"TimeWasters" The seller or the buyer???
22 January 2002, 07:05 PM
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This term gets used a lot here on the Scoobynet.. What worries me is when someone is selling something and after a lot of viewers and no buyers calls them timewasters..... Could it be that the buyer was wasting their time instead???
Any stories or views??
Any stories or views??
22 January 2002, 08:47 PM
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I've sold a couple of things on the BBS, and most of the time it's not a problem. However, there are exceptions.
However, there are times when, having made the details and price clear, people have messed me about. Once over price (having already come to an agreement, and once over the details of the item. Whether this type of buyer doesn't really know if they want the item, or whether it's because they can't afford the price, I don't know.
At the end of the day people should know what they want, and what they are prepared to pay for it. On the other hand, sellers should make it clear what they're offering, and how much they want. It would make life much easier.
Josh
However, there are times when, having made the details and price clear, people have messed me about. Once over price (having already come to an agreement, and once over the details of the item. Whether this type of buyer doesn't really know if they want the item, or whether it's because they can't afford the price, I don't know.
At the end of the day people should know what they want, and what they are prepared to pay for it. On the other hand, sellers should make it clear what they're offering, and how much they want. It would make life much easier.
Josh
22 January 2002, 09:31 PM
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I have seen "readvertised due to timewasters" when reading AutoTrader for example.. often it makes me suspicious of the seller.. after all, why did the potential buyer disappear ?
A few years ago, I was in the market for buying a MK1 Escort. I saw a car advertised in Autotrader, and duly visited the owner to take a closer look. Things looked promising, it appeared fairly well looked after. I was in a hurry and said that I'd be back the next day to take a final look, and I'd have the money with me should I want the car.. I don't know why, but when I looked the 2nd time I noticed there were floormats behind the passenger seat.. seemed a tad overkill.. so I lifted them.. it was damp underneath.. so I pulled up the carpets to find a whacking great hole !
I told the seller that due to my new findings I didn't want the car. He then proceeded to tell me I'd wasted his time, caused him no-end of inconvenience, and how people like me were scum of the earth.. When in fact, if he'd been honest about it's condition, he wouldn't have wasted MY time, and I'd not have got money from the bank, arranged insurance, and taken 2x 50mile round trips..
Next week the car was re-advertised due to a timewaster .. me
Caveat emptor !
A few years ago, I was in the market for buying a MK1 Escort. I saw a car advertised in Autotrader, and duly visited the owner to take a closer look. Things looked promising, it appeared fairly well looked after. I was in a hurry and said that I'd be back the next day to take a final look, and I'd have the money with me should I want the car.. I don't know why, but when I looked the 2nd time I noticed there were floormats behind the passenger seat.. seemed a tad overkill.. so I lifted them.. it was damp underneath.. so I pulled up the carpets to find a whacking great hole !
I told the seller that due to my new findings I didn't want the car. He then proceeded to tell me I'd wasted his time, caused him no-end of inconvenience, and how people like me were scum of the earth.. When in fact, if he'd been honest about it's condition, he wouldn't have wasted MY time, and I'd not have got money from the bank, arranged insurance, and taken 2x 50mile round trips..
Next week the car was re-advertised due to a timewaster .. me
Caveat emptor !
22 January 2002, 09:48 PM
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I can much agree with Davids findings....
looked for a 205 gti as a run around. find a nice one advertised as such with Tax/Mot etc. Ring up to find more history on the car and 'the owner' claims its mint, well looked after, his pride and joy no bumpd etc etc. Looking good says me so I turn up for a look with my dad (ex-car tuner and gerneral car wizard).
Within 10 minutes we find that the guy isn't the owner and took the car as a trade in - hmmm never said he was a trader. There's no tax and no MOT, its been in a hefty front end shunt, with all the paperwork to prove it and a fcuked radiator and nipped hoses still attached, and upon lifting the mats, the carpet is swimming with mouldy water with a funny smell to boot.
