Am I unrealistic
Discussion
Over the weekend I drove a 4 hour round trip to buy a new car privately (Volvo XC90 T6- 03 plate 28k mileage).
The car was around 1k cheaper than anything similar so after extensive questioning of the owner I had resolved to turn up with a bankers draft and buy it.
I had asked the owner about scratches/scrapes etc and he had told me the following : 'it has a tiny dent that you barely notice in the front wing. Ive had a quote to fix it for £300 but as Im selling it cheaply I dont intend to do it'. Fair enough.
Upon my arrival, driven by my wife and armed with draft, I was dismayed to see that the car was actually in a shit state.
The barely noticable dent was actually propere crash damage which had also cracked the bumper.
Every single panel had either dents on and/or scratches through to the bodywork. The interoir was a state including a quite worn looking passenger seat, and every alloy was kerbed.
I didnt bother test driving it as I had knew after about 2 mins that I was not going to buy it.
The chap seemed quite irritated by me as a) Id more or less guaranteed Id buy it and b)'Are you sure it's a used car you're looking for'!!!!!!!!!!
W******r.
In my opinion its me who should have been angry. I went to great lengths on the phone to ascertain everything possible about the car and he mislead me apparently because he thought hed be able to talk me into buying it once there.
I must make it clear that On every car I own I get scratches and am not fussy about minor marks at all but i am genuinely talking about severe scratches throughout which unquestionably couldnt be touched up.
Is there anyone who thinks he has a point?
Should you expect to find lots of scratches on a 2 year old example?
The car was around 1k cheaper than anything similar so after extensive questioning of the owner I had resolved to turn up with a bankers draft and buy it.
I had asked the owner about scratches/scrapes etc and he had told me the following : 'it has a tiny dent that you barely notice in the front wing. Ive had a quote to fix it for £300 but as Im selling it cheaply I dont intend to do it'. Fair enough.
Upon my arrival, driven by my wife and armed with draft, I was dismayed to see that the car was actually in a shit state.
The barely noticable dent was actually propere crash damage which had also cracked the bumper.
Every single panel had either dents on and/or scratches through to the bodywork. The interoir was a state including a quite worn looking passenger seat, and every alloy was kerbed.
I didnt bother test driving it as I had knew after about 2 mins that I was not going to buy it.
The chap seemed quite irritated by me as a) Id more or less guaranteed Id buy it and b)'Are you sure it's a used car you're looking for'!!!!!!!!!!
W******r.
In my opinion its me who should have been angry. I went to great lengths on the phone to ascertain everything possible about the car and he mislead me apparently because he thought hed be able to talk me into buying it once there.
I must make it clear that On every car I own I get scratches and am not fussy about minor marks at all but i am genuinely talking about severe scratches throughout which unquestionably couldnt be touched up.
Is there anyone who thinks he has a point?
Should you expect to find lots of scratches on a 2 year old example?
Well if it's a barely noticeable dink it had, then it's a surprise you found it 
Honestly, I would have just said it was a shed and you expected that it was in much better condition than he had described.
Proper damage like cracked bumper and kerbed alloys is certainly worthy of note to a potential buyer!
Be suspect if a seller can't get you pictures of their car. If I were selling a £15k car, I'd buy a bloomin camera for £250 just to take pictures if it'd help sell a car. So ask for pics next time if they are a long way off. If they don't, then clearly they have summin to hide imho!
What a turd seller. You SHOULD have beaten your petrol money out of him
Dave
Honestly, I would have just said it was a shed and you expected that it was in much better condition than he had described.
Proper damage like cracked bumper and kerbed alloys is certainly worthy of note to a potential buyer!
Be suspect if a seller can't get you pictures of their car. If I were selling a £15k car, I'd buy a bloomin camera for £250 just to take pictures if it'd help sell a car. So ask for pics next time if they are a long way off. If they don't, then clearly they have summin to hide imho!
What a turd seller. You SHOULD have beaten your petrol money out of him
Dave
I dont think it had been anything other than a rather abused family car.
The seller was obviously wealthy (aston martin parked in front of his mansion with lake) and I assumed he treated his £40k new car like the rest of us would treat a £400 runaround and couldnt comprehend that 'normal' people expect rather alot when spending £25k on a car.
