Used car buyers calling after weeks

burnt_bacon

Hi all,



I think I know the answer to this one already but feel like I need to have a bit of a vent anyway. I don't know if I'm unlucky or if it's becoming more of the norm but the last two cars I've sold over the last couple of years I've had the buyers phoning me up weeks later about some issue they now have. I'm a private seller not trade.



Whenever I buy a used car I accept it comes with a risk that something will more than likely need putting right. It's almost guaranteed, but never have I felt the need to go back to the seller. If you want warranty coverage or a returns policy you go to a dealer.



The last car I sold ran fine. I've had no real big issues with it when I owned it. It was an 18 year old Mercedes A class. I didn't need it anymore so I stuck it on ebay for £500 and someone snapped it up. The buyer contacted me on Saturday, said he would pick it up Sunday. It was sat on my drive for a couple of months before it was sold so it had a flat battery. I stuck a new battery on it. He arrived paid me cash, he had already insured himself on it, and drove it 50 miles home. He gave me a call when he got home said it drove really well. Seemed like a nice enough chap. Next thing I know is just over 4 weeks later he's calling me saying the car won't start and did I know what the problem was. I was a bit taken back by the call but I could understand maybe he thought I might have had that issue and knew what the fix was, but I never had an issue like that with the car so I couldn't offer him much help. I'm not a mechanic. Then forward to the next day and I get a voicemail f'ing and blinding at me telling me I need to call him and tell him whats wrong with the car.

Honestly what is wrong with people. I don't own a crystal ball to tell you whats wrong with 'your' car.

I'm an honest person and always try to do right, I didn't leave him with a knackered battery. How do these people find me?


Anyway do you think I should just stop contact with this buyer? It always seems when I try to help and open up a line of communication you get abuse back. What I find annoying is he's suggesting I sold a car with an issue I knew about. But considering it happened 4 weeks into his ownership how can I be responsible?

motorguy

You're not responsible.

Break all contact.

Peoples expectations these days are through the roof mental.

Flim

...no good deed goes unpunished....just ignore any calls from now on. Any car sold privately (particularly for under a grand), is very much buyer beware...

foxy-stoat

Its the norm these days - thats why I always buy a 50p sim card when I have sold previous cars just for the advert, and the canvasser calls that you always get.

G_M

Whatever it was, it wasn't my fault. It was yours!

Peter999_2

foxy-stoat wrote: »

Its the norm these days - thats why I always buy a 50p sim card when I have sold previous cars just for the advert, and the canvasser calls that you always get.

Now that is a very good idea.

missile

block the number

consumers_revenge

Same reason you will always get a nail in the brand new tyre...

Once you leave the forecourt...its your problem.

coffeehound

Out of interest, what protection if any does ebay offer car buyers? Could they come back to you through that?

motorguy

coffeehound wrote: »

Out of interest, what protection if any does ebay offer car buyers? Could they come back to you through that?

None i think.

EdGasketTheSecond

I think its reasonable enough to call up the previous owner with the odd question or two as they might know the answer, e.g. the radio code or something like that but not to make a fuss about problems if th ecar was sold as seen.