I've just sold my wifes Fiesta in a private sale. Chap turned up with other half in tow (in the fading light). He admitted straight away he knew nothing about cars. Then asked me to drive him to the end of the road and back. On our return, he promptly gave me the asking price with no attempt to haggle whatsoever. He never examined the car or the paperwork. I think he broke every rule about used car buying I can think of. Fortunately for him,the car's fine and well looked after.
I think I must have an honest face. I'm off down the pub now to spend the dosh.
MLC
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It was me. I'm from the TV programme 'Britain's Worst Fiestas'!!
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No it was me doing a programme " How to get rid of counterfeit currency"!!!!!!!!
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I had a similar situation last week.
Couple turned up, looked over the car. Took the wife (who's car it would be) for a 20 minute drive. Had a chat, showed them the rest of the car (but not under the bonnet - they didn't ask to see there). They then said that she wanted the car, but wouldn't commit there and then. Rang me back 2hrs later, asked for 200 below asking, agreed on 100 below and deal was struck.
Didn't check any of the paperwork and didn't even check to see if the engine was the right one or knackered.
I'm glad that they bought mine, because otherwise they could have bought a real lemon and wouldn't have a clue. As it happens, they got a great car and a great price.
The husband is coming to pick it up tomorrow, so he may stick his head under the bonnet, before he drives off, he may even ask me for the ream of paperwork that goes with the car.
Jonathan
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Virtually anyone I buy a car from is going to know more about them than I do. If they really want to hide something about the car from me, they\'re probably going to be able to do it.
Consequently I always spend much more time assessing and looking for flaws in the person I am buying from than I do the car. Its a lot easier to spot someone lying from their face/behaviour than it is to crawl all over a car and try to find the problems.
So I reckon midlifecrisis must just be a very nice man, with a very honest look. Seriously though, I suspect that the fact that you thought the car was good and a good deal probably altered your demeanour.
\'course, there is always the possibility that you massively under-priced it.
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It was a pretty good deal. As I bought the replacement car at auction, I priced the Fiesta at the same money I had been offered as a trade in. However, I was glad to sell to the first people who arrived as I wasn't looking forward to hordes of 'tyre-kickers' arriving.
I work on the basis of 'tell everything good and bad'. There's nothing more disappointing than buying your nice, shiny new car. only to get it home and finding that it's a dog. It's something I would't wish on anybody. (Having been there in the past.)
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Well, if you only asked trade in money, you probably underpriced the car by about 20%, maybe more on an older car. Even so, the guy doesn't sound like he knew what he was doing unless he was desperate to get his hands on a cheap car before it got dark!
If someone does come to buy your car and is totally clueless, maybe you should take them aside and remind them what's good about it - i.e., the tests they could have applied and that the car would have passed.
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I once sold a Nissan Bluebird to a bloke who didn't even testdrive it. It was priced bang-on Parkers "good" value. He asked me to take it round, had a look round it for about 5 minutes, got in, started it up, revved it once, turned it off, said "fine", and gave me my asking price. Didn't look at the service history or the V5 until it came time to change over the details. Does make you wonder sometimes...never heard from him again so I presume it fitted it's purpose!
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The car was a Fiesta 1.25 Zetec, 2000 'V', 31000m, FSH, £3495
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Well i would have bitten your hand off for that money midlifecrisis, they got a bargain.
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Sombreuil are you after one of those? - I'm selling a T-reg with 33k FSH, 5dr 1.25 LX with Zetec engine. I'm in North Manchester. email me if you're interested.
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I sold a Scorpio a few years ago when the chap and his wife just looked at the front of the car, didn't even walk round it. handed me the advertised price in cash and drove off in it.
Next day he was screaming down the phone at me because he had taken it for a lengthy run with the aircon running continuously for about 4-5hrs, and the compressor had given up the ghost.
I don't know if he every believed me that I did not 'have knowledge of a problem', as he put it, and had only ever run the aircon for around 15mins at a time as it was so effective.
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Well, he has to admit it was working when he got it. But did you ever forget to turn it on every week or so, even in winter?
Tomo
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Never mind the air con, if he looked at the front, he must have seen it's major flaw!
;-)
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I sold a company car (I was based in Belgium) to a local man 18 years ago, after three years driving it. To remove any doubts, I drove it to his place and took his banger for two days..he bought it on the Monday.
He also bought the next four cars from me at three year intervals - two Citroen CX and two XM TD autos...great to have a positive customer to sell to on the day the new cars came - always made sure that the company car had newish tyres and a full service in the last three months before selling it.
Also great that he has remained a good mate and was here two nights ago - still driving the one before last with about 160000 miles on it and looking great.
Is this a record???
Matt35.
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Must be something about Cits!! I sold my old BX diesel with 170k on the clock to a colleague at work. Warned him it was old and knackered. He liked it and used as his main car for 3 years, took it to over 200k and sold it to a mate of his - for £50 more than I charged him!
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