WWYD? Friend and car dilemma - long

[Twoshoesnewshoes]

Just before Christmas I sold my car to a very good friend.
i had it fully serviced plus a ‘health check’, new tyres etc.
i also had four new tires put on, as I really wanted it to not have any issues- it was 9 years old. I sold with around 15 % discount as mates rates.

on the day after she took it, it completely conked out. It went to recovery and diagnostics, engine fault. It cost around £1200 which I paid. There was no previous indication of the fault at all.

i offered them to give her money back and sell the car elsewhere but they decided to keep it.
today she said the car has broken down and is a write off.
she wasn’t snippy at all, but I feel terrible.
also, what’s the process with a private sale? I guess with a garage they may take some responsibility or offer to repair?

not sure what to do, please help!

YABU you should definitely pay something
YANBU this is the luck of the draw with private sales

Not your circus. Not your monkeys. You have no idea how she has been treating it since she has had it. You also don’t have a working crystal ball.

Private sale = buyer beware. You have already done more than the vast majority of private sellers would.

You sold it in good faith
She bought it in good faith

I thunk you've gone the extra mile already and it's just the way the cookie crumbles....unfortunate for your friend, but such is life. Your friend needs to understand you are not mystic Meg

It's a shame what happened to her car

I think you were right to pay the first time for the initial £1200 - but not now, 3 months later

Broken down doesn't meant a write off. What exactly is she claiming is wrong with the car?

You sold your car and then, when it conked out the next day, you paid to have it repaired and you offered to take the car back and give the buyer a refund.

The buyer declined the refund and said they preferred to keep the car. The fact that it's been written off four months later is something they have to deal with, because the car belongs to them and not you. This is a non-issue for you.

You did everything you could to ensure she bought a car in the best condition possible, and then spent further money fixing it after the sale. Private sale, generally end of. You've done more than enough, don't offer further money towards it, it'll become a gifted car rather than a sale.

I guess with a garage they may take some responsibility or offer to repair?

I doubt they would take any responsibility for a fault that developed months after the sale in a nine-year-old car.

There’s a very useful Latin phrase “caveat emptor” meaning “let the buyer beware”. It applies to all transactions, but especially private ones. You did your utmost to present the car in optimum condition, and went beyond your obligations in sorting it the first time.
if she really wanted comfort there are companies that do presale checks and she had that option.
You’re a nice person for all that effort, but you’re not responsible now

What does "broken down" mean?

That wasn't long and YANBU. You went above and beyond already by paying her the 1200. If you were a dealership offering a warrenty it would be a different story. But you're not and I expect she paid less because of that and took on the risk

Wow the faux-ignorance has reached a new peak with this one. Are you really asking that question?

Not everyone has English as their first language

I agree with this and I’d feel awkward but ultimately, your responsibility ended months ago.

Thanks everyone, that’s really reassuring.

What exactly is wrong with the car? What does broke down actually mean?

As in, what exactly is wrong with the car?

Not sure, engine fault, broken down just means it won’t go, not because of an accident but because of a mechanical or engine fault.

If its an engine fault and you already handed out £1200 less than 3 months ago for engine issues give her the mechanics phone number.

Nope. You've already done more than expected of you. If she'd bought privately from another seller she wouldn't have even seen that £1200 back. It's either incredibly bad luck or suss usage that has lead to her write-off today. She'll have to chalk it up to experience.

What 9 year old car just breaks down to the extent that it is a write off? I have been driving since 1978 and I have never come across this before.
It might be worth her contacting the manufacturer.

In essence, you paid her £300 to take the car off your hands. Had she bought from another private seller she would have incurred the £1200.
And depending on when in December she bought the car, many dealers who offer a three month warranty would have washed their hands of her had she phoned them yesterday.
You did what you could to help her out but this one is not on you.

You pays your money , you takes your chance. You have already done more than you needed to. Anyone buying a second hand car should get someone in the know to look it over before they buy

Thank you. It does feel awkward but I guess I just need to not get involved now.
i don’t know why it’s a write off - head gasket or something similarly pricey?