A tale of two buyers...

[Nick M.K. 574]

Sunday morning story time... 

Last Tuesday I took a £250 deposit on a Mercedes CLC160 Auto, a nice little thing, asking price was £5889. The customer spent 30 minutes on the phone asking me a ton of questions, literally dozens of questions. He had been looking for a good one for 6 months (!) and wanted every assurance that it will be worth his while to travel 40 minutes for mine. He'd seen my short video + 50ish photos. He had read ALL my reviews. I said to him, come down, have a look, we'll have a coffee and you'll know if it's for you. 

He turned up, spent no less than an hour checking everything (locking wheel nut fits, right?) INCLUDING asking me to try and take the rear number plate off because on his last Merc the bolts had seized and he'd spent a fortune getting it replaced. Drove it, loved it, left a £250 cash deposit on the understanding that his mechanic mate will come with him on Saturday to collect and will have a good look at it and plug his scanner. "He's worked on CLCs for 30 years (!!!), knows them inside and out".

The same day I increased my AT ad price to £6000 exactly to measure the difference in response like I often do on sold cars (it's around 20% more on the rounded figure btw). 

On Friday he texted to make sure that we had two keys with it (didn't ask the first time). Yes and No I said. We have them but one of them doesn't work. It's not the battery, it just doesn't work. He then proceeded with 5 more texts asking questions about could it be this, could it be that, but they are £300 to buy etc etc. He had to have a second key. Couldn't live without it. 

I called him to say I think we should leave it and asked him to text me his bank details so I can refund him the £250 deposit. He said OK and texted them + "I'll still consider the car and will call you on Sat evening if I still want it". 

Yesterday afternoon another chap called. "Will you take £5500". No but I will take £5900 if you leave me a deposit now. He did. Came this morning, took a 20 second look at it in the heavy rain, sat inside, started the engine, said it was all great, came in my office and transferred me the £5800 balance. I pointed out the faulty key, he couldn't possibly care less. All in the space of around 20 minutes. 

My mistake: Not asking the first "buyer" to leave my premises when he wanted me to remove the rear number plate. 

Edited September 23, 2018 by Nick M.K.

[tradegirl 112]

Oh man...it always rings alarm bells when they say they've been looking for ages. Good call though Nick. I think you saved yourself a lot of hassle going forward.

[Del Boy 76]

Can you imagine the agro this guy would’ve caused if the washer jets stopped spraying directly into the centre of the windscreen?! 

[Row 71]

Results that matter, nice one Nick, hope the other guy calls back to get the Sold news.

[Blenheim Car Sales 111]

we all know if they are  nightmare before they buy it they are two times as bad after they have purchased it, First customer would have lived with you picking faults after he had take it home

 

You dodged a bullet with that original customer

[EPV 631]

12 minutes ago, Row said:

Results that matter, nice one Nick, hope the other guy calls back to get the Sold news.

This! 

[justina3 518]

Original customer would have been watching the add no doubt and seen its gone, you just know he will now have to trawl through a load of cars to find one as good as he let slip silent smug grin time.

 

[It's me 613]

So he had from Tuesday to Saturday with your car off sale due to deposit taken. I'm afraid I would have made a reduction on his deposit

[Nick M.K. 574]

5 minutes ago, boring dave said:

So he had from Tuesday to Saturday with your car off sale due to deposit taken

Yes and No. 

He had secured it with a deposit and I wouldn't have sold it to anyone else between TUE and SAT. Buyers can trust me with this 100%. 

However the car was always advertised on Autotrader (albeit at a slightly higher price), calls would keep coming in if someone had any interest and depending on my mood and how that person sounded I tell them one of two small lies: 

1) The car is available, however we have reserved it for a customer with a small deposit, they have seen it on video, they are a long distance away and if they don't complete their purchase by midday on Saturday 22 September I will give you a call. You will be No1 on my waiting list. In fact you are also welcome to send a small fully refundable deposit to secure that No1 waiting spot if you really like our vehicle on paper / video. If you are close to us you are welcome to come and view it on the understanding that the other buyer has first refusal. People love that sort of thing. 

2) The car is available, it is at a specialist company that will (this answer really depends on the vehicle) but something like refurbish the alloy wheels, upgrade the software on the navigation system, reverse a previous engine remap to return it to it's original "version" or even just carry out our final 133 point pre-sale check. I will call you as soon as it's back to arrange your viewing. *I will not offer to take a deposit in this case. 

If a buyer pulls out of a purchase I would usually try to keep all or part of that deposit but in this case I offered him to not buy my car before he said it and to a person like this I would prefer to return their full deposit. Good riddance! 

The strategy worked as I got £11 more than my original asking price from a nicer easier to deal with buyer before heaving to re-advertise or even re-prep.  

