Lost Documents

Wishbone Ash

Hi all,

My wife recently purchased a used car from a well know Dublin dealership. After about four weeks, when the relevant documents didn't arrive, we began to make enquiries to Shannon as the salesman had assured us that he had posted them. To cut a long story short, the garage have finally admitted that they have lost them. They are now claiming that it is our problem. When we insisted that they do all the running to get the replacements, they claim that if they did so, it would add another owner to the vehicle.

My wife meets Garda checkpoints several times a day and repeating the same story is getting wearisome as the car doesn't have a tax disc displayed. The original sales receipt is no longer valid for display.

We would appreciate any advice/help.

Thanks.

Tipsy Mac

This is messy, I think the ideal solution is for the garage to contact the previous owner, get them to fill out a loss of document form and get a replacement, then they bring it to the garage, garage resends down to Shannon, and then Shannon send it back to you. At the moment Shannon don't know the car is yours and the ownership is still with previous owner. It's the garages problem to sort out, not yours.

clonboy

to be honest the garage does not have to be listed as another owner as they have a garage code which prevents this sort of thing,
all needs to be done is get a repalcment issued, maybe a friendly garad could help out in tracking who was the last owner to make a claim for a replacement book

Wishbone Ash

Thanks for the replies lads.

Tipsy Mac wrote:

I think the ideal solution is for the garage to contact the previous owner, get them to fill out a loss of document form and get a replacement

I suggested this to them and they are "looking into it". They said that they would have something sorted by tomorrow. (:rolleyes:)

Tipsy Mac wrote:

It's the garages problem to sort out, not yours.

I contacted Shannon for advice and they agreed with this.

They also suggested sending us an affidavit, to be signed by a solicitor or Commissioner for Oaths, to get replacement documents (if we get nowhere with the garage). Very helpful staff in Shannon.

clonboy wrote:

the garage does not have to be listed as another owner as they have a garage code which prevents this sort of thing

Yes, they agreed when challenged.

clonboy wrote:

maybe a friendly garda could help out in tracking who was the last owner

An in-law is in the force but I have never sought favours before as a matter of principle but I'll keep that in mind.

colm_mcm

If the garage had completed an RF105, then they can apply for duplicate documentation. this will not add another owner to the car, as the VRU will take the fact that a garage is applying into account. I've done it loads of times.

Henry Ford III

Is the service history gone too? If so the value has just taken a hit.

colm_mcm

service history should be verifyable with the dealer.

Stky10

Personally I think its typical of the service we put up with in Ireland.

I'd bring the car back to the dealers, hand them the keys, tell them that if they lost the relevant documents, then its their fault, and their responsibility to sort it out, and if they haven't it sorted within 10 days you'll be back for what you paid for it.

If they get uppity, a solicitors letter should sort them out. A second hand normally wouldn't have a high value (unless its a merc or beemer), and its not in their interest to risk their good name over a small sum.

Henry Ford III

colm_mcm wrote:

service history should be verifyable with the dealer.

Should, would, could, probably, might, maybe, perhaps......
not.

PaulieC

this happened me a few years back. Eventually I ended up ringing up the police and after explaining my problem to a garda, he was able to trace the previous owner for me and I contacted them to ask them to get replacement docs.
Needless to say, i've never been back to the garage

colm_mcm

Henry Ford III wrote:

Should, would, could, probably, might, maybe, perhaps......
not.

should.

Wishbone Ash

Henry Ford III wrote:

Is the service history gone too? If so the value has just taken a hit.

Service history is OK. Resale value isn't really important. Neither Mrs Wisbone Ash, nor I, ever worry about resale values.


The garage are still "looking into it" :rolleyes: They have requested the chassis number.

The "Statutory Declaration" (affidavit) form also arrived from Shannon today so I'll we'll keep that in case.

Stky10 wrote:

Personally I think its typical of the service we put up with in Ireland.

Too true. We're tempted to name and shame but we'll see how it pans out.

Thanks lads.

Henry Ford III

Wishbone Ash wrote:

Resale value isn't really important. Neither Mrs Wisbone Ash, nor I, ever worry about resale values.

You are a car salesman's dream then

MercMad

This is messy, I think the ideal solution is for the garage to contact the previous owner, get them to fill out a loss of document form and get a replacement, then they bring it to the garage, garage resends down to Shannon, and then Shannon send it back to you. At the moment Shannon don't know the car is yours and the ownership is still with previous owner. It's the garages problem to sort out, not yours.

......this is exactly correct !

IMO you are dealling with an a55hole, so go to the garage, byepass this guy and ask for somebody with authority and tell them to firstly give you a letter stating it is THEIR fault, that you need to present that to a Garda station. Then tell them that you have amassed some parking tickets and you dont intend paying any of them since the car is not in your name !!

That should shift their respective a55es !!

colm_mcm

the salesman obviously isn't doing his paperwork right. firstly he didn't complete an RF105, and secondly took a car in with no documentation!