Bought a eight month old Octavia elegance from a main Stealer, had six minor problems with the car which should have been sorted before collection, did get all fixed, had a meeting with sales manager as I was disappointed with the condition of the car when collected the main point of his chat was how good the cars are from SKODA UK should not have happened etc, I did get a £one hundred off first service, when I received my reg document amazed after all emphasize that the car had come from SKODA UK I was appalled it was registered by EUROPCAR GROUP LEICESTER who are a hire/lease company .I have been given advice with regard to misinformation under the sale of goods act, spoken with stealer they are adamant that the stating the car came from SKODA UK in not in violation of the sale of goods act .Is this common knowledge among Skoda owners that the practice of obtaining hire cars then stating that they SKODA UK goes on. I would have not bought a hire car by choice, if I did buy one I would have have wanted to be a lot cheaper than the price I paid. I know this my fault is for not checking the log book, Am i over reacting to this situation, is this normal practice if you purchase a nearly new car?

I bought a one year old Fiat Marea in 1999 under similar circumstances. The main Fiat dealer in Newcastle described it as a FIAT UK car but the V5 revealed its keeper had been a rental firm at Heathrow. So this kind of thing has been around a while.

I guess the dealer can say the car comes direct from Skoda UK as its been leased direct by Skoda and returned to them, but its a bit disingenuous to say the least, as the punter surely expects some middle manager at Skoda head office has had it as his personal transport.

Saying that direct from Skoda UK could also reasonably mean its been thrashed by every motoring journalist in the country!

As some consolation do Europcar have any leasing or contract hire business? If so its not certain that your car was a daily rental I suppose.

Edited 13 April, 201115 yr by juan27

One way or the other, you have deliberately not been informed that this is an ex-hire car.

It does not automatically mean there is anything wrong with the car, but I would be very unhappy, to say the least, with the supplying dealer. I would push for compensation of some sort, or reject the car-how long ago did you buy it?

One way or the other, you have deliberately not been informed that this is an ex-hire car.

It does not automatically mean there is anything wrong with the car, but I would be very unhappy, to say the least, with the supplying dealer. I would push for compensation of some sort, or reject the car-how long ago did you buy it?

I'd be surprised if you'd get anywhere with that. It's not like saying the car isn't fit for purpose.

Maybe to cheer you up slightly - I bought a year old Ford Focus that was an ex-courtesy car and it went without fault for the 3 years I had it. I still see it occasionally and it'll be nearly 10 years old now. Not everyone is bad to loan cars / hire cars.

My wifes current Yaris, a 52 plate was a Toyota pool vehicle before we bought it in 2004. It was well maintained in in perfect condition. We are in the process of handing it on to our eldest daughter and have just paid a deposit on a nearly new Yaris at the weekend.

I decided to do an HPI and found out the car we are buying still has outstanding finance- I have asked the dealer to delay the purchase until he can convince me there is no outstanding finance on the car, or the deal is off. Given the two scenarios I felt safer with the vehicle owned by the manufacturer. Well worth the £20 for the HPI check

Is this common knowledge among Skoda owners that the practice of obtaining hire cars then stating that they SKODA UK goes on.

Skoda (and other manufacturers) supply rental companies with vehicles, then when they get to around 1 year/15k miles they take them back and flog them off to dealers. So it's entirely possible the dealer is telling the truth and the car did come from Skoda UK...

Personally I would not worry about it, very few cars being sold that are less are than 12 months old will of been bought by the person who drives it, so theoretically they will not of been looked after anywhere near as well as those that have paid for the car themselves.

Most company cars do not get looked after or treated with respect, just assess the car on it's condition and history (if any)..

Skoda (and other manufacturers) supply rental companies with vehicles, then when they get to around 1 year/15k miles they take them back and flog them off to dealers. So it's entirely possible the dealer is telling the truth and the car did come from Skoda UK...

The car delivery inspection was signed off by Paragon Automotive in Grimsby no mention of Skoda UK, this situation could be easily avoided if dealers had to inform customers that cars had been used as a hire/ lease car.

When I worked for Peugeot we did 'Buy-backs' all the time to major companies. Basically they got the cars very cheaply, ran them for way 6-12 months and within an agreed mileage and we bought there cars back at the agreed price. these cars were then sold to customers as ex business and managers cars. We were transparent at my dealership and informed people they were buy-backs and also made sure the cars were 'right' before the customer received theirs. It sort of came to a stop when we found out that some businesses were selling them on at a higher price than the buy back figure agreed and settling up with us instead of returning the cars. Large Motorpoint type dealers were then selling the cars and undercutting us on a price. We effectively were cutting our own throats.

We did sell Pecos cars which were owned by Peugeot employees who had leased them from the company and they were great value for money,. Full service history and very well maintained

One way or the other, you have deliberately not been informed that this is an ex-hire car.

It does not automatically mean there is anything wrong with the car, but I would be very unhappy, to say the least, with the supplying dealer. I would push for compensation of some sort, or reject the car-how long ago did you buy it?

