Sold car with one key: what would you do?
Discussion
Just wondering what you would do in this situation:
My grandmother recently passed away and I needed to sell her car on behalf of my mother. I put her Mazda2 ts2 up for £3995, FMSH etc - great little car with just 35k on the clock (2008).
Got an email from a man saying his daughter was interested but her top budget was £3500. He didn't want to waste my time if I wouldn't go that low. I said that was absolutely as low as I would go, but to bring her out for a look.
Long story short she liked the car and we shook on £3500, with just the exchange of cash and v5 signing to organise. I also put a years mot and 6 months tax on it at my expense (paid myself back when the car sold).
I then discovered that I could not find the spare key anywhere in my grandmothers house. Both my Dad and I looked for a few hours in all the obvious places. I informed her of this. She text to say she wanted to keep £150 and if I found the spare she would give me the £150 - if not, she would keep it and get a new key from Mazda. I chatted to my parents who agreed. So she collected and paid £3350 cash. Key has still not materialised after a week of more looking so I text her and said keep the £150 and get a new key when the reg document arrives in her name.
I was genuinely not aware that the 2nd key was not there. I didn't say in the advert "car comes with both keys" - I didn't mention anything about keys.
Also worth clarifying that this wasn't my sale, it's not my money - I was just an intermediary. Were it one of my own cars I may have taken a different route. Parent's couldn't be bothered with the hassle so just wanted it sold.
Bearing in mind she got £500 off the car straight away, and a fresh mot and tax etc ie a cracking deal - what would you have done about the 2nd key??
My grandmother recently passed away and I needed to sell her car on behalf of my mother. I put her Mazda2 ts2 up for £3995, FMSH etc - great little car with just 35k on the clock (2008).
Got an email from a man saying his daughter was interested but her top budget was £3500. He didn't want to waste my time if I wouldn't go that low. I said that was absolutely as low as I would go, but to bring her out for a look.
Long story short she liked the car and we shook on £3500, with just the exchange of cash and v5 signing to organise. I also put a years mot and 6 months tax on it at my expense (paid myself back when the car sold).
I then discovered that I could not find the spare key anywhere in my grandmothers house. Both my Dad and I looked for a few hours in all the obvious places. I informed her of this. She text to say she wanted to keep £150 and if I found the spare she would give me the £150 - if not, she would keep it and get a new key from Mazda. I chatted to my parents who agreed. So she collected and paid £3350 cash. Key has still not materialised after a week of more looking so I text her and said keep the £150 and get a new key when the reg document arrives in her name.
I was genuinely not aware that the 2nd key was not there. I didn't say in the advert "car comes with both keys" - I didn't mention anything about keys.
Also worth clarifying that this wasn't my sale, it's not my money - I was just an intermediary. Were it one of my own cars I may have taken a different route. Parent's couldn't be bothered with the hassle so just wanted it sold.
Bearing in mind she got £500 off the car straight away, and a fresh mot and tax etc ie a cracking deal - what would you have done about the 2nd key??
Bought cars with one key before. Modern keys now are more of an issue. Cost me 250quid to replace a passat key I lost. Some renault keys are more. You were fair with issue when it came to light. She got quite a chunk off asking price and 150 off to replace it. For all you know...she'll drive round for years like that until she comes a cropper, or trade in or sell on with just one key at some later point. As this came to light after I would have done same, knocked a bit off to sweeten the deal. Less hassle...and it probably cos more for a new key anyway.most are linked to immobiliser now and coding.
Edited by R36vw on Tuesday 10th June 18:34
Yea sorry - not trying to make it seem like an issue. There isn't one.
I guess I'm just asking would you pay her the £150 or say no, if you want the car you can pay for a 2nd key yourself?
It's a moral issue I guess, as she would have expected there to be 2 keys.
And yes as some have mentioned these can be expensive to replace. I saw quotes of £300+ when I googled it.
I guess I'm just asking would you pay her the £150 or say no, if you want the car you can pay for a 2nd key yourself?
It's a moral issue I guess, as she would have expected there to be 2 keys.
And yes as some have mentioned these can be expensive to replace. I saw quotes of £300+ when I googled it.
R36vw said:
Bought cars with one key before. Modern keys now are more of an issue. Cost me 250quid to replace a passat key I lost. Some renault keys are more. You were fair with issue when it came to light. She got quite a chunk off asking price and 150 off to replace it. For all you know...she'll drive round for years like that until she comes a cropper, or trade in or sell on with just one key at some later point. As this came to light after I would have done same, knocked a bit off to sweeten the deal. Less hassle...and it probably cos more for a new key anyway.most are linked to immobiliser now and coding.
Yes I saw similar quotes online. Some were for alarm fobs and others were just for basic keys to start the engine - but even these seemed to need linking to the immobiliser and were circa £100. Edited by R36vw on Tuesday 10th June 18:34
I didn't know replacement keys would be so expensive. But I have never lost one before, and have always bought and sold with 2 (or more) keys.
I don't know if I would buy a car with one key.
Bought my Alfa Spider from a dealer last year. Didn't even think to ask whether both keys were present so was a bit disappointed when on collection the dealer handed me just one key. Not much I could do; I hadn't asked the question so my tough luck.
I did contact the previous owner who swore that he had handed everything over including both keys when he traded it (to a different dealer).
Anyway long story short Timpsons provided a replacement for £20 including programming the immobiliser chip.
I did contact the previous owner who swore that he had handed everything over including both keys when he traded it (to a different dealer).
Anyway long story short Timpsons provided a replacement for £20 including programming the immobiliser chip.
Magog said:
Presumably when the V5 was filled out you made a note of the address of the new keeper. The 2nd key will probably turn up eventually, when it does, go round there and take the car, hold it to ransom for £150 pounds, when she pays return car along with 2nd key.
Mmm. I spot a _slight_ flaw in that plan...If she was paying full asking, then £150 off for the key might be fair enough. But when she's already got £500 off £4k asking? Bit cheeky. At most, I'd have gone halves. I'd probably have done it rather than see them walk away, but certainly not just for the asking.
"£3500 is as low as I can go"
Any faults, low tread tires, funny smell in the boot, MISSING KEYS, and all the other things that chip away at the asking price were already chipped off to the tune of £500. When she said she was keeping £150 for the key you should have told her to knock it off the £3650 you now wanted for the car.
You were very fair and reasonable in dropping a not inconsiderable amount so you could help someone out. Unfortunately there are people who mistake kindness for weakness, but in your case it was no mistake. When she rings you next week and says "there's no fuel left in the car", for Christ's sake ask on here before you go running round with your jerry can.
(unless she has nice tits. Nice tits go a long way, a lot further than personality)
Any faults, low tread tires, funny smell in the boot, MISSING KEYS, and all the other things that chip away at the asking price were already chipped off to the tune of £500. When she said she was keeping £150 for the key you should have told her to knock it off the £3650 you now wanted for the car.
You were very fair and reasonable in dropping a not inconsiderable amount so you could help someone out. Unfortunately there are people who mistake kindness for weakness, but in your case it was no mistake. When she rings you next week and says "there's no fuel left in the car", for Christ's sake ask on here before you go running round with your jerry can.
(unless she has nice tits. Nice tits go a long way, a lot further than personality)
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