So my view is sellers are often the time wasters, they either advertise their car as something its not or just won't budge on price. Whilst some buyers are timewasters, often its just they don't like being conned or having someone try and pull the wool over their eyes.
laters
stu
looked for a 205 gti as a run around. find a nice one advertised as such with Tax/Mot etc. Ring up to find more history on the car and 'the owner' claims its mint, well looked after, his pride and joy no bumpd etc etc. Looking good says me so I turn up for a look with my dad (ex-car tuner and gerneral car wizard).
Within 10 minutes we find that the guy isn't the owner and took the car as a trade in - hmmm never said he was a trader. There's no tax and no MOT, its been in a hefty front end shunt, with all the paperwork to prove it and a fcuked radiator and nipped hoses still attached, and upon lifting the mats, the carpet is swimming with mouldy water with a funny smell to boot.
So my view is sellers are often the time wasters, they either advertise their car as something its not or just won't budge on price. Whilst some buyers are timewasters, often its just they don't like being conned or having someone try and pull the wool over their eyes.
laters
stu
.anyway, will phone you tomorrow to confirm things, ok Trending Topics
23 January 2002, 02:43 AM
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forgot to say ; yes i have also sold a few things on scoobynet, hmm, came across a few timewasters and chancers but you can usually tell when someone is genuine. btw luke i am also selling my morettes (my97-00) if you know someone looking for a set, thanks
slim
slim
23 January 2002, 09:01 AM
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I've experienced both sides.
Selling one car I had about 10 people look at it. 2 actually paid deposits but then changed their minds - not on a closer inspection or anything just called to say they could no longer afford it. That wasted my time. I had people interested but need o sell their car first (in this market it could take a while).
Overall I found that buyers in todays market wanted all the facilities a dealer would offer but at a private price.
When buying a car once the HPi check wasn't satisfactory so I asked for my deposit back, so a s a buyer my time was wasted.
I think for the most part people are OK, a lot of traders are suspect though. Personally I always buy private now unless I need to px which I have never had to do yet.
Selling one car I had about 10 people look at it. 2 actually paid deposits but then changed their minds - not on a closer inspection or anything just called to say they could no longer afford it. That wasted my time. I had people interested but need o sell their car first (in this market it could take a while).
Overall I found that buyers in todays market wanted all the facilities a dealer would offer but at a private price.
When buying a car once the HPi check wasn't satisfactory so I asked for my deposit back, so a s a buyer my time was wasted.
I think for the most part people are OK, a lot of traders are suspect though. Personally I always buy private now unless I need to px which I have never had to do yet.
23 January 2002, 09:27 AM
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Sellers are worse I reckon, I phoned up about a car for my girlfriend, told it was 'immaculate' 'not a mark on it sir'. Explained that I was travelling from Bournemouth to see it. Car was in London so about a 250 mile round trip. These cars were quite rare to happy to travel but wanted assurance it was as they said it was.
Predicatably enough the car was not as it was told, had numerous marks all round it and the drivers door had obviously been repaired and not too well.
This was a trader who also sells WRX/STis in London whose name begins with an X.
OK, I know the theory is that the further someone travels the more likely they are to not want to go home empty handed but that was ridiculous.
Same happened again, this time to Cardiff, went to see the immaculate car that had had a bump at the front. Nothing too serious but when confronted about it....'Oh, I hadn't noticed that...' Bollox!
Honesty is the best policy surely. If someone is coming to see something you have described and it turns out not be it then surely you are wasting your own time as they are now less likely to buy..
Anyone want a mint 97STi, not a mark on it, one careful lady owner, never been on track, low mileage, 4 new tyres? £15000 ono?
Predicatably enough the car was not as it was told, had numerous marks all round it and the drivers door had obviously been repaired and not too well.
This was a trader who also sells WRX/STis in London whose name begins with an X.
