Do cars know when they are about to be sold

[ewan221]

Had someone coming to see car today, so took for run to make sure all was ok before I gave it a clean and all off a sudden strange noise develops from engine

Phone the prospective buyer to explain that car had developed the noise and I had booked it in to get checked out on monday but he still wanted to come see it.

Have been using car regular with no probs, it was in at my local garage to get a check over before I put it up for sale - no problems

but as soon as I get a viewing it throws a wobbler

Bloody typical

[bluebear]

sods law. its happened to all of us. flat battery the day of a viewing is my normality

[cml]

Had this one in both directions:

Took my MGB out for possibly one of the lasts drives before a friend was due to buy it and the clutch gave up completely.

Was driving down to meet somebody to buy an XJS and he rang to say he had just put it into a hedge on his 'one last spin' (gutted by that one as it had decent AJ6 Egineering engine mods).

'I don't believe it' etc...

[MartinQ]

I went out in the Elise a couple of hours before a viewing and I was hit from behind. The driver had apparently had an epileptic fit. It was 6 months before the insurance was sorted and the repair done.

[bobda]

Just sold a car and when starting it to take it to work on the day of the viewing it threw a wobbly and seemed to be misfiring badly. Eventually it spluttered into life. All was fine at the viewing and test drive and agreed to sell. Buyer comes to pick up the next day and the first time it is started it starts knocking/rattling.

It had been utterly reliable in the two years I owned it. They know, they must do!

[Kong]

We don't have any trouble in our neighbourhood, not one bit. That's until i put my Omega up for sale and some local youths decided to wrap an entire roll of duct tape around the car during the night before someone came to view. No permenant damage caused, but HOW DID THEY KNOW?!!

[B'stard Child]

Yes - just Yes

[ensignia]

I've been struggling to sell my RX-8, and it's been languishing in the classifieds for months now. I stuck it up on AutoTrader and had about 11 calls over the weekend. Two chaps were supposed to come and see it on Sunday, but the battery had completely died so I had to cancel.

They both were still interested so they said they'd rearrange. Never heard from either of them again! No other calls in the past three days either now that I've replaced the battery

[Locke]

My Dad has done over 220k in his car with no serious problems. The day he was going to take it down to auction the electric handbrake wouldn't release leaving it stuck on the drive. It was as if it was protesting. We even spoke about the fact that he’d been lucky to not have had any problems with it as there a common fault the previous day.

Edited by Locke on Sunday 28th August 01:05

[Simbu]

Sometimes i wonder! Uncle was delivering a restoration project to a buyer and on the way it blew its head gasket and munched the head, valves and pistons. He wasn't happy.

[sebhaque]

Just before I sold my VX I decided to prep the car for the buyer (great chap).

The locking wheel nut fell out of its holder. The timing belt slipped. The wheels went out of balance. Several leaks emerged. Undertray got loose.

However I know the car's in great hands and now it's had its period I'm sure he'll enjoy it. In a similar way the M3 he used to own that I essentially swapped for the VX had a few teething problems, but is now running perfectly.

I remember deciding to sell my old MG and everything went wrong with that when I put it up for sale. I like to think I look after my cars and they're as sad to see me go as I am to wave goodbye to them.

[Kong]

sebhaque said:

Just before I sold my VX I decided to prep the car for the buyer (great chap).

The locking wheel nut fell out of its holder. The timing belt slipped. The wheels went out of balance. Several leaks emerged. ..

Just appeared from knowhere?

[Pints]

Kong said:

sebhaque said:

Just before I sold my VX I decided to prep the car for the buyer (great chap).

The locking wheel nut fell out of its holder. The timing belt slipped. The wheels went out of balance. Several leaks emerged. ..

Just appeared from knowhere?

'Tis the law of sod.

[Famous Graham]

The day before I was to chop in my MGF for the S2000, one of the gear linkages went.

Somewhat of a pain as, despite only being a 50 quid part or something, it's 8 hours labour as you have to take the entire cabin out. I had it low-loaded to the Honda dealership once fixed

[ewan221]

Well happily looks mine is going to be a simple fix :-)

Similar to this when I bought my first Boxster alternator packed in on way home after only 30 mins and when I sold it the water pump gave up as the new owner was on his way home

[*Al*]

Last drive before i sold my Escort Cosworth and returning home the clutch cable snapped! Luckily so close to home that i rolled up onto the drive!

[insanojackson]

My 09 scirocco developed a terminal engine fault last sunday, the day i was about to accept a private sale offer.

[vrooom]

Car have souls....

[Papa Hotel]

vrooom said:

Car have souls....

Only Italian cars, everyone knows that. Without souls, they would be mere machines, or some ste like that.

Anyway, to answer the thread, I don't know if cars know when they're being sold but they sure as st know when I've bought them. Clutch, heater control matrix, doors, all little niggly things that I've had to fix shortly after purchase but nothing seems to go wrong afterwards. It's like they're in a short-term huff then come round to the idea of me owning them.

Edited by Papa Hotel on Saturday 27th August 19:23