8v/16v Autotrader Used Car sales 9/10 Can't tell the difference

[robreidmotors]

re Autotrader.

When i put my 8v reg in it simply states 2.0 GTI, however I have a reg for a 16ver and it states 2.0 GTI 16v.

Ie if it doesnt state it then its 8v.

 

[robreidmotors]

Good link

http://www.tradingstandards.gov.uk/cgi-bin/calitem.cgi?file=ADV0003-0100.txt

i strongly suggest trading standards.

 

[Sloggs]

nothing to be sorry for mate, your just confirming my suspicions.

 

[Krishen]

I've just heard back from autotrader, the advert deffinately states it as a 16v, the young lady suggested ringing the seller before contacting trading standards due to the possibility of it being a genuine mistake, I'm thinking, nevermind that, as a man who does this for a living he should know what he is selling!

I hear what your saying, but if a Seat main dealer doesn't know the difference then id suspect that the trader has just made a mistake. Last summer i went to see a "16v" at a Seat dealership only to find it was an 8v. the sales team didn't have clue. I had to point it out and even then they weren't convinced.

Try calling the trader you bought the car from first and see what they say. If they fob you off tell them your contacting trading standards and then do it. You will also have to write a letter to them (trader) explaining what has happened and that you want a refund. Thats what trading standards will tell you anyway.

 

[robreidmotors]

What Krishen said, and more to the point, straight away as quickly as possible.

In terms of mechanical defects the longer you leave it the more opportunity the seller has of saying its simply wear and tear. I might even advise not driving the car to keep the mileage down.

But precisely what Krishen says, give them a call first, then trading standards if no joy.

 

[CraigW]

I have noticed this alot aswell tbh. I go looking through Autotrader. Most cases I think it will just be a genuine mistake by the seller. But shouldnt a dealer/garage have access to a good car checking software??

 

[Sloggs]

my wife has just suggested the fact that we didnt get a receipt for the car, do you think that would give the dealer any sort of bargaining power?

 

[Fl@pper]

re Autotrader.

When i put my 8v reg in it simply states 2.0 GTI, however I have a reg for a 16ver and it states 2.0 GTI 16v.

Ie if it doesnt state it then its 8v.

good tip but i go by the engine code to be safe

2.0 8v AGG
2.0 16v ABF

 

[surcalation]

Or by Mork's idea

quick look of the spoiler gives you an idea from the outside at first glance. For those that don't know:

8v

16v

HTH

 

[silverline1]

Or by Mork's idea

quick look of the spoiler gives you an idea from the outside at first glance. For those that don't know:

8v

16v

HTH

Grille sometimes has 16v on it aswell as GTi

 

[-=Rob=-]

been bored so just nosing around autotrader at various models window shopping and looking for an odd motor etc when i searched 'ibiza' and '16v'

a few came up as usual in various guises and prices buit as i looked through i thought some of these had odd wheels on

zoomed in on a few and as i was both bored and have access to DVLA's database i tapped a few odd looking cars in

amazingly nearly every '16v' i checked is actually an AGG 2.0 8v ?????


as the wise old Captain of 'Hill Street Blues' used to say 'Be Careful Out There'

It may be the Autotrader web site or something translating the wrong details, I've started looking for a 16v for myself and a couple that I've found listed were in fact 8v cars (Easy to tell from the wheels and under the hood!). The people selling have all known zero about the Ibiza and have input the Reg into the selling section to populate the details, where 16v pops up....

 

[Fl@pper]

It may be the Autotrader web site or something translating the wrong details, I've started looking for a 16v for myself and a couple that I've found listed were in fact 8v cars (Easy to tell from the wheels and under the hood!). The people selling have all known zero about the Ibiza and have input the Reg into the selling section to populate the details, where 16v pops up....

must admit that would not surprise me

not excluding the slow interface and £137 cars for sale with £2000 is real price in the advert

 

[projectgingawar]

been bored so just nosing around autotrader at various models window shopping and looking for an odd motor etc when i searched 'ibiza' and '16v'

a few came up as usual in various guises and prices buit as i looked through i thought some of these had odd wheels on

zoomed in on a few and as i was both bored and have access to DVLA's database i tapped a few odd looking cars in

amazingly nearly every '16v' i checked is actually an AGG 2.0 8v ?????


as the wise old Captain of 'Hill Street Blues' used to say 'Be Careful Out There'

i noticed that! most of the ones quoted as "16v" were fairly obviousely 8v's as they had the 8v wheels/interior and even the odd engine bay shot! the worst culprits seemed to be car dealers.

 

[BeezerDiesel]

i noticed that! most of the ones quoted as "16v" were fairly obviousely 8v's as they had the 8v wheels/interior and even the odd engine bay shot! the worst culprits seemed to be car dealers.

Ain't that the truth.

Last few times I did a search 4 out of the 5 ''16 valvers'' advertised weren't.

Still I guess that if you were in the market for an 8v you could buy one advertised as a 16v and return it for a refund under 'sale of goods' should you decide it was a pile of crap on the way home!!!

 

[Krishen]

Ain't that the truth.

Last few times I did a search 4 out of the 5 ''16 valvers'' advertised weren't.

Still I guess that if you were in the market for an 8v you could buy one advertised as a 16v and return it for a refund under 'sale of goods' should you decide it was a pile of crap on the way home!!!

Lets face it, the 8v is too good a car for anyone to think its a pile of crap

 

[r46jack]

right, ere's somethings else to think about, seams a very grey area to me, Is it a cupra sport or not, i see lots of adverts stating cupra sport but i not so sure, dont see cupra wrote on gear stick or on the seats, anyone have more info on this.

 

[hopkinsgm]

...Is it a cupra sport or not, i see lots of adverts stating cupra sport but i not so sure, dont see cupra wrote on gear stick or on the seats, anyone have more info on this...

Talk about a can of worms... There's been many a thread along these general lines on here over the years, but in summary...

The GTI Cupra Sport editions replaced the GTI's, being mechanically identical but generally less well spec'd (GTI's tend to have sunroofs, GTI Cupra Sports generally don't though it was an option). Early GTI Cupra Sports have a sticker on the front wings (often removed by owners as they look a bit crap) and a further one on the tailgate. Later GTI Cupra Sports have a shiny metal badge on the tailgate, with no badges or stickers on the wings.

And that should pretty much be that. Unfortunately, it's not quite that simple. It seems there were some GTI's left unsold after the launch of the GTI Cupra Sport models. Some of these got Cupra Sport stickers added and were sold as GTI Cupra Sport models. Some were sold as GTI's, and some were sold as GTI Plus models. The change from GTI to GTI Cupra Sport is sometime in 1997 IIRC, but like I say, it's a bit messy.

On the 16v's, another pointer can be the wheels - GTI's had polished Ronal multispokes with laquer that chips and then starts to flake and looks fugly. Equivalent GTI Cupra Sports got the same wheels but they're typically painted white.

 

[BrownCupra]

Surely the best thing to be doing when you buy a car is to look at the log book?

Mine clearly states 16v Cupra on it, the car doesnt have anything on the gear stick, it just says GTI on the half leather seats.

It has no stickers on the wings (thank god) but it does have a shiny cupra sport sticker on the back.

So which catergory does mine fit into?

 

[crezz]

most probably cupra, do you have air con? sun roof?

 

[BrownCupra]

No sun roof and no air con mate, she's basic! Just got electic windows and remote central locking.