Fuzz

and what would your take on it be...
(I realise I can do nothing really)

Ok,
A car was advertised on a forum "for sale", after a few initial questions the guy changed his mind ( a month or so give or take) fair enough, I moved on and looked for another one.
New post by same guy appears last week "Up for sale, for good this time"
I mailed him, organised a viewing, borrowed a tom tom and on Sunday travelled what tom tom said was 3 hrs and 47 mins, all the way up the country to Sunderland (from gloucestershire) (realistically I got stuck in accident traffic twice on the way up and a long time once on the way back)
Anyway, I get there, view the car, inpect the documents, shake hands and leave him a £200 quid deposit. Planned to return this coming Saturday with the remainder (as written by him on a receipt) and take the car away..
Monday arrives and I insure it, transfer some money over to my current account and set up a temporary overdraft to cover things if the money doesn't arrive in time.
I also joined the forum proper (stickers, membership, ££, etc)

Today I get a text message "Sorry Andy, "I'm not sure I want to sell it now etc etc"

My **** has just boiled over.......


Andy

Brun

He should pay you back any costs you have incurred (sp?). If he doesn't want to then seek Astraboy for vengence

davegtt

lol and it'll cost you £200 to go fetch your deposit and you'll have to put faith in recieving a cheque

Ouch

oobster

Yup. If he's a decent guy.

pslewis

Time Waster ... he should refund you your expenses.

A day of your life cannot be repaid ........ !!!!!

little-ginge

Did you get a receipt for your deposit?????


What an absolute **** head

Sonic'

Similar thing happened to me when I was first looking for a scoob, and it was someone from this forum too

I spoke to the guy on the phone (in fact he phoned me) I arranged to view the car, although he didn't give me full directions he told me which junction to come off at on the motorway, and then to phone him and he would guide me in

On the Sunday I phoned to say I would be leaving and would be there at the time we had arranged, but there was no answer from his phone, so I left a message

I phoned several times on the way down there, but still no answer, the phone rang but kept going to voice mail, and this was a 3 hour drive too, eventually I got to the junction and still kept trying his phone, and eventually I gave up and drove home

I found out a week or so later he had sold the car on the sunday morning and just couldnt be bothered to answer my calls to let me know

After that I found a lovely RB5 fairly local, spoke to the guy several times and also at that point I was working with his brother

We made a deal, and I got the loan, and got the money from the bank, (he knew all this, and my phone call to him on leaving the bank with the money to say I was on my way, went to his voice mail)

About 5 mins from meeting him, he phoned me to say he had just got my message and couldnt answer his phone when I called as he was just selling his car, the car that I was buying !! His brother couldnt apologise enough

There are some right ar5eholes out there who are selling cars, I thought it would be common decency to let people know without making big withdrawals or long journey's

Maz

iTrader: (34)

Jeez Andy this guy's taking the Michael ain't he?! I think you're owed at least five hundred quid for your expenses and hassle. What a complete time wasting nitwit.

Markus

Thanks a frigging joke. If he doesn't want to sell, then why put the car up in the first place. Even if he was local it'd still be annoying, to say the very least, but traveling that time and distance makes it grate even more.

I'd certainly point out to him that you have, apart from the travel expenses and the deposit, incurred other expenses such as the membership, stickers, perhaps increase in insurance premium, and anything else you can think of that relates to this, and you wish compensation for this, as you had left a deposit on the good faith you'd be purchasing the car.
I'd say this would possibly tot up to £700 - £1000, see if he wants to sell the car then, as otherwise he'll be out of pocket (ok, I know he'll probably not give any more than the £200 deposit) by that amount.
I'd also mention that you are investigating what legal recourse you have to recover the aforementioned deposit and other expenditures.

Oh, and bit of name and shame never hurt either. He's done this before and it sounds as though he'll do it again and nark off someone else, and though it may not help you, it might help them if they are forewarned, or turn up with paperwork for him to sign, and if he renegs, then the paperwork could help with them claiming back monies owed.