[Ocsltd 133]

Cracking result! Well played....

[It's me 613]

1 hour ago, Nick M.K. said:

Yes and No. 

He had secured it with a deposit and I wouldn't have sold it to anyone else between TUE and SAT. Buyers can trust me with this 100%. 

However the car was always advertised on Autotrader (albeit at a slightly higher price), calls would keep coming in if someone had any interest and depending on my mood and how that person sounded I tell them one of two small lies: 

1) The car is available, however we have reserved it for a customer with a small deposit, they have seen it on video, they are a long distance away and if they don't complete their purchase by midday on Saturday 22 September I will give you a call. You will be No1 on my waiting list. In fact you are also welcome to send a small fully refundable deposit to secure that No1 waiting spot if you really like our vehicle on paper / video. If you are close to us you are welcome to come and view it on the understanding that the other buyer has first refusal. People love that sort of thing. 

2) The car is available, it is at a specialist company that will (this answer really depends on the vehicle) but something like refurbish the alloy wheels, upgrade the software on the navigation system, reverse a previous engine remap to return it to it's original "version" or even just carry out our final 133 point pre-sale check. I will call you as soon as it's back to arrange your viewing. *I will not offer to take a deposit in this case. 

If a buyer pulls out of a purchase I would usually try to keep all or part of that deposit but in this case I offered him to not buy my car before he said it and to a person like this I would prefer to return their full deposit. Good riddance! 

The strategy worked as I got £11 more than my original asking price from a nicer easier to deal with buyer before heaving to re-advertise or even re-prep.  

Hi I like your answer

[Contracts 68]

Had something similar on a high spec 17 plate Volvo XC90 last week, couple came to view it Monday, spent over an hour checking everything worked despite the car just coming back from a Volvo service and being under warranty.  They would not leave a deposit but would take the car if their friend said the paintwork was OK but he could not get out until Wednesday.  

Come Wednesday their friend turns up and I let him check over the car with a paint micrometer.  As expected everything was OK and the buyer called to say they would come Friday “to negotiate” therefore would not leave a deposit.  

Less than 20 minutes later I took a call from a chap in London, car is exactly what he wants, air suspension etc and could I meet him at the station in 2 hours in the view to driving away.

2 hours later, met him, he did not even want to drive back, he had s quick walk around, handshake, balance transferred in full, taxed, call to insurers and on his way.

if only all buyers were that easy

[Del Boy 76]

18 minutes ago, Contracts said:

Had something similar on a high spec 17 plate Volvo XC90 last week, couple came to view it Monday, spent over an hour checking everything worked despite the car just coming back from a Volvo service and being under warranty.  They would not leave a deposit but would take the car if their friend said the paintwork was OK but he could not get out until Wednesday.  

Come Wednesday their friend turns up and I let him check over the car with a paint micrometer.  As expected everything was OK and the buyer called to say they would come Friday “to negotiate” therefore would not leave a deposit.  

Less than 20 minutes later I took a call from a chap in London, car is exactly what he wants, air suspension etc and could I meet him at the station in 2 hours in the view to driving away.

2 hours later, met him, he did not even want to drive back, he had s quick walk around, handshake, balance transferred in full, taxed, call to insurers and on his way.

if only all buyers were that easy

Have you told the other couple that it’s sold? Interested to know what they say! 

[It's me 613]

18 minutes ago, Del Boy said:

Have you told the other couple that it’s sold? Interested to know what they say! 

Why would you?

What would you gain?

I stopped ringing non customers a long time ago its a business not a kindergarten

 

Please don't say they might be a customer tomorrow because they never are

[Del Boy 76]

1 minute ago, boring dave said:

Why would you?

What would you gain?

I stopped ringing non customers a long time ago its a business not a kindergarten

 

Please don't say they might be a customer tomorrow because they never are

Erm because he doesn’t need them turning up Friday and moaning in front of other potential customers then leaving a bad review? 

[It's me 613]

5 minutes ago, Del Boy said:

Erm because he doesn’t need them turning up Friday and moaning in front of other potential customers then leaving a bad review? 

So you would appease them even though they have categorically stated they were going to come back a 3rd time and start bidding him

Not for me let them leave bad feedback and I would match it with a statement drawn from my preferred buyer

Edited September 23, 2018 by boring dave
Spilling mistoke

[Del Boy 76]

2 minutes ago, boring dave said:

So you would appease them even though they have categorically stated they were going to come back a 3rd time and start bidding him

Not for me let them leave bad feedback and I would match it with a statement drawn from my preferred buyer

Lol yeah! And I’d enjoy every second of it! 

[It's me 613]

1 minute ago, Del Boy said:

Lol yeah! And I’d enjoy every second of it! 

