Purchase Advice

oz0707

Hi all,

Just after some advice re buying a car. I have agreed, pending a test drive, to buy a car off an American who is moving back to the states. I dont particularly know him. He needs the car up until the 21st. Anyway he has suggested test drive Sunday, then fill in transfer forms yet leave the date blank. Pay him a deposit and pick up on 21st when he's done. Its only £600ish to buy the car so i'm thinking £50 down as a depo if I can get away with that. Obviously he's not going too run off with the car but how do I go about protecting myself? - Ie turn up on the day to pick it up and he's nowhere to be seen aswell as the depo. (cheque?)

I was thinking to both sign a reciept obviously. I'm also being a bit paranoid thinking about it. Would someone go through all that trouble to make away with £50/100? (probably)

pitkin2020

oz0707 wrote: »

Hi all,

Just after some advice re buying a car. I have agreed, pending a test drive, to buy a car off an American who is moving back to the states. I dont particularly know him. He needs the car up until the 21st. Anyway he has suggested test drive Sunday, then fill in transfer forms yet leave the date blank. Pay him a deposit and pick up on 21st when he's done. Its only £600ish to buy the car so i'm thinking £50 down as a depo if I can get away with that. Obviously he's not going too run off with the car but how do I go about protecting myself? - Ie turn up on the day to pick it up and he's nowhere to be seen aswell as the depo. (cheque?)

I was thinking to both sign a reciept obviously. I'm also being a bit paranoid thinking about it. Would someone go through all that trouble to make away with £50/100? (probably)

I wouldn't give him a deposit at all, what good is a signed receipt once he has flown back to the states?? Make it clear you want the car but you will pay the full balance and sign the paperwork on the day of exchange. If he really insists on a deposit then make a £5 deposit as a goodwill gesture!!

oz0707

What if it's a good buy and he's unsure of my will to pay up. Ie wait till the day then offer him half (he's over a barrell then). Works both ways I suppose that's why I thought £50.

mikey72

oz0707 wrote: »

What if it's a good buy and he's unsure of my will to pay up. Ie wait till the day then offer him half (he's over a barrell then). Works both ways I suppose that's why I thought £50.

What if you don't show at all?
Mind you if you offer him half, he might just set it on fire and walk off.

pitkin2020

Its a catch 22 as this seller really has nothing to lose if they are leaving the country, he could literally just abandon the car after taking payment from you and be on his merry way. If the risk of losing £50 is acceptable then offer him that. Only offer what your happy to lose incase it does go the wrong way.

s_b

what if he blows it up before you get delivery
what if he has done the same deal with 10 100 1000 other people
shake on the fact you will have it
or leave it
if he wont

asbokid

oz0707 wrote: »

Hi all,

Just after some advice re buying a car. I have agreed, pending a test drive, to buy a car off an American who is moving back to the states. I don't particularly know him. He needs the car up until the 21st. Anyway he has suggested test drive Sunday, then fill in transfer forms yet leave the date blank. Pay him a deposit and pick up on 21st when he's done. Its only £600ish to buy the car so i'm thinking £50 down as a depo if I can get away with that. Obviously he's not going too run off with the car but how do I go about protecting myself? - i.e. turn up on the day to pick it up and he's nowhere to be seen as well as the depo. (cheque?)

I was thinking to both sign a receipt obviously. I'm also being a bit paranoid thinking about it. Would someone go through all that trouble to make away with £50/100? (probably)

You're not being paranoid at all. Wild guess here, but is he in the USAF? Is it a left-hand drive vehicle? If so, the USAF will pay to ship vehicles over here, but it won't ship them back. If it's LHD, the car is worthless to him, but LHD yank cars are often sought after by specialists in the UK, which he may already know..

I would be careful. He might have 'sold' the car ten times over. If he's in the USAF, it won't give you any help if he cons you. The USAF is typically very unhelpful when people try to trace its personnel.. e.g. to recover debts or to secure alimony and child support...

How are you sure that he's leaving on the 21st, and not on the 20th?....

oz0707

Its a 600 quider, think were going a bit ott here. Try to do the whole lot on exchange or if not small depo by cheque with reciept me thinks...

asbokid

oz0707 wrote: »

Its a 600 quider, think were going a bit ott here. Try to do the whole lot on exchange or if not small depo by cheque with reciept me thinks...

£600 per sucker. not bad if you can pull the same stunt on ten suckers.

funkycoldribena

If he wont sell it there and then,walk away.Im sure theres a couple of cars for sale on autotrader nowadays.

NeverAgain_2

...£600 per sucker. not bad if you can pull the same stunt on ten suckers...

So much for the special relationship.

I would give the guy a bit of credit, well £50 of credit.

If he's straight, which he probably is, he will have plenty of other bits and pieces to tidy up before he goes and will be looking just to get finished, not scam anybody.

I would treat him the same as an English seller, so turn up for the test drive, weigh him up as closely as the car, and if happy with both, pay £50 as a deposit.

His suggested way of completing the transaction seems sensible enough, given his slightly unusual circumstances.

Check how he wants to be paid, cash is simplest for £600, but sterling notes may not be much good to him if he's on the next plane home.

I've only had a little to do with two Americans, both were dead straight.