Selling my car to a garage or WBAC like sites, comeback?

[tyranical]

Hello all,

I am in need of getting rid of my current car quickly before my new car arrives (Lease vehicle so couldn't have part exchanged)

My current vehicle has an intermittent sensor fault that causes the engine management light to come on from time to time. Sometimes it can be off for weeks and others it goes on and off over a short period - it has never affected the car in terms of performance, drivability etc so i've just left it as I knew I was getting rid of it.

Anyway, it's been off for a week or so now since I cleared it myself with a handheld code reader but my fear is if I sell it to WBAC or to a local car garage and then it comes back on after i've sold it to them, will there be any come back to myself? - To be crystal clear, If they ask me if I know of any fault then I would declare it as obviously that is intentionally deceiving them but I'm not planning to go in there telling them all about it if they don't ask if i'm aware of any issues.

Many Thanks

[BOF]

Simples really,

If you want to sleep well..tell the truth up front.

BOF.

[zollburgers]

I would say definitely not for WBAC.

2 weeks before I sold my car to WBAC the central locking on the back passenger door decided to stop working totally. It had been dodgy for a few months and the door usually had to be unlocked manually from inside.

During the WBAC inspection I told them about it but when they tried it, it worked fine.

The guy said they only inspect the car as it is on the day so will not knock anything off for it. They seemed were more interested in how the car looked (paintwork) than anything else.

They cars go to auction don't they?

[Actus Reus]

Private sale - they will check the car and give you the cash. This is a matter for your conscience only I would say.

[tyranical]

Perhaps then with WBAC and the like I'd be better off telling them in person that it had happened but has since gone and see what they decide to do? - If they knock a few hundred quid off on a possibility then I can live with that but as it stands the difference in a quote between engine management light on and engine management light off on their website is £700.

[bearman68]

If the engine is running ok, the chances are it's the O2 sensor breaking down, or the cat. Read the code (you have the code reader), post it upfor comment, and get some idea on cost to fix. Almost certainly be less than £700.
Just a thought.

[tyranical]

bearman68 said:

If the engine is running ok, the chances are it's the O2 sensor breaking down, or the cat. Read the code (you have the code reader), post it upfor comment, and get some idea on cost to fix. Almost certainly be less than £700.
Just a thought.

It's the dreaded P2013 code on a VAG car which normally results in a new inlet manifold at a cost of £5-600.

Edited by tyranical on Monday 12th October 20:02

[ging84]

they have no come back
this is why they are offering buttons compared to the retail price it will eventually be sold back to a consumer for.

[the_lone_wolf]

tyranical said:

It's the dreaded P2013 code on a VAG car which normally results in a new inlet manifold at a cost of £5-600.

Somewhat appropriate username is somewhat appropriate...

If I were fully aware of the extent of the problem and the likely cost to fix, I'd feel more able to sleep offloading it on WBAC than some unsuspecting private punter

[anonymous-user]

Sold WBAC a Fiesta, ABS light kept popping on and off, I knew it was only down to being sat about and needed a clean but needed shot of it. Took it down there, bloke looked it over, I told him about the light because it was on at the time (sods law), he said if he put the light down it'll be worth ££££ less, so didnt bother! Couldnt believe it tbh.

[tyranical]

I feel slightly reassured by some of the comments - I would never even consider selling it without telling a private buyer, i'm not that sort of person at all and as you can see I'm uncomfortable about doing it to WBAC too!

They are valuing the vehicle at £8700 through their unrealistic quote, by the time they knock some money off for the various small marks etc it will probably be down to somewhere around £8200, I'd be happy with anything over 8 to be honest.

I think i'll do what others have said, tell them about the light and see what reaction I get, you never know they might go easier on me for being more honest than I perhaps need to be (perhaps that's too hopeful )

Cheers

[Big_Dog]

I would go with WBAC or similar and tell them it has an intermittent Engine Light problem. They price to cover risk, they will know the potential costs will be between £100 and £800 so will pick a reduction between the two.
The private sale method could even go wrong if you let them know about it when they discover it's the £800 option.

[PorkInsider]

tyranical said:

They are valuing the vehicle at £8700 through their unrealistic quote, by the time they knock some money off for the various small marks etc it will probably be down to somewhere around £8200, I'd be happy with anything over 8 to be honest.

Why will they knock another £500 off if you've declared the condition fairly?

Between myself, family and a friend, we've now sold 6 cars to WBAC and every single one of them has gone through at the quoted price.

Having seen the state of one car I saw someone trying to stuff up them, after apparently claiming it to be in perfect in condition according to the WBAC guy, I can imagine why there are stories about them knocking the price down when you get there, but they've been fine with us.

[btcc123]

I am selling my wifes car on PistonHeads for 7995 and would be happy to accept a offer of 7500 as I think that price is pretty much what its worth.WBAC have given me an internet quote of 6900 which to be honest is a pretty good offer that I may or may not take up depending if I sell the car.

My wifes car does not have any faults but if it did and was selling to a private individual I would get it repaired before I sold it or make it very clear in the advert what the fault was.Saying that I would not have a problem selling a car to a dealers in part exchange or to WBAC with a known problem and not tell them.

WBAC are owned by British Car Auctions so the majority of their cars go through the action and make say 5% profit in a couple of days where as most people have money in ISAs or the Building Society make 1-3% a year so WBAC can afford to fix it.I also think that its a bit of a con the admin charge they will charge you if you sell to them as it should all be in the guaranteed price.

WBAC now have quite a lot of competition with We want any car also owned by an auction house and Evans Halshaw who will guarantee to beat WBACs price.

Edited by btcc123 on Tuesday 13th October 11:48

[tyranical]

Ok so next question, if they don't ask and I don't tell them and then they contact me after the sale about it what happens then? - can you tell that an error has been reset on an Ecu a week ago I'm guessing it must log such things inside it?

You don't get your money same day with them my concern is by not telling them they could withhold payment.

[Actus Reus]

They have no comeback - it's a private sale so they are fked.

[btcc123]

Actus Reus said:

They have no comeback - it's a private sale so they are fked.

You also get the money in your Bank account in 4 hours.

[Stevie_P]

btcc123 said:

You also get the money in your Bank account in 4 hours.

I think that's only if you pay an additional £25 fee.
Even then, it may be next day.

[Actus Reus]

Just looked - for £30 you can have the money within half an hour. If it makes you sleep easier probably money well spent, though I can't see them withholding the cash - they would have no legal grounds on which to do so.

[danzltiu]

Also try We Want Your Car. Have sold 3 cars within last year or so and WWYC gave me a better quote on all of them. Last one was a cayman with an intermittent engine management light on that I had spent about 1500 without it being fixed. They didn`t seem to care.