More idiots buying used cars!

[R9UKE]

Well we got rid of the Clio on Thursday night - although I'm now wishing we hadn't.

 

A guy turned up, 9pm, mid twenties and in a taxi. I had my suspicions as to him being under the influence of something, but I didn't want to say in case he was just thick. Anyway, he took the Clio for a short drive, I explained everything - sunroof sealed shut, rear wiper doesn't work, slight knocking from the front suspension. Fair enough, he gave me £650 from the advertised £695.

 

An hour later, I get a text "Av u a spare key m8".

 

No - I would have given it to you.

 

The next day I get a phone call at about 4pm. Missed it, had to start work, didn't get a chance to ring him back. Another two phone calls at 11pm, while I'm at work, followed by a text saying "answer asap need to ask u sumthin bout the car". Rang him back. The remote key had apparently stopped working and the immobiliser was stuck on and the car wouldn't start. Found this very hard to believe as that car was one of the most predictable starters I've ever come across! I explained to him that if the immobiliser was stuck on the red light on the dash would be flashing as he was trying to start it - but it wasn't. So, I agreed to go over the next morning to try and help him out. Arrived at 10:30 - cancelled an appointment I had because he had to start work at 11. Oh right.... he wasn't there, neither was the car. Rang him, texted him, nothing.

 

Come 2pm he texts me - "Need u to help me b4 I hav to go to football". I ignored it because I was still so pissed off.

 

This was quickly followed by 20 missed calls, one after the other. I then get a voicemail from the angry girlfriend stating that there is a 3 month warranty even though it was a private sale and that the car will be towed to my door and I WILL give them their money back. "Our m8 whose a mekanic looked at it and says the electric brain is gone"

 

I then warned them that it was turning into harassment, I had offered to help and they didn't even have the respect to let me know that the car obviously had started and they weren't in.

 

A barrage of abuse followed and I ended up making a report with the Police so that if anything comes of it it's all on record.

 

My guess is he was high on something, not thinking straight, woke up the next day and realised he spent £650 on a car. All the stories were either rubbish or he's tampered with it himself as that car was nothing short of excellent.

 

Thoughts?

[Cheggers]

I'd be prepared to bet a fair amount on you never hearing from the lunatic again, but you did the right thing notifying the old bill just in case.

 

All part of the fun of selling an old car, I'm afraid. It makes you realise what a hassle-free buyer you are (especially in your case, given your mission to hoover up every old knacker within a 50 mile radius )

[R9UKE]

 

Someone has to!

 

That's the thing though. That Clio was sold because it was too predictable and reliable! If it was surprising me with ECU tomfoolery I'd have gladly kept it!

[e287yba]

"Electric brain" ! Ah well, while computers can suffer from the old "garbage in, agrabeg out" thing - what's the buyer's reason for spouting world-class agrabeg???

[Cavcraft]

Tell him you've done all you can if he mothers again and that if he wants to sue you or whatever you'll see him in court. They'll just laugh at him like we're all doing now. Incidentally that's also why it's best to use a pay as you go Sim when selling to random chancers like this.

[Negative Creep]

Your mistake was contacting him back in the first place

[Mr_Bo11ox]

Sounds like you’ve met another cheap car buyer who is a MASSIVE ANUS, with any luck the lad will die in the next 24hours and the problem will just go away.

[scooters]

I'm suprised his girlfriend didn't accuse you of buying his cow for a handful of 'magic beans'

[autofive]

did you write out a nice receipt for him, with PRIVATE SALE written on it?

[Father Ted]

a voicemail from the angry girlfriend stating that there is a 3 month warranty even though it was a private sale and that the car will be towed to my door and I WILL give them their money back.

AND

Our m8 whose a mekanic

 

Thats pure class.

 

Why does everyone have a mate who is a mechanic? And why didnt they bring them with them when they were buying the car?

 

What a

[R9UKE]

Incidentally that's also why it's best to use a pay as you go Sim when selling to random chancers like this.

 

Lesson learned! I'll get out the 3210 for any future sales.

 

Why does everyone have a mate who is a mechanic? And why didnt they bring them with them when they were buying the car?

 

Exactly.

 

And LOL at the other comments. Knew you guys could relate to this! My girlfriend is all "Just give them the money and it'll all be over". NO, WOMAN

[maxpower]

I'm suprised his girlfriend didn't accuse you of buying his cow for a handful of 'magic beans'

 

she was probably pissed off he spent the money that took her a week lying on her back to earn

[Taff]

did you write out a nice receipt for him, with PRIVATE SALE written on it?

 

 

not sure thst has any value in law, any more? pretty sure i got told by a brief that the old "sold as seen" isn't worth anything?

 

and agree at the LOLs, now that plod are involved i doubt you will here from him again.

 

keep an eye on the classifieds though in case he tries to move it on. If he does, linky please.....

