I sold a car privately months ago and now I’m getting stick about it.

Norman_Castle

So she feels guilty about it failing.

MalMonroe

Hi, have I missed somewhere where you said how much they paid? 

I wouldn't have thought that a car with a 2007 registration should have been very expensive. I may be wrong. 

Don't forget that firstly, you only have this person's word about what has happened to the car. She doesn't appear to have sent any proof or any photos of damage or any other indication of its failures. Just a photo of the ad that you were going to send to her and message detailing damage. But where is the proof?

Secondly, they may be able to get something if they take the matter to a small claims court but I doubt it because it seems as if you disclosed everything to them at the time they bought the car. And they will have to pay to begin a court case and also, provide proof.

Citizens Advice say the following about buying cars from private sellers -

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/buying-or-repairing-a-car/buying-a-used-car/

(that's really what the buyers should have done).

Personally I would never buy a car from a private seller. I did so once and it was a load of junk and I might as well have just flushed the money away. But that was in the days before we could do checks online to see if things are as the sellers say they are. I'm not saying that you did anything like that but some private sellers are unscrupulous.

Even when considering buying from a dealer I do all the checks I can before I commit to anything. But generally when buying an older car, I don't think it's wise to expect anything brilliant, especially if it's 16-17 years old. 

I would also block that person. But I wouldn't tell her that I was going to, she's been abusive enough. 

Ergates

It's a private sale, assuming you're not a car dealer, and assuming nothing in your advert was objectively untrue, then there is nothing they can do.

Block the number sending you abusive texts,

Grumpy_chap

You sold a 14 yo (end-of-life) car 5 months ago, and it is a car known for being driven hard, and the head gasket went.  That is just bad luck for the purchaser.  Ignore them.

TheJP

CosworthRichie said:

 I purchased the car last year with a head gasket fault and had a local engineering firm completely overhaul the head etc

Did you tell them this before you sold it to them? The fact the issue is relatable is very relevant here, as they may not have bough the car had they know a head gasket fault had been rectified. I think this could be an issue for the company that did the work, did they issue a warranty etc.

mattyprice4004

Grumpy_chap said:

You sold a 14 yo (end-of-life) car 5 months ago, and it is a car known for being driven hard, and the head gasket went.  That is just bad luck for the purchaser.  Ignore them.

You’re right on the technicalities, but 14 years really isn’t end of life these days (especially for a performance car). 

I’ll be hopping in my ‘working as new’ V6 engined shed made in Birmingham for my commute tomorrow, and I know she’ll make it no bother  

longjohnjohnson

Ergates said:

It's a private sale, assuming you're not a car dealer, and assuming nothing in your advert was objectively untrue, then there is nothing they can do.

Block the number sending you abusive texts,

This is the correct answer.

Tell them it was sold as seen and if they continue to harass you, you'll report them to the Police.

CosworthRichie

TheJP said:

CosworthRichie said:

 I purchased the car last year with a head gasket fault and had a local engineering firm completely overhaul the head etc

Did you tell them this before you sold it to them? The fact the issue is relatable is very relevant here, as they may not have bough the car had they know a head gasket fault had been rectified. I think this could be an issue for the company that did the work, did they issue a warranty etc.

This was in the original listing, I told them the car was bought with a head gasket fault, I sent the cylinder head away to be completely overhauled, head was re skimmed, all valves were removed and re seated, new valve seals installed and vacuum tested, with receipts to prove. And as said above these cars are known for being driven very hard and not looked after very often.

Maskface

CosworthRichie said:

TheJP said:

CosworthRichie said:

 I purchased the car last year with a head gasket fault and had a local engineering firm completely overhaul the head etc

Did you tell them this before you sold it to them? The fact the issue is relatable is very relevant here, as they may not have bough the car had they know a head gasket fault had been rectified. I think this could be an issue for the company that did the work, did they issue a warranty etc.

This was in the original listing, I told them the car was bought with a head gasket fault, I sent the cylinder head away to be completely overhauled, head was re skimmed, all valves were removed and re seated, new valve seals installed and vacuum tested, with receipts to prove. And as said above these cars are known for being driven very hard and not looked after very often.

Then it looks like a case of buyer beware as you made everything perfectly clear and they were still happy to go ahead. I'd just block her and wait to see if any court paper arrives. Keep all the evidence you have that they were aware of the issue at point of sale, evidence of the advert mentioning the issue and all the evidence you have of the work you had done before they bought it.

Jenni_D

Ergates said:

It's a private sale, assuming you're not a car dealer, and assuming nothing in your advert was objectively untrue, then there is nothing they can do.

Block the number sending you abusive texts,

Notwithstanding the later confirmation re. the head skim etc., the above still holds true ... a private seller is under no obligation to volunteer information regarding the goods - merely to be truthful regarding any description they make about the goods, and to truthfully answer any questions the buyer may ask.

So even if the OP hadn't mentioned the head work in the advert, as long as the buyer didn't ask and the advert was truthful about what it did say, then the OP would still be in the clear.

In other words, the OP has nothing to fear* ... and the chances of this buyer issuing proceedings is remote.

* other than a clueless judge - which does sometimes happen. If the OP had "hidden" the head work info then a judge might be swayed by that fact. But the OP didn't do that anyway, so for a judge to find against the OP then the judge would have to be particularly clueless.