OK, I know the theory is that the further someone travels the more likely they are to not want to go home empty handed but that was ridiculous.
Same happened again, this time to Cardiff, went to see the immaculate car that had had a bump at the front. Nothing too serious but when confronted about it....'Oh, I hadn't noticed that...' Bollox!
Honesty is the best policy surely. If someone is coming to see something you have described and it turns out not be it then surely you are wasting your own time as they are now less likely to buy..
Anyone want a mint 97STi, not a mark on it, one careful lady owner, never been on track, low mileage, 4 new tyres? £15000 ono?
23 January 2002, 10:21 AM
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Buying and selling second hand cars privately is a facking nightmare and best avoided in my book.
I really hate the ads that say "No Time Wasters", it puts me off immediately. i mean who has got the time or inclination to travel around looking at grotty cars just for the hell of it? If people arent buying your motor it is too dear pure and simple.
And if I m seling, the most annoying thing is canvasseers from other publications and papers. Dont mind real punters at all even if they dont buy in the end.
traders are no better, offer appalling prices and always have an excuse not to want your motor.
OH yea and the term "Mint" - what total crap, a car's not mint the moment it turned a wheel. Always smell bull**** when I hear that .
[Edited by zoog - 1/23/2002 10:24:02 AM]
[Edited by zoog - 1/23/2002 10:24:30 AM]
I really hate the ads that say "No Time Wasters", it puts me off immediately. i mean who has got the time or inclination to travel around looking at grotty cars just for the hell of it? If people arent buying your motor it is too dear pure and simple.
And if I m seling, the most annoying thing is canvasseers from other publications and papers. Dont mind real punters at all even if they dont buy in the end.
traders are no better, offer appalling prices and always have an excuse not to want your motor.
OH yea and the term "Mint" - what total crap, a car's not mint the moment it turned a wheel. Always smell bull**** when I hear that .
[Edited by zoog - 1/23/2002 10:24:02 AM]
[Edited by zoog - 1/23/2002 10:24:30 AM]
23 January 2002, 10:42 AM
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IMO 'Mint' is a perfectly acceptable term when used in the correct context. ie. an old vehicle, in extremely good condition, almost as good as new.
What pi$$es me off is people that, ask loads of questions but have absolutely no intention of buying it anyway [img]images/smilies/mad.gif[/img] And, yeah, everyone wants a bargain. But don't take the pi$$.
Although, generally, I have found this BBS a good source of reliable buyers and sellers. But there are the inevitable pr1cks, that have got nothing better to do than pick at peoples posts. If you have got nothing useful to say and you are not buying, then mind your own business [img]images/smilies/mad.gif[/img] and **** off.
Of course I am guilty of all of the above
What pi$$es me off is people that, ask loads of questions but have absolutely no intention of buying it anyway [img]images/smilies/mad.gif[/img] And, yeah, everyone wants a bargain. But don't take the pi$$.
Although, generally, I have found this BBS a good source of reliable buyers and sellers. But there are the inevitable pr1cks, that have got nothing better to do than pick at peoples posts. If you have got nothing useful to say and you are not buying, then mind your own business [img]images/smilies/mad.gif[/img] and **** off.
Of course I am guilty of all of the above
23 January 2002, 10:50 AM
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Have to say I completely agree, buying and selling second hand cars is a nightmare. I sold my car last weekend and I sold it to a dealer rather than go through all the hassle of selling it provately. Admittedly I didn't get as good a price as I could have got for it privately but I personally think this was outweighed by how much hassle I have saved. The car also had finance outstanding on it and the dealer is going to sort this out too. Can you imagine the problems trying to sell it privately with finance still on it?
I couldn't be bothered with going through all the hassle of advertising it and waiting by the phone all day for people to call. I can imagine the sort of muppets you get who want to come along for a test drive and then asking me if I want their car as part ex or if they can pay monthly (Yes my dad has had this). I also definitely wouldn't let some guy drive off in my car after giving me a bankers draft and who the hell is going to turn up and give me £13K in cash?