[Luxobarges_Are_Us]

hopefully he'll stick it on ebay and then we can take the piss.

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

I went with a mate to buy a car today. Tidy M reg 318iS Coopay, nice colour, filthy interior, good rubber, some history, 6 weeks tax and 5 months MOT. It started, it drove alright. Up for £350, paid £320, job done.

 

Not hard is it?

[RedSparrow]

Thoughts?

 

Some sort of mass sterilisation programme seems to be a sensible answer.

 

I hope he lists it on ebay. I want to ask 'HAI M8 IS TEH ELECTRIC BRAIN OK IN THE CAR?' and see if he twigs. He might, as he sound like a typical ebay user.

[CIH]

"Electric brain" ! Ah well, while computers can suffer from the old "garbage in, agrabeg out" thing - what's the buyer's reason for spouting world-class agrabeg???

 

ECU is usually what a "mechanic" blames when they have no idea what the problem is. Either that, or they suggest an additional fuel filter....

[j-j]

R9UKE, sorry to hear of your twonk episode btu this thread made me laugh

[myglaren]

I went with a mate to buy a car today. Tidy M reg 318iS Coopay, nice colour, filthy interior, good rubber, some history, 6 weeks tax and 5 months MOT. It started, it drove alright. Up for £350, paid £320, job done.

 

Not hard is it?

 

Plain sailing until the old elektrik brane goes KABLOOIE

[R9UKE]

R9UKE, sorry to hear of your twonk episode btu this thread made me laugh

 

I'm glad the whole episode has made for entertainment value at least! No phone calls today or yesterday. Probably blew himself up trying to jump start it or something.

[rml2345]

Probably blew his electric brain up trying to jump start it or something.

 

EFA

 

Seriously though, this sort of episode does give your faith in mankind a ruddy good shock... If working in a call centre hadn't destroyed it entirely!

[Guest]

Your buyer sounds like a gitstain on the titwank of humanity.

 

Alternatively, has he tried hammering a smaller electrick brain over it? Has he tried selling 300 mechanics a month? Towed it home with D701 SWL?

You're right, he sounds fucking hopeless. He probably smells.

 

SHUT UP M8 ITS NT THE ELECTRIK BRAIN, NT ALL OF US ELECTIK BRIANS R BAD IT MITE NT HV BIN ETTETLETCTIC BRIAN. U DICJKHED LOL DRIER SKIP WANKER.

 

ANGLES.

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

I went with a mate to buy a car today. Tidy M reg 318iS Coopay, nice colour, filthy interior, good rubber, some history, 6 weeks tax and 5 months MOT. It started, it drove alright. Up for £350, paid £320, job done.

 

Not hard is it?

 

Plain sailing until the old elektrik brane goes KABLOOIE

 

THTS NT A PORBLEM M8 MY MATE GOT AN M TECH BRAIN ITS CHIPPED 4 AN EXTRRA 70 BHP M8

[ashmicro]

"Sold as Seen" does (or it used to at least) have a legal status here in NI. I sold a scarambler to a guy, who struck me as a bit of a dick, so we both signed a copy of the receipt each, saying sold as seen with minor faults as detailed. I later got a letter from this jokers solicitor, and promptly faxed my copy of the receipt to said brief. The brief phoned me, and said "Fair one, I'll send a letter to anyone for a few quid, Hey - I'm a lawyer!"

 

If you're looking any general advice R9, give me a shout/PM, and my sister, my brother in law and my girlfriend are all Belfast solicitors.

[HillmanImp]

How old is the Clio? The keys on some older Renaults can be a bit awkward. The key simply sends a message to the immobiliser to tell it to allow the car to start. They are well known to just fall out with each other to stop speaking to one another for no apparent reason.

 

It might be that the key might just need a bit of a beating so I would suggest throwing it at a wall a few times (really) and then trying it. Failing that an independant Renault garage will probably charge about £100 for 30 seconds work resetting them so that they will communicate with each other once more.

[barefoot]

How old is the Clio? The keys on some older Renaults can be a bit awkward. The key simply sends a message to the immobiliser to tell it to allow the car to start. They are well known to just fall out with each other to stop speaking to one another for no apparent reason.

 

It might be that the key might just need a bit of a beating so I would suggest throwing it at a wall a few times (really) and then trying it. Failing that an independant Renault garage will probably charge about £100 for 30 seconds work resetting them so that they will communicate with each other once more.

 

Oy Scotty, don't you get cocky.

That Scirocco you sold me was so bad I had to hammer a Polo over the top of it to make it work.

What are you going to do about it eh?

It's barely been a year & it's gone wrong twice already.

[R9UKE]

 

If you're looking any general advice R9, give me a shout/PM, and my sister, my brother in law and my girlfriend are all Belfast solicitors.

 

Much appreciated. I stupidly didn't make out receipts, lesson learned. He's gone eerily silent, will let you know if a lovely drops through the letterbox.