Hi there, I recently bought a MK7 2010 Ford Fiesta Zetec S TDCi for £3,970. It has 87K miles 

I was not aware as my dad picked the car up but it did not come with a service book and as such, I have absolutely no service history of the car. I am also now aware, after being told by a rep at the company we bought it from that it has no modifications to it, that it has in fact been lowered and thus I cannot be insured on the car.

Due to the nature and rarity of the car, I find cars in this bracket sell for around £4,600+ in my area, and I assume without any service history, I'd lose £600 of value to the car hence why I was able to buy it for £3,970. Is it worth getting a full service done and selling it, or just simply getting a full refund on the car as it has not been 30 days since purchase yet?

 

I would also like to add I have changed the tailgate badges to black ones as the car is white, meaning I've now modified the appearance of the car since purchase, would this make any attempt at receiving a refund impossible now? 

 

Any help would be appreciated. Thank you guys.

You'll not make more money selling a car privately than what a dealer would get, especially given your car has 0 service history.

52 minutes ago, BennyDMS said:

after being told by a rep at the company we bought it from that it has no modifications to it

Do you have any evidence of this? If not then youve not really got any legal basis to fall back on.

You say you couldn't get insured because the car was modified/lowered, but then went on to modify it yourself? I doubt your dealer would buy into that story on a goodwill gesture.

20 minutes ago, Luke4efc said:

You'll not make more money selling a car privately than what a dealer would get, especially given your car has 0 service history.

Do you have any evidence of this? If not then youve not really got any legal basis to fall back on.

You say you couldn't get insured because the car was modified/lowered, but then went on to modify it yourself? I doubt your dealer would buy into that story on a goodwill gesture.

I was told the car wasn't modified, so I then got myself insured. I was under the intention that there would be no issues with the car, so I changed the badges on the back. We took it into the garage today and they told us that it actually has been lowered.

 

EDIT: I have a text message from the employee who sold it to me stating it has no modifications and is a standard Zetec S.

Changing the badges is a modification.  Although it seems trivial, some insurers won't even allow you to do that so you'd have to check with yours.

Back on topic, you won't make any money selling it...especially when you tell people it's been lowered as that gives a boy racer impression.  Just hand it back for a refund, but remove your badges first.

2 hours ago, TomsFocus said:

Changing the badges is a modification.  Although it seems trivial, some insurers won't even allow you to do that so you'd have to check with yours.

Back on topic, you won't make any money selling it...especially when you tell people it's been lowered as that gives a boy racer impression.  Just hand it back for a refund, but remove your badges first.

I'd already announced a few modifications however nowhere accepted the car being lowered ontop of it. 

But that's what I thought, thank you for your response mate.

I bet Dan from AdrianFlux would love to insure you 😀

@DAN@ADRIAN FLUX

Just now, unofix said:

I bet Dan from AdrianFlux would love to insure you 😀

@DAN@ADRIAN FLUX

As much as I'd love to keep the car (aesthetically I love it) - we had the car checked properly at the garage while I was at work and it turns out both rear suspension coils are on their last legs, both missing shock absorbers, and the cambelt is on it's way out too, and seeing as I've only done 100 miles in the car since buying it (I'm not a boy racer either) I think I have full grounds to return the vehicle. 

Won't be the last Zetec S I'll own either!

Are Adrian Flux a good company to insure with?

They seem OK, I've known A few people who have used them, but they seem to prefer that the car has been modified.

Hi.

Do please feel free to give us a try for insurance if you wish. We'd be only too pleased to try and help out.

Regards,

Dan.

Before anyone picks me up on this, I know classic car insurance is different but the fact that my 1970's car has modified brakes, different gearbox, performance exhaust manifolds, more powerful carburettor and wire wheels didn't phase Adrian Flux at all.

Admittedly I haven't changed the colour of the badges, though 😉

This isn't a recommendation, as I haven't had to claim from them (yet!), merely handed over my premiums to them. But I would talk it over with them.

Just re-read one of your posts. "Rear shocks missing" is bad news, and I would think it's an MOT failure and valid reason for returning the car in itself. But if you like the rest of the car AND can sort out the insurance, you could take the car back and tell them to fit the shocks that it's supposed to have! 

It would be interesting for you to have a look through the MOT history if you haven't already done that. That should give you some clues as to its background.....

I find it very hard to believe the rear shocks are missing. Prove it to us with a photo of the shock mountings showing no shocks. How much modification has been done in the lowering of it?  Just shorter springs?  Put correct size springs on it. I know that entails a bit of work on the front ones as more dismantling needed.  Cam belt - it may well need doing on any other one you buy.  Or you might buy one with fake service history saying the belt has been done when it hasn’t. Buying cars often has problems and you might even have bigger problems on another car.  It’s annoying if someone has hoodwinked you but it could be worse .

I assumed that was a typo and meant to say 'misting' shocks as in an MOT advisory...  🤔

The ride would be noticeably compromised with no shocks and it wouldn't have passed MOT.  (Presumably knackered lowering springs are at least 12 months old) Would take that garage advice with a pinch of salt anyway...cambelt 'on it's last legs' seems unlikely.  I doubt they stripped the covers to check it...so either it's the aux belt that's cracking or they're just saying the cambelt is past it's recommended interval...
 

 

As for Adrian Flux, they are a broker who specialise in certain areas, generally modified & classic, so if you intend to mod the car they're worth a shot.  If you intend to leave totally stock they're less likely to be competitive.  I have used them a few times on modified cars, especially since a mate works there lol, but always found cheaper elsewhere on standard cars.

On 2/24/2022 at 4:07 PM, alanfp said:

Just re-read one of your posts. "Rear shocks missing" is bad news, and I would think it's an MOT failure and valid reason for returning the car in itself. But if you like the rest of the car AND can sort out the insurance, you could take the car back and tell them to fit the shocks that it's supposed to have! 

It would be interesting for you to have a look through the MOT history if you haven't already done that. That should give you some clues as to its background.....

Hi.

Glad we could help out with your insurance.

Regards,

Dan.