Furthest you've travelled to buy but eventually walked away?
Discussion
Central Scotland to Audi dealer 300 miles South to view a Q7 that was "straight from Audi Management pool"....11k miles. Dealer was astounded when I refused his offer to "repair" the worn out front drivers seat bolster...So hacked off I called Audi UK and reported the car as being suspiciously worn for recorded mileage. Not bloody interested!.
Hasn't stopped me, done lots of trips to view cars far away in Englandshire, but I normally have a few to view and quite specific specs in mind. Family and friends think I'm bonkers normally, but I can justify the man maths of travel versus settling for a local car that I really don't accept !
Hasn't stopped me, done lots of trips to view cars far away in Englandshire, but I normally have a few to view and quite specific specs in mind. Family and friends think I'm bonkers normally, but I can justify the man maths of travel versus settling for a local car that I really don't accept !
Accurate descriptions are important, I sold our old Polo Breadvan some years ago, probably about 1995 so it was ten years old and I had got it so it was pretty tidy, this guy rang up from Cumbria and asked way more questiosn than a ten year old Polo warranted, he was very pleasant and quite posh, he kept asking me if there was anything I hadn't mentioned but we had talked for ages and I had described it in excruciating detail as I walked around it with the phone in my hand, mentioning every tiny mark on it, I had painted the leading edge of the bonnet, this concerned him but it looked ok, it being largely pre widespread internet photos weren't possible.
He turned up and was a bit odd to be fair but he was thrilled with the car, exactly as described and he paid the full asking price and gave me an extra bit, think it may have been twenty quid to take me and my good lady out for a meal or a drink.
Odd but a proper gent, dred to think what his reaction would be if it hadnt been as he expected though !
He turned up and was a bit odd to be fair but he was thrilled with the car, exactly as described and he paid the full asking price and gave me an extra bit, think it may have been twenty quid to take me and my good lady out for a meal or a drink.
Odd but a proper gent, dred to think what his reaction would be if it hadnt been as he expected though !
I have never travelled too far to buy a car, probably an hour or so at most.
I have had people from quite some distance come to buy cars from me through. The 9-3 I sold in May was bought by a really nice couple who drove all the way up from Devon (200+ miles), handed over cash, they drove away very happy. Thing is they trusted me to be honest about the car which I was and sent additional pictures etc.
I'd hate for someone to make the effort to drive a fair distance to arrive to a car that was represented as a lot better than it was. Sadly a lot of people either ave no idea what 'mint' actually means or they don't care.
I do recall going to look at a cheap MKI Clio, was about £500-600 but looks reasonable in the photos. When I got there, the side not shown in the pictures had trim missing and I recall a big dent or scrape down one side. When I pointed it out the guy laughed and said, 'It's only X amount' as if that justified not showing any damage in the photos. I was p**sed off at driving about 15 miles to see it let alone 150!
I have had people from quite some distance come to buy cars from me through. The 9-3 I sold in May was bought by a really nice couple who drove all the way up from Devon (200+ miles), handed over cash, they drove away very happy. Thing is they trusted me to be honest about the car which I was and sent additional pictures etc.
I'd hate for someone to make the effort to drive a fair distance to arrive to a car that was represented as a lot better than it was. Sadly a lot of people either ave no idea what 'mint' actually means or they don't care.
I do recall going to look at a cheap MKI Clio, was about £500-600 but looks reasonable in the photos. When I got there, the side not shown in the pictures had trim missing and I recall a big dent or scrape down one side. When I pointed it out the guy laughed and said, 'It's only X amount' as if that justified not showing any damage in the photos. I was p**sed off at driving about 15 miles to see it let alone 150!
Worksop to Yeovil, 1986 to buy a chopped and couped Candy Red Moggie Minor with Rover V8
and Chrome Jag IRS. Got there and I could not get my legs under the steering column.
Came home and bought a Renault Fuego the next day from 3 mile away.
and Chrome Jag IRS. Got there and I could not get my legs under the steering column.
Came home and bought a Renault Fuego the next day from 3 mile away.
Edited by B3ALP on Friday 30th September 15:06
I think the huge distances are, by and large a new thing, the internet being mainly responsible as my car buying realm used to be based on the "North West Auto Trader" and many car buying trips were planned whilst scanning its pages sat on the bog.
Would have never entertained going on a 400 mile round trip, or flying to Scotland but its pretty commonplace now.
The NWAT covered the whole North West but you kind of gravitated to a 30 mile radius, not including Liverpool, it used to go "Wow, that looks nice, good price, awww its an 0151 number", sorry scousers !
Now we have other areas we rule out but generally not Liverpool as much.
Would have never entertained going on a 400 mile round trip, or flying to Scotland but its pretty commonplace now.
