where I want to buy, I always pay for a thorough HPI check.