Neighbour bought a now broken down car on gumtree..

Tenpmix

Our neighbour came to our door this morning asking for advice. He bought a second hand car for £500 via gumtree. He met the vendor in a shopping centre car park. The car got him home but the next morning it wouldn't start. A mechanic has looked at it and it will be £300 to fix. He contacted the vendor who won't take it back. Is there anything he can do? It's £500 they barely can afford but he needs the car to get him to his work. I feel so sorry for them especially at Christmas. Thanks.

konark

So your 'neighbour' buys some old banger off Scumtree for a monkey, meeting the seller in a car park of all places and now, would you adam and eve it, the car is a wrong 'un.

Does he have 'MUG' written in large letters on his forehead?

bigjl

No I think he has "Troll" written on his forehead.

happyc84

pay the £300 or scrap the car. Private sale - buyer beware.

motorguy

Tenpmix wrote: »

Our neighbour came to our door this morning asking for advice. He bought a second hand car for £500 via gumtree. He met the vendor in a shopping centre car park. The car got him home but the next morning it wouldn't start. A mechanic has looked at it and it will be £300 to fix. He contacted the vendor who won't take it back. Is there anything he can do? It's £500 they barely can afford but he needs the car to get him to his work. I feel so sorry for them especially at Christmas. Thanks.

The warning signs were there with the meeting in a shopping centre car park.

Hes bought a pup off most likely a fly by night trader.

Unless hes very persistent and very lucky, he'll never sniff a refund.

worried_jim

Tough !!!! if it was a private sale. Was the car park dark or don't you think it would have mattered?

motorguy

happyc84 wrote: »

pay the £300 or scrap the car. Private sale - buyer beware.

I would say with the "meet you at tescos" tactic its a low life trader, so technically he has rights - however the odds of enforcing those rights are practically nil.

Actually even as a private sale it must be "as described".

Tenpmix

I thought as much, he's been naive and is paying the price. I guess he has no choice but to take this risk with a £500 budget. I feel so sorry for him and his family. Lesson learned the hard way.

DUTR

Tenpmix wrote: »

I thought as much, he's been naive and is paying the price. I guess he has no choice but to take this risk with a £500 budget. I feel so sorry for him and his family. Lesson learned the hard way.

One would have thought he would have taken you or the mechanic to look at the car with him, how was he getting to work?
Still it doesn't matter now.

Marktheshark

Most cars on there are banger auction traders.
When calling always ask "about the car for sale" never say which car, you quickly nail the rouge trader down and someone that lies about trading is best avoided.

lovinituk

Was it a Toyota Yaris by any chance?!