Have you ever seen your old car years after you sold it?
Discussion
Only the once, a seat leon cupra R I sold.
Young guy and his dad arrived in his dads prelude. I go out for a test drive with the guy and to this date it's the only time I've shouted at someone test driving one of my cars to "slow the F*&k down and stop the car" when he thought it was okay to accelerate to nearly 80 on a 30mph road. He did slow right down for the rest of the drive.
Whilst doing the paperwork the dad kept insisting that his prelude would absolutely be able to walk all over the car I'd replaced it with, a brand new M140i.
For months I kept seeing the car every week or so, still being driven like a c&%£ only with a black bonnet to match the rest of the yellow car??! I kept seeing his dads prelude too, being driven in a similar manner
Young guy and his dad arrived in his dads prelude. I go out for a test drive with the guy and to this date it's the only time I've shouted at someone test driving one of my cars to "slow the F*&k down and stop the car" when he thought it was okay to accelerate to nearly 80 on a 30mph road. He did slow right down for the rest of the drive.
Whilst doing the paperwork the dad kept insisting that his prelude would absolutely be able to walk all over the car I'd replaced it with, a brand new M140i.
For months I kept seeing the car every week or so, still being driven like a c&%£ only with a black bonnet to match the rest of the yellow car??! I kept seeing his dads prelude too, being driven in a similar manner
Once,
Had an Ariel Atom, years after I sold it, saw JayEm review it on his youtube channel.
Coincidentally years earlier when he first started I'd suggested he come do a review, but at the time he had no gear to secure his expensive cameras to it, so it never happened.
He finally got to drive it.
Had an Ariel Atom, years after I sold it, saw JayEm review it on his youtube channel.
Coincidentally years earlier when he first started I'd suggested he come do a review, but at the time he had no gear to secure his expensive cameras to it, so it never happened.
He finally got to drive it.
I traded in a Golf once, ordinary cooking Golf TDI, Mk4. A couple of weeks later I opened an desk drawer at home and saw the spare key for it. I had neglected to give it to the dealer and he hadn't asked for it, it was a knackered shed which he'd only given a couple of hundred for, so I suppose it didn't make too much difference to him.
I was surprised to see the car a couple of years later in a supermarket car park in my town, as I assumed it would have been scrapped by then. Pleased with myself, I waved the driver down as he pulled out of the parking spot, and he wound down the window. I told him I used to own the car and I have a spare key for it (a remote fob key, not just your ordinary metal blade), and if he'd like it he would be welcome to come and get it or I could post it to him. He looked me up and down like something he'd trodden in, and said, in the flattest most northern accent I've ever heard, "No", and sped off. How he managed to convey such contempt in a single word was, looking back, deeply impressive. The key is still in my drawer to this day.
People.
I was surprised to see the car a couple of years later in a supermarket car park in my town, as I assumed it would have been scrapped by then. Pleased with myself, I waved the driver down as he pulled out of the parking spot, and he wound down the window. I told him I used to own the car and I have a spare key for it (a remote fob key, not just your ordinary metal blade), and if he'd like it he would be welcome to come and get it or I could post it to him. He looked me up and down like something he'd trodden in, and said, in the flattest most northern accent I've ever heard, "No", and sped off. How he managed to convey such contempt in a single word was, looking back, deeply impressive. The key is still in my drawer to this day.
People.
Edited by Skodillac on Wednesday 14th May 09:38
Not mine, but one of the first cars I drove regularly after I passed my test was my dad's volvo 144 (TAB 144F). Probably about 10 years after he sold it I was driving through a nearby town and ended up following it. A quick check would suggest it probably died shortly after.
The reverse of this is the old owner of my car used to often wave at me when she saw me driving. She's got a personal plate so I recognise when she changes cars!
The reverse of this is the old owner of my car used to often wave at me when she saw me driving. She's got a personal plate so I recognise when she changes cars!
Most of them I've never seen again
However, I bought a brand new Golf TDI in 2007 and sold it after a good 4 years with it.
Saw it again reasonably locally about 5 years later coming the other way on an A road. Recognised the number plate immediately.
Similarly, traded in the OH's Ford KA around 2009/2010. Saw that a few years later in town, only the once.
However, I bought a brand new Golf TDI in 2007 and sold it after a good 4 years with it.
Saw it again reasonably locally about 5 years later coming the other way on an A road. Recognised the number plate immediately.
Similarly, traded in the OH's Ford KA around 2009/2010. Saw that a few years later in town, only the once.
Yeah, few times
Sold a Rover 216 Coupe, saw it maybe five years later, it went past me on the motorway.
Volvo T5 estate, that appeared on eBay ten years later, in "time warp condition", was twenty years old and looked like new, then dissapeared off the DVLA list.
My Porsche 944 S2 Cab, was out cycling and saw it on a driveway, as usual, it was on axle stands.
Sold a Metro GTI to some little scrote, he took the new keepers supplement and the log book he filled in for me to send whilst I wasnt looking, didnt register it in his name and caused havoc, parking tickets, speeding tickets etc, it went racing past me one day on Trafford Park, I worked for the Police at the time and had a word. It was found in Wythenshawe in front of his house, they paid a visit and it wasnt insured or taxed, he got nicked and it added to his already impressive list of convictions, car got scrapped.
