People who lie on car ads
Discussion
Was browsing through some cars for sale and came across a car where there were so many incorrect details that it really annoyed me.
The year of the car was wrong (he even had a picture of documents showing the correct year)
Claimed to be a facelift model but it was not
Was a Special edition when it was not
Looks like the car advert has been taken down but it really annoys me when people are actively decieving potential buyers.
Has anyone else come across really obvious lies in adverts?
The year of the car was wrong (he even had a picture of documents showing the correct year)
Claimed to be a facelift model but it was not
Was a Special edition when it was not
Looks like the car advert has been taken down but it really annoys me when people are actively decieving potential buyers.
Has anyone else come across really obvious lies in adverts?
I saw an ad recently on a forum that said the car had done 72,000 dry miles. When I questioned the owner on why he would put this in his ad and how he could prove it, he got quite stroppy and said I was being pedantic
Note that this was not a one owner car but had 6 previous owners.
Why even bother saying such a ridiculous thing.
Note that this was not a one owner car but had 6 previous owners.
Why even bother saying such a ridiculous thing.
Went to look at car with a friend a few weeks ago, which was advertised through an independent dealer as the boss' personal toy. The car was at the top of its price bracket, but advertised as a meticulous example so took the 100mile trip for a nose.
Got there, it was very average. Needed a few thousand thrown at it to be anywhere near immaculate.
What got me scratching my head was the totally wrong spec. Advertised with a sunroof - didn't have one. Advertised as just had major service and inspection done; the bloke then proceeded to tell us that aforementioned service is now due.
Total waste of his time, and our time!
Got there, it was very average. Needed a few thousand thrown at it to be anywhere near immaculate.
What got me scratching my head was the totally wrong spec. Advertised with a sunroof - didn't have one. Advertised as just had major service and inspection done; the bloke then proceeded to tell us that aforementioned service is now due.
Total waste of his time, and our time!
A few years ago i had given up on life so was shopping for a Ford Mondeo with the 240bhp ecoboost engine.
I found a couple of private ads claiming their car was the 240 where the car turned out to have the 200ps engine (was a year too early). Could have been remapped but without knowing if there were any hardware differences i wasn't going to take the risk if Ford weren't.
I found a couple of private ads claiming their car was the 240 where the car turned out to have the 200ps engine (was a year too early). Could have been remapped but without knowing if there were any hardware differences i wasn't going to take the risk if Ford weren't.
I guess it could be either people being too lazy / uninterested to bother writing an accurate advert or those who sprout any old garbage to make the car more appealing and hope that once said buyer has arrived after an arduous 3 mile trip... small technicalities won't matter once said seller has bluffed his way through the lies and bagged a sale regardless. Sadly there will be many who fall in to either category and even more less than aware buyers who fall for it. Probably the same with online dating, you're not going to say you're a tad chubby and reek of fish when "athletic" and "enjoys paragliding" sounds more appealing... just a bit of a shock when Jo Brand rolls up for the date but hey, you're there now anyway...
Edited by Davie on Wednesday 26th July 13:13
cuprabob said:
The ones that make me laugh are the ads which start off as if their selling one of their kids.
Genuine reason for sale - yet to meet a seller who didn't have a genuine reason for sale
When I sold my last car I gave a genuine reason, I needed money.Genuine reason for sale - yet to meet a seller who didn't have a genuine reason for sale
Edited by KaiserDahms on Wednesday 26th July 13:37
Engine Management Light on - been told it's a £10 / 5 min fix so nothing to worry about
Why not just fix it then
I don't need to sell but I thought I would give someone else the opportunity to own such a pristine example of the marque...
Why not just fix it then
I don't need to sell but I thought I would give someone else the opportunity to own such a pristine example of the marque...
Edited by cuprabob on Wednesday 26th July 13:27
Edited by cuprabob on Wednesday 26th July 13:30
98elise said:
I was recently talking to a small car dealer who buys from private buyers. he told me that he's been to see cars where its clearly a different (i.e. better) car in the picture. One had a different interior to the actual car for sale!
It can definitely work both ways.I remember winning a bicycle on ebay that had a really basic ad with poor blurry photos, no specs, in a bad area and was dodgy to the point you'd think its a crap bike that's been stolen.
Turn up to collect the bicycle and its a decent bloke, selling a great bike with a completely legitimate backstory.
A car that we recently sold through WBAC is now for sale at a large dealership a few hundred miles away.
Advert says 2016, when it's 2015.
10,000 miles, when it's 14,000.
Wrong colour listed (different shade)
And they've covered up the number plates in the listing photos, so it's more difficult for interested buyers to verify any of those details.
Not sure if done on purpose, or just stupid.
Advert says 2016, when it's 2015.
10,000 miles, when it's 14,000.
Wrong colour listed (different shade)
And they've covered up the number plates in the listing photos, so it's more difficult for interested buyers to verify any of those details.
Not sure if done on purpose, or just stupid.
a said:
A car that we recently sold through WBAC is now for sale at a large dealership a few hundred miles away.
Advert says 2016, when it's 2015.
10,000 miles, when it's 14,000.
Wrong colour listed (different shade)
And they've covered up the number plates in the listing photos, so it's more difficult for interested buyers to verify any of those details.
Not sure if done on purpose, or just stupid.
How do you know it's the same car out of interest?Advert says 2016, when it's 2015.
10,000 miles, when it's 14,000.
Wrong colour listed (different shade)
And they've covered up the number plates in the listing photos, so it's more difficult for interested buyers to verify any of those details.
Not sure if done on purpose, or just stupid.
a said:
A car that we recently sold through WBAC is now for sale at a large dealership a few hundred miles away.
Advert says 2016, when it's 2015.
10,000 miles, when it's 14,000.
Wrong colour listed (different shade)
And they've covered up the number plates in the listing photos, so it's more difficult for interested buyers to verify any of those details.
Not sure if done on purpose, or just stupid.
How do you know it's definitely your old car?Advert says 2016, when it's 2015.
10,000 miles, when it's 14,000.
Wrong colour listed (different shade)
And they've covered up the number plates in the listing photos, so it's more difficult for interested buyers to verify any of those details.
Not sure if done on purpose, or just stupid.
I've seen some private sale cars that looked and sounded amazing but were rubbish in person.
I still messed up passing on one of them tho. Could have got a 05 Subaru WRX, one owner, full service history, loads of paperwork, all for 4400. It needed about 400 quid to put it right, my main concern was the decals which had been on since new, I wanted them gone but worried about shadows on the paint.
A local dealer bought it and had it up for over 6k a few weeks later.
What annoys me is when they advertise a car with say 2 previous owners because that's what the log book says. In other words they don't count the latest owner.
My latest car was advertised as 2 owners, log book turns up, turns out it's had 3. Oh well my bad.
I still messed up passing on one of them tho. Could have got a 05 Subaru WRX, one owner, full service history, loads of paperwork, all for 4400. It needed about 400 quid to put it right, my main concern was the decals which had been on since new, I wanted them gone but worried about shadows on the paint.
A local dealer bought it and had it up for over 6k a few weeks later.
What annoys me is when they advertise a car with say 2 previous owners because that's what the log book says. In other words they don't count the latest owner.
My latest car was advertised as 2 owners, log book turns up, turns out it's had 3. Oh well my bad.
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