Buying Blind ?
Discussion
Hi all,
I'm thinking about buying an early boxster for a surprise present, I've been using the forum here and having a good nose I've decided on what I'm looking for and my (low) budget. I've got 5K - 6K to pay - and would like an Arena Red with Tan interior, or the Green and Tan combo. (remeber this is for the Mrs so colour is important)
It seems to be quite a rare combo for sale and after looking for a while I've only just found a couple that match. My problem is that they are miles away and there's no way I'll be able to sneak out for a full day whilst I go to view em.
So I'm pondering having the AA or some such do a check and buy it blind from their notes and getting it delieverd to me locally .. Is this as insanely stupid idea as I think it is ?
I'm thinking about buying an early boxster for a surprise present, I've been using the forum here and having a good nose I've decided on what I'm looking for and my (low) budget. I've got 5K - 6K to pay - and would like an Arena Red with Tan interior, or the Green and Tan combo. (remeber this is for the Mrs so colour is important)
It seems to be quite a rare combo for sale and after looking for a while I've only just found a couple that match. My problem is that they are miles away and there's no way I'll be able to sneak out for a full day whilst I go to view em.
So I'm pondering having the AA or some such do a check and buy it blind from their notes and getting it delieverd to me locally .. Is this as insanely stupid idea as I think it is ?
I wouldn't be so brave but there are people on here who have bought blind before. If the car was coming from a dealer with a good reputation, it might be worth the risk.
Personally, I would want it inspected by someone who knows these cars well and wouldn't be happy with an AA (or similar) inspection. Despite them being good value, if there is something major wrong, they could be expensive to fix and I don't think the wife would be too happy about that.
Personally, I would want it inspected by someone who knows these cars well and wouldn't be happy with an AA (or similar) inspection. Despite them being good value, if there is something major wrong, they could be expensive to fix and I don't think the wife would be too happy about that.
I'd find the nearest Indie and agree to pay around £200 for a full report if vendor (private or dealer) takes it round there. You of course have additional protection if purchased from a dealer, and even more protection if purchased by credit card. I would then ask on here or a relative if someone local wouldn't mind having a look and providing some personal feedback. Good luck!
paul_y3k said:
Hi all,
I'm thinking about buying an early boxster for a surprise present, I've been using the forum here and having a good nose I've decided on what I'm looking for and my (low) budget. I've got 5K - 6K to pay - and would like an Arena Red with Tan interior, or the Green and Tan combo. (remeber this is for the Mrs so colour is important)
It seems to be quite a rare combo for sale and after looking for a while I've only just found a couple that match. My problem is that they are miles away and there's no way I'll be able to sneak out for a full day whilst I go to view em.
So I'm pondering having the AA or some such do a check and buy it blind from their notes and getting it delieverd to me locally .. Is this as insanely stupid idea as I think it is ?
Have you checked out Adrian Crawfords site? He occasionally has the odd speced Boxster, and I have bought two Porsches off him unseen in the flesh until I arrived to pick them up. If it aint as described, he'll refund your deposit and (I think) pay your train fare home.I'm thinking about buying an early boxster for a surprise present, I've been using the forum here and having a good nose I've decided on what I'm looking for and my (low) budget. I've got 5K - 6K to pay - and would like an Arena Red with Tan interior, or the Green and Tan combo. (remeber this is for the Mrs so colour is important)
It seems to be quite a rare combo for sale and after looking for a while I've only just found a couple that match. My problem is that they are miles away and there's no way I'll be able to sneak out for a full day whilst I go to view em.
So I'm pondering having the AA or some such do a check and buy it blind from their notes and getting it delieverd to me locally .. Is this as insanely stupid idea as I think it is ?
rog007 said:
I'd find the nearest Indie and agree to pay around £200 for a full report if vendor (private or dealer) takes it round there. You of course have additional protection if purchased from a dealer, and even more protection if purchased by credit card. I would then ask on here or a relative if someone local wouldn't mind having a look and providing some personal feedback. Good luck!