My brothers Pug 309 was the best, a lad and his grandad came and bought it, all seemed wholesome until the armed coppers arrived one night at 2am, the lad had used it in a botched armed robbery.
This is why you need to ensure you sign the car over, you live and learn !
Sold a Rover 216 Coupe, saw it maybe five years later, it went past me on the motorway.
Volvo T5 estate, that appeared on eBay ten years later, in "time warp condition", was twenty years old and looked like new, then dissapeared off the DVLA list.
My Porsche 944 S2 Cab, was out cycling and saw it on a driveway, as usual, it was on axle stands.
Sold a Metro GTI to some little scrote, he took the new keepers supplement and the log book he filled in for me to send whilst I wasnt looking, didnt register it in his name and caused havoc, parking tickets, speeding tickets etc, it went racing past me one day on Trafford Park, I worked for the Police at the time and had a word. It was found in Wythenshawe in front of his house, they paid a visit and it wasnt insured or taxed, he got nicked and it added to his already impressive list of convictions, car got scrapped.
My brothers Pug 309 was the best, a lad and his grandad came and bought it, all seemed wholesome until the armed coppers arrived one night at 2am, the lad had used it in a botched armed robbery.
This is why you need to ensure you sign the car over, you live and learn !
Two vehicles.
Sold our school run Nova 1.2 when bought my wife a new Fabia. Saw it exiting a Kidderminster industrial estate driven by purchaser about a year or two later.
The worst one, sold our first Type 2 bay window camper, why oh why did I sell it? Had put some effort into getting it into decent fettle and finish. Saw it some years later parked on a bit of a spare ground in Sheffield, it had been repainted with a horrible dark brown matt paint, finish almost like suede.
Sold our school run Nova 1.2 when bought my wife a new Fabia. Saw it exiting a Kidderminster industrial estate driven by purchaser about a year or two later.
The worst one, sold our first Type 2 bay window camper, why oh why did I sell it? Had put some effort into getting it into decent fettle and finish. Saw it some years later parked on a bit of a spare ground in Sheffield, it had been repainted with a horrible dark brown matt paint, finish almost like suede.
I've had over 50 cars so it's happened a few times. The weirdest though was my old Suzuki Swift 1.3GS that appeared outside my own front door about 5 years after I sold it. I was living above a computer shop in South Wimbledon and the owner had bought it. What surprised me most was the fact it was still going.
A PHer bought my old Mk2 VW Golf GTI 16v and sent me pics of it so I sort of saw that one again.
A PHer bought my old Mk2 VW Golf GTI 16v and sent me pics of it so I sort of saw that one again.
My first car was a Seat Arosa I inherited from my mum. I traded it against another car at a local garage after a couple of years who sold it on ebay. it turned up a couple of months later at my Aunt's neighbours 30 odd miles away as a first car for their son and did pretty good service over the next few years for them.
I've not seen any of my other old cars but I do check their MOT history on occasion. Think my old 197 was crashed and written off shortly after being sold which is a shame.
I've not seen any of my other old cars but I do check their MOT history on occasion. Think my old 197 was crashed and written off shortly after being sold which is a shame.
My father sold a Bentley R Type he had when he was a young man, and saw it about 40 years later at a car show. He left a note on it and the current owner made contact and they planned to meet, but sadly the current owner died before they had a chance. All the same, he was very happy and surprised to see the car had continued to be looked after and enjoyed.
I had a mk2 Golf 16v which I sold in 2014.
In 2017 I saw it on eBay and seriously considered buying it back (wish I had in hindsight given how values have gone).
In 2020 I then saw it on an episode of Bangers and Cash where it was part of a collection of a farmer who had dozens of 80s hot hatches.
In 2017 I saw it on eBay and seriously considered buying it back (wish I had in hindsight given how values have gone).
In 2020 I then saw it on an episode of Bangers and Cash where it was part of a collection of a farmer who had dozens of 80s hot hatches.
I sold my Maserati Granturismo S to a guy in the Lake District about 7 years ago, then last year a new owner emailed me to ask about the car, turns out he lives 15 miles from me in Kent, and works with someone I know in an office 3 miles from where I live.
I pass the office every day to and from work and was very pleased to see it in the car park about a month ago.
Did make me want to buy another one though.
I pass the office every day to and from work and was very pleased to see it in the car park about a month ago.
Did make me want to buy another one though.
My wife had a volvo V40 which she nearly wrote off when she rear ended someone turning right off a dual carriageway. It left the car with a warped bonnet and slightly misaligned wing after I'd done the best repair I could - it also made it quite distinctive.
Cue a year after we'd scrapped it (think it might have been rusty fuel lines) and I'm out in Lagos, Nigeria. See a blue V40, exactly the same. Do a double take and there's the same damage to the front. And it still had the winter tyres on it from being in Scotland. The reg plate was differently obviously but I'm sure it was the same car that had been shipped out there post scrappy.
Cue a year after we'd scrapped it (think it might have been rusty fuel lines) and I'm out in Lagos, Nigeria. See a blue V40, exactly the same. Do a double take and there's the same damage to the front. And it still had the winter tyres on it from being in Scotland. The reg plate was differently obviously but I'm sure it was the same car that had been shipped out there post scrappy.
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