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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Has my Step father conned me??

47 replies

MumOfOne14 · 17/08/2015 14:21

So I was selling my car, about 11 year old clio. Was hoping to get around £1200 for it as low mileage & good condition. We just paid £300 for MOT, but engine light still left on because of heater plugs need changing. Which only cost about £20 to change.

So my step dad offers to sell it for us, cos he loves this kind of thing. So we said, anything u spend u can take out of final sale.

A week later after insuring it for the second time, he decided he wants to buy it for my brother (who's an idiot & will wreck it) & is only willing to pay £700 for it. Now I couldn't say no because he's already sanded down the paint on it ready to re-do & then started listing other problems on it.. Scratches on wheels, lights need buffing. I don't care about these things & would've been willing to go down to £1000 if those things were gonna hold me back from selling. But to be knocked down to £700 saying he'll have to spend £250 to have it painted!!! It wasn't even that bad!! Grrrr I'm so annoyed, but AIBU???

OP posts:
PurpleBananaPie · 17/08/2015 14:24

YABU because you should have said no.

FenellaFellorick · 17/08/2015 14:27

A bit.
You could have said no.
People often say they can't say no when the truth is saying no is always an option, You just have to be ok with the other person not liking it. It's a choice.

19lottie82 · 17/08/2015 14:29

You could have said no, I'm afraid. So, no one has "conned" you.

However £1200 for a 2004 Clio, seems optimistic, unless it had REALLY low mileage and was in FANTASTIC condition. Looking on Gumtree, private sales of a similar nature seem to be going for £800 - 900, and buyers will always try to haggle.

KurriKurri · 17/08/2015 14:33

It sounds like a done deal now - I think he got a bargain probably, but you agreed and accepted his offer so you can't really complain - he hasn't conned you because he made an offer and you accepted it, despite knowing what you wanted for your car - you should have stuck to your guns and said no I want £1000 for it or I'll sell it elsewhere.

As for being annoyed at him giving it to your brother - that is irrelevant - once you sell someone a car they can do what they like with it - set fire to it if they want to - it's not your concern any more.

Hedgehogsdontbite · 17/08/2015 14:34

I don't think it's a bad price considering the age and the fact you haven't had the palaver of trying to sell it.

scarlets · 17/08/2015 14:36

It's not a bad deal, and it was probably a lot simpler than utilising Gumtree or eBay.

19lottie82 · 17/08/2015 14:37

Hedgehogsdontbite Yes, that's a good point. Selling a car privately is a total nightmare. My DH buys and sells quite a few second hand cars and people ALWAYS want a discount. You have people arranging to come round to see it, then they don't turn up. Others come see it and say they will be back tomorrow with the cash, then you don't hear from them again. Not to mention the tyre kickers............

ILiveOnABuildsite · 17/08/2015 14:41

I think you had a good deal if I'm honest. I just sold my Clio 2007 and only got offered £800 for it, it had average mileage, full service history and in super condition, very clean and well looked after. As I was doing a part exchange I manage to get £1000 for it against my new car but I really had to argue my case for a while.

Original poster
MumOfOne14 · 17/08/2015 14:53

We had been trying to sell it for 2 weeks before. We really wanted rid of it so we didn't have to spend anymore on it. My step father is good at getting top end sales, so we were so pleased with his reassurance of getting good money. I felt cornered because he had already sanded it all down & it's not something I would've felt confident getting re-done. If I'd have said no, I'd be stuck with the car in a right state & have to spend more on it again!!

OP posts:
Bubblesinthesummer · 17/08/2015 14:59

£1200 for a 2004 Clio, seems optimistic, unless it had REALLY low mileage and was in FANTASTIC condition

I agree.

I think you had a reasonable deal tbh.

19lottie82 · 17/08/2015 15:03

We had been trying to sell it for 2 weeks before

In fairness, if you hadn't sold it in 2 weeks, then this is another indication that you were wanting too much for it (although I'm not sure what methods you were using). My experience is, if it's going to sell (via Gumtree, anyway) then it will go within 48 hours. After that, lower the price, or forget it.

Small cars about that age are always popular, for someone who has just passed a test, or for a second family car, but the price has to be right. This is more important than reasonably minor cosmetic issues. A car that age isn't going to be in perfect condition, it mainly comes down to price.

