Buyers who bring friends 'who know cars'

[metcars 397]

I've been enjoying reading this thread but I wonder if anyone on here has ever been the 'expert/mechanic' who knows cars, brought along by a friend to do an inspection?

[metcars 397]

4 minutes ago, tradex said:

Not me. I find that cars, money and friends simply don't mix. I don't sell cars to friends and family, and don't offer advice anymore, it's never taken anyway.

Same here!

[NOACROSS 414]

I (stupidly) did it once, for a very good friend of mine.  Porsche Boxster (for his wife allegedly).

He said the car was 'near London' and it was a dealer.  Turns out it's someone selling from home, and it's in some grotty suburb of Bermondsey! 

I wouldn't have agreed to go if he'd put me totally in the picture and he knew it

Anyway, we get there and the car is lurched on the front garden grass of this, shall we say, less-than-salubrious area-where most people seemed to use the front garden for old mattresses and kids toys.. full of lowered three series and Vauxhalls.

I turned to my mate and said he was an utter Twat, and he couldn't seriously consider buying such a car from here. I could also see without getting out, that the car's been fighting.

Paintwork an OK job if was on something cheaper/more run of the mill, but I pointed it out there was also lots of new parts underneath and the Full Service History wasn't and it had the oft-usual oil leaks and was just not a nice car.

The seller was pretty defensive and kept saying 'it's luvly in'it!' and such like. My idiot mate made us have a test drive.  Clutch is shagged but the seller said 'they're all like that'.  

We left and he sulked until we stopped for lunch in some grotty pup called 'The Queen' or something very similar.  My idiot mate then changes his mind as 'it's cheap' and phones the guy up. 

So, long story boring- bought it anyway, and it pooped itself within a year and the clutch after a month or so.  Oh how I laughed/continue to laugh at him about it.

He still has it many years later as (in his words) he's spent SO much on rebuilding the junk over the years that he may as well keep it. Spends most of its life on his front garden- but his cat has a nice place to sit on the fabric roof at least.

Never again and I now always say no if anyone asks me 'if I've got or can I get' etc. and don't give any advice other than, best go to the main dealer for that.

 

[BHM 994]

On 19/04/2018 at 2:45 PM, met said:

I've been enjoying reading this thread but I wonder if anyone on here has ever been the 'expert/mechanic' who knows cars, brought along by a friend to do an inspection?

No f***ing chance - they’re on their own!

If they want to buy elsewhere then they are welcome to do so but I won’t be using my time & professional experience to make a sale, or otherwise, for a complete stranger. Tbh I only offer advice on my own cars, anyone else’s I simply say “I can’t comment, how can I comment as I don’t know the car?” because any advice they don’t want to hear is usually ignored anyway so it’s best not to get involved.

[metcars 397]

1 hour ago, BHM said:

No f***ing chance - they’re on their own!

If they want to buy elsewhere then they are welcome to do so but I won’t be using my time & professional experience to make a sale, or otherwise, for a complete stranger. Tbh I only offer advice on my own cars, anyone else’s I simply say “I can’t comment, how can I comment as I don’t know the car?” because any advice they don’t want to hear is usually ignored anyway so it’s best not to get involved.

But, if someone in your family was desperate to buy a car would you refuse to give it a once over?

[Mark101 536]

I regularly offer my advice, same as me asking my plumber or builder mate for advice in their trade.

I make it clear, it is not fool proof but I can spot when a car is just wrong, whereas the untrained eye doesn't notice panel gaps, overspray, orange peel, dash lights, no. Owners, service history BS.

[grant8064 219]

Like most of you i'm the same. No advice or sales to friends, family or their mates. My partner is the opposite and loves throwing people he knows in something overage...he's got four of ours sitting in the cul de sac he lives in and every morning he sweats a little!

[metcars 397]

8 hours ago, Mark101 said:

I regularly offer my advice, same as me asking my plumber or builder mate for advice in their trade.

I make it clear, it is not fool proof but I can spot when a car is just wrong, whereas the untrained eye doesn't notice panel gaps, overspray, orange peel, dash lights, no. Owners, service history BS.

It's interesting to watch private buyers checking a car at auction; focusing on the stereo and getting comfortable behind the seat!

[Arfur Dealy 823]

2 hours ago, met said:

It's interesting to watch private buyers checking a car at auction; focusing on the stereo and getting comfortable behind the seat!

And then you whisper in their ear....it went through the hall last week billowing black smoke  ....  

[metcars 397]

2 hours ago, Arfur Dealy said:

And then you whisper in their ear....it went through the hall last week billowing black smoke  ....  

There's a guy at BCA Enfield who always puts on a show for the private buyers. He jumps in and tries the clutch, grating the gears deliberately. He then jumps out shaking his head and walking away then quickly runs round and bids

[BHM 994]

I’ve seen traders warn private punters of genuine problems! No f***ing chance here, if they want to swim with the sharks & rob the trade of a sale then they can get well & truly shafted.

[It's me 615]

19 hours ago, met said:

There's a guy at BCA Enfield who always puts on a show for the private buyers. He jumps in and tries the clutch, grating the gears deliberately. He then jumps out shaking his head and walking away then quickly runs round and bids

there used to be a team that went to the block early and disconnect the bonnet cables on the good cars that came from the local agents,i soon realised this too so either outbid them or made them pay more than they wished to