Sold the most reliable car I've ever had and….

What you don’t want is some thug turning up on your doorstep ! Which is why I try not to do private sales anymore…

Why?! They wouldn’t just turn up. It’d start with texts/calls. At that point you contact the Police, nip it in the bud.

I remember selling my Focus, the two asian lads were suspicious of me, I was suspicious of them. I see the car daily now as the buyer lives locally and we always shoot the breeze/chat.

As has been said, I would reply and say “Its unfortunate that you’re having problems with the car, after I had it for so long without any issues at all. Best of luck getting it all sorted.” then ignore anything further. At least then you’ve been polite. You don’t want her boyfriend on your doorstep, because the car’s knackered and you’ve sent some smart arsed reply, which is what some here are suggesting you do.

🙂

Unfitgeezer: private seller, I have her Southampton address, and done with bank transfer.

I still find it very, very odd indeed that 2 days after its sold, it breaks down.

“Why are you telling me this?”

Next you’ll get ‘Ive had to pay for a hotel too’.

Ring in the morning…..

Two words: Caveat Emptor

She bought it, now her problem.

If you have her address it would be interesting to get a local STWer to drive by her house and see if the car is parked up there rather than in a garage….

I still find it very, very odd indeed that 2 days after its sold, it breaks down.

My mate had a VW T4 camper, did thousands of miles in, drove to Biarritz and back without a hitch. Put it up for sale, lovely family bought it, they had a handover with photos and tears of goodbye. On the way back with the new family the engine threw a rod. It got acrimonious but my mate held his nerve, he knew he wasn’t lying and didn’t have to pay it. It was difficult but ultimately not his problem.

Technically- would a failed EGR cooler not result in coolant loss?

The coolant level has always been completely immobile. Never varied.

Pictonroad- jings. That’s a bad story.

I’d try and not fret about it.

it’s to your credit that you are but I’d really just stop communicating and stop working out what’s caused the problem.

wwaswas- yes, you’re right. I am backing out. I’ve not replied to this latest text and don’t intend to.

I feel bad, of course, but what can I do? Sadly, its sold as seen.

(And there is a wee suspicious bit of me thats saying: you worked for VW formerly, and now all of this is happening?… so exactly how does this scam work?)

sold my first car (fiat punto) years ago privately to a woman who saw it advertised on the driveway. she turned up with her friend who claimed to be a mechanic. she didnt even want to take it for a test drive. i insisted that she did and told her there was a slight knocking noise to one of the cv joints. her friend agreed with this during the test drive. she was happy with the car and paid her cash and away she went. a few days later she came knocking on my door with another guy also claiming to be a mechanic….saying that he had inspected the car and that the clutch was completely burnt out…that funny it was fine on the day i sold it. and now she wanted me to pay for a new clutch.
i told her firmly that the car was fine when i sold it to her and that there was no issue with the clutch and as it was sold as seen as stated on the sales receipt, it was not my problem any more.
the mechanic did confirm that the cv joint did need to be replaced.
i then spotted the guy she came to but the car with a few weeks later and asked him about her…his response was that she always rides the clutch and that on her last 2 cars she had killed the clutch this way. he also said that the clutch she had fitted to the punto had also now gone again due to her riding it…and that she was trying it on with me to cover her expenses.
OP if the car was fine when you sold it then i dont see how it is your problem. also she drove over 200 miles before it conked out….it would be a different matter if she had only got to the end of the street.

Its unfortunate that you’re having problems with the YOUR car, after I had it for so long without any issues at all. Best of luck getting it all sorted.

FTFY

EGR cooler usually is around £250. VW labour is going to be circa £80 an hour, that would be £650 – £700 by the time they have added new pipes etc. Text her back and tell her its a good deal! 🙂

Thanks Gonzy. Its been hers since 12:01 on Saturday afternoon, and she’s been doddling around Helensburgh for it for 2 days before this trip home.

I’m not expecting that I’ve heard the last of this, but I don’t intend to either take the car back or refund anything. I know that I would be expected to maybe say this anyway, but the car has been trouble-free, serviced beyond what VW recommend, and driven sympathetically and carefully- I had to, it was needed for my job.

I still find it very, very odd indeed that 2 days after its sold, it breaks down

There is such a thing as a co-incidence you know.

I’m disappointed in STW that no one has asked for Pitchers

100!

Indeed, molgrips…..”merely the illusion of coincidence”.

Edit: Dammit.

Ha! Too slow!

Ha! Too slow!

….and I was doing a ton 😥

🙂

Missing the significance of “100”- ?

Anyone explain?

100th post. You win the internet if you post the 100th post 100 times in a day.

There is such a thing as a co-incidence you know.

+1

There must be thousands of cars sold every week, some of them are going to go wrong within a year of being sold. And of those there’s probably a roughly even chance, so 1/52 chance of it going wrong within a week of the sale.

It’s unfortunate, but perfectly possible.

Still not the OPs problem.

There must be thousands of cars sold every week, some of them are going to go wrong within a year of being sold. And of those there’s probably a roughly even chance, so 1/52 chance of it going wrong within a week of the sale.

Pretty awful statistical analysis there, well done. This assumes that all cars break down once a year.

hora – Member
Next you’ll get ‘Ive had to pay for a hotel too’.

Almost word for word, re the text I’ve just had. Damn, hora- you’re good!

What did it say ???

Find out where.

Send Hora round.

Is it now safe to say that no ifs, not buts, this is a scam

If you have her address it would be interesting to get a local STWer to drive by her house and see if the car is parked up there rather than in a garage….

I’m in Southampton. Is she fit? If not I’ll just kick her rear hatch in 😉

hora – Member
Next you’ll get ‘Ive had to pay for a hotel too’.
Almost word for word, re the text I’ve just had. Damn, hora- you’re good!

Beginning to suspect this lady was actually hora…

I will never buy or sell anything privately ever again.

Hmm, so last text said:

“Staying overnight in Preston”.

“Staying overnight in Preston”.

I think she is coming on to you.

In Preston? I thought some people on here had standards?

Well, apart from Hora.

There must be thousands of cars sold every week, some of them are going to go wrong within a year of being sold. And of those there’s probably a roughly even chance, so 1/52 chance of it going wrong within a week of the sale.

Pretty awful statistical analysis there, well done. This assumes that all cars break down once a year.

No it doesn’t. It assumes “, some of them are going to go wrong within a year of being sold” and then assumes “a roughly even chance” of THOSE cars that do go wrong within a year, going wrong on a random week, e.g., they don’t all go wrong on the 5th of May.

Stick your tongue out out and say out loud

“Country and Western”

😆

she travelled a very long way to pick up a car considering she is skint….

i think the hive needs updates every time she sends you a text…