First to see won't buy. Your tales of making your excuses and leaving from viewing a car

[Lord Sterling]

Again, on a very slightly related note to not being able to buy because other factors that may have saved me from further heartache, a couple of years ago when I had the Peugeot, I got to a point where I felt desperate to just get rid and find something more "me".

Before the prices tanked on diesels, the Peugeot 407 was still in good fettle, I had a few quid saved up (rare with me) and decided to see if I could PX the Peugeot against something more interesting. 

E60 BMWs were coming down in price. I spotted a blue one in Coventry or somewhere similar. It looked a bit like this;

I don't know what I was thinking going for a 520d, ULEZ was starting to creep in. But it was an auto and had black leather. When I looked up the dealer, they didn't have a great review, the last review spoke of a bloke who bought an Audi and he found loads wrong with it. 

Despite that, I thought I'd go and have a look at anyway, streetview showed me a site that didn't look overly inviting, basically an overgrown bombsite with corrugated iron fences etc...

However. Just as I was leaving my town, I was speaking to the insurance, compared to my Peugeot, the BMW was somehow going to cost me £130 a month to insure, £70 more than I was already paying. That put paid to that then. I turned around and went home and decided to spend the money on giving the Peugeot more fettling.

[MikeR]

that well worn SC100 I bought for the wife and NewPod took over ..

driving along one day and I here a clunk under the drivers seat ...

only a nice good sized sharp kitchen knife ....  perhaps he liked to eat as he drove along ???

could imagine it , honest just found it me self officer !!!

[Markeh]

I've told this story before here I think.

When looking to replace my Corsa back in 2014, a car that strangely wasn't too pricey on insurance was a PT Cruiser - my parents owned a 2.4 auto one, but a 2.0 could be insured reasonably cheaply. At a bombsite garage in Hucknall, they had a beige 52 plate one (I'm sad enough to remember the reg, and it hasn't had MOT since 2016) that would've fit the bill. I went along to test drive it. In the back, I could hear the central locking going crazy as I drove it down the road. Got back to the garage, turned it down (didn't like the manual box, and wasn't ready for an auto) and he said 'leave it there, I'll back it onto the forecourt'. Without thinking, I closed the door. Engine running, keys in the ignition, and clunk - the car locks itself.

At this point I make my excuses and make a quick getaway.

[2cvspecial]

I looked at another car a few months back,I rocked up one Saturday to see it, bloke comes out with trade plates and the key, all went well, got back from test drive and before I even started to think of negotiating the price, I had the oil cap off, Smeg on the oil cap. Car was a 1.2 Fiat 500 Pop . I didn't even tell the bloke that I'd noticed it. He's now sold the car to someone else , who I suspect didn't check it! I felt quite pissed off about the smeg on the oil cap, if it wasn't for that, I'd have had it.

 I went to see another one more locally (500 Lounge) , I'd rocked up in usual fashion (Unannounced, with a clipboard!) I started looking round it, looked fine,quite happy with it, I took a photo of it so I had the reg for insurance quotes etc,the bloke's wife was stood there drinking Beer whilst her bairns were sat watching TV *What I think was Ceebeebies or whatever it's called now* - this place was an ex car wash place, the bloke was dealing with someone interested in the Nissan Puke next to it, but after they left, I asked him a bit about said car , I knew it was on BCA a few days beforehand, I knew it had no history and he told me "it's got six stamps"  I told him I knew it had ZERO history present, I almost asked him if he got his kids to potato stamp a service book! 

Safe to say, I bought neither car! I'm sad enough that I can remember both plates.

[rainagain]

My OH was pregnant with our first child so I thought it would be good to get her a five door car as she was currently driving a three door 206. I saw someone advertising a five door Clio at a decent price. I arranged to go and see it after work, but whist I driving there I got a bizarre text message about her having to have a shower and how she had just gotten out the shower and was all wet and how she didn’t want to do any car stuff that night. I made another appointment whilst worrying I was going to get pounced on by a crazy cougar.

