Sold car - found spare key

Topper Harley

So I traded in my car with only one key and now, months later, I've found the spare key.

But it gets slightly more complicated from there. After trading in the car, I'm pretty sure it went to auction and was then sold on again, as I saw it on donedeal. Unfortunately, there's no longer any trace of the donedeal ad so I can't even contact that seller.

Are there any means by which I can get the key to the new owner (without appearing like I'm trying to find the whereabouts of a car I have a key for so I can rob it) or is it even worthwhile?

Keys, these days, are quite expensive and I know I'd rather have a spare than not have one or have to fork out for one. So there's someone out there without a spare key to their car and here I am with the spare key to someone else's car and it's useless to me. What to do?

Atlantic Dawn

With data protection rules you won't be able to find out the current owner, your only hope will be to spot it for sale and offer up the key to the seller. If it was me I would run a search on the car on Donedeal and Carzone, if if was on neither I would throw the key in to the sea and forget about it, you tried.

goz83

Hmmmmm. Post it to the dept of transport with a brief explanation. With any luck, maybe the festive cheer will encourage some civil servant to do something outside of their usual zombie brain work list and post the key to the new owner. Either way, the key is no longer your problem/concern.

georgefalls

Tie a label to it, with the registration of the car on it.
Then take it to the Guards.
Tell them you found it in the street.

They'll do the rest. Simples...!

Dord

georgefalls wrote: »

Tie a label to it, with the registration of the car on it.
Then take it to the Guards.
Tell them you found it in the street.

They'll do the rest. Simples...!

i would have thought maybe the Gardai should be able to get it back to the owner. Worth a try!

roadsmart

Maybe stick up an ad on adverts or done deal? "Are you the owner of......" etc?

CJhaughey

I had the same one time, met the new lady owner on the street by the car and stated I had a spare key for the car.
I asked did she want it, No was the answer.
It was a little strange but I just stuck it on the keyring of mystery keys.

Cleveland Hot Pocket

roadsmart wrote: »

Maybe stick up an ad on adverts or done deal? "Are you the owner of......" etc?

" Are you the owner of, or do you wish to steal...." more like :P

djr15

roadsmart wrote: »

Maybe stick up an ad on adverts or done deal? "Are you the owner of......" etc?

You really didn't think that through did you?

Sam Kade

Topper Harley wrote: »

So I traded in my car with only one key and now, months later, I've found the spare key.

But it gets slightly more complicated from there. After trading in the car, I'm pretty sure it went to auction and was then sold on again, as I saw it on donedeal. Unfortunately, there's no longer any trace of the donedeal ad so I can't even contact that seller.

Are there any means by which I can get the key to the new owner (without appearing like I'm trying to find the whereabouts of a car I have a key for so I can rob it) or is it even worthwhile?

Keys, these days, are quite expensive and I know I'd rather have a spare than not have one or have to fork out for one. So there's someone out there without a spare key to their car and here I am with the spare key to someone else's car and it's useless to me. What to do?

What type of car was it I bought a car off a dealer on donedeal with only 1 key. He was supposed to get back to the original owner as he bought it from a main dealer but of course he didn't bother his arse :mad:

Topper Harley

Sam Kade wrote: »

What type of car was it I bought a car off a dealer on donedeal with only 1 key. He was supposed to get back to the original owner as he bought it from a main dealer but of course he didn't bother his arse :mad:

It's a Mazda 6. I told the guys I traded it to that I was sure I had it somewhere but at the price of the car they weren't overly bothered.

Topper Harley

georgefalls wrote: »

Tie a label to it, with the registration of the car on it.
Then take it to the Guards.
Tell them you found it in the street.

They'll do the rest. Simples...!

I think I'll try this route. But I suspect (depending on the guard) that they might just not be arsed (in fairness they do have more important things to do).

MrDerp

I still have the spare for my old focus. Was on my wife's keychain when I returned the car, and I never got around to dropping it off. There ought to be an amnesty for old keys. Must be a pain in the arse having only one.

roadsmart

Cleveland Hot Pocket wrote: »

" Are you the owner of, or do you wish to steal...." more like :P

djr15 wrote: »

You really didn't think that through did you?

Of course I did, and it's a perfectly viable idea, with a small bit of caution and sense. The only problem was that I didn't allow for the "everyone's evil and out to rob you" tinfoil hat brigade.

verywell

We could make a spare key thread. I also have one from a Clio I sold not that long ago.

toyotaavensis

This might not be a good idea. If the person owns the car asks where was it found and is told somewhere they have never been it could end up with gardai calling to your door asking what are you up to?

christy c

georgefalls wrote: »

Tie a label to it, with the registration of the car on it.
Then take it to the Guards.
Tell them you found it in the street.

They'll do the rest. Simples...!

The most a lot of them will do is throw it in the lost & found, and the key will never see the light of day again

Cee-Jay-Cee

toyotaavensis wrote: »

This might not be a good idea. If the person owns the car asks where was it found and is told somewhere they have never been it could end up with gardai calling to your door asking what are you up to?

that's if you give your nane when you hand it in which you are not obliged or required to do and even if you did give your name and they did call out, you tell the truth, there's no crime or offence committed, you simply took the only route available to get the spare key to the new owner because this country is so far up its own arse in terms of data protection.

toyotaavensis

Cee-Jay-Cee wrote: »

that's if you give your nane when you hand it in which you are not obliged or required to do and even if you did give your name and they did call out, you tell the truth, there's no crime or offence committed, you simply took the only route available to get the spare key to the new owner because this country is so far up its own arse in terms of data protection.

You are not telling the truth about how you aquired the key. I dont know if thats legal.

Also, a lot of people like data protection. I certainly dont want any tom, dick, harry, rapist or murderer to get my address or any other personal details because they know my numberplate .