Traveling To Buy A Car
Discussion
Sold three cars to long distance buyers.
Agreed a price subject to inspection on the Wednesday pm , Thursday 9.10 am he was knocking on the door after flying up from Southampton to Newcastle, money transferred and off he went , trade purchase by an old school dealer.
He had a look at another car while he was there , and when that became available he did exactly the same.
Third one was a BMW , full description including photos of everything including minor faults , agreed a price on the Saturday morning , he booked the train from London for Sunday morning.
Saturday night received a couple of phone calls trying to chip the price down , told him clearly he’d be getting the train back down if he carried on with changing the goal posts.
To be fair he followed through with the deal as agreed.
Agreed a price subject to inspection on the Wednesday pm , Thursday 9.10 am he was knocking on the door after flying up from Southampton to Newcastle, money transferred and off he went , trade purchase by an old school dealer.
He had a look at another car while he was there , and when that became available he did exactly the same.
Third one was a BMW , full description including photos of everything including minor faults , agreed a price on the Saturday morning , he booked the train from London for Sunday morning.
Saturday night received a couple of phone calls trying to chip the price down , told him clearly he’d be getting the train back down if he carried on with changing the goal posts.
To be fair he followed through with the deal as agreed.
nobrakes said:
Fast Bug said:
I flew to Vienna to view a car, then went to pick it up from Calais a week later. So Portsmouth>Stanstead>Vienna>Stanstead>Portsmouth in a day. Then one evening Portsmouth>Dover>Calais>Dover>Portsmouth. I pretty much met him in a car park at the ferry terminal, quick handshake, grabbed the keys and was straight back on a ferry. I don't think I was in France for an hour 
Epic. I give in. What was the car?!
One of 2 cars I regret selling
Longest for me was Newcastle to Switzerland to buy a Golf G60 with a broken gearbox
Made for an epic road trip, with loads of issues, but we made it to Switzerland.
Pulled the box on the seller's drive, and it turned out the clutch had failed.
Replaced that, put the box in and drove it home
Made for an epic road trip, with loads of issues, but we made it to Switzerland.
Pulled the box on the seller's drive, and it turned out the clutch had failed.
Replaced that, put the box in and drove it home
Oban to Dartford and back in a transit to buy a GSXR 1100.
Sneaked away from work a little early at 4pm and hammered South as fast as the old works transit would rumble. Got to Dartford, checked over the bike under the street lights, quick test run and bought it and had it in the van before midnight. Headed North immediately and got back into Oban just in time to start work at 8am next morning.
Don't know how I got through that day at work, don't remember much about it. Almost exactly 1000 miles in 16 hours. Doesn't sound like much, but it was pretty tiring.
Sneaked away from work a little early at 4pm and hammered South as fast as the old works transit would rumble. Got to Dartford, checked over the bike under the street lights, quick test run and bought it and had it in the van before midnight. Headed North immediately and got back into Oban just in time to start work at 8am next morning.
Don't know how I got through that day at work, don't remember much about it. Almost exactly 1000 miles in 16 hours. Doesn't sound like much, but it was pretty tiring.
I'm a bit lightweight going by the posts on here - but going a long way does make for a good drive home!
In 2014 I went from Sandhurst to Portsmouth.
In 2016 I went from Sandhurst to Rugby.
On Thursday I went from Sandhurst to Cambridgeshire - but that one came back on my mate's Transit transporter as he was delivering a car in the area!
In 2014 I went from Sandhurst to Portsmouth.
In 2016 I went from Sandhurst to Rugby.
On Thursday I went from Sandhurst to Cambridgeshire - but that one came back on my mate's Transit transporter as he was delivering a car in the area!
Inverness to London twice,
Inverness to Norfolk twice,
Inverness to Ipswich,
Inverness to South Wales,
Inverness to Manchester,
Inverness to Newcastle,
Distance doesn’t bother me as it generally avoids rust compared to cars bought up north as they are older so rust doesn’t eat them as bad.
