Contacting previous owners

[lightning]

This is something l often do when buying a "classic" or older car.

With my Porsche, only one replied, but he sent me the luggage cover which he still had. With my Lotus, l got a nice reply from the previous owner, with little information except that he'd never crashed it and never taken it out in the rain.

My letters to previous owners of my old vintage Morris were all ignored.

With my Fezza the last but one owner sent me spare keys, and the one before that, pictures of the restoration.

My Z3 has had six owners, l wrote to the last but one, and he is sending me photos of the car plus some paperwork.

So in my opinion, it's worthwhile doing it.

[mnbrennan]

How do you manage to get their details? I only have one set of keys!

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[Brian H]

How do you manage to get their details? I only have one set of keys!

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You can request the previous owner details through the DVLA, IIRC it is a form V888.

[TR4man]

You have to remember that some previous owners won't reply because they no longer live at the same address as they did when they owned the car.

What is a fezza?

[mnbrennan]

Ferrari I would think.

What do you use a reasonable cause?

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[Davejue1]

It is heavily discouraged in the motor trade. Customers would regularly ask for the previous owners details to do research prior to buying a car. As a sales manager I used to tell my salesman to state that due to confidentiality you could not hand over details from a log book. This of course was rubbish along with a load of other lame excuses when a salesman is wanting to sell you car. I left the job because it is the most dishonest industry known to man, and the main agents are truly the worst of all! So there's a hint there for anyone wanting to buy a used car from a dealer. Your more than entitled to contact the previous owner so if a salesman says no, walk away!!! As for buying older stuff like a Zed do as much digging as you can, you never know what you'll dig up.

Cheers
Dave

[lightning]

In the letter l say l just purchased the car, and they are listed as a previous owner.

I say that l am a car enthusiast, and like to research the history of classic cars that l buy (all my cars have been classic or "modern classic")
I tell them briefly the current condition of the car and anything l've done to it since l bought it. I think this is important, as if they have any interest in cars, they will want to know what happened to it after they sold it. And this will make them more likely to reply.
And then, l was wondering if they could tell me anything about the car, or if they had any paperwork etc that they could send me.

Generally these are people who owned the car years ago, so they have nothing to lose by sending this stuff to me.
l include a stamped addressed envelope, and say that of course there is no obligation to reply, but it would be great if they did.

Strangely the one car l thought l would definitely get a response for, l heard nothing (the Morris 8) These are only ever owned by enthusiasts.
It's possible they moved, or even passed away, though.
So far l have only written to the last but one owner of the Z3.

[henrycrun]

Also worth including an email and telehone #.
One owner that I wrote to phoned me soon after I had left a deposit on a car at a dealer, and hearing his ownership history was very reassuring.

[BladeRunner919]

With my Fezza

Do people really say that?

[lightning]

Yes

Is it bad?