On the other side of the coin now I can afford to I definitely wouldn't buy a second hand car privately again. Last time I tried to do this was for the girlfriend about 2.5 years ago. She had about £3500 to buy a car along the lines of a Clio, Punto, Micra etc. and I couldn't believe how much hassle it was. One car sounded absolutely perfect on the phone and we decided to go and have a look at it. We also took my dad along with me as he used to be a mechanic and MOT tester so he knows his stuff. Anyway to cut a long story short it had just been given an MOT that day and my dad spotted a massive chip right in the middle of the screen. My dad asked how it got an MOT and the guy told my dad it wasn't big enough to fail on. My dad then had another look around and saw a hole in the rear light cluster and again he asked the guy how it had passed. We then noticed the oil leak and made our excuses and left. We did find a car that was perfect, one owner full service history etc. so we went off with our A-Z to find it. By the time we got there we saw somebody shaking the sellers hand and walking away. If we had only go there 10 minutes earlier. I had taken a week off work to try and find the perfect car and in the end we gave up and bought a brand new Punto. £6995 on the road with 0% finance and 2 years free insurance.
Most of the cars advertised in Autotrader etc. are being sold by traders working from their houses.
I couldn't be bothered with going through all the hassle of advertising it and waiting by the phone all day for people to call. I can imagine the sort of muppets you get who want to come along for a test drive and then asking me if I want their car as part ex or if they can pay monthly (Yes my dad has had this). I also definitely wouldn't let some guy drive off in my car after giving me a bankers draft and who the hell is going to turn up and give me £13K in cash?
On the other side of the coin now I can afford to I definitely wouldn't buy a second hand car privately again. Last time I tried to do this was for the girlfriend about 2.5 years ago. She had about £3500 to buy a car along the lines of a Clio, Punto, Micra etc. and I couldn't believe how much hassle it was. One car sounded absolutely perfect on the phone and we decided to go and have a look at it. We also took my dad along with me as he used to be a mechanic and MOT tester so he knows his stuff. Anyway to cut a long story short it had just been given an MOT that day and my dad spotted a massive chip right in the middle of the screen. My dad asked how it got an MOT and the guy told my dad it wasn't big enough to fail on. My dad then had another look around and saw a hole in the rear light cluster and again he asked the guy how it had passed. We then noticed the oil leak and made our excuses and left. We did find a car that was perfect, one owner full service history etc. so we went off with our A-Z to find it. By the time we got there we saw somebody shaking the sellers hand and walking away. If we had only go there 10 minutes earlier. I had taken a week off work to try and find the perfect car and in the end we gave up and bought a brand new Punto. £6995 on the road with 0% finance and 2 years free insurance.
Most of the cars advertised in Autotrader etc. are being sold by traders working from their houses.
23 January 2002, 11:20 AM
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Worse thing you hear from traders - after they've advertised
the car as immaculate or mint etc. and you travel to see it -
"well what do you expect for a car of XXX age".
but you sell them the same car and they diss the car cos of
the odd blemish.
I always buy and sell private - more hassle, but youre
not lining someones pocket
and its easy to spot a trader - waste their time as well if they havent told you before you visit
the car as immaculate or mint etc. and you travel to see it -
"well what do you expect for a car of XXX age".
but you sell them the same car and they diss the car cos of
the odd blemish.
I always buy and sell private - more hassle, but youre
not lining someones pocket
and its easy to spot a trader - waste their time as well if they havent told you before you visit
23 January 2002, 12:28 PM
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How can buyers be the time wasters ? If youre selling something and its a pile of **** then youre wasting peoples time surely. Just coz peeps look doesnt mean they have to buy !! I agree with whoever said whos gonna drive 50 miles to look at a car they didnt want anyways ?
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