Selling a second hard car and buyer coming back - AIBU?

[Zipfer]

We just sold a car to an acquaintance (which I think in hindsight was a mistake). We're not in the UK for context. This is a AIBU/WWYD.

We used a website like autotrader to put an advert online. Since we sold the car, the person has come back with a few problems.

1. The number plates belong to the person, not the car where we live. The new owner's number plates are smaller than ours, and replacing the frame to fix their number plates leaves some unsightly holes.
2. The website we used to sell the car filled out a few details automatically which we're not sure if the car has (a system for connecting to android, and an auto-stop function).

From a legal stand point, we sold the car in good faith. However, we said we have offered to go half on the cost to fill the holes at the front.

AIBU to offer this and say no more? WWYD?

@Zipfer

I don't think there is much point asking about a legal situation in an unknown county. UK law doesn't apply outside the UK.

While I agree, I think the main question is what is the "ethical" thing to do.

I would do nothing in that case

The number plates aren't your problem.

You claiming a car has features that it doesn't is definitely your problem. I'd be pissed off and would probably want refund as I use my Bluetooth for everything and don't want a car without it. Item is not as described.

1. Not your problem
2. Your problem and should probably offer a discount

Just to confirm, the car does connect to a telephone via bluetooth without any problem. The question is whether one can play with android apps on the screen.

What does the buyer want from you are are you happy to give it to them?

You say he's come back with a couple of issues, has he asked to return the car for a refund?

You say he's come back with a couple of issues, has he asked to return the car for a refund?

The buyer is being a bit vague - asking whether this works, that they're not happy with the holes. They haven't expressly said they want X pounds for this or that.

Legally, they went and registered the car with the equivalent of the DVLA, so it's not giving the car back is a possibility.

So they don’t even know yet whether he Android apps work? They need to find that out...don’t offer anything as it might be fine.
The number plates are not your fault at all. Can they not get them redone at the correct size?

You made a mistake in offering to pay half, you thought that they were trying to negotiate with you but it was a power grab, you gave them an inch and now they think they can get the mile

@Zipfer

You say he's come back with a couple of issues, has he asked to return the car for a refund?

The buyer is being a bit vague - asking whether this works, that they're not happy with the holes. They haven't expressly said they want X pounds for this or that.

Legally, they went and registered the car with the equivalent of the DVLA, so it's not giving the car back is a possibility.

On that basis then I'd say he was quite happy with the car and doesn't want to admit that it's his problem re the number plates, and no, I wouldn't be paying anything towards the cost of filling the holes. It sounds like he's thrown in the android thing to make you feel guilty, don't, it was a genuine mistake on your part and he had every opportunity to check it out whilst he was viewing the car

There is a general "Buyer Beware" or Caveat Emptor as I was taught in Business Studies in school.

The buyer of anything being sold second hand should be aware of these issues and buys an item (be that a chest of drawers or a second hand car or anything in between) as seen. They have no comeback if they notice issues after money has changed hands.

It shouldn't matter that it was an acquaintance that you sold it to, they should be aware that once the deal is done, the deal is done and any issues they discover after the fact are theirs and theirs alone to resolve, and in a car that could range from changing a lightbulb that goes or changing a gearbox that fails or in your case, sorting out unsightly holes left after they changed the shape of their registration number plate.

Do NOT pay anything to them to 'fix' these issues. They are now the owners of the car and they must fix these issue themselves.

What to do about this either ethically or morally - absolutely nothing. Nada. Rien. Zip. Not a blessed thing.
Does that answer your question??

What to do about this either ethically or morally - absolutely nothing. Nada. Rien. Zip. Not a blessed thing. Does that answer your question??

It's definitely a perspective and not one I generally share.

Number plates holes are just tough luck. If an iPhone is compatible with the car you can guarantee an Android phone will be too, as the car manufacturer would be losing a huge amount of possible sales due to this alone and a quick Google or look in the manual will sort it out. Don’t give them a single penny.

Hard to know how it works where you are but in The UK they would have no redress at all

If the goods were not as described, then surely they do, perhaps if the android/auto-stop was a feature and isn't working because of a defect then that's possible, but if they were never a feature of the car then the car was not as described?

Whether it would be worth the difficulty in enforcing is of course an entirely different thing.

Find out what the buyer wants and then decide if it reasonable to give it to them. The 'misinformation' on the ad is on you but you should only make a reasonable compensation for that mistake.
As you have already offered to pay half for the plates (not your fault) perhaps suggest this can be a redress for the android stuff (your fault).

I don’t think you have any ethical obligation on (1) at all. On (2), however, if you claimed inadvertently that the car has functions that it doesn’t, you do have an ethical, if not a legal, obligation to resolve it. But you need to have a real conversation with the buyer, not just vague hints. Establish exactly what things weren’t as described, what they are worth (as proportion of the second hand value, not new) and then come to an agreement. Don’t just guess a vague amount to salve your conscience.