Fortune favours the lucky? Odd car buying activites
Discussion
Well, this will likely get a few "Cool Story Bro" replies, but what the heck, it's been an odd month or so with cars!
Cut back only a few weeks ago to me owning a hateful Merc C270CDI smoker as a daily and my wife having a Seat Altea for her town pottering.
Oddity 1:
I start thinking the Merc is a bit long in the tooth - I get a trade in value, £2500 - not bad.
A week later, terminal engine failure, I have a friend look it over and confirm what I feared, injectors and likely fuel pump too, costly repairs. I think, I'll cut my losses and eBay it for Spares or Repairs.
After a lot of silly phone calls I get a chappy who wants to fix it up, will come and collect on a flatbed, and was happy to pay £2500.
Car sold with non-working engine for the same as trade in price when working. Win.
Oddity 2:
I think rather than large smoker, I'll go small and cheap - I'm thinking a Panda 100HP will fit the bill and start looking around. I find a lovely low mileage example that appears very reasonable.
I check the values, all looks good. I perform the obligatory quote from We Buy Any Car, they offer several £100 over what the chap wants for it.
I turn up, knock him down a bit, drive away happy - car is perfect. First car I've bought under the usually appauling WBAC value.
Oddity 3:
Disaster - after a month of Panda ownership I'm getting progressivly worse backache from the un-supportive seats and bone-shaking ride. It has to go.
I advertise it for a few £100 more than I purchased it, still a bargain price.
A nice chap calls, asks if I'd PX, I say no thanks. He calls back the next day with a proposition. He offers to drive up, pay full asking price for my car, and GIVE me his car for free.
I'm skeptical - but look at all avenues, it seems genuine.
He drives up, we talk, we exchange money and keys, he leaves.
I'm left with an immaculate 1997 E36 328i SE with all the toys, sunroof, leather, even factory parking sensors, with every receipt from new! The wife instantly falls in love with the silky smooth 6 cylinder beastie and promptly claims it for herself, leaving me with her Altea and a wad of cash burning a deep hole in my pocket.
Oddity 4:
I have cash and a nice trade in, I look around for a comfy daily, after test driving the usual culprits I arrive at a Saab 93 or an Alfa 159 - I ask the PH masses, the Alfa wins.
I check prices and geniunely can't find another one in the country with the same spec, age and milage at that price. I buy it - but not from an Indie, not from a Car Supermarket, but from an Alfa dealership!
Cheap main dealer price shocker!
All this in 5 weeks - I need a rest, and a hoon in my lovely new cars!
Cut back only a few weeks ago to me owning a hateful Merc C270CDI smoker as a daily and my wife having a Seat Altea for her town pottering.
Oddity 1:
I start thinking the Merc is a bit long in the tooth - I get a trade in value, £2500 - not bad.
A week later, terminal engine failure, I have a friend look it over and confirm what I feared, injectors and likely fuel pump too, costly repairs. I think, I'll cut my losses and eBay it for Spares or Repairs.
After a lot of silly phone calls I get a chappy who wants to fix it up, will come and collect on a flatbed, and was happy to pay £2500.
Car sold with non-working engine for the same as trade in price when working. Win.
Oddity 2:
I think rather than large smoker, I'll go small and cheap - I'm thinking a Panda 100HP will fit the bill and start looking around. I find a lovely low mileage example that appears very reasonable.
I check the values, all looks good. I perform the obligatory quote from We Buy Any Car, they offer several £100 over what the chap wants for it.
I turn up, knock him down a bit, drive away happy - car is perfect. First car I've bought under the usually appauling WBAC value.
Oddity 3:
Disaster - after a month of Panda ownership I'm getting progressivly worse backache from the un-supportive seats and bone-shaking ride. It has to go.
I advertise it for a few £100 more than I purchased it, still a bargain price.
A nice chap calls, asks if I'd PX, I say no thanks. He calls back the next day with a proposition. He offers to drive up, pay full asking price for my car, and GIVE me his car for free.
I'm skeptical - but look at all avenues, it seems genuine.
He drives up, we talk, we exchange money and keys, he leaves.
I'm left with an immaculate 1997 E36 328i SE with all the toys, sunroof, leather, even factory parking sensors, with every receipt from new! The wife instantly falls in love with the silky smooth 6 cylinder beastie and promptly claims it for herself, leaving me with her Altea and a wad of cash burning a deep hole in my pocket.
Oddity 4:
I have cash and a nice trade in, I look around for a comfy daily, after test driving the usual culprits I arrive at a Saab 93 or an Alfa 159 - I ask the PH masses, the Alfa wins.
I check prices and geniunely can't find another one in the country with the same spec, age and milage at that price. I buy it - but not from an Indie, not from a Car Supermarket, but from an Alfa dealership!
Cheap main dealer price shocker!
All this in 5 weeks - I need a rest, and a hoon in my lovely new cars!
It did sound like a mighty nicely spec'd Megane!
I think it worked out in my favour in the end though...
The chap with the Beemer was lovely - he was adamant he was getting a great deal out of it too, he didn't want the hassle of selling his car, couldn't insure both easily, and my car was significantly cheaper than others of same mileage. He'd been to see 4-5 others and mine was the best, he'd been offered low trade in's with his Beemer and even taking the PX cost in to account mine still worked out cheaper.
I think it worked out in my favour in the end though...
The chap with the Beemer was lovely - he was adamant he was getting a great deal out of it too, he didn't want the hassle of selling his car, couldn't insure both easily, and my car was significantly cheaper than others of same mileage. He'd been to see 4-5 others and mine was the best, he'd been offered low trade in's with his Beemer and even taking the PX cost in to account mine still worked out cheaper.
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