19lottie82 · 17/08/2015 15:10

In fact the more I think about it, given the fact that you didn't have to go to the trouble of selling it to a random, £700 sounds like a reasonable price.

You said it was in good condition, but then listed the work that needed doing?

I really doubt your DSF "conned" you, it sounds like he knows what cars are worth and offered you a reasonable market figure for yours.

Original poster
MumOfOne14 · 17/08/2015 15:13

19lottie I think that's what's annoyed me, it would've sold for £1000 without the paint being done, he's just doing that as special for my DB. We started it at £1500 went down to £1200 but then drove it 50 miles to where my parents live to show someone who ended up not wanting it, so to save bringing it back my step dad offered to sell it & said put it back on gumtree for £1500.

OP posts:
FenellaFellorick · 17/08/2015 15:15

If you had not given him permission to sand it down you had the choice to say I did not authorise you doing thatand I won't pay for it - put it right.

Or you could have said no I won't accept 700 but I will accept 1000

You seem to have it firmly in your mind that you had to agree but that was your choice, not the only option.
Since it's done now you really have to accept that you chose to say yes rather than feeling conned because you chose to say yes when you wanted to say no.
Otherwise you'll feel bad which will make you miserable.

Original poster
MumOfOne14 · 17/08/2015 15:16

Well for him to think a random would buy it for £1500 & then only offer us £700 whilst it's in worse condition than it started because of him... That was planned!!

OP posts:
19lottie82 · 17/08/2015 15:23

But why would your SF get £1500 for it when you tried and failed to get £1200 for it?

Common consensus on here is that there is no way the car is worth £1200, let alone £1500! If he wants to give you £700 and try to get £1500 for it then let him crack on.

Seriously, when you consider that the car needed a little bit of work, you don't have anymore hassle of trying to sell it to Gumtree weirdoes, and people will always try to haggle you down on the asking price, I really don't think £700 was a terrible price.

Binit · 17/08/2015 15:24

I think it's a reasonable figure for an 11yo Clio. I can see that as you were exoecting more, it does not seem much, but actually it's ok.

HighwayDragon · 17/08/2015 15:27

1500 for an 11 year old clio?! Seriously? £700 sounds about right for a car of that age

YUDOTHIS · 17/08/2015 15:27

Locally a 2004 clio will go for 600. lower with an engine management light on and other problems (which have to be there to be picked on tbh!).
You've got a pretty reasonable deal- If anything you're getting better than what its worth.

BlueThursday · 17/08/2015 15:28

YABU to think you can get £1500 for an 11 year old Clio

19lottie82 · 17/08/2015 15:30

Just found a 2004 Clio on Gumtree. 45k on the clock, 2 owners, full service history and VGC. Plugged the details into we buy any car who quote £615.

WBAC's prices aren't actually that bad (better than part exchange prices, anyway), so this reinforces my guess at you could expect about £800 for the same if it was sold privately.

There are some Clios on Gumtree for £1200 ish, but tbh they're all trade sales (car dealers), who will offer finance to people who don't have the £ to purchase the car upfront and / or have bad credit histories, hence the high prices.

Original poster
MumOfOne14 · 17/08/2015 15:34

I live in a big city, would've easily got £1000 for it. I should've just brought it back home. I'm just upset I suppose how it was done. My step father isn't the sort of person you say no to, he would hold a grudge for a long long time. We said no to keep the peace really & not wanting to spend on the car again. Like u all say, if it's worth only £700 why have a £250 paint job on it?! Thanks everyone for your comments. Think I'm just gonna forget about it now, only gonna make me resent him!

OP posts:
Original poster
MumOfOne14 · 17/08/2015 15:36

I did a quote on WBAC and they quoted me around £850... Lol, should've taken that!!

OP posts:
19lottie82 · 17/08/2015 15:45

I live in a big city, would've easily got £1000 for it.

That's your opinion, but I really disagree, as do most of the other posters on here.

BUT I guess that's not really the point of the OP, and my opinion is, if you weren't happy then you should have said no. No one forced you to accept his offer. Even if it was half painted or whatever, you should have told him you just wanted to stick to your original agreement for him to sell it on your behalf then deduct his costs.

Coffeemarkone · 17/08/2015 15:47

look in the mirror and practice saying NO NO NO