Selling Your Car and Timewasters - Name and Shame?
Discussion
I am currently selling my car. Had the usual glut of emails from African Princes, elderley Dutch lady who wants to transfer funds and ludicrous p/ex offers. Par for the course, polite response by email then forget it.
What really does my head in though is people who call, sound completely genuine, arrange to come and view/buy, and then don't contact at all and leave you having wasted a day waiting, valeting car etc.
I had one bloke last week, guaranteed he'd come down on Sunday early afternoon - I asked him if that was definate and he said 100%. So I rearranged family outing, sorted car and when he didn't turn up as arranged I called, and called, texted and left a message. Eventually I get a TEXT (Coward) that evening saying he had found a similar car on ebay local to him, same spec as mine and cheaper. I knew where he was coming from so I checked - complete lie!! Couldn't even pick up the phone, apologise for wasting my time and say he'd changed his mind - before the viewing. Instead he lets me waste the complete day, I could have taken the kids out.
I suspect I have another who has been wasting my time this weekend.
I would never dream of doing this to someone. I have bough plenty of cars and never once wasted someone's time. I arrive when arranged, or if I am going to be even 30 mins late I will call and explain. And if, in the event I change my mind, I will call and explain - like a man!
What ever happended to courtesy, manners and respect. Should these losers be named and shamed??
What really does my head in though is people who call, sound completely genuine, arrange to come and view/buy, and then don't contact at all and leave you having wasted a day waiting, valeting car etc.
I had one bloke last week, guaranteed he'd come down on Sunday early afternoon - I asked him if that was definate and he said 100%. So I rearranged family outing, sorted car and when he didn't turn up as arranged I called, and called, texted and left a message. Eventually I get a TEXT (Coward) that evening saying he had found a similar car on ebay local to him, same spec as mine and cheaper. I knew where he was coming from so I checked - complete lie!! Couldn't even pick up the phone, apologise for wasting my time and say he'd changed his mind - before the viewing. Instead he lets me waste the complete day, I could have taken the kids out.
I suspect I have another who has been wasting my time this weekend.
I would never dream of doing this to someone. I have bough plenty of cars and never once wasted someone's time. I arrive when arranged, or if I am going to be even 30 mins late I will call and explain. And if, in the event I change my mind, I will call and explain - like a man!
What ever happended to courtesy, manners and respect. Should these losers be named and shamed??
I recently sold a Rover that got so little interest I'd have settled for a timewaster or two just to confirm that SOMEONE was looking at the advert!
And not a single Nigerain prince or travelling oceanographer sent me an email. how bad is a car when even the scammers take pity on you.
Agree that it is frustrating but don't think the world needs to know that it was Joe Bloggs.
And not a single Nigerain prince or travelling oceanographer sent me an email. how bad is a car when even the scammers take pity on you.
Agree that it is frustrating but don't think the world needs to know that it was Joe Bloggs.
Yes 100%.
Was selling a car 2 years ago. 2 young muslim lads travelled 200 miles and turned up 3 hours late for a viewing (was now 10:30pm) they didn't test drive or haggle the price.
Cue the asda bag with £15000 cash in it and the following statement from one of the lads "the cash is all legit bruv, I'm a doc for the NHS here's my I.d. Card", not seen many doctors wearing a hoodie and air max 95's I thought.
Apparently they wanted a nice car for picking up their uncle that was flying in from Pakistan the next morning.
Sent them on their way sharpish and passed their registration plate details to the plod.
Was selling a car 2 years ago. 2 young muslim lads travelled 200 miles and turned up 3 hours late for a viewing (was now 10:30pm) they didn't test drive or haggle the price.
Cue the asda bag with £15000 cash in it and the following statement from one of the lads "the cash is all legit bruv, I'm a doc for the NHS here's my I.d. Card", not seen many doctors wearing a hoodie and air max 95's I thought.
Apparently they wanted a nice car for picking up their uncle that was flying in from Pakistan the next morning.
Sent them on their way sharpish and passed their registration plate details to the plod.
never put off what your doing just because someone may turn up to look at the car, I told a bloke that he can come and view my car, it was a saturday and I said I was going out at 6, he turned up at 5.45, I showed him then I f
ked him off at six as I was busy. If he realy realy wanted it then he would have been here much sooner, with cash.
Most people are timewasters.
Never answer texts, short email answers, If someone wants it they WILL call.
(over 10 years selling cars now, I can spot a timewaster a mile off)
ked him off at six as I was busy. If he realy realy wanted it then he would have been here much sooner, with cash.Most people are timewasters.
