Viewing/buying Cars Can Be Annoying Can't It!

[Rich_p 23]

I went to view an Elise yesterday, the guy was about 2 ½ hours away so had a long chat with him first.

 

Discussed details and I was happy to go and view the car as both it and he sounded very genuine. We got round to discussing the price which he said was definitely negotiable.

 

I got there and on checking the paperwork the cambelt hasnt been changed for 5 years despite him saying its around 3 (they should be replaced at 4 so well overdue) there were also 5 previous owners when he said 3 or 4.

 

Despite the misinformation the car was actually in very good condition so I decided to talk money with him.

 

He would only budge £200 on a £12k car! To me knowing someone is coming a long way there should be more movement in there or he should make you aware he wont move much at all.

 

I explained that I along with most people will expect fresh belts on the car (which is pretty common on these when they are for sale) or if they need doing immediately a drop in price to reflect that. I dont think its unreasonable or should at least be advertised as needing a belt change at that price.

 

He seemed confused saying so you expect me to pay for a service? I said no just something towards it and I wont be alone in asking for that.

 

As I liked the car I ended up increasing my budget a little and offered him £300 shy of what he was asking (car and hard top included) and he still wouldnt consider it.

 

Im pretty sure if I was selling a car that I have had for 8 years and someone genuine offered me money that close I would have taken them up on it, that car may sit unsold for weeks or months.

[ciarandeery1 22]

i can be pretty sure he will be back to you.

 

Losing a sale over £100 quid is ridiculous. i sold a DC5 honda last week advertised £7000, girl travelled 2.5hours, i it sold at £6700 and £40 good luck gesture.

 

first genuine viewer so i wasnt going to miss that.

[sp_en_ny 17 1 Cars]

Call him back in a week or two, if its still there remind him who you were and offer him £500 less........make him squirm as much as poss.

[Pugleyrich 37 1 Cars]

Agree with the above. Its more annoying selling cars these days than buying them and costs a bit to have them advertised. I expect he will still have it in a few weeks

[ScoobyJawa 23]

His loss, I wouldn't buy from this clown on principle. Another one will come up and be nearer, chalk it up to another dreamer seller.

[Ramigojag 19 1 Cars]

I went to look at a few E39 M5's recently before buying my one and I found a perfect one in High Wycombe, had everything on it. I asked him to budge £495. From £7,495 to £7,000 and he just flat out refused he wouldn't even come back with a counter offer.

 

So I thought on principle (because he was very defensive when I offered him £7,000) I would walk away. A couple of weeks later it was still for sale and it looked really nice had all the options I wanted so I rang him up and said the offer of £7,000 still stands he said he would take it but he is in the middle of a deal with someone else.

That really annoyed me, never mind I thought, I then bought another one then a week later so the same car for sale once again now asking £8,000 for.

 

The mind boggles.

[Batfink 201]

They dont have to haggle! I've got my car up for sale and i've keenly priced it so I wont be dropping the price lower than advertised.

I'm in the position I wont have my new car for a few months so i'm not bothered for it to sell immediately anyway...

[Tom Fenton 1,541]

 

They dont have to haggle! I've got my car up for sale and i've keenly priced it so I wont be dropping the price lower than advertised.

I agree with this, I have taken a similar approach in the past, but I am also very clear with any potential buyer from the outset that the price is the price and I will not budge from it. I have always realistically priced my cars at what I think is their value to me.

[Rich_p 23]

I understand they dont have to negotiate but as you mention they should make it clear that will not move on price or at least not very far. I think that would be polite when they know you have a 5 hour round trip.

 

I should maybe be more upfront about the price in advance like I was with the last car I bought.

[tartanbloke 35 1 Cars]

Buy a VX220 Turbo......................

[Rich_p 23]

I'm not fussed about out and out straight line speed and will just be happier with a Lotus, bit snobby but its all part of the experience.

 

I'd really like an S1 Exige but they are a little out of my budget at the moment!

[GLPoomobile 958]

 

 

I agree with this, I have taken a similar approach in the past, but I am also very clear with any potential buyer from the outset that the price is the price and I will not budge from it. I have always realistically priced my cars at what I think is their value to me.

 

 

I understand they dont have to negotiate but as you mention they should make it clear that will not move on price or at least not very far. I think that would be polite when they know you have a 5 hour round trip.

 

I should maybe be more upfront about the price in advance like I was with the last car I bought.

 

 

I pretty much agree with what Tom's said. I think this just illustrates the problems we have - in general - in society these days with expectations, assumptions and lack of communication.

 

I don't think the onus is on the seller to make anything clear about the deal, unless asked to, beyond what is advertised. The onus is very much on the buyer. If you have to travel a long way, make sure you know exactly where you stand and either be prepared to pay the asking price or make it clear to the seller that you will expect some wiggle room (and it sounds like Rich did do that). It works both ways and can be equally as frustrating for the seller, giving up their spare time to someone who has travelled a long distance, expecting (assuming), hoping, that they are going to buy because they've come a long way, only then to be disappointed that the potential buyer wants to knock more off the price than the seller is prepared to stretch to. But, you have to expect and be prepared for this. It makes neither the buyer nor the seller "time wasters", it's just the nature of things.

