Buying an unseen bike... delivery

Buying an unseen bike... delivery

Author
Discussion

Bordtea

Original Poster:

362 posts

145 months

Tuesday 17th October 2017
quotequote all
Thanks for the advice everyone and apologies for the slow reply - been a busy few days!

I'm now hoping to get up to view it in person at the weekend as coincidentally I'll only be 50 or so miles away from where it's located (Lincoln). Only trouble is the guy works nights so need to be there at 7.30am!

He's asking for the cash/transfer up front at least 7 days before collection, I've agreed so long as I get a signed receipt and the V5C/2 when I go to view. Will then arrange a courier to pick it up. Best quote I've had on Shiply (has anyone used these before?) is around a hundred quid

ccr32

1,966 posts

217 months

Wednesday 18th October 2017
quotequote all
Bordtea said:
He's asking for the cash/transfer up front at least 7 days before collection, I've agreed so long as I get a signed receipt and the V5C/2 when I go to view. Will then arrange a courier to pick it up.
Eh? Why? What's to stop him disappearing off to Benidorm with your hard-earned in the meantime?

Jazoli

9,086 posts

249 months

Wednesday 18th October 2017
quotequote all
ccr32 said:
Bordtea said:
He's asking for the cash/transfer up front at least 7 days before collection, I've agreed so long as I get a signed receipt and the V5C/2 when I go to view. Will then arrange a courier to pick it up.
Eh? Why? What's to stop him disappearing off to Benidorm with your hard-earned in the meantime?
I agree, I would be doing a bank transfer when the courier is there, as mentioned above do a £1 transfer a few days prior to collection then it should be pretty much immediate when you transfer the balance over.

3200gt

2,727 posts

223 months

Wednesday 18th October 2017
quotequote all
Bordtea said:
He's asking for the cash/transfer up front at least 7 days before collection, I've agreed so long as I get a signed receipt and the V5C/2 when I go to view. Will then arrange a courier to pick it up.
Only a fool would do this. In the meantime he strips the bike for parts, flogs em on ebay, and your bike will never be found again. You'll have a worthless piece of paper which he'll deny ever seeing.
You'll have absolutely no recourse if anything goes wrong. Ever heard of "buyer beware?"
If he's not willing to accept a bank transfer on collection that alone would ring alarm bells for me so tell him to do one and look for another bike.

andburg

7,211 posts

168 months

Wednesday 18th October 2017
quotequote all
Bordtea said:
Thanks for the advice everyone and apologies for the slow reply - been a busy few days!

I'm now hoping to get up to view it in person at the weekend as coincidentally I'll only be 50 or so miles away from where it's located (Lincoln). Only trouble is the guy works nights so need to be there at 7.30am!

He's asking for the cash/transfer up front at least 7 days before collection, I've agreed so long as I get a signed receipt and the V5C/2 when I go to view. Will then arrange a courier to pick it up. Best quote I've had on Shiply (has anyone used these before?) is around a hundred quid
Shiply are agents, be careful.

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=17...


supercommuter

2,169 posts

101 months

Wednesday 18th October 2017
quotequote all
Jazoli said:
ccr32 said:
Bordtea said:
He's asking for the cash/transfer up front at least 7 days before collection, I've agreed so long as I get a signed receipt and the V5C/2 when I go to view. Will then arrange a courier to pick it up.
Eh? Why? What's to stop him disappearing off to Benidorm with your hard-earned in the meantime?
I agree, I would be doing a bank transfer when the courier is there, as mentioned above do a £1 transfer a few days prior to collection then it should be pretty much immediate when you transfer the balance over.
Don't pay all of it until the shipping agent is there.

Bordtea

Original Poster:

362 posts

145 months

Wednesday 18th October 2017
quotequote all
supercommuter said:
Jazoli said:
ccr32 said:
Bordtea said:
He's asking for the cash/transfer up front at least 7 days before collection, I've agreed so long as I get a signed receipt and the V5C/2 when I go to view. Will then arrange a courier to pick it up.
Eh? Why? What's to stop him disappearing off to Benidorm with your hard-earned in the meantime?
I agree, I would be doing a bank transfer when the courier is there, as mentioned above do a £1 transfer a few days prior to collection then it should be pretty much immediate when you transfer the balance over.
Don't pay all of it until the shipping agent is there.
I don't feel that unsettled by the thought of it at the moment, but I imagine that would change once the money has left my acc and I have no bike in my garage. Will have another chat with him when I go to view.

Killboy

7,157 posts

201 months

Thursday 19th October 2017
quotequote all
Bordtea said:
I don't feel that unsettled by the thought of it at the moment, but I imagine that would change once the money has left my acc and I have no bike in my garage. Will have another chat with him when I go to view.
As I said in my post, I wish I had only paid once I knew everything was present.

Aletank

97 posts

81 months

Thursday 19th October 2017
quotequote all
I sold my £5.5k Triumph Street Triple R this way, I'm based in Liverpool, bike was going to Essex.
The guy phoned me on the Friday, said he wanted he bike but wanted it delivered if I would arrange courier.
Saturday I went to a local bike shop and asked if they could recommend a courier, I phoned him and was quoted £200.
The buyer transferred me the £200 and the courier collected the bike and paper work on Saturday evening ready for the Sunday trip to Essex.
Once the courier arrived the driver and buyer phoned me , said he was happy with the bike and done a bank transfer. Once it was in my account I phoned the driver and said it was OK to hand the bike over and do the V5 stuff.
All worked out good for me.

PTF

4,252 posts

223 months

Thursday 19th October 2017
quotequote all
Only just seen this thread. Lincoln is only 15 miles from me. I could have helped with this.

Bordtea

Original Poster:

362 posts

145 months

Thursday 19th October 2017
quotequote all
PTF said:
Only just seen this thread. Lincoln is only 15 miles from me. I could have helped with this.
I'm off to view it early doors on Saturday morning!

S2r

660 posts

77 months

Sunday 22nd October 2017
quotequote all
I bought my last bike completely unseen, but with lots of hi res photos from the seller along with 'custard proof' of ownership, land line phone number, big chat on the phone and no real problems. I transferred a tenner initially to check they'd got it before transferring the rest the day before it was collected.

I used a2b motorcycle transport (used them twice now) and they were great so would happily recommend them and use them again

bigkeeko

1,370 posts

142 months

Monday 23rd October 2017
quotequote all
I bought an XJR1300 from a dealer in Manchester and a Honda from a dealer in Norfolk, both unseen and they arrived better than expected. As others have said, Shiply take a bit of beating for hassle free service.