+1 Absolutely top notch advice.
i have only ever bought one car blind, and that was from the OPC main dealer network. 4 months later another OPC inspected the car and racked up £3K worth of remedial work including disintegrated front pads and illegal tyres (which supplying OPC were supposed to have changed, but didnt). In future I will always use an independent inspection, regardless of source
I have never and will never buy a second hand car blind. It doesn't matter who the seller is, I wouldn't even dream of it.
But some do with mixed results....
I agree with the idea of having it inspected first, but I would still want to see it for myself before handing over my well earned wedge.
MTR
But some do with mixed results....
I agree with the idea of having it inspected first, but I would still want to see it for myself before handing over my well earned wedge.
MTR
I am the opposite, having bought a Landrover Discovery, a 996 Turbo S, a Caterham R300, an F355 and an F360 Spider all without viewing them. Only the 360 Spider was at a Dealer, the others were private sales. No real bravado about it and lots of communication, emails and background checks etc before going to collect (or in the case of the F355 having it delivered). In all cases it "felt" ok all the way through.
I have also sold a couple of cars blind. The F355 went to a guy in Austrailia who obviously paid for it long before it arrived and my S1 Exige went to a guy who transferred the money within hours of the ad going on PH because he was going on holiday for 2 weeks and didn't want to lose out.
Reading the above you probably wouldn't believe that I am one of the most conservative, non risk-takers you could meet so perhaps I should go have a lay down in a darkened room
I have also sold a couple of cars blind. The F355 went to a guy in Austrailia who obviously paid for it long before it arrived and my S1 Exige went to a guy who transferred the money within hours of the ad going on PH because he was going on holiday for 2 weeks and didn't want to lose out.
Reading the above you probably wouldn't believe that I am one of the most conservative, non risk-takers you could meet so perhaps I should go have a lay down in a darkened room
i had my 996 for sale not long ago. a guy rang on behalf of his business partner and we agreed a price and said someone would be with me on fri with a trailer and cash, and i thought yeah right. i said you havent even seen the car but he was happy with fotos and having talked to me.
anyway on friday a guy turned up with a trailer and pound notes......he came with me to bank to pay money in and he took car away.
i couldnt believe it, he had no log book as the plate was being taken off, but im happy to report that all docs have been forwarded to new owner and hes real happy with the car so im pleased it all worked out.
it was a great way to sell a car and it also restored some of my faith that not everyone thinks youre out to do them over.
i agree there are some characters out there who will be less than honest but i normally can gauge people having talked to them.
how nice it would be to sell every car that way.
its same with dealers......some are to be avoided but then thare are some that will go that extra mile for you and those i would recommend to anyone.
and back to original post,,,,, good luck in finding the car of your wifes dreams and i hope she loves it when you finally hand over those keys.
regards nev
anyway on friday a guy turned up with a trailer and pound notes......he came with me to bank to pay money in and he took car away.
i couldnt believe it, he had no log book as the plate was being taken off, but im happy to report that all docs have been forwarded to new owner and hes real happy with the car so im pleased it all worked out.
it was a great way to sell a car and it also restored some of my faith that not everyone thinks youre out to do them over.
i agree there are some characters out there who will be less than honest but i normally can gauge people having talked to them.
how nice it would be to sell every car that way.
its same with dealers......some are to be avoided but then thare are some that will go that extra mile for you and those i would recommend to anyone.
and back to original post,,,,, good luck in finding the car of your wifes dreams and i hope she loves it when you finally hand over those keys.
regards nev
i had my 996 for sale not long ago. a guy rang on behalf of his business partner and we agreed a price and said someone would be with me on fri with a trailer and cash, and i thought yeah right. i said you havent even seen the car but he was happy with fotos and having talked to me.
anyway on friday a guy turned up with a trailer and pound notes......he came with me to bank to pay money in and he took car away.
i couldnt believe it, he had no log book as the plate was being taken off, but im happy to report that all docs have been forwarded to new owner and hes real happy with the car so im pleased it all worked out.
it was a great way to sell a car and it also restored some of my faith that not everyone thinks youre out to do them over.
i agree there are some characters out there who will be less than honest but i normally can gauge people having talked to them.