 

Now, this stuff about cambelts. My view is that if a seller has been upfront about the servicing, and knows that the belts are due/over due, and has priced the car accordingly, then that's the price, end of. It may not be the accepted market rate, but it's THEIR price, so you either accept it, haggle on it, or walk away. If they don't want to budge on it, and it costs them a sale, then that's their prerogative. Making such an expectation out to be the norm doesn't sit right with me. An an analogy, it's a bit like buying a 2nd hand sofa and expecting the seller to pay for it to be professionally cleaner or re-upholstered. If a seller has priced the car above market rate and is oblivious to the need for the belt change, then I'd use that as a haggling point. Perhaps there's a moral dilemma there that undermines my whole argument, but c'est la vie

Edited July 3, 2015 by GLPoomobile

[Rich_p 23]

Had the belts not needed doing I may have considered upping my offer, I was annoyed by the fact he told me they didn't need doing as they had been done and were within the schedule still.

 

At the advertised price I wouldn't have gone to view it knowing the belts needed replacing immediately.

[Jon_Bmw 13]

Spin it around, and you lost buying it over £100, which is probably your costs for the day viewing it...that £100 was less than 1% of the sale price. I.e insignificant. To me neither of you wanted to lose the battle and wouldn't be the weaker person...

 

He is in a strong position knowing you have come 100 miles to see his car. He obviously didn't expect you to walk. Someone else will buy it if you were willing to travel all that way to view it.

 

People (usually of a certain background) phoning me up offering me around 70-80% of the listed sale price when I sell my old cars pisses me right off. You can tell them from a mile off so I get them off the phone ASAP by telling them I don't accept offers.

 

If you go to buy a car for 12k make sure you can get your mind to pay the full 12k or you might be leaving empty handed.

[chipstick 382 1 Cars]

I can see where you're coming from. When there is just £100 in it, on a £12k vehicle I'm surprised you counting it out in front of him and suggesting that other offers may well fall short, not to mention more of his time being wasted by others wouldn't have twisted his arm.

 

But on another note after 5 hours travelling, and finding a car you are otherwise over the moon with - I'd have settled with the £100 'loss' and taken it home, because you'll probably spend that money in travelling to buy the next one.

[eddie bullit 37]

I would never expect £4-500 off the asking price. It it's something that needs doing to that value it's likely not been looked after to the extent I expect. If on the other hand a chancer turns up waving cash in my face expecting a bargain I'd more than likely tell them to f@ck off! There has to be some mutual respect when buying/selling

[Rich_p 23]

I think some of my hesitation was the fact that I would need to spend £500-£600 on the belt change straight away when I had been told it was well within it's schedule, that then takes it well above what I was expecting to spend.

 

I may have been being a little stubborn due to feeling mislead & maybe not 100% comfortable with the sale.

 

Maybe. I should take it as a sign that car is not meant for me.

[Anthony 1,003]

Is it really £500-600 to change the cambelt on an Elise? It's "only" a K-series after all so is access that problematic to justify such a cost?

[Tom Fenton 1,541]

 

Maybe. I should take it as a sign that car is not meant for me.

I think thats right, whether consciously or sub consciously. If you REALLY wanted it then you would have found the money to buy it and worried about paying for the cambelt later.

[Toddy 7]

A belt change on a metro engined elise is roughly £200 - £280 depending whether it is a VVC engine or not.

 

The £500-600 quote is for a full 'c' service, normally including oil, brake fluid, plugs, belts and tensioner etc.

 

Hindsight is wonderful, but might have been worth having a pub lunch and thinking it over, before making a final decision and driving home.

[Rich_p 23]

So I’ve had a think about it and as the car is in great nick contacted him to say my offer still stands.

 

He came back and said split the difference and as there isn’t much in it I thought I would go for it.

 

However I’m concerned about driving the car home without a belt change.

 

On the K series Lotus dropped the schedule to 4 years. I mentioned it again and my concern and he said funny that no garages have mentioned it to him as it would have made them money. He still keeps insisting its 6.

 

I asked if he would be prepared to take the car to specialists which is 5 minutes from his (plus he works from home all the time so doesn’t need a car) to have the belt changed, all at my cost which I will pay in advance so no cost or risk to him and he is having none of it.

 

He said “you can take the car after you collect it, it’s only 5 minutes away” I explained they will likely want the car all day, even if they start the job straight away I’ll have a 3 hours to try and fill. So either way I’ll have a long, wait.

 

He just replied “I think it would be simpler if you dealt with it yourself once the car is yours”

 

It’s put me off again if I’m honest, it seems like he doesn’t want the car to go into the garage while in his ownership which worries me there may be an issue.

[Alastairh 47]

Maybe he is just busy.

[harryskid 193]

Could be he is worried other issues he knows about will show up, take care with dealing with him!

[Tom Fenton 1,541]

I would be the same if I was selling. If the buyer wants to do something then that's up to them once they have paid for the car. In the sellers position you say you'll pay for it but what happens if something else crops up? Who pays then? What happens if 3 months later the belt goes, who is liable? Who is actually the customer of the garage that does the work? The garage damage something, who then owns the car?

Sorry to say but I would take exactly the same stance, just because in my mind otherwise is just inviting possible issues.

[Alastairh 47]

Agreed with Tom. I once was selling a car, the guy agreed to buy the car on the test drive and filled it up with petrol, but we never exchanged money at this point. At the end of the test drive, the boys dad talked him out of buying the car, and then expects me to pay for the petrol he put in the car. Similar scenario, and it got a little heated.

 

Al