Traveling To Buy A Vehicle

[Apache]

Strangest one I had was a bloke from Aberdeen buying my Dateline Bikini sports boat without seeing it.

He sent a courier down with the cash to Harlech in North Wales. He just gave me the cash, hooked it up and drove off. Last I ever heard.

This was the days before internet too, so all he had to go on was a crappy photo in Autotrader!

[flounderbout]

Okay this isn't a dig at anyone, so please don't take this personally.

If for whatever reason you can't spare the time yourself to make a big trip, why not see if the seller is prepared to deliver? I have had two ebay surfs which I bought unseen, and were delivered by the seller for a suitable (and not enormous) sum. It has the additional bonus that you know it has driven a couple of hundred miles, and so probably doesn't have any massive issues. Even if a big journey seems like a big deal, it may be less so to the seller. As long as you can give him/her a lift to a sensible station, then a lot of people are happy to do it.

The only surf I have been to pick up myself (from Somerset), the head blew on the A303 on the way home...

Which would have been annoying, were it not for a man named Bushwhacker...

[andy_enuff]

I drove all the way to Newcastle from Stevenage to look at Scoprion's truck - you don't hear me complaining! :P

In the end it wasn't to my taste - it was a day out and a chance to spend a bit of time with some friends - my opinion: consider the travel as part of the cost of the car, and if you are on such a tight budget that you can't afford it - why the hell are you buying a massive truck

[dora4x4]

I usually return to the UK, from the Dordogne region of France, to buy my cars. About 520 miles to Calais and then on to Bexhill. It takes at least 12 hours driving back including the ferry.

Second hand cars, in the UK, are sometimes up to half the price that an equivalent LHD car would be in France. Big problems getting my Surf on to French plates. It is not worth the aggro. I will run it as long as I can and then bring it to the UK to sell.

[Scorpion]

If for whatever reason you can't spare the time yourself to make a big trip, why not see if the seller is prepared to deliver?

Yeah, really. If I had anything to say it would be direct, not f@nnying about. Some of my comments on here have been misconstrued before, therefore I try and make it obvious that I haven't set out to insult someone.

Anyhoo, I digress. No way would I, as a seller, drive a couple of hundred miles or so just for someone to mess me about, try and knock me down to some ridiculous price and then have to travel home again without a sale because someone just wanted a look at the vehicle and kick my tyres.

[stormforce]

I would be happy to deliver a truck as long as i was paid upfront for fuel and my time.The fuel will be for a return trip aswell.If the truck sold then i have the money to get home and if it didn't then i have the fuel money to get home.Thats the only way i will deliver a truck

[andy_enuff]

If anyone did travel a long distance to sell a vehicle, I'd hope they were polite and sensible about any thing they found with the vehicle that could be potentially dangerous and/or incur cost to fix and leave with the understanding that they were the ones who took the time to travel, so it's their loss.

Much like a good meal, the sum total of the parts of a vehicle are not always worth as much in the final product - it all depends on the method in which they have been combined The seller and buyers views on these matters can often differ, and if everyone is happy that they have not lost out then all is well

[flounderbout]

Yeah, really. If I had anything to say it would be direct, not f@nnying about. Some of my comments on here have been misconstrued before, therefore I try and make it obvious that I haven't set out to insult someone.

I know. Was just pulling your chain.

Anyhoo, I digress. No way would I, as a seller, drive a couple of hundred miles or so just for someone to mess me about, try and knock me down to some ridiculous price and then have to travel home again without a sale because someone just wanted a look at the vehicle and kick my tyres.

Fair point. I suppose I don't think like that because I wouldn't behave like that. But anyway in both cases with Surfs I have agreed a knock down price including delivery, and then paid a deposit with the balance in cash on arrival. So if I was to dick about I would have the problem of getting my deposit back. In fact I have found that the sellers (probably because they know they are making a long journey and don't want any problems) have been much more detailed about any faults than people that persuade you to come and look at their car. So I have never haggled or had any reason to haggle when a car has arrived. Besides, I have already entered into a contract. So unless there is a serious misrepresentation there is not going to be much I can do about it.

I guess there are idiots who will try it on, but then you just can't avoid them. Last time I sold a car I wasted a bunch of precious weekends waiting at home for people coming to look at the car, spending anywhere between 2 and 6 hours looking, test driving and generally tyre kicking, only for them to walk away.

I'd have been much happier agreeing a price that was lower (because it was bought unseen) and then delivering with a reasonable expectation that the sale would go through (and if not keeping the deposit) then pi55ing about with punters.

[TonyN]

I know. Was just pulling your chain.

Oi troublemaker!! Your truck is finished, when do you want it back? Will be fixing the bumper and A-bar on properly tonight/tomorrow so they don't rattle, so any time after that.

[flounderbout]

Oi troublemaker!! Your truck is finished, when do you want it back? Will be fixing the bumper and A-bar on properly tonight/tomorrow so they don't rattle, so any time after that.

A troublemaker? Moi?

You sir, are a fine man. Nearly all the comments that people on this forum have been making about you in your absence are wholly untrue...

I will have a word with Jessie and come up with a plan.

Although it may be difficult to get to you, because I have a two year old
railcard
.

[Apache]

Although it may be difficult to get to you, because I have a two year old
railcard
.

Take it with you, it wont mind.

[KERRSURF]

My Surf came from Bristol. 756 mile return journey.
My Lexus came from Inverurie. 270 mile return journey.
My Accord came from Fort William. 208 mile return journey.


So yeh, travelled a wee bit.

[gwh200]

My one year old came from my loins...in another year he will still be in the same place. My five year old is upstairs though...not sure where the ten year old is...probably discovered masturbation. I try not to take them anywhere...much to noisy.
if I have a long journey, Valium crushed up on the kids cornflakes works a treat.

[JUDWAK]

i dont like fish

[puddlesurfer]

i dont like fish

JUDWAK's on the meds again!