I turned up to find a pretty manky but intact Clio with a squeaky release bearing. I mentioned this to her and she disappeared into the house and remerged with one of those trade sized cans of WD40, she then proceeded to spray this all over the engine and aux belt, TBH I was sure it was going to go up in flames as this point. Once the cloud of WD40 had dissipated, the car wasn’t on fire and was still squeaking, “That’s funny” she said “that normally fixes it”. She then told me about how great it was in the snow, quite a strange selling point for a small hatchback.

Despite all the craziness after a quick test drive I could see it was an alright car underneath it all and we shook on a price. I told her I was going home to collect my OH and cash and I would be back later to collect it, which she agreed to. Whilst at home I was literally buying the one day insurance online when she texted me saying she had changed her mind and didn’t actually want to sell the car anymore. I don’t know if she advertised her car to try and meet young men or she was just genuinely crazy, but the whole thing was very bizarre.

[Jazoli]

On 20/08/2024 at 17:02, 2cvspecial said:

I looked at another car a few months back,I rocked up one Saturday to see it, bloke comes out with trade plates and the key, all went well, got back from test drive and before I even started to think of negotiating the price, I had the oil cap off, Smeg on the oil cap. Car was a 1.2 Fiat 500 Pop . I didn't even tell the bloke that I'd noticed it. He's now sold the car to someone else , who I suspect didn't check it! I felt quite pissed off about the smeg on the oil cap, if it wasn't for that, I'd have had it.

 I went to see another one more locally (500 Lounge) , I'd rocked up in usual fashion (Unannounced, with a clipboard!) I started looking round it, looked fine,quite happy with it, I took a photo of it so I had the reg for insurance quotes etc,the bloke's wife was stood there drinking Beer whilst her bairns were sat watching TV *What I think was Ceebeebies or whatever it's called now* - this place was an ex car wash place, the bloke was dealing with someone interested in the Nissan Puke next to it, but after they left, I asked him a bit about said car , I knew it was on BCA a few days beforehand, I knew it had no history and he told me "it's got six stamps"  I told him I knew it had ZERO history present, I almost asked him if he got his kids to potato stamp a service book! 

Safe to say, I bought neither car! I'm sad enough that I can remember both plates.

You take a clipboard when looking at cars?!

[somewhatfoolish]

Probably a good way of fending off crazy ladies armed with WD40.

[shampooefficient]

MrsSE has been helping her mum look at camper vans. Found a reasonable looking T4. She's had a good look round and said it sems full of bodge and that there's a weird sound she couldn't quite place.

I popped over a couple of days later and found the van plugged into the wall and the unmistakable fizzing of an overcharging battery. Red hot to the touch...

Along with the other issues "no, no thank you and also you probably should unplug that"

[warren t claim]

12 hours ago, Jazoli said:

You take a clipboard when looking at cars?!

He's a Denis Norden tribute act.

[Noel Tidybeard]

On 20/08/2024 at 17:02, 2cvspecial said:

I looked at another car a few months back,I rocked up one Saturday to see it, bloke comes out with trade plates and the key, all went well, got back from test drive and before I even started to think of negotiating the price, I had the oil cap off, Smeg on the oil cap. Car was a 1.2 Fiat 500 Pop . I didn't even tell the bloke that I'd noticed it. He's now sold the car to someone else , who I suspect didn't check it! I felt quite pissed off about the smeg on the oil cap, if it wasn't for that, I'd have had it.

 I went to see another one more locally (500 Lounge) , I'd rocked up in usual fashion (Unannounced, with a clipboard!) I started looking round it, looked fine,quite happy with it, I took a photo of it so I had the reg for insurance quotes etc,the bloke's wife was stood there drinking Beer whilst her bairns were sat watching TV *What I think was Ceebeebies or whatever it's called now* - this place was an ex car wash place, the bloke was dealing with someone interested in the Nissan Puke next to it, but after they left, I asked him a bit about said car , I knew it was on BCA a few days beforehand, I knew it had no history and he told me "it's got six stamps"  I told him I knew it had ZERO history present, I almost asked him if he got his kids to potato stamp a service book! 

