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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think it's their fault for buying the car

45 replies

carwoes · 29/07/2017 14:31

Possible a WWYD too.

I bought a car as I needed one for a uni placement. I only needed it for 3 months, so I didn't spend a lot (under 1k) but it was nice enough, low mileage, few months MOT and a warranty. It had the tracking repaired under the warranty and I've had no other issues with it. I've had it 5 months now and MOT was coming up, placement was over so no longer needed the car and didn't want to keep paying tax and insurance so decided to sell.
A fortnight before MOT was due a guy came to view the car. He was Italian but spoke perfectly fluent English. He said he didn't want to drive the car himself just asked me to drive him round the block. Had a cursory glance under the bonnet but admitted he didn't know really what to look for, then said the car looked great compared to similar second hand cars in his home town of Naples. I stressed both in the advert and when I saw him that the MOT was imminent and that I didn't know if it would need any work or not. It was well priced due to the short MOT. He decided to take it there and then, filled in the paperwork, paid cash and drove home in it.

Fast forward a couple of weeks and I get a nasty email that I must be very pleased with myself selling a shit car that only lasted a fortnight before failing it's MOT. That the brakes were "falling apart" making it dangerous and I had endangered the lives of their children. I got the sense it was perhaps written by the man's partner as it wasn't written how I'd imagine him to write given English was his second language.

I replied that I had made it clear the MOT was due and I had no idea if it needed work and that frankly it was nothing to do with me if they chose to buy a car without checking it properly and then drive their children in it. I also find it hard to believe the brakes were that awful as I had my mechanic, a long time family friend, check it out for me when I bought it. They have replied saying "How dare you bring my children into this" when it was them who brought them up in the first place! I have not responded but it's really stressed me out as obviously they know where I live etc.

Am I in the wrong here?

OP posts:
BigApple11 · 29/07/2017 14:32

YANBU

NapQueen · 29/07/2017 14:33

Yanbu. You sold it "as seen" and the price reflected the short time before an MOT. His problem.

SideOrderofSprouts · 29/07/2017 14:34

Yanbu

That is the risk of sold as
Seen

Lucisky · 29/07/2017 14:34

No, I don't think you are. He could have had the car checked before purchase if he wanted. Just ignore him.

Cocklodger · 29/07/2017 14:34

YANBU, you were honest. I presume price also reflected condition.
Do you have copies of correspondence or any adverts you posted, to prove he knew the shape it was in? Just in case he tries anything...

Cocklodger · 29/07/2017 14:35

Btw I would also ignore and/or block if applicable.
But do make sure you have some bits of info/proof as above just in case.

AngeloftheSouth84 · 29/07/2017 14:36

Set an auto-response telling him to fuck off if he emails you again

Needsomeflapjacks · 29/07/2017 14:37

Once he had paid for the car it was his responsibility to ensure it was roadworthy.

PenguinOfDoom · 29/07/2017 14:37

Ignore him. He took the risk of buying a car knowing it might need work - his lookout, not yours. Don't be pressured or guilt-tripped into giving him anything at all.

Hihosilverlining11 · 29/07/2017 14:38

Ignore them. Something similar happened to me. Bought a car from a friend with fresh mot, warning light came on within a month and car needed £600 worth of new work. I was gutted but I didn't blame my friend- it's just the risk you get when buying an old car.

LockedOutOfMN · 29/07/2017 14:40

YANBU. Block his email address and phone number.

alfagirl73 · 29/07/2017 14:40

Two words: Caveat Emptor - in other words, buyer beware. Unless you were holding yourself out as some kind of car expert and/or were regularly selling cars and therefore should have more expert knowledge regarding the condition of a car, then the buyer takes the risk. You went even further in that you told him you did not know if the car needed work, it was due an MOT etc... you fulfilled your legal obligation. It's like buying a car at auction - buyer takes the risk.

daisychain01 · 29/07/2017 15:10

He should have employed the services of someone from the RAC or AA who charge a nominal fee to do basic checks when purchasing a 2nd hand car. Not your fault he didn't satisfy himself about the sale condition of the vehicle.

LIZS · 29/07/2017 15:12

Unless you claimed to have mechanic know how and misrepresented its condition the issue is his not yours.

BMW6 · 29/07/2017 15:32

Sold as seen OP. He COULD have got a garage to check it out before he bought it. He chose not to - his circus, his monkeys.
Blank and ignore with a totally clear conscience.

Happyeverafter73 · 29/07/2017 15:36

I'm in the fence. How much did you sell it for? And how much repair is needed?

You were lucky he bought a lemon off you.

Happyeverafter73 · 29/07/2017 15:41

I can't help wondering why you decided to buy a car in the first place if you only needed it for a few months. You could have rented a car on a six month lease for a couple of hundred which would have been considerably cheaper than shelling out 1k for a lemon. As I say I think you got lucky.

YetAnotherUser · 29/07/2017 15:42

If you sold him the car and it had sailed through the MOT with no problems, would he have sent you an extra wadge of cash because it was such a great deal?

Certainly not. Ergo, YANBU. Caveat emptor indeed.

DonkeysDontRideBicycles · 29/07/2017 15:45

These things happen unfortunately and from what you describe, you could hardly have underlined more, "The MOT is due and I don't know what work if any will be required".

I wouldn't enter into any exchange of emails with him.

Mummyoflittledragon · 29/07/2017 16:08

Sold as seen. He obviously didn't understand the concept. You are not a garage and promised no warrantee.

specialsubject · 29/07/2017 16:33

Yep, sold as seen. You arent a trader and offer no warranty.

Children irrelevant.

redfragglebiker · 29/07/2017 16:38

YANBU The car was sold as seen and you made sure that they were aware that you had no idea if works would be needed to get it through an MOT. If you'd sold it to them implying it would fly through an MOT then that might be different.

TippyTinkleTrousers · 29/07/2017 16:50

How can you be on the fence? The OP was totally honest and the man was ok with the price.

They expected her to be psychic, she's absolutely not BU.

Original poster
carwoes · 29/07/2017 16:55

I bought the car for about £800 but obviously with more MOT and a warranty. Initially I had thought I'd keep it hence I didn't lease, but then with graduating and looking for work it wasn't worth it. I put it on for £500 prepared to be haggled to £400 but he didn't even attempt to change the price just gave me the cash. Under 100k miles and as I said I truly had no reason to believe the MOT would be a problem but you do never know which is why I made it so clear.

Thanks for the responses. I won't reply.

OP posts:
JustDontGetItAtAll · 29/07/2017 17:12

I would reply with "Erm...YOU brought your children into this! I didn't even know you had children until YOU mentioned them...!"

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