Car buyer wants to check car before buying

anewman

They should be able to see everything they need to see outside your house. If it can't get up any ramps I suspect the car will have trouble with some roads. Give the ramps a try, take them out and stick them immediately in front of the tyres and check the clearance.

To me £100 deposit is an agreement to buy, not an agreement to give you £100 and mull it over and check it in a garage. I smell a scam, I'll bet either the car will go walkies, or they'll come back telling you this is wrong, that is wrong, hence I'll only give you £x instead of the agreed £x.

Whatever you do don't let money pull the wool over your eyes. Many people rely on similar scams such as "we have a buyer for your car, give us our fee of £80 and next week someone will buy it for £2000 guaranteed". £80 down the drain.

kitchpoo

The ramps wont go on - I've looked - it is an Astra 2.2 with Irmscher bodykit - and as such the overhang and the extra slight drop on the bumperline prevents it going on the diy ramps. I've opted for the safer route - I'm taking it to them and taing the time off work this afternoon in order to do it. (more of my £££!)

kitchpoo

anewman wrote: »

"we have a buyer for your car, give us our fee of £80 and next week someone will buy it for £2000 guaranteed". £80 down the drain.

Bain of my life - My answer is that more fool the buyers they have lined up... maybe they should have bought Autotrader instead. Or have the company they are calling from been advertising my car without my consent - that usually shuts them up!

moneyspender1981

kitchpoo wrote: »

The ramps wont go on - I've looked - it is an Astra 2.2 with Irmscher bodykit - and as such the overhang and the extra slight drop on the bumperline prevents it going on the diy ramps. I've opted for the safer route - I'm taking it to them and taing the time off work this afternoon in order to do it. (more of my £££!)

I think your doing the right thing, chances are they would buy it.. but they could come back saying all sorts like it need blah blah blah so if you will sell for £3600.00 and to be honest if your in a rush to sell would know something off.

Also they could be ragging the life out of the car...what happens if 14 days later you get a speeding ticket? there are alot of genuine people out there.. but unfortunately there are the exceptions.

My friend had a guy come round to buy his cosworth paid half the cash, log book was in the car (stupidly) guy never came back...guy claimed to the police he bought it for half the price.

cowbutt

barryheffron wrote: »

Wanting to do this myself and hope you can answer the following:

Which part of this do i enter into the HPI check?

Initially, you'll probably just need the registration number. The VIN is recorded on the V5 and the MOT certificate and should match with that on the plate(s) on the chassis.

BTW this isn't mine, but a sample one i found online!

G123 24-5 697289 EG
VSS ZZZ 1M Z 2B123456
1M28 24
TOLEDO TDI 8 SIGNA
81 MNO C5M
ASV EGS
LS5N ---- ---- KU

And do i enter it with the spaces?

In this case, as it's a Seat Toledo, the VIN is VSS ZZZ 1M Z 2B123456. Googling for 'seat vin' told me that all Seat VINs begin 'VSS ZZZ'. Hopefully any website you use will be smart enough to either tell you the format you should use to enter the VIN, or accept anything and sort it out.

anewman

kitchpoo wrote: »

The ramps wont go on - I've looked - it is an Astra 2.2 with Irmscher bodykit - and as such the overhang and the extra slight drop on the bumperline prevents it going on the diy ramps. I've opted for the safer route - I'm taking it to them and taing the time off work this afternoon in order to do it. (more of my £££!)

All seems a bit unnecessary to me. Plus you'll need it taxed to take it to them? Should take them a matter of less than half an hour to check all the major things that would cost them a bomb to replace. If they spend an hour and seem over interested in things like shock absorbers, wheel bearings and brakes they'd seriously peeve me (all those are cheap enough to replace, granted the costs do al add up, but they have a garage).

I love it when I see the Bertone styled Astra's as my old Skoda's bodywork is designed by Bertone. :rotfl:

lisyloo

It is quite easy for any knowledgeable person to check the car out at the sellers address.

I'm not a knowledgeable person (mechanially).
I'd want a mechanic to look at a car before I bought it (either via RAC or provate arrangement).
When I've done this before I've got the mechanic to visit the car and not the other way round, but I don't see any problem with them taking the car providing the seller is covered.
It may well be cheaper or more convenient to take the car to the garage rather thanhave the mechanic travel (he may be extremely busy for example).
Obviously you need to be covered but I don't really see a problem.

If I couldn't get a mechanis to visit and someone wouldn't let me take the car (with suitable security) then as a buyer I'd walk away and go elsewhere.
I'm a genuine buyer but just dont personally have the mechnical ability myself.
If the ability to get the car checked properly was unreasonably refused then I would walk away.

anewman

lisyloo wrote: »

If I couldn't get a mechanis to visit and someone wouldn't let me take the car (with suitable security) then as a buyer I'd walk away and go elsewhere.
I'm a genuine buyer but just dont personally have the mechnical ability myself.
If the ability to get the car checked properly was unreasonably refused then I would walk away.

BUT..... You would not give a deposit before checking the car over I am sure.

barnishroader

cowbutt wrote: »

Initially, you'll probably just need the registration number. The VIN is recorded on the V5 and the MOT certificate and should match with that on the plate(s) on the chassis.

In this case, as it's a Seat Toledo, the VIN is VSS ZZZ 1M Z 2B123456. Googling for 'seat vin' told me that all Seat VINs begin 'VSS ZZZ'. Hopefully any website you use will be smart enough to either tell you the format you should use to enter the VIN, or accept anything and sort it out.

I'm using this:
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=830181

I am buying the car and took a photo of the VIN sticker in the boot but am getting:
"The VIN is not registered with the VRM supplied"
I haven't got the V5 and there is no MOT certificate yet as its just over a year old.

The only information i am getting is that it was originally registered in England with a different number plate to the N. Irish one on it now.

scbk

IMO I think you're mad letting the car out your sights without full payment. Who's to say they'll return?

If they don't steal it, who's to say they're not gonna damage it? Or the mechanic could find various faults (most vehicles will have something on or near the limit) then they're gonna ask for a discount

Should've just told them any inspection must be done at your house, with you watching. If they need to look underneath you can just jack it up or use scaffold boards as ramps