Strange car selling experiences.
Discussion
An old thread popped up this morning which reminded me of a car that I sold to a chap in 2014. He'd come to view and subsequently buy my Hawk Stratos replica.
After we agreed a deal, I asked him what he planned to do with the car? Keep it in road spec. or return it to the track?
He replied "Neither. I'm going to put it in a barn and leave it there with some others. I own several cars that I keep in the barn. My wife doesn't know anything about them."
He then loaded the car on the trailer and drove away.
Occasionally, I check the car's status on the DVLA website. I did so again today. As usual, the site returns the car as sorned, with an MOT that expired in June 2014. So, I assume the car, along with the others, still sits, gathering dust, in the barn.
What are your experiences of 'interesting' purchasers?
After we agreed a deal, I asked him what he planned to do with the car? Keep it in road spec. or return it to the track?
He replied "Neither. I'm going to put it in a barn and leave it there with some others. I own several cars that I keep in the barn. My wife doesn't know anything about them."
He then loaded the car on the trailer and drove away.
Occasionally, I check the car's status on the DVLA website. I did so again today. As usual, the site returns the car as sorned, with an MOT that expired in June 2014. So, I assume the car, along with the others, still sits, gathering dust, in the barn.
What are your experiences of 'interesting' purchasers?
When I sold my RS Clio 200 back in 2012 the chap who purchased it came to collect it in a helicopter, he flew with a friend to the closest airfield which is only about 15 mins drive away. I picked him up in the Clio, his friend flew the helicopter home and the chap dropped me back at my house and drove home in the Clio. I think he was buying it as a track car to share with his son.
Mouse Rat said:
Around 8 years ago I sold a Alpina coupe to a chap who trained it down from Scotland. It was around 4 years old and on 55K miles at the time.
Last MOT check it was on 430K miles, so he must really like it!
Last MOT check it was on 430K miles, so he must really like it!
I often check my old cars.
I had a Passat from new in 2012 that I moved on in 2015. That's done 130k miles in the last two years (it's probably a taxi)
In the eighties an aggressive chap came to look at my Cavalier Coupe. It was a nice car, two years old, it had been a demonstrator and had all the bits and bobs. He came with a mechanic mate, they went over the car and drove it and it was fine but then it got a bit uncomfortable as the buyer went into what i thought was a rehearsed speech about if he bought it and it was no good he was going to bring it back and I would give him back his money or there would be trouble. Another mate was going to write a receipt that said all this and I was going to sign it. "You ent gonna write it." Gawd knows why I went ahead but I agreed and took a deposit. A few days later he and the mechanic mate came back with a bundle of cash and the carefully crafted receipt that he waved triumphantly at me. "Sign that!" I read it. The receipt had the car's details and the amount which was fine but the key phrase read, 'sold as seen, tried and approved without guarantee.'
Soooo... your mate has included a Caveat Emptor clause, has he? Genius.
"Yes, okay," I said, "I'll sign that."
The bloke was over the moon. He'd got me right where he wanted me and no argument.
Soooo... your mate has included a Caveat Emptor clause, has he? Genius.
"Yes, okay," I said, "I'll sign that."
The bloke was over the moon. He'd got me right where he wanted me and no argument.
Strange one when I sold my e38 740i.
Like many it had started to bubble on the sills, and around the bootlid, and the blue paint had started to fade a bit on the bonnet. Apart from that a sound car that I'd advertised honestly.
The front tyres were also a bit low, but legal.
When the chap came to buy it, he arrived in an Astra estate with a mate and two bmw wheels were in the back of it.On mine were 18" parallels and his were 16" SE wheels of (i bellieve) an e39.
Proceeds to hand over the readies, without a test drive or even a look around at the issues I'd highlighted, say thanks in a dismissive "go back inside pal" way and then as I observe from the window, swaps the front wheels over to the 16s and drive both cars off.
