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AIBU?

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Original poster

That this is weird as hell - car - is it for sale?

113 replies

Balibo · 22/02/2023 15:24

So DH and I have moved to a more rural location down South. We're both originally from a big city up North. We have a fairly large house, on a main road with a large driveway. We park our cars on the driveway obviously. We have 3 cars. 1 car though we've just acquired. It belongs to a family member who recently passed away.

Twice in the last few months (once today and once a few months back - when we only had 2 cars) two seperate men have come to the door, knocked and asked if one specific car is for sale.....it's not a fancy car. It's a Ford.

The first time I thought that's weird but didn't think much more of it. Today though I think it's really weird. I was caught off guard because I'd decided to have a shower and wash my hair in the middle of the day. So I'm there with wet hair in my dressing gown having dashed from the shower to get the door (assuming it would be a parcel or something). Not very relevant but just setting the scene that I felt blindsided.

So today I said - you're the second person who has asked that, why do you think I'm selling my car? And he said because it doesn't look like it's being used.

We live on a main road with a high fence all around our driveway. We have neighbours opposite us - it wasn't them asking and then it's quite a distance to the next house. We aren't overlooked by anyone.

How can anyone who is just driving past - know whether we are using the car or not? He said I have a friend just up the road..... but i was thinking so your friend up the road is tracking how much I drive?

It's really weirded me out. If you were looking to buy a car - why not fb marketplace, auto trader, or a car show room - surely not just knock on a random person's door??

I don't understand at all. I said to my DH I feel like reporting this somewhere it doesn't feel normal - he said no I'm being daft but it is weird. Who is tracking our house/my movements to know whether we use the car.....if it matters I don't use the car.....but that's what's freaking me out - like they know I'm not using it but I'm not overlooked by anyone. It's a country road, an A road. Our driveway is private. Yes you can see the cars if you walk or drive past our house but how would someone know we werent using the car? There's only one house who could feasibly track our daily movements and it's not her. The car is in good repair. It doesn't look like a heap of crap on the driveway.

Just to clarify I have rarely used this Ford even before I got the other car because I generally drive my husbands car. But we've always needed two cars incase he's out for the day with work etc because I still need to do nursery runs etc

IABU? Is this just us with a big city mentality being suspicious over something we needn't be?

Also if this matters they both came at a similar time during the working week. Rather than say a Saturday.

Yabu - happens all the time
Yanbu - that's really weird

OP posts:
AllWorkYoPlait · 22/02/2023 17:51

Maybe you should consider selling it if it's as desirable as people here are saying? Could you drive your dad's car instead and get a decent price on your Fiesta?

If people still knock on after that, then you'll know it's not the car...

TwoLeftSocksWithHoles · 22/02/2023 17:55

I dont think it is anything to do with the car. It is an excuse to wander up to your house and knock on the door and have-a look around.
I would consider have some form of camera/ring door bell installed. (don't bother with a 'dummy' one. It's not difficult to see they are fake.)

TimeForMeToF1y · 22/02/2023 17:57

bigbluebus · 22/02/2023 17:17

We've got 3 cars parked on the drive. One rarely moves (it's mine and I don't go out in it very often). No one has ever knocked on my door and asked if it's for sale - even the bloke who lives around the corner and sells 2nd hand cars and must see it on my drive every time he drives past.
I'd be very suspicious and install cctv cameras if you haven't already got them.

I dont understand that, are you saying that because nobody has asked to buy your car that it never happens?

That's not quite how the world works is it?

No one can possibly know the intentions here but just because it hasn't happened to you doesn't mean it's some kind of criminal activity

verdantverdure · 22/02/2023 18:01

PepsiMaxCan · 22/02/2023 16:04

I get asked to sell mine all the time. I also get stopped and asked how many miles on the clock (assume a pre to asking if for sale)

There is a national car shortage

We sold our second car a few weeks ago for quite a bit more than expected but I didn't realise we had a National Car Shortage as well as a National Tomato Shortage. Whatever next?!

verdantverdure · 22/02/2023 18:01

That would worry me too @Balibo

StickofVeg · 22/02/2023 18:12

Possibly they are casing the joint - having a good look around for what security you have etc. I think I'd put up a ring door bell and flood lights which are motion sensitive as soon as I could. I'd also rotate which car I use to move them around.