Safe to say, I bought neither car! I'm sad enough that I can remember both plates.

smeg on cap? cold engine? fairly normal- my 1.3 maestro did it (prolly cos steel rocker cover)

[Low ontime]

1 hour ago, Noel Tidybeard said:

smeg on cap? cold engine? fairly normal- my 1.3 maestro did it (prolly cos steel rocker cover)

Condensation if cold and stood. 

Chap who came to the last car I was selling thought the car had HGF and that i was a chancer.

still think it was leading to me getting  a smack in the mouth if it wasn’t for his missus calling him back to her heap 

in my case defo condensation.  
 

I scrap shit not punt on if in can’t be bothered with it 

[2cvspecial]

2 hours ago, Noel Tidybeard said:

smeg on cap? cold engine? fairly normal- my 1.3 maestro did it (prolly cos steel rocker cover)

with how oily the engine bay was , I had suspicions that it was HGF, it could well have been condensation but as it had zero history, I didn't want to chance it.

[2cvspecial]

On 23/08/2024 at 11:03, Jazoli said:

You take a clipboard when looking at cars?!

Just to take notes of details so I can go away to quote or to note what's faulty (if slightly suspicious of seller)

[Rustybullethole]

Have been racking my brain on this which admittedly is often a fruitless endeavour though can honestly think of just the one occasion where I have walked away. Ah no, two. A second has just come to me. 

The last thought first before I forget 

A TK horsebox. Rocked up at the fellas house in Croyden to find him and his mrs busy getting stoned. Nice couple got on well and had a good natter before they gave me a lift to the farm where his tks were parked. He had a new beetle with a vr6 lump and drove it absolutely full chat all the way there. 

Tk was one of three and unfortunately he had forgot the battery so it couldn't be fired up. It weren't too bad to be honest though I needed a runner as transport costs were not an option. Had a deep gut feeling that it wasn't right. Being one to trust instinct I didn't commit there and then and felt I should mull it over to be sure. The feeling didn't lift so called him the next day to say no deal. He muttered about time wasters and I pointed out that maybe hearing a advertised runner run may help.

The second was @Alan Prosts LNa. Went down with the Transit equipped with tools and a frame excited about the purchase and dragging it back. I knew it needed metal though on inspection was hit with the realisation that it was perhaps too much of a challenge for my amateur welding skills and to do it justice was perhaps beyond my means. Still gutted about this though again important to follow instincts I feel.

These both stand out as mostly as a bottom feeder I have bought the cars I have traveled to see without looking at them too much. Maybe it's because I really wanted the two above that I was more picky with what i could achieve with them. 

Had instincts to walk away from my most expensive purchase to date of 800 quid for a mk5 transit. My 600 ninja had ftp in the fast lane of the m4 on route and the deal was he would lend a hand throwing the bike in the back if i bought it so a deal was done. Despite the rough looks including broken screen and pedestrian sized dent in bonnet it turned out to be a great van. 

Buy smart. Buy blind. Deal with the consequences later. 

[mat_the_cat]

On 16/08/2024 at 19:20, Spiny Norman said:

What I also started to notice were more large occupied caravans that I was expecting to see in what I'd assumed was a works yard.....

The penny suddenly dropped just as a collection of people appeared and two of them started walking towards he gate, followed by a couple of dags....

This mirrors an experience that we had, when we went to look at an Airstream for sale near Norwich, around 250 miles from home. The seller, of 'no fixed abode', spent several months a year over in the States picking out Airstreams to ship back and sell.

Finding one to our liking, and clearly far too trusting, we handed over a £2k deposit, and arranged a date they could deliver - as it was a US 2" hitch and electric rather than overrun brakes. It was only some time afterwards that we realised we could be well and truly shafted!

Anyway, he was true to his word and delivered on a snowy day in December. Given that it weighs around 4 tonnes from memory, I was expecting a big American pickup setup for towing such a trailer. But no, it rocked up behind an L200, with no way of operating the trailer brakes!

Sorry, it's the opposite of this thread but if we'd been more sensible we should have run a mile!