Nothing doing with the stealer, could get a Solicitor on the case, then would be taking on the might of the VAG group, I understand they use the same ploy with VW. If there is no problem with their ex hire cars why not be open about it, we have a dealer here who only sells ex hire cars at reasonable prices and is entirely open about the history of what they sell.

If buying from a main dealer you should get a 30 day money back option, no?

http://www.skoda.co.uk/gbr/usedcars/Pages/default.aspx

See the last paragraph.

The car delivery inspection was signed off by Paragon Automotive in Grimsby no mention of Skoda UK, this situation could be easily avoided if dealers had to inform customers that cars had been used as a hire/ lease car.

"About us

Paragon Automotive has evolved as an important part of the tri party relationship between manufacturer and daily rental operator and we are one of the few suppliers who can sustain this type of relationship without conflict.

The experience we have gained and the relationships we have built mean that we can offer the rental operator and the manufacturer the economies of scale. This delivers quality volume vehicle processing with consistent performance, reduced holding costs and shorter time to market"

(From their website) they are specialist fleet supplier subcontracting for Skoda.

Skoda UK probably won't have the facilities to PDI loads of cars in house.

The car delivery inspection was signed off by Paragon Automotive in Grimsby no mention of Skoda UK

Yeah, Skoda UK themselves won't have people to do PDIs, it'll be a supplying dealer who handles that.

Skoda (and other manufacturers) supply rental companies with vehicles, then when they get to around 1 year/15k miles they take them back and flog them off to dealers. So it's entirely possible the dealer is telling the truth and the car did come from Skoda UK...

I still think its dodgy. The car has probably never been to "Skoda UK". From the look of it's been PDI'd off the boat and then delivered to the rental company, probably taken back by Paragon, refurbed and then put on the computer whilst parked in a shed/field in Grimsby to go out to a dealer after a punter enquiry.

I suppose we need to just understand that "direct from Skoda UK" just means "ex-fleet" and probably ex-rental. Don't believe any blarney about "ex-management" cars or the like.

But as someone else has said there are very few nearly new cars from private punters with a genuine reason for sale. Anything owned by the garage is a demo or courtesy car taken home by a salesman at night which is probably (potentially) as bad as an ex daily rental.

I mentioned before I bought an ex rental Fiat some years ago under similar circumstances. I can't say it had any problems I can attribute to that background. Indeed I had far more problems with a Volvo I bought brand new (car previous to my Skoda)

Edited 13 April, 201115 yr by juan27

Yeah, Skoda UK themselves won't have people to do PDIs, it'll be a supplying dealer who handles that.

http://www.paragonautomotive.co.uk/auto/autoAbout.html

hardly a supplying dealer!

My last 4 Octavia's have been 'Skoda cars' they have all been about 1 year old around 10k on the clock. I have always assumed they were rentals. I have bought from 3 different dealers and apart from the odd minor niggle, which the dealers have corrected without any fuss, I have had them serviced, replaced tyres and part ex'd them 2 years later with around 70k on the clock. The dealers have always given a price around glasses guide for the mileage. They come with the remaining 2 years or 60k warranty and breakdown cover.

I'm not sure what the difference is from the car being a rental for a year or one owner who has not looked after the car. Whenever you buy a 'used' car you don't know how it's been treated.

My last 4 Octavia's have been 'Skoda cars' they have all been about 1 year old around 10k on the clock. I have always assumed they were rentals. I have bought from 3 different dealers and apart from the odd minor niggle, which the dealers have corrected without any fuss, I have had them serviced, replaced tyres and part ex'd them 2 years later with around 70k on the clock. The dealers have always given a price around glasses guide for the mileage. They come with the remaining 2 years or 60k warranty and breakdown cover.

I'm not sure what the difference is from the car being a rental for a year or one owner who has not looked after the car. Whenever you buy a 'used' car you don't know how it's been treated.

I will ask again if Stealers are selling nearly new rental lease/ hire cars why dont they tell the truth instead insisting they are Direct from Skoda UK, the Paragon conection proves where they spent their sad unloved early lives, come on James R you must know the facts!

Edited 14 April, 201115 yr by mellyboy

The car will have come from Skoda UK, they will have been the owners, the hire company (as shown on the v5) will have been the registered keeper, so legally you ain't got a leg to stand on. Don't fret it the car will have 2 years warranty and service history.

Just for info when I was looking for a new motor but didn't want the wait both stealers I spoke to about nearly new where very open about their acquisition process and the history of 'skoda uk' cars.

The car will have come from Skoda UK, they will have been the owners, the hire company (as shown on the v5) will have been the registered keeper, so legally you ain't got a leg to stand on. Don't fret it the car will have 2 years warranty and service history.

Just for info when I was looking for a new motor but didn't want the wait both stealers I spoke to about nearly new where very open about their acquisition process and the history of 'skoda uk' cars.

Thanks for the info, pity my stealer was not more informative with regard to the history of their " Skoda UK cars " ,could it be if they were, they would have to reduce their prices , what ever the technicalities of ownership they are are still hire/ lease cars.