Struck me as weird as there was probably 3mm of tread on the front 18s, must have handled weird in dragster mode on the way home.
Like many it had started to bubble on the sills, and around the bootlid, and the blue paint had started to fade a bit on the bonnet. Apart from that a sound car that I'd advertised honestly.
The front tyres were also a bit low, but legal.
When the chap came to buy it, he arrived in an Astra estate with a mate and two bmw wheels were in the back of it.On mine were 18" parallels and his were 16" SE wheels of (i bellieve) an e39.
Proceeds to hand over the readies, without a test drive or even a look around at the issues I'd highlighted, say thanks in a dismissive "go back inside pal" way and then as I observe from the window, swaps the front wheels over to the 16s and drive both cars off.
Struck me as weird as there was probably 3mm of tread on the front 18s, must have handled weird in dragster mode on the way home.
Miskiligade said:
Strange one when I sold my e38 740i.
Like many it had started to bubble on the sills, and around the bootlid, and the blue paint had started to fade a bit on the bonnet. Apart from that a sound car that I'd advertised honestly.
The front tyres were also a bit low, but legal.
When the chap came to buy it, he arrived in an Astra estate with a mate and two bmw wheels were in the back of it.On mine were 18" parallels and his were 16" SE wheels of (i bellieve) an e39.
Proceeds to hand over the readies, without a test drive or even a look around at the issues I'd highlighted, say thanks in a dismissive "go back inside pal" way and then as I observe from the window, swaps the front wheels over to the 16s and drive both cars off.
Struck me as weird as there was probably 3mm of tread on the front 18s, must have handled weird in dragster mode on the way home.
What was the profile of the tyres on his wheels and yours? Could well have been the same circumference overall or very near Like many it had started to bubble on the sills, and around the bootlid, and the blue paint had started to fade a bit on the bonnet. Apart from that a sound car that I'd advertised honestly.
The front tyres were also a bit low, but legal.
When the chap came to buy it, he arrived in an Astra estate with a mate and two bmw wheels were in the back of it.On mine were 18" parallels and his were 16" SE wheels of (i bellieve) an e39.
Proceeds to hand over the readies, without a test drive or even a look around at the issues I'd highlighted, say thanks in a dismissive "go back inside pal" way and then as I observe from the window, swaps the front wheels over to the 16s and drive both cars off.
Struck me as weird as there was probably 3mm of tread on the front 18s, must have handled weird in dragster mode on the way home.
When I sold my Ginetta, the buyer flew over from Germany, caught the train from the airport to the nearest station to me. I picked him up, he spent 5 mins looking at the car, transferred the money to my bank account and flew back to Germany. A few weeks later he came back, collected the car and drove it to Germany. I was happy he paid 3x what I paid for the car
I owned a Version 1 Subaru Imrezza STi around 2005 I think it was, after realising at the time the running costs were killing me I advertised it on eBay and within a couple of days two dodgy guys from Manchester turned up to see it in another Subraru of a similar age, after a fairly quick test drive they paid cash and off they went.
I heard nothing else until a couple of weeks later when Police came knocking at the door because the car had been used as a get away vehicle in a robbery of a business in Manchester, thankfully I had filled in the log book and posted it at the time of sale and I told them what I could which wasn't a lot apart from providing copies of ebay messages.
never heard anything after
I heard nothing else until a couple of weeks later when Police came knocking at the door because the car had been used as a get away vehicle in a robbery of a business in Manchester, thankfully I had filled in the log book and posted it at the time of sale and I told them what I could which wasn't a lot apart from providing copies of ebay messages.
never heard anything after
Selling my missus Fiesta a few years ago and a guy rings to enquire about it but I miss his call so ring him back on our landline (not the number in the advert). My missus then takes a very entertaining phone call a while later from the guys missus where she is accused of being the guys bit on the side, I think she was called 'that b
h he's been carrying on with'! It turns out the guy was being a bit naughty, his missus saw our number on his phone which she obviously didn't recognise and when my missus answered the phone to her she obviously put two and two together and got five. They were due to come and view the car, I told them it might not be a good idea, mainly because my missus is a bit feisty and if she'd caught hold of this other woman it probably wouldn't have ended well...