Never answer texts, short email answers, If someone wants it they WILL call.
(over 10 years selling cars now, I can spot a timewaster a mile off)
Jedimindtrix said:
Yes 100%.
Was selling a car 2 years ago. 2 young muslim lads travelled 200 miles and turned up 3 hours late for a viewing (was now 10:30pm) they didn't test drive or haggle the price.
Cue the asda bag with £15000 cash in it and the following statement from one of the lads "the cash is all legit bruv, I'm a doc for the NHS here's my I.d. Card", not seen many doctors wearing a hoodie and air max 95's I thought.
Apparently they wanted a nice car for picking up their uncle that was flying in from Pakistan the next morning.
Sent them on their way sharpish and passed their registration plate details to the plod.
So they know where you live and now know exactly who shopped them in Was selling a car 2 years ago. 2 young muslim lads travelled 200 miles and turned up 3 hours late for a viewing (was now 10:30pm) they didn't test drive or haggle the price.
Cue the asda bag with £15000 cash in it and the following statement from one of the lads "the cash is all legit bruv, I'm a doc for the NHS here's my I.d. Card", not seen many doctors wearing a hoodie and air max 95's I thought.
Apparently they wanted a nice car for picking up their uncle that was flying in from Pakistan the next morning.
Sent them on their way sharpish and passed their registration plate details to the plod.
Unfortunately all part and parcel of selling a car. I’m currently in the same situation. I’ve sold a good few cars over the years but at the moment it is really difficult. It’s so frustrating!
I had a young guy come and have a look at my ATR. He turned up which was nice of him. He travelled all the way down from Cambridge, so not local to me. All looking good so far. He’s very keen saying it’s just what he is after. So I decided to take him out for a test drive (luckily not letting him drive). He seemed even more keen after that. He then starts dithering, when we should start talking about making a sale. He then pipes up “oh yeah I need to check if I can get insured in the car first. I’ll call you tomorrow when I’ve looked”. I give him his dues he did call me back to say sorry mate insurance is too expensive. I knew it would be. I just couldn’t understand why he didn’t find that out first, it would have saved a wasted day of prepping the car and waiting in for him. Plus side is I now have a nice clean car.
I find most of the email question never come to anything. Thinking about it I’ve never sold a car to someone who email.
I’m just going to keep on advertising the car and just hope.
I had a young guy come and have a look at my ATR. He turned up which was nice of him. He travelled all the way down from Cambridge, so not local to me. All looking good so far. He’s very keen saying it’s just what he is after. So I decided to take him out for a test drive (luckily not letting him drive). He seemed even more keen after that. He then starts dithering, when we should start talking about making a sale. He then pipes up “oh yeah I need to check if I can get insured in the car first. I’ll call you tomorrow when I’ve looked”. I give him his dues he did call me back to say sorry mate insurance is too expensive. I knew it would be. I just couldn’t understand why he didn’t find that out first, it would have saved a wasted day of prepping the car and waiting in for him. Plus side is I now have a nice clean car.
I find most of the email question never come to anything. Thinking about it I’ve never sold a car to someone who email.
I’m just going to keep on advertising the car and just hope.
Touch wood I've not had any problems so far, but perhaps that is because I tend to write intelligible adverts, am honest and the stuff I sell is priced to sell.
Pretty easy to spot a timewaster too, IMO.
Also, pretty much all the cars I've bought lately have started with an email... so don't assume someone isn't interested if they don't call, perhaps they're just too busy at the time...
Pretty easy to spot a timewaster too, IMO.
Also, pretty much all the cars I've bought lately have started with an email... so don't assume someone isn't interested if they don't call, perhaps they're just too busy at the time...
What is worse than the "no shows" are those folk who have the front to enter into a deal and then back out without good reason.
There's one chap on here selling car that I've seen get marked up as "sold" twice now and now back up for sale again - makes me thing that either the car's a shed in the metal (doesn't look like it) or he's been seriously messed around by multiple timewasters. If it's the latter, he must be seriously pissed off by now - especially as the asking price looks about right.
Got to be good for the car buying trade though - don't think I'm alone in having taken a relatively low-ball offer from a dealer just to have the deal done quickly and without the hassle of advertising it.
There's one chap on here selling car that I've seen get marked up as "sold" twice now and now back up for sale again - makes me thing that either the car's a shed in the metal (doesn't look like it) or he's been seriously messed around by multiple timewasters. If it's the latter, he must be seriously pissed off by now - especially as the asking price looks about right.
Got to be good for the car buying trade though - don't think I'm alone in having taken a relatively low-ball offer from a dealer just to have the deal done quickly and without the hassle of advertising it.
