Should dealer give us the name of previous owner of a car

T

Toby

Registered User
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Would like to ring the previous owner of a car we are considering buying to ask if the car was in a crash, gave trouble etc. Wondering is the dealer obliged to give us this information or is there another way of getting it?

As far as AA advised us its not illegal for the dealer to give us this info.

Thanks
 
If you are suspicious in any way of a dealer or a car, walk away fast !!!
 
We're not particularly suspicious but isn't it best to check out a used car as thoroughly as possible?
 
Toby said:
We're not particularly suspicious but isn't it best to check out a used car as thoroughly as possible?
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That is true, but I wouldnt believe the word of a previous owner over the word of a dealer. They might not have been exactly 100% upfront to the dealer when trading in.

I would (if interested in a car) get it checked out properly. Bring a mechanic, get the AA or RAC to do a full vehicle inspection and check out the vehicle history with cartell.ie or motorcheck.ie or similar.
 
Thanks, we're getting the AA check done but I don't see what reason a previous ownder would have to lie to us when they've already sold the car. I think its just another way to check everythings ok.

Does anyone know how to get the previous owners name?
 
Surely giving you that information would be a breach of the Data Protection Act?
 

If i'd sold a car to a dealer, the reason would be because i didnt want to deal with the public. I doubt the previous owner would want to take calls from every joe soap looking to buy the car he doesnt own anymore!
 
Would be a breach of data protection for them to do it would the original owners permission.
 
thanks, someone suggested it to me and I thought it was a bit weird but thought I'd look into it anyway
 
What reason did the dealer give for not giving the name of the previous owner. My experience has been that dealers are keen to tell you who the previous owner is so as to assure the purchaser there is northing to hide.
 
I had a log-book logging the couple of services that had been done on my car by only previous owner and the previous owner's name and address was in it. This 'log' book was in the manufacturers book.

A
 
The old log book had all the previous owners on it, I don’t know why they changed it. It would be handy also to ask the mileage when sold. We know this can be a problem. When I bought my last car the dealer gave me the registration document to post, This came in handy because I wrote to the previous owner and found that the car had a full service history which had not been stamped in the book, I contacted the main dealer who stamped the book up to date and also found that it had a recall work carried out.
 
Find it strange he will not give name of previous owner. Maybe previous owner insisted on this. I would be very very wary
 
dewdrop said:
Find it strange he will not give name of previous owner. Maybe previous owner insisted on this. I would be very very wary
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I dunno, the original owner sold the car to the garage. The garage is the owner now, in any car I ever bought I never knew who owned it before the garage.
Also if I was the original owner i'd be giving short shift to people ringing me asking about a car I sold to a garage, TBH, its no longer anything to do with me
 
recently bought car from garage ,looked to get in touch with previous owners,
garage said it was policy to ask was it ok with ex owners to do this, garage rang them and they were willing to talk to us.
 
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