A lovely surprise that wasn't...

[Nick M.K. 574]

Here is the story I promised a few days ago when we chatted about the cheap old p/x Micra...

 

I have a very close friend and for many years I've supplied her cars, she went through a divorce years ago and gradually moved away from big gas guzzling BMWs to small cheap automatic Jap superminis. 

The Micra in question was owned since 2013, she did over 45K miles in it with little maintenance, it still drove well but had to go, looked a mess and needed some TLC or a replacement. She rang me a month ago to talk replacement and her boyfriend (of 6 years) must've overheard the call. She set me a budget of around £2-£2.5K and a deadline of 30 Sept "because the tax and insurance expire then"... We also agreed a p/x valuation for her Micra.  

Her boyfriend then called me secretly a few days later to say that he wanted to surprise her and that he would pay for a newer, better small automatic, up to £8.5K. My discretion, whatever I choose.

I worked my magic and with a bit of auction luck got a white 2013 Polo 1.4 (not TSI!) auto, 20K miles for just under Cap Clean, price to them was £7500 including the old Micra in chop. 

I went all out on the prep including new branded tyres knowing her obsession over driving in the rain, Bluetooth for her phone, paintless dent repairs etc etc etc. And included free delivery to them in West London as her insurance would've lapsed for the p/x car during that weekend. 

I turned up early on Sunday morning 30 Sept with the Autoglymed Polo and as soon as she walked outside the house and saw me, my grin, the shiny white car and her boyfriend's even bigger grin she went ballistic, mainly towards the boyfriend! "This isn't a £2K car, I am a grown up, I can buy my own car, You know I hate surprises, Why are you going behind my back meddling in my deals with Nick, I told you I wanted something cheap, How much is this Polo, I'll pay for it myself, I am independent etc etc etc" 

Do you remember Will Smith in Hitch (2005) after his disaster date: "I saw that going differently, in my mind..." My thoughts, exactly. 

It was a surreal scene with me standing there on the street with my trade plates not sure if I am going back 30 miles in the Micra, the Polo that I had just spent 2 whole days prepping or a UBER... She gradually mellowed to the idea and took it for a spin, after much discussion in the house (an hour at least) we decided that we'll tax the VW with DD, she'll have a longer drive in it and decide the next day what she wants to do. Needless to say I hadn't collected any money for the car yet and had an unpleasant Sunday fully anticipating my deal to be reversed and the overprepped Polo to hit the open market on Tuesday. 

Luckily for me I got the call by her boyfriend that she's seen sense and loves the VW and keeping it. "I'll transfer the money over to you as soon as I can mate, probably on WED". Got them yesterday pm (THU). 

This deal has the distinction of being my first deal where I got my part ex money with profit BEFORE I even got paid for the retail car as that Micra sold on AT within 90 minutes of being listed. 

 

So be careful with FREE NATIONWIDE DELIVERY where the car is bought as a surprise...

 

 

[Darkbluecars 10]

I think you lost me at "I bought a car for a friend"

[sparky 274]

8 minutes ago, Darkbluecars said:

I think you lost me at "I bought a car for a friend"

Yep. 

 

Glad it all worked out for you Nick, but where would you have stood if the Polo would have been involved in a bump for example?

[NOACROSS 414]

Good on you Nick.  It's the sort of thing I would have done years ago, before adding 'never sell to friends or family' to my list.  Or if you do, charge them more and get the money upfront.  Also, I learned early on, never to decide for a lady!

Remember: 'No good deed goes unpunished Terry'

[EPV 631]

It sounded a lot better on Monday when you was calling them c*nts and arseholes  

[Nick M.K. 574]

1 hour ago, sparky said:

but where would you have stood if the Polo would have been involved in a bump for example?

In a good place. They had our 5 days Driveaway comprehensive insurance and a car like this gets written off even in a minor bump so they would've paid me my money and collected it back (plus some more, insured value would be higher) from the insurance company. 

1 hour ago, EPV said:

It sounded a lot better on Monday when you was calling them c*nts and arseholes

At the time I hadn't been paid, had the old p/x without knowing that it would be sold for good money a day later and was not even sure if the whole deal is proceeding or not. 

[Ocsltd 133]

I want to know how you managed to get a white, low mileage Polo below cap clean.....? 

Unless it was rough / had little service history?

 

[Ocsltd 133]

Glad you got the right result though! 

[Nick M.K. 574]

20 minutes ago, Ocsltd said:

Unless it was rough / had little service history?

How rough can it be at 20K miles :-)

Was reasonably clean, needed a full valet, had two large dents on the front wing (PDR got them out), needed 3 tyres, declared with NO V5 but had the front page. BCA Assured, Full history, 3 stamps at 2000, 9000 and 18000 miles, two owners, two keys. Cap Clean was around £6650, mine for £6400 plus the fees. The photo of the actual car above is at the auction line just after it went through the hammer on 24 Sept. 

 

Edited October 5, 2018 by Nick M.K.

[Ocsltd 133]

I did believe you, you didn't need to share the invoice, but thank you anyway. 

Usually anything desirable, right colour, history and mileage goes well over cap clean, (in my experience) so well played.