My previous Octavia was an ex rental Alamo car hire Octavia 2.0PD TDi elegance, I bought it from a main dealer knowing its history. The car had 13K miles on the clock when I bought it, I drove it 4 years and never had a problem and sold it with 99K miles on the clock. Ex. rental does not mean bad, they are typically sold on very quickly to maximise profit at resale. Before buying any car, always ask to see the V5 document, that way you can see for yourself before buying and getting the V5 who the previous keeper is.

FWIW, my current superb is ex. Skoda UK and the V5 has the previous keeper as Skoda UK, Milton Keynes.

I worked in the trade for almost 10 years.

This is common practice, and always has been. Ex-rental, lease, demo, service loan cars, BSM driving school etc. These are the ONLY cars that main dealers have at under 2 years old on their used car lots!!! Very few private owner cars at under 2 years make it back on to the market.

Interestingly, when valuing a part-ex we had check boxes on the appraisal sheet and always asked the owner if the car had been a rental car, taxi or driving instructor vehicle. Guess what, if it had, it was knocked down in price!

The ex driving school cars we had (6 month old 10K miles Corsa's mainly) were ALL ex-BSM, BUT the V5 showed a leasing company as the owner.

We had cars showing Vauxhall Motors, Luton as first owner BUT were ex-service dept loaners for emergency assistance tow-ins - they had usually been abused. BUT, a Vauxhall Manager from Luton or Ellesmere Port who loved their Company Car Astra or Vectra would show the same on the V5.

So, even if you had seen the V5, you would not have been any the wiser as to who had actually had the car - was it a different driver every day crunching through the gears with the fuel tank warning light permanently on, or was it a 1 year lease to a Company Car driver, or was it a Company Car for a Marketing Manager at Ellesmere Port?????????

At the end of the day, what is important is the condition and service history of the car. As it is from a Main Dealer ask them for ALL of the service history on the car - every time it has been in to any Skoda Dealer you want to know why and what work was done. They can supply this. If it looks like it has been abused from this history then complain to Skoda UK and say that the dealer misled you and you are not happy, but I doubt you will get very far.

As a car is the second largest purchase most people make after a house, not inspecting the V5 and all Service History is negligent on your part, not the dealers. You don't buy a house without a survey do you????

As a car is the second largest purchase most people make after a house, not inspecting the V5 and all Service History is negligent on your part, not the dealers. You don't buy a house without a survey do you????

Surely most of these cars <1 year old will have no service history and as you said the V5 won't necessarily tell the whole story.

Furthermore by the time the V5 is in sight you've probably already paid for the car and certainly paid a deposit.

I take your point though - where else would nearly new cars come from?

But the unwary are being misled a little by the dealers terminology I think.

The car delivery inspection was signed off by Paragon Automotive in Grimsby no mention of Skoda UK, this situation could be easily avoided if dealers had to inform customers that cars had been used as a hire/ lease car.

The Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 make it an offence to provide incorrect information about a product, or to omit important information. Naturally, it may be a point of debate as to whether the previous owner was a rental company is important, and obviously proving what was (or wasn't!) said is another thing ...

http://www.businesslink.gov.uk/bdotg/action/detail?itemId=1073792290&r.i=1073792289&r.l1=1073861169&r.l2=1087428702&r.l3=1074014173&r.s=sc&r.t=RESOURCES&type=RESOURCES

for what it's worth - i rented a van from Enterprise this week and was picked up in a Jaguar. When asked whether this was one of their rentals, my driver explained that they keep a pool of these on behalf of dealers. they are being dished out as loan cars to Jaguar clients whose cars are being serviced. It might well be more economical for a dealer to work with someone like Enterprise - or Europcar for that matter - rather than keeping your own fleet of loan cars.

on a seperate note: the service from these guys (Enterprise that is) was top notch. Couldn't have been more helpful and pleasant. This was their Watford branch

Edited 14 April, 201115 yr by mlp

My last 3 cars have been ex-rental or ex-lease - Citroen Xantia, Renault Megane, Skoda Octavia.

I didn't need telling that at around 1 year old with 14-15k on the clock that they had not been privately owned.

All 3 were great cars - I had the Xantia 3yrs, the Megane 5 yrs and the Octavia 3 yrs - never had any trouble with any of them - I did around 14k miles per year, never burned any oil, only replaced tyres and brakes except for an alternator failure on the Megane and glowplug replacement on the Xantia.

Stop worrying - just because you drive hire cars like you stole 'em doesn't mean everybody else does. :wonder:

The only way to know the true history of your car is to buy new - and even then... that 5 miles on the clock...!

In case others haven't realised! Ever noticed the huge numbers of VW and Skoda cars around with AE, AB or similar A- registrations? Check out the Skoda.co.uk site for used cars and see how many there are - all about 1yr old, all with around 14k on the clock, all ex-lease/ex-rental. As someone else has said you will struggle to find a nearly new used car that isn't!

Edit: Just did the used search on Skoda.co.uk - seems the current reg is FT or FV not A- as it was when I bought mine

Just take a look at Octavias under 2yrs old in Leeds area! There are 100's of 'em - April to Jul 2010 FV10 and FT10 all 9-14k miles!