Real-life MMD: Should I keep schtum about car problems when I flog it?

daveeeeed

IainHL wrote: »

:eek:

Perhaps you meant proactive?

No I meant prophylactic which is why I wrote prophylactic.
Definition of PROPHYLACTIC

1
: guarding from or preventing the spread or occurrence of disease or infection

2
: tending to prevent or ward off : preventive

richval

I'd never sell something to a mate its not worth the hassle. Sell it to someone else for market rate.

empistriker

I once sold the best most reliable car I had ever had to a friend, guess what it broke down within 2 weeks and cost a fortune to find the fault. Caused a few problems with our friendship, I went half with the repair cost?
Think twice about selling things to friend and family??

elle79

You've got to tell him, it's a friend!

babyshoes

Definitely let him know that while it has just passed it's MOT, the mechanic has identified a potential problem with X that is likely to need replacing in the near future, but don't mention the price you you've been quoted - as others have said it could be MUCH cheaper to fix elsewhere. Also, 'near future' in mechanic speak could be well over a year later...

Offer to let him take it to another garage for a full check over if he is still interested after hearing of the potential problem - for all you know he could have a friend or relative who will do the work for him for just the cost of the parts.

Don't offer a discount straight away, but if he seems unsure or if he asks for one, I think a £250 discount is reasonable.

Safest option though is not to sell cars to friends! If you do, make sure you are completely honest about known faults so you can keep the friendship intact when something inevitably goes wrong with the car.

dorisbonkers

Here's a clue. "A friend...."
Also, as in 'Never employ friends or family', it's the same with selling cars - guaranteed to bite you in the bum!

duchy

Another made up one

What kind of idiot would sell a car that needed a lot of work doing to a friend

These are really scraping the bottom of the barrel now

ripope

Just imagine your son/daughter, mother/father getting caught by such deception.
Do you really need to ask?

Badgersgirl

Surely you can't be serious? You must be concerned enough to ask the question....

However, I sold my dodgy car to webuyanycar.com and don't feel at all guilty for not saying a word, got more than I expected for it.

milvusvestal

Is this a serious enquiry?

Yes, the old maxim of Buyer Beware might apply in theory, but just what kind of person would knowingly sell a potentially unsafe vehicle to another party, let alone a friend, without pointing out all its faults? OK, the faults might not sound as if they could lead to an accident, but the whole point of MOTs is to try and keep dangerous vehicles off the road and save the lives of innocent motorists and pedestrians.

You might argue that your friend (assuming he remains one) should have the car inspected indepenently, but he's trusting to your integrity and honesty to be told about any faults it has before handing over any money. It is entirely irresponsible to sell it in what amounts to an unsafe condition, and not say anything about it, especially when you consider that another vehicle testing station might come up with what you don't want to hear.

How could you live with yourself if the car's condition led to an accident a matter of days after selling it?