[twerp 69]

Dec 2012 car, not 2013 

I know, I know..

[Nick M.K. 574]

4 minutes ago, Ocsltd said:

Usually anything desirable, right colour, history and mileage goes well over cap clean, (in my experience) so well played.

Absolutely it does but sometimes we get lucky when 1400 cars need to go under the hammer in one day. I bought that car within 5mins of walking in the sale without shortlisting it, couldn't buy anything else all day after that. 5 hours! Market price according to AT is around £8300 and a dealer around the corner from me has one at £7990, a year older, more miles and in grey so they must be reasonably desirable little things. Not my usual cup of tea. 

5 minutes ago, twerp said:

Dec 2012 car, not 2013

Model year 2013, started from end of October 2012 to end of October 2013. 

You could describe it as 2012 if you are sure that it was built before end of October that year.

Edited October 5, 2018 by Nick M.K.

[twerp 69]

6 minutes ago, Nick M.K. said:

Model year 2013, started from end of October 2012 to end of October 2013. 

You could describe it as 2012 if you are sure that it was built before end of October that year.

And if you advertised it on AT by registration it would list as a 2012 car 

[Nick M.K. 574]

21 minutes ago, twerp said:

And if you advertised it on AT by registration it would list as a 2012 car

"It" could list it as a 2009 Beetle Convertible Manual for all I care, I will manually go over all details to make sure it is listed correctly.

A few years ago I spoke to Lawgistics about exactly this and their advice was: If you have made reasonable effort to double check and ensure it is model year XXXX you can list it as model year XXXX. To cover your back you put the exact date of first reg in the order form and invoice. 

Edited October 5, 2018 by Nick M.K.

[andymc1973 199]

can you show any pictures of her?

[AutoJacob 34]

9 hours ago, andymc1973 said:

can you show any pictures of her?

This. We just need more proof this story is true Nick.. 

[Ocsltd 133]

1 hour ago, AutoJacob said:

This. We just need more proof this story is true Nick.. 

Like!!

[Dave2302 387]

I saw her on Pornhub the other day 

LOL, you'd be surprised how many locals wifeys I've seen on "Get a bunk up in your area.com" , of course I only see these when the adverts pop up on my screen 

[Mark101 536]

23 hours ago, Nick M.K. said:

They had our 5 days Driveaway comprehensive insurance

I'm always being asked for this, how do you go about getting this please?

[metcars 395]

Another great story that further backs up my opinion on using a bargepole where F&F deals are concerned? 

[sparky 274]

40 minutes ago, Dave2302 said:

I saw her on Pornhub the other day 

LOL, you'd be surprised how many locals wifeys I've seen on "Get a bunk up in your area.com" , of course I only see these when the adverts pop up on my screen 

I few weeks ago I tried to watch some football on the office PC with one of those dodgy streaming services. managed to watch the game but ever since all sorts of screen pop ups have been appearing. Not sure it looks good when your doing a proposal or a tax online and right in the middle of it  lonely wife Tara from Telford pops up in a tight top wanting to meet up

[metcars 395]

12 minutes ago, sparky said:

I few weeks ago I tried to watch some football on the office PC with one of those dodgy streaming services. managed to watch the game but ever since all sorts of screen pop ups have been appearing. Not sure it looks good when your doing a proposal or a tax online and right in the middle of it  lonely wife Tara from Telford pops up in a tight top wanting to meet up

Watching football? Who are you trying to kid! Lol

[Dave2302 387]

18 minutes ago, sparky said:

I few weeks ago I tried to watch some football on the office PC with one of those dodgy streaming services. managed to watch the game but ever since all sorts of screen pop ups have been appearing. Not sure it looks good when your doing a proposal or a tax online and right in the middle of it  lonely wife Tara from Telford pops up in a tight top wanting to meet up

 

4 minutes ago, met said:

Watching football? Who are you trying to kid! Lol

Ha ha ha ha 

All my Computers are on one network, and we do a lot of TV streaming in the house, and yes that is why we now get the pop ups, even pop up blocker doesn't work, this is how streaming sites make their money 

So yeah Sparky, I believe ya

And yeah, Telford Tara always pops up when mel walks in my office, then I get the WTF are you doing on there treatment lol

[Nick M.K. 574]

1 hour ago, Mark101 said:

I'm always being asked for this, how do you go about getting this please?

I have it as a no-cost part of my HPI package. It actually costs £15 for 5 days fully comp but the customer pays it with their card when we print off their cover note. Takes five minutes to do online during the sale and the cover note is generated straight away. The car needs to be younger than 10 years, customer older than 21 and it has a £500 excess. 

[Mark101 536]

10 minutes ago, Nick M.K. said:

I have it as a no-cost part of my HPI package. It actually costs £15 for 5 days fully comp but the customer pays it with their card when we print off their cover note. Takes five minutes to do online during the sale and the cover note is generated straight away. The car needs to be younger than 10 years, customer older than 21 and it has a £500 excess. 

Thanks Nick - I don't have an HPI package, I use Cazana and as far as I am aware, this is not part of their deal.