The seller was obviously wealthy (aston martin parked in front of his mansion with lake) and I assumed he treated his £40k new car like the rest of us would treat a £400 runaround and couldnt comprehend that 'normal' people expect rather alot when spending £25k on a car.
Sounds like the family who were the last owners of my Passat...
I'm still cleaning it - purch in Feb - last discovery was the tons of sweety wrappers posted down the window seals in the back...
Don't get me started on the tree sap all over it & the muddy footprints that were on the headlining
Just as well I bought it £1500 behind bottom book...
Chris
I'm still cleaning it - purch in Feb - last discovery was the tons of sweety wrappers posted down the window seals in the back...
Don't get me started on the tree sap all over it & the muddy footprints that were on the headlining
Just as well I bought it £1500 behind bottom book...
Chris
He was a t&%t... You are in the right..
If he wants to reduce the price to accomodate a raft of repairs then it is a different matter, or if the car is 2k less than others around.....
I have been to see a "mint" 325i which had what can only be described as kife slashes ALL over the rear leather seats.. Owner was surprised I wasn't interested in it..
If he wants to reduce the price to accomodate a raft of repairs then it is a different matter, or if the car is 2k less than others around.....
I have been to see a "mint" 325i which had what can only be described as kife slashes ALL over the rear leather seats.. Owner was surprised I wasn't interested in it..
had something similiar looking at a 18,500 car at a main dealer on friday, was told was well loved example of a car built by hand in uk etc etc.
get to look at car and dealer is busy with another customer so gives me the keys to look at the car and goes away again. 8000 miles on clock but car covered in stone chips across fron valence, and then drivers door had dropped, and chip of plastic on the bottom corner removing some of the paint and a small amount of plastic, also the rear side scoop cracked from some unknown impact, and further inspection around the door sill showed signs of cracking, and finally lacquer peeling on the rear clamshell.
all seemed a little much to then have car described on phone as well loved, so it sounds to me pretty much par for the course buyers and sellers market as they say but as a buyer need to be very careful.
get to look at car and dealer is busy with another customer so gives me the keys to look at the car and goes away again. 8000 miles on clock but car covered in stone chips across fron valence, and then drivers door had dropped, and chip of plastic on the bottom corner removing some of the paint and a small amount of plastic, also the rear side scoop cracked from some unknown impact, and further inspection around the door sill showed signs of cracking, and finally lacquer peeling on the rear clamshell.
all seemed a little much to then have car described on phone as well loved, so it sounds to me pretty much par for the course buyers and sellers market as they say but as a buyer need to be very careful.
Seller sounds a bit dodge to me. He blatantly lied about the condition of the car and then he gets upset that you're not going to buy it?? Sounds to me like he was hiding something and desperately wanted to unload it.
But then, I wouldn't drive all that way without having seen some clear detailed photos of the car at all angles beforehand. If the seller has nothing to hide then there's no reason why he can't provide these, with the digi technology out there. If they balk at the request...hang up the phone!
But then, I wouldn't drive all that way without having seen some clear detailed photos of the car at all angles beforehand. If the seller has nothing to hide then there's no reason why he can't provide these, with the digi technology out there. If they balk at the request...hang up the phone!
With hindsight you are absolutely right.
Mind you, I didnt think to ask for them on the basis that it didnt occur to me that someone would lie about things that would be patently obvious upon a very limited inspection of the car.
In my mind there would have been nothing to ask for pictures of.
In addition to that, exactly how bad can a 2 year old car be?
I went with the mindset that I would find a few minor bits and pieces and would buy it regardless.
Mind you, I didnt think to ask for them on the basis that it didnt occur to me that someone would lie about things that would be patently obvious upon a very limited inspection of the car.
In my mind there would have been nothing to ask for pictures of.
In addition to that, exactly how bad can a 2 year old car be?
I went with the mindset that I would find a few minor bits and pieces and would buy it regardless.
No, you are not unrealistic, you are just a car guy. And this guy, while wealthy, is obviously *not* a car guy.
Non-car-people sometimes really beat the hell out of their equipment. That and one man's "mint" is another man's "crap".
It's frequently worthwhile to have someone local take a look a the car before bothering to look at it yourself.
Non-car-people sometimes really beat the hell out of their equipment. That and one man's "mint" is another man's "crap".
It's frequently worthwhile to have someone local take a look a the car before bothering to look at it yourself.
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