Hi guys
I bought a 3.0 Z4 yesterday (Sunday) and absolutely love it. Bought from a local, genuine guy and I couldn’t be happier.
However, the day before was a bit of a tale of woe and I’m just wondering if anyone can help or advise me.
This is my first post and I apologise for it being such a bummer - I haven’t even joined the club yet (which I will).
I live 15 miles north of Newcastle and last week, I became interested in a Z4 advertised down in Mansfield.
Here is the link to the advert:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-Z4-03-3-0i-SE-ROADSTER-IMMACULATE-PART-EXCHANGE-/180716098856?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item2a1384d528
As you can see from the description, it is described as “immaculate”.
I phoned the guy up and we spoke in depth about the car.
He advised me that it was the best, low mileage example that he had seen.
I pleaded with him to give me an honest appraisal as I had been badly let down before – travelling distance to see a car when someone has described it as “immaculate”, only to find it’s anything but immaculate when you get there.
He assured me he was an honest guy, and it was mint – I was excited.
After a couple of e-mail, texts and phone discussions we agreed on a price of £8,350.
I would also pay £150 for 6 months tax, bringing the total to £8,500.
I agreed to send him a £250 deposit by PayPal and bring the balance with me on Saturday (just gone).
I then booked my train ticket to Mansfield Woodhouse and couldn’t wait to pick it up.
He met me at the station, where the Z4 was parked up near by.
It looked really nice from 50 yards away, however, as I approached my opinion started to change.
The passenger side front wheel was badly kerbed – which in isolation, would not have deterred me from making the purchase – but there was never any mention of this.
Then the passenger door caught my eye – a 6” long x 1” wide scrape where the paint was clearly dull and scuffed – no mention of this either.
Walked round to the driver side – more scuffs on the driver door together with a quite obvious dent.
By now, I was starting to fear the worst – and this was only the first couple of minutes.
He invited me to take it for a drive, which I did.
We drove out of a smooth car park in 1st / 2nd gear, the rattles and squeeks from the hood (which was down) were pretty annoying to say the least.
Then we went on a country road where I explained to him that I’d like to do a pull from low revs through to 6,000 rpm just to make sure the engine was fine.
There was a massive stumble / hesitation at 4,000 rpm when I backed off immediately.
He said the car hadn’t been used for a long time and it would probably just need a good run out.
I tried another pull, which again stumbled and hesitated at around 4,000 rpm.
By now (probably even before then), my mind was made up – I was not going to buy the car, and I told him as much.
His response was: “so what do you want to do.”
I said that I’d like my deposit back as I thought it was the only fair thing to do – especially considering that I had come all the way down to Mansfield to buy a car which was described as “immaculate” and it wasn’t even running correctly – and I was now going to have to find my way home.
He said he did not have the £250 deposit on him but would PayPal it back to me, which I said was fine.
Disappointed (to put it mildly), I managed to book a return train home which cost me £76.
On the way home, I managed to pick myself up and thought – it’s only £112 (when you include the train fare down).
Better off wasting £112 and one day’s worth of time than spending £8,350 on the wrong car.
However, he has sent me an e-mail this morning saying that he has changed his mind regarding the deposit – so the £112 lesson is now a £362 lesson, which I’m a tad miffed about.
I rang him up and basically said that you have got to be joking (it’s just as well he wasn’t standing in front of me because I doubt think the temper would have stood that).
I said I was taking some advice on this, and left it at that.
The car was clearly not “immaculate” as described in the advert and I’d like to get my £250 deposit back if possible.
If I have to write it off as an expensive lesson, then so be it.
But I’d like to make sure first.
If anyone could help or advise it would be very much appreciated
Cheers
Gary
I bought a 3.0 Z4 yesterday (Sunday) and absolutely love it. Bought from a local, genuine guy and I couldn’t be happier.
However, the day before was a bit of a tale of woe and I’m just wondering if anyone can help or advise me.
This is my first post and I apologise for it being such a bummer - I haven’t even joined the club yet (which I will).
I live 15 miles north of Newcastle and last week, I became interested in a Z4 advertised down in Mansfield.
Here is the link to the advert:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-Z4-03-3-0i-SE-ROADSTER-IMMACULATE-PART-EXCHANGE-/180716098856?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item2a1384d528
As you can see from the description, it is described as “immaculate”.
I phoned the guy up and we spoke in depth about the car.
He advised me that it was the best, low mileage example that he had seen.
I pleaded with him to give me an honest appraisal as I had been badly let down before – travelling distance to see a car when someone has described it as “immaculate”, only to find it’s anything but immaculate when you get there.
He assured me he was an honest guy, and it was mint – I was excited.
After a couple of e-mail, texts and phone discussions we agreed on a price of £8,350.
I would also pay £150 for 6 months tax, bringing the total to £8,500.
I agreed to send him a £250 deposit by PayPal and bring the balance with me on Saturday (just gone).
I then booked my train ticket to Mansfield Woodhouse and couldn’t wait to pick it up.
He met me at the station, where the Z4 was parked up near by.
It looked really nice from 50 yards away, however, as I approached my opinion started to change.
The passenger side front wheel was badly kerbed – which in isolation, would not have deterred me from making the purchase – but there was never any mention of this.
Then the passenger door caught my eye – a 6” long x 1” wide scrape where the paint was clearly dull and scuffed – no mention of this either.
Walked round to the driver side – more scuffs on the driver door together with a quite obvious dent.
By now, I was starting to fear the worst – and this was only the first couple of minutes.
He invited me to take it for a drive, which I did.
We drove out of a smooth car park in 1st / 2nd gear, the rattles and squeeks from the hood (which was down) were pretty annoying to say the least.
Then we went on a country road where I explained to him that I’d like to do a pull from low revs through to 6,000 rpm just to make sure the engine was fine.
There was a massive stumble / hesitation at 4,000 rpm when I backed off immediately.
He said the car hadn’t been used for a long time and it would probably just need a good run out.
I tried another pull, which again stumbled and hesitated at around 4,000 rpm.
By now (probably even before then), my mind was made up – I was not going to buy the car, and I told him as much.
His response was: “so what do you want to do.”
I said that I’d like my deposit back as I thought it was the only fair thing to do – especially considering that I had come all the way down to Mansfield to buy a car which was described as “immaculate” and it wasn’t even running correctly – and I was now going to have to find my way home.
He said he did not have the £250 deposit on him but would PayPal it back to me, which I said was fine.
Disappointed (to put it mildly), I managed to book a return train home which cost me £76.
On the way home, I managed to pick myself up and thought – it’s only £112 (when you include the train fare down).
Better off wasting £112 and one day’s worth of time than spending £8,350 on the wrong car.
However, he has sent me an e-mail this morning saying that he has changed his mind regarding the deposit – so the £112 lesson is now a £362 lesson, which I’m a tad miffed about.
I rang him up and basically said that you have got to be joking (it’s just as well he wasn’t standing in front of me because I doubt think the temper would have stood that).
I said I was taking some advice on this, and left it at that.
The car was clearly not “immaculate” as described in the advert and I’d like to get my £250 deposit back if possible.
If I have to write it off as an expensive lesson, then so be it.
But I’d like to make sure first.
If anyone could help or advise it would be very much appreciated
Cheers
Gary
south yorkshire