AdobeWanKenobi · 22/02/2023 18:12

verdantverdure · 22/02/2023 18:01

We sold our second car a few weeks ago for quite a bit more than expected but I didn't realise we had a National Car Shortage as well as a National Tomato Shortage. Whatever next?!

Show quote history

New cars are constantly delayed, as @CupidCantAimStraight states due to the shortage of semiconductors. My new car was ordered a year ago and still being pushed back month to month.
This means my old car hasn't gone into the market as it would have and the market isn't moving. That raises the prices and the amount of people battling for one car.
Getting ahead of that market by door knocking and trying to buy a car before it gets advertised is a very smart idea indeed. Much like leafleting when you see a house you'd like to buy.

Original poster
Balibo · 22/02/2023 18:20

AllWorkYoPlait · 22/02/2023 17:51

Maybe you should consider selling it if it's as desirable as people here are saying? Could you drive your dad's car instead and get a decent price on your Fiesta?

If people still knock on after that, then you'll know it's not the car...

To be fair we are considering it. I wanted to give my Dad's car a whirl first and see how it goes.

Also, we were thinking of part exchanging the fiesta and my DH's SUV together (if that's even possible) and getting something a bit nicer. We just haven't gotten round to it. But yes we absolutely don't need 3 cars. But the 3rd car is recent - i.e I've had it weeks rather than months etc

OP posts:
Newstartonwards · 22/02/2023 18:21

When someone knocks on my door the dogs go off like rockets and I open it a tiny gap and say …. Really sorry the dogs (70 kegs of them) are really not friendly - no one knocks more than once. Ring doorbell and move your cars around - they were probably looking to see if you were away….

ScattyHattie · 22/02/2023 18:22

While walking dogs I've seen someone drive round estate few times, they stop in road ( assume looking up plates) then sometimes knock at door or leave a note on windscreen was mainly old vans interested in. Couple years ago my neighbour had small car sat on drive ages and they had people knock or leave cards about it, it was a business looking to pick up used cars cheap to sell on or scrap for parts.

Friend had parts stripped off car while parked up overnight, along with some neighbours last year.

AdobeWanKenobi · 22/02/2023 18:22

Newstartonwards · 22/02/2023 18:21

When someone knocks on my door the dogs go off like rockets and I open it a tiny gap and say …. Really sorry the dogs (70 kegs of them) are really not friendly - no one knocks more than once. Ring doorbell and move your cars around - they were probably looking to see if you were away….

I'm no burglar, but if I was I wouldn't be knocking on the house with three cars on the drive to see if they were away, I'd be knocking on the house with no cars on the drive.

Newstartonwards · 22/02/2023 18:24

AdobeWanKenobi · 22/02/2023 18:22

I'm no burglar, but if I was I wouldn't be knocking on the house with three cars on the drive to see if they were away, I'd be knocking on the house with no cars on the drive.

Show quote history

If the cars had been in the same position for a week - someone could be looking to steal those cars…. No cars on the drive, no cars to steal.

ArmchairAnarchist2 · 22/02/2023 18:27

I knew you were going to say Fiesta. They are only making electric ones now I think or are about to. DS could have sold his many times recently. Check out the prices.

BasiliskStare · 22/02/2023 18:44

Not a fiesta @Balibo but when my DFIL passed away he had two citroens on the drive of his house - one a little hatchback which was good for nothing apart from spares and one an estate car with a towing bar. A neighbour stuck a note under the windscreen wipers asking if he could buy the bigger one ( he and his friend race 2CVs ) As it was was worth the thick end of nothing we said he could have the bigger car gratis if they got rid of the little one. That seemed a fair deal to me.

So just to say - this seemed like an honest request / transaction. I do see why people are saying check if just random people are asking about the car & if it is worth something would it be worth putting it inside the garage. Or indeed just selling it. DFIL's car wasn't worth the candle but these two young chaps were quite handy & reckoned they could fix it up for their purposes.

Do you have a camera doorbell ?

