Would you pay a deposit before you can view a car?

[Mercky]

Would you pay a deposit (presumably non refundable ) to look at a car?
Maybe someone who's prepared to pay seven grand for a knackered Vauxhall Viva would..
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/vauxhall-viva-mk1-GT-19...

[Big Al.]

In a word NO!

NEXT.

[TarquinMX5]

Well, it's not a 'Mk1'. It's an HB, not an HA.

£7000 for an old Viva, deary me.

Deposit, just to have a look

[85Carrera]

No

[85Carrera]

85Carrera said:

No

Fuller answer - helped a mate buy a 997. First place we went to I told him to drive on without stopping, but he’d decided the car in the photo was a good ‘un. So we went in. Place had a ramp. I asked if we could put it up on the ramp to have a look underneath. Answer: no. Told him to walk away. Asked about a test drive. Response: well are you going to buy it.

Finally persuaded my mate to walk away.

If people start taking the piss, there are plenty of other options. We ended up going for a coffee, checking the classifieds and he got a really good car from a reputable dealer the same day.

Don’t deal with cowboys.

[droopsnoot]

TarquinMX5 said:

Well, it's not a 'Mk1'. It's an HB, not an HA.

I'm not well up on Viva GTs, or HBs in general, but there is a Mk1 and a Mk2 Viva GT, and I think that's what the Mk1 refers to.

[Dapster]

TarquinMX5 said:

£7000 for an old Viva, deary me.

Barn find innit.

Much like you can get "home improvement consultants" to tart up your house prior to the estate agent taking pictures, I wonder if there is a business case to start a business to "barn find" an old car. You know, carefully apply dust and bits of straw to it, slightly flatten a couple of tyres, stick a copy of the Daily Mail from 1974 on the back shelf, that sort of cobblers. Take 20% of the 200% increase in sticker price....

[Turbobanana]

I wonder if the vendor has been burnt in the past, and the "time is not on my side now" comment may imply health / family / emigration issues. Still seems a little onerous, though, and certainly not the way to sell something if you genuinely are in a hurry.

[untakenname]

I look at what other items a seller is listing just to make sure it's not a trader pushing out unwanted part exchanges on the side, had a look at the OP's link and it's mainly cupboards but they are also selling a 1st gen Porsche Boxster for £20k which is a lot of money albeit it is track prepped.

[lowdrag]

I might leave a deposit after looking at it

[restoman]

Well, at least he's not asking for a deposit to view the Porsche. Oh, and in answer to the OP's question, er NO.

[Oceanrower]

I'm selling a boat at the moment. I've offered to hold it for two buyers so far that didn't have the courtesy to even turn up.

The third, I told him I was happy to hold it until Friday if he paid a deposit. If he turned up to view and then didn't want it I'd happily refund the deposit. If he didn't view then I'd keep it.

Cash in my account 5 minutes later and we're both happy...

[CallThatMusic]

Nope.
Recently paid a fully refundable deposit to option a car before viewing.
Viewed it changed my mind got my deposit back.

[Zener]

TarquinMX5 said:

Well, it's not a 'Mk1'. It's an HB, not an HA.

£7000 for an old Viva, deary me.

Deposit, just to have a look

That is in fact a a rare old bird being a MK1 2.0 GT considering the obscene priced wrecks of some Fords if your after a GM GT that may not of been bad value but I would want to see it 1st

[TurboHatchback]

No. I'd pay a small refundable fee which is returned on arrival to secure a car for a viewing but never anything non refundable until after viewing, test driving and agreeing a sale.

[DuncanM23]

I paid a refundable deposit to hold a car so I could travel to look at and hopefully buy it. I took a train to get there (took over 4 hours), car was much rustier than the pictures showed and I came back on the train with my deposit refunded, but out of pocket on train tickets.
I can sympathise with eBay sellers who have people "win" cars and then take ages to back out of the sale. Asking for a deposit when the auction completes should hopefully make the sale more straightforward.

[Hoofy]

Since when was "abandoned in a barn and left to rot" a good thing?

[lowdrag]

Hoofy said:

Since when was "abandoned in a barn and left to rot" a good thing?

On that basis my mate should be asking many thousands for one of his cars:-

[Yertis]

Hoofy said:

Since when was "abandoned in a barn and left to rot" a good thing?

I think the idea is that the 'barn' is warm and cozy, and all you need to do is pump up the tires, put in some fuel and wash off the dust and pigeon poo. As opposed to 'found in the undergrowth'.

[Hoofy]

lowdrag said:

Hoofy said:

Since when was "abandoned in a barn and left to rot" a good thing?

On that basis my mate should be asking many thousands for one of his cars:-

Exactly. Barn find classic Jag. £40,000 no offers.