Fake email or not fake?

[brogenville]

Due to my travel plans for this summer, Im likley to be out of the country for over 3 months, so I've looked at the idea of selling the cerb, as it needs to be driven, and I would only worry about it. Anyway, I got this email today and wanted your opinions as to whether I should take it seriously or not. I know there's a few guys out there that have have exported cerberas, so you might have an idea if this guys questions are justified.

Here's the email:


hELLO SIR;
i 'm from france," nobody is perfect".
I ' m a tvr lover as well since i drove a cerbera 4.2
I ' M INTERESTED IN BUYING YOUR CAR AND JUST NEED TO KNOW SOME FURTHER DETAILS IN ORDER TO IMPORT THAT BEAST IN FRANCE.
COULD YOU TELL ME PLEASE:
THE VIN NUMBER
THE BRITISH TYPE APPROVAL
DO YOU HAVE ANY DOCUMENT RELATIVE TO A EUROPEAN TYPE APPROVAL OR SOMETHING?
IS THE CAR COMES WITH ENGLISH PLATE?
MOST IMPORTANT/ I M NOT A TIMEWASTER
thanks for reply, best regards.


I mean, it does sound a bit stupid, but then Im sure anything I wrote in french would sound equally dumb. I think the first thing to ask him is how exactly he intends on paying me- if I hear the words "bankers" and "draft" then he can find himself another car.

Another thing- Im in Edinburgh, so its not exactly the most convenient location for him either.

[SI-PEN]

Me thinks....TIME WASTER!

[mike220]

Hate to say this - but I'd be inclined to ignore it mate. Just adds more complications, and leaves you way more open to being had off.

UK buyer only if I was selling - and even that can be hard enough at times

Just my 2p

Mike

[RUSSELLM]

I'm a cynical bugger.....But from that email, I'd give him half a chance. As you say, just drop it out that we tend to get ripped off by foreign buyers trying to stitch us up with the 419 scam & various others

On the flip side of this, last Saturday my dad set of to Stanstead airport to drop his Scimitar GTE off to an eBay buyer from Germany.

By the time he'd got to the airport, he'd lost all his gearbox oil, and the auto box was struggling to change gear.

He rang the guy who was sat in Frankfurt departures, to let him know the car wasn't going to get him back to Germany.

The German guy, nice bloke, casually dropped it out, that it had cost him 350 Euros in flights & 150 Euro fuel to get to the airport......Ouch

[hbeck]

I'd give him half a chance like RussellM says, when I sold my Cerb last Summer I had as many serious enquiries from Europe as I did form here in the UK, Finally sold the car to a young French guy....(I know I deserve shooting for letting a piece of UK Motoring heritage leave our shores, but hey those Frenchies don't have much of there own! )

Edited by hbeck on Friday 23 May 14:26

Edited by hbeck on Friday 23 May 14:26

[brogenville]

hbeck said:

Finally sold the car to a young French guy

Out of interest then, did your buyer need anything special forms or certifications from you inorder to take the car home?

[Nicholas Blair]

Sorry to hear you're flogging the car Rob.

I'll ask about, see if anyone is interested.

Cheers

Nick

[brogenville]

Cheers Nick, any help is appreciated as it seems like Cerberas don't seem to be the easiest cars in the world to shift. In the end if it doesnt sell, I wont be sad at all to have to keep it, I'll just have to work out how its going to get looked after while Im away.

[brogenville]

Oh well, it sounds as if this guy is for real, as he has just got back to me saying that he is happy to pay by cash or any other means I prefer. He does in fact sound quite genuine.

Wonders will never cease...

[Ireland]

Tread carefully but he may be genuine.

When I was looking for my car all me e-mails from the PH classifieds came with a "this message originated in Ireland" type warning on it but I too was a genuine buyer.

[Daveyee]

brogenville said:

COULD YOU TELL ME PLEASE:
THE VIN NUMBER

When I bought mine and did a HPI check, I'm sure I read something about not giving the VIN number out as it could be used to clone cars...just a thought, might want to hold back on that info.

Dave

[hbeck]

brogenville said:

hbeck said:

Finally sold the car to a young French guy

Out of interest then, did your buyer need anything special forms or certifications from you inorder to take the car home?

No he was a crafty bug*er and had it regsitered at a mates house here in London, but keeps the car in Paris.

Sorry bville not much really

[SL500]

This is called boiler casing. I do not know why, but it means con and cloning.

[mannkork]

Well,

I have to say I´m a German TVR Driver. More than 2 years ago I bought my Cerbera in Peterborough. The owner at this time did not answer to my E-Mail´s because he could not realize that someone form Germany would buy his car. I called him and explained him that I´m a serious buyer. He did not believe me, but he said to me:

I have a private numberplate one my car and if you want to buy the car I have to change it because I sell only the car and not the numberplate.

I said it is ok. and he said I have to pay the costs of 30 pound. I agreed and paid by paypal the 30 pounds.

After this he was completly different, very friendly and we had no problems with the sale of the Cerbera.

Sometimes I sent him some pic´s of his former car.

I still enjoy the Cerbera here in Germany. A great car for streets without speedlimit!!

[Buffoon]

Agree with your comment, find out how he intends to pay. Bet you a tenner it's Banker's Draft / 'Wire'. He will send you a big fat cheque and you return the difference minus shipping blah blah blah

Tread carefully but I bet he is a leach, his Mum's a leach, and he can be traced back to some prehistoric leachasaurus.

[brogenville]

Well, he says he intends to pay by cash sterling, and indeed I've since been contacted by another foreign buyer (this time from Hungry) that also seems interested, and is happy to pay by cash. Surely if I go to the bank, pay in the dosh, then thats it. Worst case scenario is that is fake money, in which case either the bank spots the counterfeit notes and I don't sell, or the bank take them anyway, in with case Im in the clear as the money will still have been credited to me.

I guess we just have to accept that they are interesting cars that will appeal to foreign buyers from time to time.

[RUSSELLM]

brogenville said:

I've since been contacted by another foreign buyer (this time from Hungry)

Oh Oh..... Sounds like you're on a list

Just make sure they don't try the following old line....."I sent my wife to the bank to pick up the cash as agreed with yourself, however, she didn't have the correct I.D. & wouldn't let her have the cash, but they've given her a bankers draught"

My co driver for Le Mans, lost his £5000 jet ski to that one....... And trust me... I've never let him forget hit

[Buffoon]

Think my tenner is still safe. Hungary is the Leach capital of the World.

Insist he comes and views. Air travel to Edinburgh is not that bad.

Don't release VIN details, and if anyone comes and views car don't let them photograph it with the bonnet up. Sure as eggs are eggs, it will be used by leaching scam-monkeys

[Gazzab]

Tell him to pay the cash in at your bank in front of you. Surely that is a safe way.