The NWAT covered the whole North West but you kind of gravitated to a 30 mile radius, not including Liverpool, it used to go "Wow, that looks nice, good price, awww its an 0151 number", sorry scousers !
Now we have other areas we rule out but generally not Liverpool as much.
Alex_225 said:
I have never travelled too far to buy a car, probably an hour or so at most.
I have had people from quite some distance come to buy cars from me through. The 9-3 I sold in May was bought by a really nice couple who drove all the way up from Devon (200+ miles), handed over cash, they drove away very happy.
I live in Devon, and have travelled at least 100 miles (Bristol) to buy every car I've ever owned. Everything down here is well over priced compared to the cities.I have had people from quite some distance come to buy cars from me through. The 9-3 I sold in May was bought by a really nice couple who drove all the way up from Devon (200+ miles), handed over cash, they drove away very happy.
Went from Devon to Birmingham (200+ miles each way) to look at a Saab that turned out to be very different to its description. So I turned around and drove home
J4CKO said:
Accurate descriptions are important, I sold our old Polo Breadvan some years ago, probably about 1995 so it was ten years old and I had got it so it was pretty tidy, this guy rang up from Cumbria and asked way more questiosn than a ten year old Polo warranted, he was very pleasant and quite posh, he kept asking me if there was anything I hadn't mentioned but we had talked for ages and I had described it in excruciating detail as I walked around it with the phone in my hand, mentioning every tiny mark on it, I had painted the leading edge of the bonnet, this concerned him but it looked ok, it being largely pre widespread internet photos weren't possible.
He turned up and was a bit odd to be fair but he was thrilled with the car, exactly as described and he paid the full asking price and gave me an extra bit, think it may have been twenty quid to take me and my good lady out for a meal or a drink.
Odd but a proper gent, dred to think what his reaction would be if it hadnt been as he expected though !
I completely forgot to mention a Mk1 Astra I was selling would need new back wheel arches. The car was priced accordingly but I could understand the chap being annoyed when he came to look. Knocked a bit extra off for him.He turned up and was a bit odd to be fair but he was thrilled with the car, exactly as described and he paid the full asking price and gave me an extra bit, think it may have been twenty quid to take me and my good lady out for a meal or a drink.
Odd but a proper gent, dred to think what his reaction would be if it hadnt been as he expected though !
MarshPhantom said:
J4CKO said:
Accurate descriptions are important, I sold our old Polo Breadvan some years ago, probably about 1995 so it was ten years old and I had got it so it was pretty tidy, this guy rang up from Cumbria and asked way more questiosn than a ten year old Polo warranted, he was very pleasant and quite posh, he kept asking me if there was anything I hadn't mentioned but we had talked for ages and I had described it in excruciating detail as I walked around it with the phone in my hand, mentioning every tiny mark on it, I had painted the leading edge of the bonnet, this concerned him but it looked ok, it being largely pre widespread internet photos weren't possible.
He turned up and was a bit odd to be fair but he was thrilled with the car, exactly as described and he paid the full asking price and gave me an extra bit, think it may have been twenty quid to take me and my good lady out for a meal or a drink.
Odd but a proper gent, dred to think what his reaction would be if it hadnt been as he expected though !
I completely forgot to mention a Mk1 Astra I was selling would need new back wheel arches. The car was priced accordingly but I could understand the chap being annoyed when he came to look. Knocked a bit extra off for him.He turned up and was a bit odd to be fair but he was thrilled with the car, exactly as described and he paid the full asking price and gave me an extra bit, think it may have been twenty quid to take me and my good lady out for a meal or a drink.
Odd but a proper gent, dred to think what his reaction would be if it hadnt been as he expected though !
"But the arches are rusty"
Did you say
"Ok I will know a bit extra off for you"
Then proceeded to bash your fist on the arch leaving a pile of rusty bits ?
Back in the very early 1990s I drove down from Scotland to Cheshire to buy a fairly new Lotus Esprit from a dealer.
The car was a good example but after a test drive (first time I had driven one) I decided the Lotus Esprit was very much NOT the car for me. I was quite embarrassed and felt the salesman would look on me as a bit of a wannabe and test pilot.
Being a proper PHer I went on spent my hard earned on a brand new Mk1 Mazda MX5 which had, at the time, not long been released, turned heads, was receiving rave reviews from the press, was considered as the modern day Lotus Elan and was driven almost exclusively by male sportscar enthusiasts. (so what happened there?)
The car was a good example but after a test drive (first time I had driven one) I decided the Lotus Esprit was very much NOT the car for me. I was quite embarrassed and felt the salesman would look on me as a bit of a wannabe and test pilot.