Inverness to Norfolk twice,
Inverness to Ipswich,
Inverness to South Wales,
Inverness to Manchester,
Inverness to Newcastle,
Distance doesn’t bother me as it generally avoids rust compared to cars bought up north as they are older so rust doesn’t eat them as bad.
Berkshire to somewhere in the deep German countryside 3 hours drive east of Dortmund airport.
Flew out Friday night. Four of us. Our daughter was 3 years old at the time. Hire car. Hotel - late arrival.
Early start. Drive into what seemed the middle of nowhere through woodland lined with what the British army call 'Layby Lil's'. Caravans with red love hearts on them for the more discerning gentleman / pervert or adventurous couple to 'have fun' in.
View intended vehicle with cash ready. All fine there. Exchange cash for vehicle.
Significantly slower drive back to Dortmund to drop off hire car and stay in hotel.
Mad drive on Sunday to the Tunnel and back to Berkshire in time for a late supper.
Flew out Friday night. Four of us. Our daughter was 3 years old at the time. Hire car. Hotel - late arrival.
Early start. Drive into what seemed the middle of nowhere through woodland lined with what the British army call 'Layby Lil's'. Caravans with red love hearts on them for the more discerning gentleman / pervert or adventurous couple to 'have fun' in.
View intended vehicle with cash ready. All fine there. Exchange cash for vehicle.
Significantly slower drive back to Dortmund to drop off hire car and stay in hotel.
Mad drive on Sunday to the Tunnel and back to Berkshire in time for a late supper.
Tottenham to Bolton to buy a 325d Touring - I always liked the 6 pot engine, compared to the 520d I had at the time. Seller kept quiet about the blocked DPF, but too far to go and complain about it as the light came on whilst on the M1 near Hemel Hempstead 
so I had the DPF removed later on. Cracking little car, kept it a year then went to Bournemouth to buy an X5... which sadly got nicked 3 months later 
so I had the DPF removed later on. Cracking little car, kept it a year then went to Bournemouth to buy an X5... which sadly got nicked 3 months later I've been the length of the country countless times however recently went to Wales to buy an XC70. Exchanged emails, then spoke to the seller and off I went...
From East Lothian to Fife, drop my old car at a friends house temporarily, sleep on the sofa, early start and train to Edinburgh then swap to the London train, headed for Northwich or something.
Spent the 4hrs saying "If it's not right, walk away" over and over to myself. Arrived, lift to the sellers house, had a look, drive it, found a few more niggles but figured it was cheap enough and I'm here anyway and so deal done, cash transfer was a faff but eventually headed for home.
Got as far as Truckhaven on the M6 to realise this wasn't a good one and I should have walked. Got home, fixed a couple of niggles but really didn't gel with the car so sold ut privately again a few days later. But of a dear day out and an expensive lesson learned although in 20yrs of swapping cars and travelling miles to do so, it's the only real kick in the balls I've had.
It has however made me question undertaking such trips in future... next time, take a car and a driver so walking away is an easier option. Issue is, I'm now sat looking at another old Volvo... 70 miles from Belfast.
From East Lothian to Fife, drop my old car at a friends house temporarily, sleep on the sofa, early start and train to Edinburgh then swap to the London train, headed for Northwich or something.
Spent the 4hrs saying "If it's not right, walk away" over and over to myself. Arrived, lift to the sellers house, had a look, drive it, found a few more niggles but figured it was cheap enough and I'm here anyway and so deal done, cash transfer was a faff but eventually headed for home.
Got as far as Truckhaven on the M6 to realise this wasn't a good one and I should have walked. Got home, fixed a couple of niggles but really didn't gel with the car so sold ut privately again a few days later. But of a dear day out and an expensive lesson learned although in 20yrs of swapping cars and travelling miles to do so, it's the only real kick in the balls I've had.
It has however made me question undertaking such trips in future... next time, take a car and a driver so walking away is an easier option. Issue is, I'm now sat looking at another old Volvo... 70 miles from Belfast.
Edited by Davie on Saturday 30th March 08:29
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff