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AIBU?

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Original poster

Sold my car and buyer isn't happy

209 replies

monotonousmum · 09/05/2022 11:24

I sold my car at the weekend, and the buyer has messaged today to say she isn't happy.

Car is 13 years old. Only known issue is that the boot needs to be opened via remote button on the key. It's been like this for three years - and I showed her this before she took the car.

This morning I've had a text to say she's taken it to a garage and they've valued it at £900 under what she paid for it. Brakes need doing, wiper needs replacing, and apparently an electrical problem causes the boot issue.

She hasn't asked me for anything yet. Just told me she's not happy.

I've sent a polite response back to say its a good car, and she should maybe get another opinion. A dealer offered me £200 under what she paid for it last week, and it's a 13 year old car so not going to be perfect.

I offered her to test drive it, she didn't want to. She asked for a reduced price, which was agreed (slightly more than she offered, but £300 less than my asking price). The price was in line with the autotrader valuation, and similar cars for sale.

I feel bad for her if she's not happy, but I have no intention of giving her a refund or anything. AIBU?

OP posts:
GreenIsle · 09/05/2022 11:25

Do not respond further it was sold as seen and you explained. Block her and move on. A 13 year old car is not going to be perfect.

ComDummings · 09/05/2022 11:27

Block and don’t worry. Buyer beware and all that.

AchatAVendre · 09/05/2022 11:28

This is a well known scam to try and demand money back. Don't respond. If she has a genuine issue then she could make a small claim but since as a private seller, all your car has to do is correspond with the description in any communications you had with the buyer, a judge will just laugh at her for expecting a 13 year old car to be perfect. Don't get drawn in.

Dillydollydingdong · 09/05/2022 11:30

Buyer beware. Unless you made extravagant misrepresentations, (or you're a dealer) you have no responsibility. It was up to her to make sure she was happy before she took it.

daimbarsatemydogsbone · 09/05/2022 11:31

YANBU - ignore her.

Carrotten · 09/05/2022 11:32

She chose to buy it? If she thought it was over priced she shouldn't have bought it! It doesn't matter what a dealer values it at, you can chose to sell it whatever price you like

Wiper is like 20 quid. Brakes aren't expensive. The boot thing was fairly fucking obvious.

Don't engage.

BusterGonad · 09/05/2022 11:33

She's probably had comments from a male member of her family or friend giving it the big talk and saying she was ripped off, when in reality it was fine for the price.

LunaAndHerMoonDragons · 09/05/2022 11:33

Sold as seen, caveat emptor. She could have had it checked out before purchase but she didn't. Her loss. Unless you made false or misleading statements about the car she hasn't got a leg to stand on. You don't get to come back later and say I'm not happy with the condition of this car even though I agreed to buy this car in this condition for X price and it doesn't matter what 'value' her mechanic says it is, she agreed a price for the goods as is.

Aquamarine1029 · 09/05/2022 11:34

Block her immediately.

Doggydarling · 09/05/2022 11:35

Either block and ignore or tell her she bought 'as seen' from a private seller with no guarantee or warranty. She chose not to test drive it or have a mechanic look at it prior to purchase so if she does look for money to be returned just refuse her.

DrStrangesWife · 09/05/2022 11:35

Sold as seen then block immediately.

Discovereads · 09/05/2022 11:38

To take a car you just bought to a garage and find out you paid £900 over its value for a 13yr old car would be a shock. Most 13yr old cars are under £5k, so that’s a massive difference.

Why did you price the car at £500 over what a dealer offered you for it? How much % of an increase was this? You showed her the boot issue, and she could have seen the wipers, but why did you not mention the brakes?

Yes the law says caveat emptor (buyer beware) but part of me thinks you’ve been a bit greedy and taken advantage of a less well off person by deliberately charging them too high a price for your 13 yr old car and not disclosing expensive brake maintenance you knew was due.

RedWingBoots · 09/05/2022 11:40

BusterGonad · 09/05/2022 11:33

She's probably had comments from a male member of her family or friend giving it the big talk and saying she was ripped off, when in reality it was fine for the price.

This.

The price of second hand cars has been increasing for the last 24 months.

So the person advising her and telling her she has been ripped of doesn't know what he (or she) is talking about. You probably under sold your car not ripped her off.

As PPs said stop engaging and block her.

PastMyBestBeforeDate · 09/05/2022 11:41

She probably should rethink her strategy of buying cars privately by herself if she doesn't know what she's doing.

ResentfulLemon · 09/05/2022 11:41

I'd respond with "The car is as advertised, as seen and sold at a price you agreed on. I'm not a trader, the sale is final"

Then block. If she has 'helpful' male friends/family visit you following this report to the police if necessary but definitely make a note of it just in case they decide to be ridiculous.

R00K · 09/05/2022 11:42

Discovereads · 09/05/2022 11:38

To take a car you just bought to a garage and find out you paid £900 over its value for a 13yr old car would be a shock. Most 13yr old cars are under £5k, so that’s a massive difference.

Why did you price the car at £500 over what a dealer offered you for it? How much % of an increase was this? You showed her the boot issue, and she could have seen the wipers, but why did you not mention the brakes?

Yes the law says caveat emptor (buyer beware) but part of me thinks you’ve been a bit greedy and taken advantage of a less well off person by deliberately charging them too high a price for your 13 yr old car and not disclosing expensive brake maintenance you knew was due.

Nobody held a gu to her head and forced her to buy the car.

Bananarama21 · 09/05/2022 11:42

How much did she pay?

GiltEdges · 09/05/2022 11:43

Discovereads · 09/05/2022 11:38

To take a car you just bought to a garage and find out you paid £900 over its value for a 13yr old car would be a shock. Most 13yr old cars are under £5k, so that’s a massive difference.

Why did you price the car at £500 over what a dealer offered you for it? How much % of an increase was this? You showed her the boot issue, and she could have seen the wipers, but why did you not mention the brakes?

Yes the law says caveat emptor (buyer beware) but part of me thinks you’ve been a bit greedy and taken advantage of a less well off person by deliberately charging them too high a price for your 13 yr old car and not disclosing expensive brake maintenance you knew was due.

Oh come on now. OP can charge whatever she wants for her car, it's HER car. The buyer could have chosen to walk away if she wasn't happy with the price, but didn't.

It's also well known that a dealer will offer less for the car than a private sale. The point being, the dealer has to make a profit when they sell the car on. Do you honestly have no concept of this?

OP, she bought the car as seen. Block and ignore.

RedWingBoots · 09/05/2022 11:44

Discovereads · 09/05/2022 11:38

To take a car you just bought to a garage and find out you paid £900 over its value for a 13yr old car would be a shock. Most 13yr old cars are under £5k, so that’s a massive difference.

Why did you price the car at £500 over what a dealer offered you for it? How much % of an increase was this? You showed her the boot issue, and she could have seen the wipers, but why did you not mention the brakes?

Yes the law says caveat emptor (buyer beware) but part of me thinks you’ve been a bit greedy and taken advantage of a less well off person by deliberately charging them too high a price for your 13 yr old car and not disclosing expensive brake maintenance you knew was due.

No the OP hasn't been greedy.

If you don't know about cars you don't just go and buy one on your own. You go with someone who knows about cars.

AchatAVendre · 09/05/2022 11:44

Discovereads · 09/05/2022 11:38

To take a car you just bought to a garage and find out you paid £900 over its value for a 13yr old car would be a shock. Most 13yr old cars are under £5k, so that’s a massive difference.

Why did you price the car at £500 over what a dealer offered you for it? How much % of an increase was this? You showed her the boot issue, and she could have seen the wipers, but why did you not mention the brakes?

Yes the law says caveat emptor (buyer beware) but part of me thinks you’ve been a bit greedy and taken advantage of a less well off person by deliberately charging them too high a price for your 13 yr old car and not disclosing expensive brake maintenance you knew was due.

What? Anyone can look up the MOT record of a car before buying it so why would it be a "huge shock"? Why would you expect a 13 year old car not to need some work done?

As for the dealer offering £500 less, I'm pretty sure that most of us know that dealers buy cheap and then sell for more. So a dealer wouldn't offer as good a price?

Anyone that takes a car to a garage is going to be quoted a certain sum for work because (a) the garage is not going to turn down work (b) its only worth doing work if its over a certain amount and (c) brakes are something that can be a matter of opinion. If the car has a current MOT then theres no chance in hell that its misdescribed even if the brakes in an ideal world, could be replaced right now.

latetothefisting · 09/05/2022 11:45

She's having a joke. Wiper needs replacing...they're what, a tenner from halfords!

daimbarsatemydogsbone · 09/05/2022 11:45

Discovereads · 09/05/2022 11:38

To take a car you just bought to a garage and find out you paid £900 over its value for a 13yr old car would be a shock. Most 13yr old cars are under £5k, so that’s a massive difference.

Why did you price the car at £500 over what a dealer offered you for it? How much % of an increase was this? You showed her the boot issue, and she could have seen the wipers, but why did you not mention the brakes?

Yes the law says caveat emptor (buyer beware) but part of me thinks you’ve been a bit greedy and taken advantage of a less well off person by deliberately charging them too high a price for your 13 yr old car and not disclosing expensive brake maintenance you knew was due.

Utter bollocks, and thankfully not how the law in the UK works.

Can you imagine how hard it would be to sell anything second hand if this kind of stuff had to be disclosed?

OP isn't (presumably) a mechanic. Anyone can ask any price they want for anything, and even if it's true that the car requires work. OP isn't obliged to fully research and disclose that prior to selling a 13 year old car.

AchatAVendre · 09/05/2022 11:46

And as I say, its a well known scam. Its often a friend's garage that is used and thats often not a garage at all, but someone who thinks they know a bit about cars. Or in reality, no-one at all.

biggreenhouse · 09/05/2022 11:46

she should have brought someone who knows about cars to look at it with her before she agreed in the price then.
block her and never think of it again!

SpiderinaWingMirror · 09/05/2022 11:46

I would absolutely send one message saying thar the car was sold as seen
Then just block her.