Anyway hope nothing horrid happens

CatAssTrophic · 22/02/2023 18:50

If you get a Nottingham knocker/duster salesman ex prisoner please check your door & letterbox for a sticker that says 24 hour locksmith. They are often left to indicate that the house is a good one to break into and someone will come back to check it over.
I had an incident with one of these charmers, he was clearly an ex con as he muttered and didn't move his lips (something they do inside) so in addition to the bag of shite he had with him I knew to be wary. I couldn't hear what he said so went to say 'Sorry, I can't hear you' but he went off on a rant after the 'Sorry' and said I was disrespecting him so I told him to piss off, and shut the door.
Couple of nights later I heard voices on the drive, discussing how difficult it would be to get in.
Later discovered the sticker on the bottom of the door.
Although OP's guys might really be after the car, please be aware of these thieving scum who put stickers where they think you are vulnerable (or have pissed them off).
Also watch for 'fishing rods' through the letterbox, they try to hook your keys out if they see them inside or near the door.

user1471447863 · 22/02/2023 19:04

If it was a Fiesta ST they wouldn't be knocking and asking about it - it would just be there one moment and gone the next (well any mk7 fiesta really)

A car sitting not used is easy enough to tell after a while - just the dirt/moss/algae on the ground around it , but as it is your car and thus being used it's not that.

Could well be traders looking to make a tidy profit on a ULEZ compliant 2nd hand car

LikeTearsInRain · 22/02/2023 19:22

Dognappers hun xoxo

Comeonbarbiebrianharvey · 22/02/2023 19:32

Weird for sure, ask the neighbours if the last owners used to buy and sell cars?

Some larger properties with drives near main roads do this a lot, when looking for a used car I know which ones to drive by to check, they may have both done this. Hopefully!

2bazookas · 22/02/2023 19:40

They aren't interested in a car. It's a classic rural thieves lame excuse. They just came to see if anyone's at home, listen for dogs, look through the windows to see what you've got.

Ask your local police for a free crime prevention advice visit.

Lordofthebutterfloofs · 22/02/2023 19:41

It's probably people casing the joint to see what times of day your in.

DashboardConfessional · 22/02/2023 19:51

I'm pretty sure this was a casing excuse but there are weird goings-on with cars. My in-laws live down the road and their neighbour lets a friend use her allocated space as she herself has no car. The car didn't move over the summer as it was used for the school run. I was walking past my in-laws (I could have been any old random, no tie to the area) and a gu6 in a red van stopped to ask me whose car it was. I said I'd no idea. 2 weeks later same guy pulled in at my in-laws, knocked and asked them, saying aggressively that it's "Not even taxed!" It is, in fact, a Fiesta.

AllThatFancyPaintsAsFair · 22/02/2023 19:55

CatAssTrophic · 22/02/2023 18:50

If you get a Nottingham knocker/duster salesman ex prisoner please check your door & letterbox for a sticker that says 24 hour locksmith. They are often left to indicate that the house is a good one to break into and someone will come back to check it over.
I had an incident with one of these charmers, he was clearly an ex con as he muttered and didn't move his lips (something they do inside) so in addition to the bag of shite he had with him I knew to be wary. I couldn't hear what he said so went to say 'Sorry, I can't hear you' but he went off on a rant after the 'Sorry' and said I was disrespecting him so I told him to piss off, and shut the door.
Couple of nights later I heard voices on the drive, discussing how difficult it would be to get in.
Later discovered the sticker on the bottom of the door.
Although OP's guys might really be after the car, please be aware of these thieving scum who put stickers where they think you are vulnerable (or have pissed them off).
Also watch for 'fishing rods' through the letterbox, they try to hook your keys out if they see them inside or near the door.

Youd think that by now criminals might have realised the usefulness of mobile telephones and the what three words application rather than weird 19th century signs, symbols and stickers to communicate.

PurBal · 22/02/2023 19:55

You have a Ford Fiesta. They’ve stopped making them we had hoped to replace our Mini with one. I really think they’ll hold their value. We’ve had two offers in the last couple of years on our 18yo Mini Cooper S as it’s the last generation to have a particular engine that’s really desirable (apparently, so says DH), people always think I’m really “into” cars when I drive it.

DashboardConfessional · 22/02/2023 19:57

I've googled and there have been some people doing this to perform some sort of trickery with keyless entry cars. Someone caught them saying "Can't get nothing" after they range the doorbell and were fiddling with a gadget in their pocket. The keys to this particular car were in a blocking wallet.

AdobeWanKenobi · 22/02/2023 19:58

AllThatFancyPaintsAsFair · 22/02/2023 19:55

Youd think that by now criminals might have realised the usefulness of mobile telephones and the what three words application rather than weird 19th century signs, symbols and stickers to communicate.

Show quote history

Weird isn't it? And all the symbols they keep putting on the pavements! I think it's the broadband blokes that are dodgy because when the roads are marked up for burglary they always appear shortly after. Shady as fuck!