Red Flags on Car with Missing Plates and Price One Third of Market Price?

LKunal K on 22/04/2023 - 06:57
Last edited 22/04/2023 - 10:19 by 1 other user

Found a listing for a used car (not for parts) in Perth where description says that there is nothing wrong with vehicle (regular service, no damages or scratches, clean title) but a couple of things are raising red flags.

I noticed that the photos posted do not show a number plate. Usually in such postings the number plates will be blurred out or drawn over to hide them but here they are completely missing (Front and back) and it doesn't seem like number plates were ever affixed in the first place (usually it is noticeable due to scratches and stuff). Also, the other red flag is that asking price is almost 1/3rd of the price these usually go for.

Is it worth checking with the seller? What could be the possible reasons for such a low price and missing number plate? How can I check if it's a stolen vehicle or something?

Please advise how to proceed, if at all.

Automotive

Comments

  • randomusername2017 on 22/04/2023 - 07:09
    +2

    Link?

  • avoidfullprice on 22/04/2023 - 07:13
    +3

    Ask for VIN

  • tomleonhart on 22/04/2023 - 07:21
    +7

    IF it's too good to be true, it usually is…. steer clear.

    Ask yourself if you would sell your own vehicle for 1/3 of the market price.

    • Nugs on 22/04/2023 - 07:41
      +9

      Maybe if you worked on an oil rig?
      .

      • AndyC1 on 22/04/2023 - 08:01
        +3

        Or it could be a visiting Nigerian Prince that is trying to sell his campervan car before he fly's back to Nigeria on his private 747-8I that is gold painted.

      • holdenmg on 22/04/2023 - 08:18

        Is having a Car on an Oil Rig:

        a) Viable?

        b) Safe?

        c) Necessary?

        d) A Status Symbol?

        I guess refueling (if required) would be convenient…

        Otherwise it would be about as useful as a teapot made of chocolate.

        • saltypete on 22/04/2023 - 09:09
          +2

          Hmmmm chocolate… I’ll buy!

        • Brian McGee on 22/04/2023 - 09:17
          +1

          I guess refueling (if required) would be convenient…

          Not really, cars don’t run well on crude oil.

  • AndyC1 on 22/04/2023 - 07:37
    +2

    Go for it newbie and let us know how the too good to be true the deal turns out.

  • ihbh on 22/04/2023 - 07:44
    +3

    We're not looking forward to your next post - how do I get my money back…

    My advice - Buffet's quote: If you don't know who the patsy in the room is, then you're the patsy.

    Give it a miss.

  • Muzeeb on 22/04/2023 - 08:01
    +1

    Sounds like a bargain. Go for it.

  • DarkOz on 22/04/2023 - 08:54
    +1

    Bargain of the century. Buy it quickly before Muzeeb beats you to it!

    • Muzeeb on 22/04/2023 - 09:15
      +1

      Just booked my ticket to Perth to drive back to Vic. PPSR came back as finance owing and on the WOVR so pretty exciting times in the household.

      • DarkOz on 22/04/2023 - 09:30
        +2

        Lesson learnt for OP. Buy first and ask later!

      • DashCam AKA Rolts on 22/04/2023 - 10:07
        +1

        But does it come with roof racks for a kayak?

  • deme on 22/04/2023 - 10:38

    OP: blah blah blah

    OzB: Did you do a PPSR?

    https://imgur.com/a/vZilqXb

  • Euphemistic on 22/04/2023 - 11:30

    One of two things right now. It’s either a great deal and nothing is wrong - but you’ve already missed the deal because someone else got it first or it’s a scam/not legit.

    If it’s 1/3 the market value it’s either written off and can’t be registered (probably gone swimming it it looks straight) or it can be registered but something else is seriously wrong (it went swimming uninsured).

    • Malik Nasser on 22/04/2023 - 11:47

      Or maybe has finance owing? So asking price + finance owing = normal market price?

      • Euphemistic on 22/04/2023 - 11:58

        Noone in their right mind would advertise like that. But then, I’ve seen some pretty ordinary adds online.

  • pjetson on 22/04/2023 - 12:06

    No plates? Maybe it's not registered. Maybe it can't be registered for some reason.

  • seannami on 22/04/2023 - 13:12

    The plates could be explained by the seller not wanting to post plates online and/or has moved rego to another car (dodgy fake plates going around atm). Could the seller have gone to trade it in, changed their mind and put it up for the trade in value (which is notoriously crap)?

  • bhubb18 on 22/04/2023 - 18:18
    +1

    Depends what it is.
    Is it 20k instead of 60k, or 2k instead of 6k?
    If its cheap, it probably has expired rego and not worth the hassle of getting a RWC and registration for it. Doesn't necessarily mean its a bad deal, but if you don't know much about cars its probably not worth the hassle and risk anyway.

    • Euphemistic on 22/04/2023 - 20:07
      +1

      but if you don't know much about cars its probably not worth the hassle and risk anyway.

      So much this. If you have to ask the question, you definitely don’t know enough about cars to be buying something in this condition.

      If you know enough about cars, you go inspect in person then decide from there.

  • brendanm on 22/04/2023 - 22:05

    It's probably on Facebook marketplace, from a hacked profile, and the car doesn't exist. Most people figure this out in a few seconds.

  • altomic on 23/04/2023 - 00:14

    ikea sells plates for $0.98 each

  • randomusername2017 on 23/04/2023 - 23:42

    Wasn't in Wolf Creek was it ?¿

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