how nice it would be to sell every car that way.
its same with dealers......some are to be avoided but then thare are some that will go that extra mile for you and those i would recommend to anyone.
and back to original post,,,,, good luck in finding the car of your wifes dreams and i hope she loves it when you finally hand over those keys.
regards nev
anyway on friday a guy turned up with a trailer and pound notes......he came with me to bank to pay money in and he took car away.
i couldnt believe it, he had no log book as the plate was being taken off, but im happy to report that all docs have been forwarded to new owner and hes real happy with the car so im pleased it all worked out.
it was a great way to sell a car and it also restored some of my faith that not everyone thinks youre out to do them over.
i agree there are some characters out there who will be less than honest but i normally can gauge people having talked to them.
how nice it would be to sell every car that way.
its same with dealers......some are to be avoided but then thare are some that will go that extra mile for you and those i would recommend to anyone.
and back to original post,,,,, good luck in finding the car of your wifes dreams and i hope she loves it when you finally hand over those keys.
regards nev
I agree that faith in the seller is the key to buying a car blind, I have bought 2 cars blind, 1 just a month ago. The trouble is you need to have pretty comfertable with with the sellers description of the car, otherwise you are going to end up spending quite a bit of money on inspections!
I've done this twice both times with an OPC.
First time Porsche Sutton Coldfield delivered me a top notch car which made me believe you couldn't go wrong with buying blind from an OPC then last November I done the same with Porsche centre Sollihul who delivered me my Gt3 with a knackered 6th gear synchro, creaking front suspension, bald gear knob and 2 kurbed alloys. I got them to pick the car up and sort it but they delivered the car back without fixing the gear box! I took it to Porsche Colchester and had them perform an 111 point check in the end. The head service guy at Solihull was very apologetic about it so was the dealer principal although the sales manager was particulary rude.
I contacted Sytner head office to complain and Porsche UK but they were as useful as a chocolate tea pot.
Had I of driven the car beforehand I'd have never bought it which actually wud have been crazy as its now great but with a dealer u have come back called 'fit for purpose' which is something I threw at them in the end.
Wud I do it again? Probably not unless I was dealing with a dealer I knew like Porsche Colchester thou in the end solihull lent me a brand new 911 for 2 weeks and offered me a day at the experience centre to say sorry so all ended ok
First time Porsche Sutton Coldfield delivered me a top notch car which made me believe you couldn't go wrong with buying blind from an OPC then last November I done the same with Porsche centre Sollihul who delivered me my Gt3 with a knackered 6th gear synchro, creaking front suspension, bald gear knob and 2 kurbed alloys. I got them to pick the car up and sort it but they delivered the car back without fixing the gear box! I took it to Porsche Colchester and had them perform an 111 point check in the end. The head service guy at Solihull was very apologetic about it so was the dealer principal although the sales manager was particulary rude.
I contacted Sytner head office to complain and Porsche UK but they were as useful as a chocolate tea pot.
Had I of driven the car beforehand I'd have never bought it which actually wud have been crazy as its now great but with a dealer u have come back called 'fit for purpose' which is something I threw at them in the end.
Wud I do it again? Probably not unless I was dealing with a dealer I knew like Porsche Colchester thou in the end solihull lent me a brand new 911 for 2 weeks and offered me a day at the experience centre to say sorry so all ended ok
Same here, first time I saw my 997S was when I went to pay for it on pickup from Porsche Silverstone. Ok, it only had 3k miles on it, so different end of the spectrum...but it was really exciting!
It was exactly as they said, perfect, and was the closest experience I will ever have to buying a brand new car....they even had it on display inside....I was expecting it to just be in the car park.
So OP, it depends on the car and the seller, but I wouldn't be nervous about it. What about that Peter Morgan chap, or does he only do 911's?
It was exactly as they said, perfect, and was the closest experience I will ever have to buying a brand new car....they even had it on display inside....I was expecting it to just be in the car park.
So OP, it depends on the car and the seller, but I wouldn't be nervous about it. What about that Peter Morgan chap, or does he only do 911's?
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