Then again the aSOR (astraboy School Of Revenge) method does hold a lot of appeal

hectic

Option 1, small claims court
Option 2 , put a tankful of petrol in your car, get a few mates and a baseball bat, spend a day out 'with the boys'... call it 'bonding' if you will

Option 3.. why the hell Im putting this one in I dont know, .. bite the bulet , cut your losses and learn a very hard lesson...

Longjing

Strictly speaking, you've got a contract, albeit largely verbal, and you're theoretically entitled to sue him, either (i) for damages for breach of contract - your wasted costs, essentially - or (ii) for specific performance of the contract - ie he sells you the car at the agreed price. The latter is an "equitable" remedy, roughly meaning that a judge could order that if he thinks it's fair, but doesn't have to.

I say theoretical because really you need some evidence. If your receipt says details the terms of your agreement at all, you might have something. If it was me I'd be fuming and I would probably write a letter saying that you'd like your costs back, since he's breaching the contract between you two, and that if he doesn't either give you something on that front or sell the car, you'll have to put a small claims court claim in for your lost costs. And then he'll have to deal with or defend that claim or lose.

Would I actually sue him? It's a right pain in the **** and I wouldn't normally, but that is some p1sstaking behaviour and it might teach the ****** a lesson.

richardg

time bandit

StudentScooby

I dont like leaving a deposit just prefer to pay cash there and then mainly because the car could be wragged to death in the days before you collect!

StudentScooby

I dont like leaving a deposit just prefer to pay cash there and then mainly because the car could be wragged to death in the days before you collect!

Sti_Prodrive

Which site was it?? & what was hes user name???

Fuzz

Hey I don't want this turning into a witch hunt !!

A few know what car I was looking to buy so wouldn't be too hard to work it out but I aint saying.

The guy is saying he'll reimburse me for the petrol costs and return my deposit! so that's a start.
God knows what the insurance company are going to sting me for, if they do I shall be hitting him with that too....

What's actually worse is out of the five or so cars I've mailed and PM'd people about on that site, somewhere along the line more than three of them have backed out mid way through discussions......
Trouble is, by leaving the forum, I am cutting my nose off to spite my face as it's the only place this type of car is advertised with any regularity..

Rock>>>> Andy <<<<Hard place

ScoobyDoo555

At least the chap's said he's going to reimburse you.

Personally, I'd be happy just to get the £200 back, and count myself lucky.

As you say though, there's VERY little you can do (within the realms of decency and legally!)

With regards to the forum aspect, just name and shame. On that website. It seems to be either a desirable or nostalgic car that results in this type of thing happening. It happens alot on here too.

Hope you find a car that's a bit closer to home in the meantime

I had to travel 300-odd miles to pick up my car..... but it was from a dealer, so I wasn't too concerned Still stung having to travel 1200 odd miles for the the viewing/return and pickup/return.

Will look much closer next time!!

Dan

Funkii Munkii

Fascinating read

4 hours before I make a 3.5 hour journey to see a car

hail-hail

Don't worry about the insurance, you can get a full refund within 14 days, assuming you have had no claims, standard policy, possibly law

DCI Gene Hunt

Was it the "Smart Car Owners Club of Great Britain" ....Sticker = "Dorks on Board"

Seriously though Fuzz my p1ss is now also boiling over

davegtt

Whos getting on your case? Struggling to find a decent rover for the new series or something?

Andy Porter

That is bizzare behaviour, and deeply unfair. What a **** for you m8

JimmyBFC

tell him you want £300 paid into your bank account, there is no way you should **** about going up for it, and he could bull**** you sending via royal mail, plus the extra £100 is for your petrol.

Driving all that way is ridiculous to get let down by this *****.

Sti_Prodrive

Naa just saying really.. Just to make everyone else aware of the situation you see... + ive been in the same shoe's that your in right now matey!!! ive been well open about it! It's not nice & people find it as a joke to take the pi$$.... its all about name & shame so next time they wudnt do it to someone whos much elder & they will think twice about taking others for a spin....

DCI Gene Hunt

I think you'd struggle to find a decent rover in ANY time period, let alone the 80's

davegtt

good point