Would you not prefer them to turn up in front of your customers and say

I'm exceedingly sorry but the car sold just 5minutes ago you must have passed it as you came into the lot

This way you really get the feeling of one up to me like basil fawlty owning the old duffers winnings

[Contracts 68]

Yes, a quick polite call to say it had been sold.  He was a little off but I pointed out I did offer the option to hold the car.

Has also asked me to call him if we get another one soon.

[David Horgan 564]

5 hours ago, Nick M.K. said:

Sunday morning story time... 

Last Tuesday I took a £250 deposit on a Mercedes CLC160 Auto, a nice little thing, asking price was £5889. The customer spent 30 minutes on the phone asking me a ton of questions, literally dozens of questions. He had been looking for a good one for 6 months (!) and wanted every assurance that it will be worth his while to travel 40 minutes for mine. He'd seen my short video + 50ish photos. He had read ALL my reviews. I said to him, come down, have a look, we'll have a coffee and you'll know if it's for you. 

He turned up, spent no less than an hour checking everything (locking wheel nut fits, right?) INCLUDING asking me to try and take the rear number plate off because on his last Merc the bolts had seized and he'd spent a fortune getting it replaced. Drove it, loved it, left a £250 cash deposit on the understanding that his mechanic mate will come with him on Saturday to collect and will have a good look at it and plug his scanner. "He's worked on CLCs for 30 years (!!!), knows them inside and out".

The same day I increased my AT ad price to £6000 exactly to measure the difference in response like I often do on sold cars (it's around 20% more on the rounded figure btw). 

On Friday he texted to make sure that we had two keys with it (didn't ask the first time). Yes and No I said. We have them but one of them doesn't work. It's not the battery, it just doesn't work. He then proceeded with 5 more texts asking questions about could it be this, could it be that, but they are £300 to buy etc etc. He had to have a second key. Couldn't live without it. 

I called him to say I think we should leave it and asked him to text me his bank details so I can refund him the £250 deposit. He said OK and texted them + "I'll still consider the car and will call you on Sat evening if I still want it". 

Yesterday afternoon another chap called. "Will you take £5500". No but I will take £5900 if you leave me a deposit now. He did. Came this morning, took a 20 second look at it in the heavy rain, sat inside, started the engine, said it was all great, came in my office and transferred me the £5800 balance. I pointed out the faulty key, he couldn't possibly care less. All in the space of around 20 minutes. 

My mistake: Not asking the first "buyer" to leave my premises when he wanted me to remove the rear number plate. 

Take the rear number plates off WOW Nick , I'd have to have super glued that back I'm thinking and changed his wheel nut , " joking or am I mmmm "  

I would never let anyone near our cars with a scanner , seen a cheap one of those spike an ECU once , £850 fix that was .

Great deal in the end though , good call .

[It's me 613]

1 minute ago, David Horgan said:

Take the rear number plates off WOW Nick , I'd have to have super glued that back I'm thinking and changed his wheel nut , " joking or am I mmmm "  

I would never let anyone near our cars with a scanner , seen a cheap one of those spike an ECU once , £850 fix that was .

Great deal in the end though , good call .

Was it a vw stable car by any chance?

22 minutes ago, Contracts said:

Yes, a quick polite call to say it had been sold.  He was a little off but I pointed out I did offer the option to hold the car.

Has also asked me to call him if we get another one soon.

There's one at brighouse tomorrow get it bought and ring him up

Don't hold your breath that he will want it mind and the negotiations haven't begun on what he actually wants to pay

Just saying........

[David Horgan 564]

7 minutes ago, boring dave said:

Was it a vw stable car by any chance?

There's one at brighouse tomorrow get it bought and ring him up

Don't hold your breath that he will want it mind and the negotiations haven't begun on what he actually wants to pay

Just saying........

Golf Mate , fried it big time . The dealer has never allowed it since , hard lesson 

[It's me 613]

1 minute ago, tradex said:

aftermarket stereo can cause this in VW's

4 minutes ago, David Horgan said:

Golf Mate , fried it big time . The dealer has never allowed it since , hard lesson 

Aftermarket stereo so when the scanner was plugged in the power went down a can line and fried your ecu

It was common a while back

Never as you say plug into the unknown I lost my Sykes pick event tool sip I think it was called after the so called mechanic had wired the crank sensor up wrong and it fried my map pod

I wasn't happy either

[Mark101 536]

On 23/09/2018 at 3:41 PM, boring dave said:

like basil fawlty owning the old duffers winnings

Communication Problems (possibly the best Fawlty Towers episode and definately the best sitcom of all time).

What's that? 

This? this is mine..............

[Del Boy 76]

1 hour ago, Mark101 said:

Communication Problems (possibly the best Fawlty Towers episode and definately the best sitcom of all time).

What's that? 

This? this is mine..............

Lol I love that episode and especially the part you are talking about.