Car scams - lucky escape - one with a happy ending @ 2am today!

[Jembo]

Looking for my 25 year old son’s 1st car:

- Budged 1.5 to 2.5k if really stretched
- Choices of a Suzuki Swift, MX5 .... or as recommended by a friend a Fiat 100HP

Yesterday was pointed in the direction of an 07 Suzuki Swift 1.6 sport, private sale, 2 owners with 17k on the clock in what I thought was Portsmouth.... en route from Kent @ 4pm find it’s Plymouth, Cornwall

Told it’s being sold for a ‘very old 90 year family friend who’s now in a home’ by a couple of traders in a very swanky house. (Basically the impossible to check scenario)

The regular full service history comes down to in 2016, previous in 2013 & others, no pads left on front, really rusty underneath & despite a healthy engine, there wasn’t something right with the steering & gearbox.... basically a bag of shite spanners

Shiney shiney... tried negotiating but wanted almost full ask, thinking I’d take it as come so far... think again bro.

So, @ 10:30pm on the way home I phone up another private seller with a Fiat 100HP who I’d been chatting to. 6 owner car, bought as a temporary measure while his Maserati was off the road... new tyres, new exhaust, new brakes, new cambelt, new service, new shock absorbers, tracking... list just went on & on. Oh... did I mention there’s no dents nor scratches!!!!

So... @ 1am we had a test drive, by 2am deal was done & my 25 yr old son, who passed his test @ 18 & hasn’t really driven a car since had a 2 min refresher with me then drove the 2 hours home in the pouring rain... shi$$ing himself was an understatement but not a single moan... I crawled into bed @ 5am, work @ 9

Thanks Jim for recommendation https://www.evo.co.uk/fiat/panda/100hp


Conclusion, proved again & again: BUY ON CONDITION, SEEN & SUBSTANTIATED

 

[mr wilks]

Wtf would show someone their car for sale at 1am

 

[Jembo]

Wtf would show someone their car for sale at 1am

... yes I know!!!! He was still at work & by chance getting home @ midnight. Thought I’d ask for a peek & u know opportunities (& 2 hour cost e/w of going back) may vanish

The planets just aligned... & took a little persuading... I think saying I had cash helped

 

[james28]

That's a bloody long day
Guess to the seller a sale is a sale.
Good luck with the car Jem and to your lad great underrated car the 100hp.

 

[srhutch]

Wtf would show someone their car for sale at 1am

My thoughts to.

Also can't believe Jem drove all the way to Plymouth for a Fiat 100hp.

 

[Jembo]

Wtf would show someone their car for sale at 1am

My thoughts to.

Also can't believe Jem drove all the way to Plymouth for a Fiat 100hp.

Fiat was in Southampton, technically on the way back from a 17k ‘minter suzuki’

 

[Cees Klumper]

Congrats on the Fiat, although must say I did not spot any scam in your story. Did anyone attempt to get money for nothing from you?

 

[Jembo]

Congrats on the Fiat, although must say I did not spot any scam in your story. Did anyone attempt to get money for nothing from you?

The scam was Traders initially posing as private sellers, luring people to view a shiney & good looking car - a service history of 17k - 2 owner - 90 year old previous owner who was now in a home so story couldn’t be validated.

Looking underneath looked like it had been dropped in the harbour & there were quite a few mechanical things that were bloody awful for a 17k car.

If a Trader sells a car privately, they have no liability & normally a tactic for cars which are pants

 

[firebobby]

Pair of dodgy so n so's hiding their faces Gem and get that number plate cleaned. Looks clean though

 

[Jembo]

Pair of dodgy so n so's hiding their faces Gem and get that number plate cleaned. Looks clean though

... not my job there to scrub up...

 

[obewan]

Looks good, I bet he's really happy - can't beat that first car feeling
Faces hidden but not the reflections!

 

[Mr Tidy]

Great thread OP.

I couldn't wait to get my 1st car, but a year later I couldn't wait to get rid of it! :lol:

 

[Jembo]

Great thread OP.

I couldn't wait to get my 1st car, but a year later I couldn't wait to get rid of it! :lol:

I neglected to add he got his licence at 18 when I sorted an intensive course & only drove once in between when he was needed on a magazine photo shoot.

So, technically, after 7 years he had to get in a car @ 2am in the morning, take a 2 min refresher crash course from dad & drive 2 hours home in the pouring rain... at night.

No pressure, not one single moan

My one single bit of dad advice for the first 6 months... if in any doubt, don’t, wait 5 seconds & reevaluate, then start process again

 

[buzyg]

Got to love a little panda with healthy heart.

 

[Anonymous]

The Mingemobile

 

[Jembo]

Got to love a little panda with healthy heart.

Fair bit quicker than the 1.6 Suzuki & 1.6 MX5 we test drove

 

[buzyg]

Got to love a little panda with healthy heart.

Fair bit quicker than the 1.6 Suzuki & 1.6 MX5 we test drove

Mx5 isn't meant to be fast, it's meant to be fun. :wink: My son's second car was an Mx5 1.6. lasted a week, before he crashed it. Sold for parts. Bought a 1.8 the next weekend, which we still have.

Totally impractical car though and like you say not quick. My little 1.6 Mazda2, pentioners wagon, is just as quick and much easier/safer, to drive quickly.

Have you let him drive the Zed yet?

 

[Jembo]

Got to love a little panda with healthy heart.

Fair bit quicker than the 1.6 Suzuki & 1.6 MX5 we test drove

Mx5 isn't meant to be fast, it's meant to be fun. :wink: My son's second car was an Mx5 1.6. lasted a week, before he crashed it. Sold for parts. Bought a 1.8 the next weekend, which we still have.

Totally impractical car though and like you say not quick. My little 1.6 Mazda2, pentioners wagon, is just as quick and much easier/safer, to drive quickly.

Have you let him drive the Zed yet?

Is the Pope a Protestant?

 

[Mr Tidy]