It works both ways. The last car I purchased I turned up on time for the viewing, decided I liked it and left a deposit. I organised with the seller to tax the car so I could come the next day with a friend and collect it. I turned up on time and provided regular text updates, when I got there I had a half hour wait as he was "at work" and eventually his little brother turned up on a scooter to sort out the deal. Shockingly I found the car had not been taxed, so my friend refused to drive it back. I rung the seller and requested my deposit refunded as I needed a car immediatly and he hadn't held up his part of the deal.
He decided he couldn't refund me but he would deliver the car to my house... I told him if he was going to do that, he should drive it and get a friend to take him back home. 2 hours later he turns up with the car on a fking tow truck, requesting I pay £25 towards to tow. I told him to go fk.
He decided he couldn't refund me but he would deliver the car to my house... I told him if he was going to do that, he should drive it and get a friend to take him back home. 2 hours later he turns up with the car on a f
king tow truck, requesting I pay £25 towards to tow. I told him to go fk.In past year have sold 3 cars and bought 4
In every case the cars were all sold to people who emailed in the first instance followed up by chats on the phone and if I remember correctly all the cars I bought first contact was an email.
Yes timewasters are a pain but I have found its the ones who phone and ask "whats your best price" are the worst offenders, the ones who send a email with some relevant questions I find tend to be the genuine ones.
In every case the cars were all sold to people who emailed in the first instance followed up by chats on the phone and if I remember correctly all the cars I bought first contact was an email.
Yes timewasters are a pain but I have found its the ones who phone and ask "whats your best price" are the worst offenders, the ones who send a email with some relevant questions I find tend to be the genuine ones.
I like to think my ad is detailed enough for most, is clear and honest, and always happy to answers quetions. Plus there are loads of pics plus a link to dozens more hi res pics taken in past few weeks.
At least I have lost no money; interesting point about not changing plans, but it's all too easy to go out of your way to someone who sounds genuine to aid in selling the car, only to get let down.
It just surprises me at the ignorance of some people - I would never dream of wasting someone's time and would feel embarrassed about doing so. For those that do, they do it from a safe distance with little chance of comeback which is probably why.
I do have a couple of their numbers though, I am sure there are some inventive places I could place those numbers to ensure that they too get plenty of their time wasted receiving 'interesting' calls
At least I have lost no money; interesting point about not changing plans, but it's all too easy to go out of your way to someone who sounds genuine to aid in selling the car, only to get let down.
It just surprises me at the ignorance of some people - I would never dream of wasting someone's time and would feel embarrassed about doing so. For those that do, they do it from a safe distance with little chance of comeback which is probably why.
I do have a couple of their numbers though, I am sure there are some inventive places I could place those numbers to ensure that they too get plenty of their time wasted receiving 'interesting' calls
StottyZr said:
It works both ways.
This. I remember when looking for my Golf there a few local to me, so straight away I tried to get them on the phone. No answer. Numerous calls, even left them voice mails. Never heard from them. So I ended up travelling from west yorkshire to Wales! Well worth it though, nice drive back along the coast road too 
I've been selling a car for the last few weeks and all I have had are timewasters and dheads - latest one we agreed a price on Saturday, he'd be back on Monday evening. 6pm Monday I called - yep, all OK with you in an hour and a half. Then 9pm I get a call because he's been "called away from work" and "if he's back by the weekend he'll give me a call" - chapter two from the big cocknosher book of excuses 
I'd have had more respect for him if he'd just been a man and said "to be honest, I've had second thoughts". Well anyway, it's on fleabay now, so we'll see how that goes. I'm so fed up of the whole fking process it reminds me why I normally drive them into dust or just give them away.
heads - latest one we agreed a price on Saturday, he'd be back on Monday evening. 6pm Monday I called - yep, all OK with you in an hour and a half. Then 9pm I get a call because he's been "called away from work" and "if he's back by the weekend he'll give me a call" - chapter two from the big cocknosher book of excuses I'd have had more respect for him if he'd just been a man and said "to be honest, I've had second thoughts". Well anyway, it's on fleabay now, so we'll see how that goes. I'm so fed up of the whole f
king process it reminds me why I normally drive them into dust or just give them away.Jedimindtrix said:
Yes 100%.
Was selling a car 2 years ago. 2 young muslim lads travelled 200 miles and turned up 3 hours late for a viewing (was now 10:30pm) they didn't test drive or haggle the price.
Cue the asda bag with £15000 cash in it and the following statement from one of the lads "the cash is all legit bruv, I'm a doc for the NHS here's my I.d. Card", not seen many doctors wearing a hoodie and air max 95's I thought.