Another time I sold a rotten old Transit with no tax or mot to a pair of Nigerians, one of whom couldn't speak a word of English. They caught the Train from Essex to South Wales, I had to pick them up from the local train station which I'll be honest was more than a little bit intimidating, they then didn't even look around the van, just checked it had oil and water in it, threw some money at me, signed the look book and drove it back to Essex, they must have gone through Central London on the way back as I had a letter a couple of weeks later to say that the congestion charge hadn't been paid. What they were up to in that van I don't want to know.
h he's been carrying on with'! It turns out the guy was being a bit naughty, his missus saw our number on his phone which she obviously didn't recognise and when my missus answered the phone to her she obviously put two and two together and got five. They were due to come and view the car, I told them it might not be a good idea, mainly because my missus is a bit feisty and if she'd caught hold of this other woman it probably wouldn't have ended well...Another time I sold a rotten old Transit with no tax or mot to a pair of Nigerians, one of whom couldn't speak a word of English. They caught the Train from Essex to South Wales, I had to pick them up from the local train station which I'll be honest was more than a little bit intimidating, they then didn't even look around the van, just checked it had oil and water in it, threw some money at me, signed the look book and drove it back to Essex, they must have gone through Central London on the way back as I had a letter a couple of weeks later to say that the congestion charge hadn't been paid. What they were up to in that van I don't want to know.
I started a thread on here under a pseudonym after I sold a Porsche over the phone to a bloke who subsequently disappeared. He eventually turned up a month or so later.
Another time a bloke travelled all the way from Aberdeen to buy my Z4M Coupe, after he had the AA do an inspection for him a couple of days previous to make sure it was good 'un.
One way ticket on the train, I pick him up, test drive it etc and all is good. He then starts to try and bargain me for the car. Will you take this, what about if I offer that
I explained he was about 5 hours from home with no return ticket, he wasn't in the best bargaining position. To be fair he coughed up and the car was mint.
Another time a bloke travelled all the way from Aberdeen to buy my Z4M Coupe, after he had the AA do an inspection for him a couple of days previous to make sure it was good 'un.
One way ticket on the train, I pick him up, test drive it etc and all is good. He then starts to try and bargain me for the car. Will you take this, what about if I offer that
I explained he was about 5 hours from home with no return ticket, he wasn't in the best bargaining position. To be fair he coughed up and the car was mint.
recently sold my car, advertised on eBay amongst others - got some very odd requests through that - did i want to swap my car for 2 of his? err no
Would I give my car and £15k cash for a buyers Audi R8? err no
despite saying no part exchanges thanks!
Found someone normal in the end and had a normal sales experience
Would I give my car and £15k cash for a buyers Audi R8? err no
despite saying no part exchanges thanks!
Found someone normal in the end and had a normal sales experience
An Ebay bidder who kept pestering over and over again on why I was selling my old Porker and I said I was selling up (to work abroad). We were sat in my house, on some cardboard boxes, with a Sold sign outside the house! I also refused to let him test the electric sunroof on my car as it hadn't been opened in ages and it was raining. He said he would assume it didn't work and said "Fair enough, I would so as well". After an hour of interrogation I just wanted him to go away. In the end he won the auction and paid up for the car. Turns out he was a lawyer, and we know from PH forums how tedious and anal legal types can be!