Being a proper PHer I went on spent my hard earned on a brand new Mk1 Mazda MX5 which had, at the time, not long been released, turned heads, was receiving rave reviews from the press, was considered as the modern day Lotus Elan and was driven almost exclusively by male sportscar enthusiasts. (so what happened there?)
Flew from Manchester to London to view a 'mint' Evo 9 GT back in 2007. I'd already questioned something on the pic as it looked as though the rear offside quarter had some rust bubbles showing, guaranteed it was all good. Arrived, looked, told him he was an idiot and he's wasted my time and flew home again!
Wouldn't have been so bad but the guy selling was very respected on Lanceregister otherwise I wouldn't have bothered.
Complete dick and meant I was out of pocket to the tune of £300.
Wouldn't have been so bad but the guy selling was very respected on Lanceregister otherwise I wouldn't have bothered.
Complete dick and meant I was out of pocket to the tune of £300.
Only around 100 miles, but I'd searched for months for the perfect Clio 16V, which was becoming quite rare at the time.
I arrived prior to the owner of the car returning. Just as he was pulling in he drove into the path of another car travelling at a reasonable speed, car was written off.
I handed over my contact details as a witness and headed home!
I arrived prior to the owner of the car returning. Just as he was pulling in he drove into the path of another car travelling at a reasonable speed, car was written off.
I handed over my contact details as a witness and headed home!
Just over 100 miles to BCA Bridgewater to put a bid in for a BMW seven series for a punter. Nothing wrong with the car, right spec mileage etc but the bidding went absolutely mental. Even the "Mr Motormouth" auctioneer was, for a few seconds lost for words!
So we turned tail and went back home empty handed......
So we turned tail and went back home empty handed......
Slightly off topic but sold a moto guzzi to a guy near aberdeen , he flew down to heathrow hired a van , picked up bike and drove home over 2 days , kept in touch with him and he later pxed it into wessons in brighton ! We drove from toddington beds to blackpool to look at a monaro which had undisclosed damage and the dash lit up like a xmas tree on test drive , ran away from that one !
Edited by bimsb6 on Friday 30th September 18:17
Triumph Man said:
Tatty I can understand you walking away from, but surely you would be able to tell before setting off that it didn't have idrive or sports seats?
Couldn't see the dash from the pictures so not clear it didn't have iDrive. Sports seats yeah, should have twigged, but looked worse in reality than images. Essex to Leicester (via St Pancras) when I was looking for a limited edition Impreza. Saw it advertised online at the main dealer in the City. Ticked all the right boxes low mileage (5k) and a leather interior which was non-standard. However, apparently, it was the owners' personal car and he'd specced it to include leather. I phoned them and told them I was heading up. They very kindly picked me up from the Station. Get to the dealership to find the mileage was in fact 51k ("Sorry, must be a typo, we'll get that sorted") leather had seen better days and the I.C.E had been removed, by a well trained chimp, with all the wires hanging out of the dash. I immediately said thank but no thanks. No offer of a lift back to the Station and had to pay for my own cab as I had no idea where I was.
Following week found another one up in Scotland (300 miles), flew up and bought it on the spot.
Following week found another one up in Scotland (300 miles), flew up and bought it on the spot.
Cardiff to London on several occasions
1. To see a Trans Am where he wouldn't budge on price and it really wasn't that good
2. To see a Camaro Z28 in Soho (after viewing a Trans Am in the suburbs that was full of dead leaves - always arrange to see two if it's a long way). He let me see the Z28 in a private car park (parked next to someone else's Roller), told me it was sold (what?) and chatted how he used to trade shares and blow his money on cocaine. Said he was selling to help his terminally ill son. Left confused but rang him again, a few weeks later and he sold me the car, albeit at full asking (it was worth it). Weirdo.
3. To see a 4th gen Camaro Z28 at Heathrow Airport which turned out had been badly resprayed along one entire side and the bloke was a knob. I saved the day by ringing another Z28 owner who was "on the way back" and ended up buying that one instead.
1. To see a Trans Am where he wouldn't budge on price and it really wasn't that good
2. To see a Camaro Z28 in Soho (after viewing a Trans Am in the suburbs that was full of dead leaves - always arrange to see two if it's a long way). He let me see the Z28 in a private car park (parked next to someone else's Roller), told me it was sold (what?) and chatted how he used to trade shares and blow his money on cocaine. Said he was selling to help his terminally ill son. Left confused but rang him again, a few weeks later and he sold me the car, albeit at full asking (it was worth it). Weirdo.
3. To see a 4th gen Camaro Z28 at Heathrow Airport which turned out had been badly resprayed along one entire side and the bloke was a knob. I saved the day by ringing another Z28 owner who was "on the way back" and ended up buying that one instead.
Edited by LuS1fer on Friday 30th September 21:17
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