Apparently they wanted a nice car for picking up their uncle that was flying in from Pakistan the next morning.
Sent them on their way sharpish and passed their registration plate details to the plod.
Is that the one they crashed through the front of Glasgow Airport ? Was selling a car 2 years ago. 2 young muslim lads travelled 200 miles and turned up 3 hours late for a viewing (was now 10:30pm) they didn't test drive or haggle the price.
Cue the asda bag with £15000 cash in it and the following statement from one of the lads "the cash is all legit bruv, I'm a doc for the NHS here's my I.d. Card", not seen many doctors wearing a hoodie and air max 95's I thought.
Apparently they wanted a nice car for picking up their uncle that was flying in from Pakistan the next morning.
Sent them on their way sharpish and passed their registration plate details to the plod.
I recently had the displeasure of selling a high mileage 993. It is was in very fair conditon having had a lot of work including a full suspension rebuild by me a few months earlier. It was the cheapest in the country, manual gearbox, coupe with a very comprehensive advert. I literally had over 40 email contacts asking for best prices, offering Clios as part-ex, how many engine and gearbox rebuilds had been done, etc. As mine was at the bottom end of the market all sorts of dreamers came out of the woodwork.
I had 7 people to view it and only one found something to criticise, but then he expected a concourse car at the bottom end of the market. All the others commented on the good condition and honest nature of the advert. After the spacktards had seen the extensive paperwork, then the car and had a considerable test drive I had two tell me it was too high mileage for them (well it's got another 20 on now you've been for a fking joyride), three saying they'd get back to me to confirm when they could get a PPI done (not one materialised, only got a call from one to say they'd changed their mind) and I had one guy who told me (after the test drive) that the only reason he came to view mine was because he'd already decided on another car but wanted to make sure it's handling was up to scrtach by test driving one with brand new suspension. I nearly did an American History X on the curb with that tt.
That's seven detail and valet sessions and seven afternoons I gave up for fking mongoloids with nothing better to do than waste my time and my fuel. If all they wanted was a joyride then fk off and bug a dealer, who's job is to be accomodating to people who pretend to be interested. As it turned out I had a guy travel a considerable distance by train to buy it, unseen, after some extensive conversations. Perfect smooth transaction, but it took two months and a 20% price drop to a good 15% cheaper than anything else on the market. Unfortunately that's the market we seem to be in right now.
I had 7 people to view it and only one found something to criticise, but then he expected a concourse car at the bottom end of the market. All the others commented on the good condition and honest nature of the advert. After the spacktards had seen the extensive paperwork, then the car and had a considerable test drive I had two tell me it was too high mileage for them (well it's got another 20 on now you've been for a f
king joyride), three saying they'd get back to me to confirm when they could get a PPI done (not one materialised, only got a call from one to say they'd changed their mind) and I had one guy who told me (after the test drive) that the only reason he came to view mine was because he'd already decided on another car but wanted to make sure it's handling was up to scrtach by test driving one with brand new suspension. I nearly did an American History X on the curb with that tt.That's seven detail and valet sessions and seven afternoons I gave up for f
king mongoloids with nothing better to do than waste my time and my fuel. If all they wanted was a joyride then fk off and bug a dealer, who's job is to be accomodating to people who pretend to be interested. As it turned out I had a guy travel a considerable distance by train to buy it, unseen, after some extensive conversations. Perfect smooth transaction, but it took two months and a 20% price drop to a good 15% cheaper than anything else on the market. Unfortunately that's the market we seem to be in right now.It is people in general I'm afraid. I work in sales and sell to the public sector. People let you do a hell of a lot of work for them, show a real interest and then when you call them at a pre arranged time they ignore the phone. This happens to me so often on a daily basis I am beginning to lose any confidence in people. People are too worried about confrontation and will avoid it at all costs, rather than say I'm not interested in this car but thanks for your time they just fob you off. Grow a pair!
mikeyr said:
I recently sold a Rover that got so little interest I'd have settled for a timewaster or two just to confirm that SOMEONE was looking at the advert!
And not a single Nigerain prince or travelling oceanographer sent me an email. how bad is a car when even the scammers take pity on you.
Agree that it is frustrating but don't think the world needs to know that it was Joe Bloggs.
Same here, 2 weeks and not a single contactAnd not a single Nigerain prince or travelling oceanographer sent me an email. how bad is a car when even the scammers take pity on you.
Agree that it is frustrating but don't think the world needs to know that it was Joe Bloggs.
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