Sold car - broke 15 miles away - buyer wants refund - help?

[Altrezia]

Hey guys,

I just sold my 1997 discovery to a chap this morning.

He test drove it, checked it over, and seemed nice enough to be honest. Anyway, an hour later I get a phone call saying it's just over heated and seised up on the motorway and he wants to get it recovered to my house for a full refund.

The car was working fine when I sold it in my opinion, and we used it on sunday for a full day of off roading without any issues.

Obviously I don't want a knackered car and no money to fix it.

So, where do I stand? Apparently, it will be brought back to my house at 8am tomorrow morning and he will be expecting cash.

Edited by Altrezia on Friday 17th August 23:04

[Altrezia]

I'm more worried about what he might do out of the usual legal recourse, to be honest. Anyone actually dealt with this before? I offered to pay the £100 for his recovery fee - over generous I thought?

[Altrezia]

£1800 was paid.

So, do I call him tell him that I'm not going to help, or just ignore it?

-al

[Altrezia]

Just called him - he blew the lid at me saying he is going to get his dad to drive back now and 'play it hard if I want to play it hard'

No idea what that means, but I'm taking my cars to my parents house now!

FFS.

[Altrezia]

hello chaps

To confirm, the car _wont_ run. When I called him to tell him that I couldn't help, he said 'its the bottom end mate, wont even turn over'.

He then said he was thinking of getting his father, who was in a separate car, to come back for the money.

Then he said it'll be back outside my place at 8am tomorrow and he wont leave without the money.

I'll call the police in a mo just to check in, but we did call them before I called the guy, and the confimed we are in the clear legally speaking.

Just had a text from the buyer though saying:
"are you prepair to help towards this in any way with this with supplying engine / recovery please many thanks jamie"

So, what do I do now? Ignore it? Try and be nicer and offer that £100 again, but state that is NOT my fault when I do so? I can afford to lose £100 if it means he just fks of and my family don't feel threatened.

Cheers guys,
a

[Altrezia]

so; should I ignore it - reply saying now - reply saying yes?

Sorry to be thick but I am not used to this sort of thing. I do feel bad for him that his new car is kaput (if it is) but it was fine while I had it - I even tried to put him off coming to buy it because I wasn't even sure if I wanted to sell it. I have no concerns that it was a 'dodgy' car or anything like that.

[Altrezia]

mat205125 said:

Just to clarify the timeline.

Did the guy test drive it, whilst it was fine, and then you took it off road for a day, or did you enjoy a day of off roading, and then he tested in and it was fine?

If it was the former, then maybe you could have damaged the rad or hose and caused the failure.

If it was the latter, then its his car, and was sold as seen and tested.

He arrived at 9am this morning to look at the car, test drove it, looked it over, came in the house, checked the history file and then handed over the cash, and drove away. Last time I used the car was Sunday where it performed really well.

[Altrezia]

Thanks Graham. I think I'm a half decent bloke too, but you never know if your own morals are screwed, I suppose.

I just got off the phone to the police - a lovely lady there (Thanks Karen at Hampshire Police!) wrote it all down, advised that I simply and politely said I had taken advice and would not be able to offer any further assistance, and then let the police know if he carries on and they'll put it down as harassment.

Horrid situation, but thanks to those that gave me advice and what-not - great help as always.

-a

[Altrezia]

PoleDriver said:

If OP is being 100% straight here I wouldn't mind betting that the engine has been swapped!

The police lady said the same thing, in a round-about way!

Heard nothing since my text.

[Altrezia]

Only the one on the V5. Wouldn't be hard to grind + stamp another block though surely?

Doesn't matter, he's not having his money back now, after threats!

[Altrezia]

blueheron said:

Where in Hampshire are you?

North, near Basingstoke.

Plan is to ignore it. We're out now, and out tomorrow, so fingers crossed it'll just go away.

[Altrezia]

Sorry if this is dull, but no response yet from the chap.

Will update tomorrow evening either way

[Altrezia]

So, earlier i sent:
"Jamie. I have taken advice and as the car was test driven and sold as seen I will not be able to offer any further assistance or correspondence in the matter."

He just replied with:
"ok ive done the same be in contact very soon."

Not sure what he means but i suppose we will see. I am not replying.

[Altrezia]

Another text.. Perhaps not a scam? Doesnt sound like a chap who is goong to smash down my door?

"hiya mate carm down a bit now after getting home and siting down look i understand how you fel and me mate just it now cost me 1950 plus fuel to get home and the engine is sized and got a non runner going to have to take hit on the head and buy another engine and fit it ect are you happy to help me with the recovery and call it unlucky and leave it there ? just like to say u must understand how i felt getting only 15-20 miles down the road and when you said it not your problem how i felt please reply jamie i think thats being fair with you im not the kind of person you mad me fel like being and i no my self your the same as me family man trying to make a liveing."

[Altrezia]

He's not - he's illiterate, and I think ended that message, then thought of more to say. That's why I think it may not be a scam, and just an unlucky bloke.

[Altrezia]

Hello all.

So, I'm sure I'm going to lose some PH cred here, but after a long chat with the guy last night, I've decided to give him £100. There are two reasons for this:

1) He's speaking to my mechanic who he thinks has cocked something up, and wants to know why a previous repair was done the way it was. He's also talked through in more detail what happened, and offered to show me the car and what-not. I think it's a genuine car failure rather than a scam.

2) For the sake of £100, my family and I don't have to worry about threats or any more fking about. I now have his full home address, his bank details, and he was very apologetic. The way I see it - If it is a scam then I can afford £100 for it to be over. If it's not a scam then £100 isn't much to lose, and if the car had broken while I still had it, I wouldn't be able to shift it for £1700. If the shoe was on the other foot, I'd appreciate the gesture.

I didn't enjoy yesterday, feeling that my wife and daughter might be in danger, or that my daughter might be terrified of the door bell going forever more.

£100 isn't much, and in this instance I'm alright with losing out a few quid to draw a line under it.

So, mountain out of a molehill. Perhaps a lot comes from my prejudice based on stereotyping, as well as dealing with a guy with a bad temper.

Sorry to disappoint you lot.

if anyone else wants £100, just call and tell me you'll kill me, etc.. or eff off!

[Altrezia]

It's not an admission of guilt - I have in writing WHY I am giving the money, and that it's NOT out of any legal requirement or responsibility, but simply a kind gesture, and in writing, the agreement from the buyer.

[Altrezia]

Nyphur said:

£100 now. Then something else will "go wrong" next week and it will be another £100 etc etc

Nope, in writing that it's the end despite any further issues that may arise.

[Altrezia]

Hey chaps, situation has changed

My mechanic phoned me this morning, to tell me that the buyer has been in contact. It turns out he lives less than 10 miles from the mechanic.. yet he is refusing to let my mechanic see the car for a free inspection and potential fix. He wants a 'new engine' without it being seen. He also has changed the story of what's happened, and it's now dropped a big end.

So, SCAM!

Not paying the £100 without a receipt of recovery, AND a checkover from my mechanic.

Thanks for all the advice.

[Altrezia]

Haha noted! Not planning any more comms. :-)