Selling Cars to Holland?

[StreetDragster]

hi All,

Got a query regarding selling a car overseas, if heard of the various scams about this and i have my defences fully up, wondering if i'm being over concerned or if there's anything i can check/confirm.

I have my car advertiseds on car and classic, and i've been contacted through their site by a gent in Holland, he asked the condition of the car and whether i would accept £500 below the asking price. I said no, and said my minimum price, which he seems to agree.
He asked the condition of the car, but not very specifically, i mentioned some stone chips and stuff and it appears to have no effect.
He has now told me that he has a company which picks up and pays for cars and ships them to Holland, and wants my address/telephone number.
Now this is where my alarm bells begin to ring, is this normal for an overseas purchase?
He appears to have supplied me with his full name and address, but i suppose this could be completely useless.

Thanks in advance

Matt

[Barkychoc]

PM hvdweerden on here, he's in Holland (S Owner) he may be able to check out the company for you. Very helpful guy.

[cloggy]

Or 900T-R, Eric will know as he is a journalist in the automotive industry.

[Littletidnock]

Whilst you have to be very careful, being over cautious can loose you the sale,

You must ensure you have fully cleared funds before you release the car, not a draft or bankers cheque you need cleared funds in your account. when funds are cleared and the bank confirms there are no issues (I know someone who put in a draft, the bank credited their account and then later took the money out as it was a hooky draft) then let the car go and not before.

[Littletidnock]

on the other hand he may want to pack the car with extras! before it goes to Holland!

[StreetDragster]

Cheers for all replies so far, any other ideas would be appreciated.

So far then, i've replied to his email describing my concerns, and asked for details of the shipping company, and how he would expect them to pay, prior to giving him my address etc.
I've mentioned that scams involving overseas car purchases are common in the UK, and apologised if i seem overly cautious.

Thanks

Matt

[Barkychoc]

How about doing the financial transaction through a solicitor?
Might cost you £100 say but better than no money and no car.

[StreetDragster]

Good idea actually, if he is genuine and that reply of mine doesn't scare him off, i'll suggest that and approach a solictor

Thanks

Matt

[Littletidnock]

If he is genuine or a scammer he will be used to people expressing their concerns, you could go to a solicitor and place the money in escrow but he will still want to come and have a look.

does he have any references, feedback, a website, landline, business address, is his email address a business domain.

goggle map/satellite his address, are there cars there (not police ones)

Giving your address? if I rang and said I want to see the car in my best Cheshire accent, would you tell me where you are? all crooks are not foreign and all foreigners are not crooks, just some are

Agree a price and do not release against anything but cleared verified funds

[StreetDragster]

Littletidnock said:

If he is genuine or a scammer he will be used to people expressing their concerns, you could go to a solicitor and place the money in escrow but he will still want to come and have a look.

does he have any references, feedback, a website, landline, business address, is his email address a business domain.

goggle map/satellite his address, are there cars there (not police ones)

Giving your address? if I rang and said I want to see the car in my best Cheshire accent, would you tell me where you are? all crooks are not foreign and all foreigners are not crooks, just some are

Agree a price and do not release against anything but cleared verified funds

So far, he hasn't expressed any desire to come see the car, he appears to be taking my word for its condition, which is what set the first warning bells off.

I have looked at the given address, and it appears to be a private apartment and nothing more, no business address, credentials or otherwise. However coming that to me when i'm buying a car, i have none of that either.
His email address is a @home.nl address, don't know if thats a good or a bad thing.

If you rang and wanted to arrange a viewing, id have to give you my address at some point wouldn't i?

Don't worry, the car won't be going anywhere until i'm sure of everything and that everything is in order.

Just trying to be precautious, but not wanting to scare off a potential overseas buyer by tarring them all with the 'there a scammer' brush

Thanks

Matt

[Littletidnock]

If things progress, let us know we may be able to help, don't forget the euro is strong so there may be some credence, proceed with caution.

[StreetDragster]

He's getting me the name of the company, but apparently this shipping company checks the car over, and then pays for it in cash, so i suppose dodgy notes would need to be checked.

What do you lot think, so feasible? Or still a possible type of scam?

Thanks

Matt

[miniman]

I wouldn't be too worried about the guy not bothering to view before buying - I sold my Chim to a Dutch chap who did the deal and came over to pick it up, paying cash.

[StreetDragster]

I must admit, its the mention of the shipping company that has me worried, i'd have much less worry if he was coming over in person paying cash to get it, as i would simply make sure he came when the banks were open and i'd get them checked and paid into my account immediately.

A chap rang up the other day from Rochester about a prospective viewing, i hope he arranges a viewing soon, i'd feel much more comfortable about a UK sale!

Matt

[Littletidnock]

give him your iban number and have the money tt'ed into your account, you will not have to even leave the house

[900T-R]

StreetDragster said:

His email address is a @home.nl address, don't know if thats a good or a bad thing.

Neither - [e-mail] is a private account from one of the bigger ISPs here.

So what I fail to understand from this - is the prospective buyer (claiming to be) buying for himself or for a business to sell on? There's one business in Eindhoven who seems to import a lot of TVRs - judging by their prices it's more a stack-em-high-sell-em-low sort of operation than an outfit who does a fair bit of preparation, offers a warrantee etc. so I guess they would be lowballing you on price instead of accepting your 'minimum'.

[StreetDragster]

Littletidnock said:

give him your iban number and have the money tt'ed into your account, you will not have to even leave the house

Good idea, i'll suggest that to him and see what he says. I imagine the problem will then come (assuming that he's genuine) that he will then be wiring me the money for a car which hasn't been checked over.

God this is complicated

Matt

[StreetDragster]

Doh, my paranoia may have cost me a sale, the chap has bought another car, and wished me best of luck selling mine.

Ah well

Matt

[ray_von]

StreetDragster said:

Doh, my paranoia may have cost me a sale, the chap has bought another car, and wished me best of luck selling mine.

Ah well

Matt

Or he could have been on here and realised he wasn't going to have your pants down

[daz the plumber]

how do the dutch drive these cars with those funny shoes made of wood !