I sold my Berlingo van when I retired 18 months ago , and since then it has been covered by a SORN and still shows as SORN even today
The Guy that bought it was a self employed builder and happened to be Irish ,during the conversations prior to sealing the deal , said he intended to export the van to the Republic once he had finished the job he was doing .His address is in the London congestion charge / low emission zone so unlikely it is in use there, as the van was only euro5
Perhaps it is now in the republic , but if that is the case , surely the VRM would disappear from the DVLA web site
The Guy that bought it was a self employed builder and happened to be Irish ,during the conversations prior to sealing the deal , said he intended to export the van to the Republic once he had finished the job he was doing .His address is in the London congestion charge / low emission zone so unlikely it is in use there, as the van was only euro5
Perhaps it is now in the republic , but if that is the case , surely the VRM would disappear from the DVLA web site
MXRod said:
I sold my Berlingo van when I retired 18 months ago , and since then it has been covered by a SORN and still shows as SORN even today
The Guy that bought it was a self employed builder and happened to be Irish ,during the conversations prior to sealing the deal , said he intended to export the van to the Republic once he had finished the job he was doing .His address is in the London congestion charge / low emission zone so unlikely it is in use there, as the van was only euro5
Perhaps it is now in the republic , but if that is the case , surely the VRM would disappear from the DVLA web site
There's a chance he's driving it around in Ireland on the UK plates using a UK address for insurance. He keeps it SORN as there's no point in paying tax in a different country.The Guy that bought it was a self employed builder and happened to be Irish ,during the conversations prior to sealing the deal , said he intended to export the van to the Republic once he had finished the job he was doing .His address is in the London congestion charge / low emission zone so unlikely it is in use there, as the van was only euro5
Perhaps it is now in the republic , but if that is the case , surely the VRM would disappear from the DVLA web site
Maybe
Jimmy Recard said:
What was the profile of the tyres on his wheels and yours? Could well have been the same circumference overall or very near
True, just seemed like odd behaviour to me. Nowt wrong with my tyres and it struck me that if I had not mentioned the 3mm tyres on the front he wouldnt have brought replacements to drive home on. That and not looking at/driving/testing the car at all.Blib said:
What are your experiences of 'interesting' purchasers?
My Diablo Red 306 Gti-6, back in 2007ish. Great conditon, super fun car, nicely advertised, fair bit of interest. One guy gets in contact, ends up with him coming all the way from the South Coast via KingsX up to Leeds, then a Bus to near me, picked him up in my other car to bring him to mine. One way ticket booked.
Obviously, I thought this was nailed on. Looked round it, zero issues. Drove it, yep, drives great. Price is right, I was prepared to shift a little bit too.
"Hmm, yes its lovely but I dont want a Red one. Can you take me back to the station?"
(It cant even have been just for a joyride as there were many for sale all over the country back in those days).
Miskiligade said:
Jimmy Recard said:
What was the profile of the tyres on his wheels and yours? Could well have been the same circumference overall or very near
True, just seemed like odd behaviour to me. Nowt wrong with my tyres and it struck me that if I had not mentioned the 3mm tyres on the front he wouldnt have brought replacements to drive home on. That and not looking at/driving/testing the car at all.
My Son was selling his immaculate 106 GTI (in London) he took a call from someone in a remote part of Scotland and they agreed to buy it over the phone.
He sent a cheque as a deposit and then flew down with his Father to buy the car. We showed him the car and he didn't ask to drive it, or even to look under the bonnet or sit in it.
He said that it was superb and exactly as described. His Father then took a large wad of cash out in the street and was mystified by our look of horror. (East end of London)
They were really nice people and it all ended well. I'm not sure that I would have wanted to do a near 600 mile drive in that car, but they said that there was nothing like it nearby.
He sent a cheque as a deposit and then flew down with his Father to buy the car. We showed him the car and he didn't ask to drive it, or even to look under the bonnet or sit in it.
He said that it was superb and exactly as described. His Father then took a large wad of cash out in the street and was mystified by our look of horror. (East end of London)
They were really nice people and it all ended well. I'm not sure that I would have wanted to do a near 600 mile drive in that car, but they said that there was nothing like it nearby.
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