peculiar seller behaviour

keithsfleet

Bought a car yesterday.
It was on gumtree.ie and after doing a few little checks discovered it had changed hands on the 10 of this month.
Rang a few alarm bells but looked at the car and gave it full inspection, a few problems with it but nothing expensive and everything I'd feel confident undertaking, plus everything I found was a bonus in getting the price down.

After looking on DD today I discovered the seller has now put the car up for sale on DD, which it previously wasn't as I had searched every website to try find the original advert he had bought from on the 10th of this month....
Here is the advert which I am wholeheartedly 100% confident was not up on DD one hour before I collected the car.
I've bought and sold a lot of cars in my time and I find this incredibly strange.

After checking its also been updated on gumtree with new pictures as well....

Sorry here are the links

http://www.gumtree.ie/cp-cars-in-dublin/mercedes-clk-coupe-2-0-petrol-cheap-cheap-cheap-496942143

http://cars.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/mercedes-clk-cheap-cheap/5236512

ba_barabus

No link?

keithsfleet

ba_barabus wrote: »

No link?

Sorry, edited.

ba_barabus

Quick way to figure it all out, get someone to call about it

daddyorchips

Maybe he is going to try steal it back from U ? Has a spare key maybe ?

keithsfleet

ba_barabus wrote: »

Quick way to figure it all out, get someone to call about it

Yea the OH tried but it's switched off.
I know when I tried ringing him originally on Thursday it was switched off for a few hours and the same on friday all day till I got a text of him at 11pm.

ba_barabus

keithsfleet wrote: »

Yea the OH tried but it's switched off.
I know when I tried ringing him originally on Thursday it was switched off for a few hours and the same on friday all day till I got a text of him at 11pm.

Could be working long hours or be a part time trader. I wouldn't be too worried about it.

keithsfleet

daddyorchips wrote: »

Maybe he is going to try steal it back from U ? Has a spare key maybe ?

That's what has me vaguely worried.
He claimed it only had one main key and a regular door key which doesn't work in the ignition and for the price I paid for it I don't really mind having only one key.
I have the car he was driving reg number and a photo of the log book, which he saw me take.

The log book vin matched the cars vin as well.

I've the new one blocked in with the OH's car and my car both of which have a very good top of the range aftermarket alarm and immobiliser.

daddyorchips

keithsfleet wrote: »

That's what has me vaguely worried.
He claimed it only had one main key and a regular door key which doesn't work in the ignition and for the price I paid for it I don't really mind having only one key.
I have the car he was driving reg number and a photo of the log book, which he saw me take.

The log book vin matched the cars vin as well.

I've the new one blocked in with the OH's car and my car both of which have a very good top of the range aftermarket alarm and immobiliser.

didn't mean to freak you by saying it just heard of it happening when you ring him or your oh rings him dont let on just tell her to say she's interested if he says give him a few days due to work or that its a cert

daddyorchips

daddyorchips wrote: »

didn't mean to freak you by saying it just heard of it happening when you ring him or your oh rings him dont let on just tell her to say she's interested if he says give him a few days due to work or that its a cert

I will even ring him if you like

ba_barabus

Jack it up and remove a wheel and the nuts if you're that worried.

daddyorchips

ba_barabus wrote: »

Jack it up and remove a wheel and the nuts if you're that worried.

That should help if a caveman tries to steal it

keithsfleet

I've taken several fuses and the battery out.
I doubt he'll try take it but I'm not going to be driving it for another 2-3 weeks so no harm in playing it safe as it's not an inconvenience.

If anyone wants to ring that'd be great please, she's sick and don't like hassling her.

ba_barabus

daddyorchips wrote: »

That should help if a caveman tries to steal it

Well its not like it can be driven or dragged away quietly

daddyorchips

ba_barabus wrote: »

Well its not like it can be driven or dragged away quietly

only realised how arrogant that sounded sorry but if he was really that determined he would find a way again didn't mean to sound like an ass

daddyorchips

keithsfleet wrote: »

I've taken several fuses and the battery out.
I doubt he'll try take it but I'm not going to be driving it for another 2-3 weeks so no harm in playing it safe as it's not an inconvenience.

If anyone wants to ring that'd be great please, she's sick and don't like hassling her.

I've emailed and if I dont get a reply il ring later tonight

ba_barabus

daddyorchips wrote: »

only realised how arrogant that sounded sorry but if he was really that determined he would find a way again didn't mean to sound like an ass

Tbh I don't see the whole point in stealing it back.

It's an €800 car, the seller hasn't changed their number and it would be easy to spot it again on dd

daddyorchips

ba_barabus wrote: »

Tbh I don't see the whole point in stealing it back.

It's an €800 car, the seller hasn't changed their number and it would be easy to spot it again on dd

but maybe its that cheap so he can offload it quickly ? I was raised to believe if it sounds to good to be true it probably is

daddyorchips

daddyorchips wrote: »

but maybe its that cheap so he can offload it quickly ? I was raised to believe if it sounds to good to be true it probably is

and at 2.50 for a Tesco sum card its not that hard to buy one not register it and buy a new one later

keithsfleet

Yea I'm beginning to question his motive behind it.

I find it really really strange, whatever about Gumtree, that's free.
DD though costs 5 euro and as I said, it never was originally on it until, evidently, after I had bought it.

mik_da_man

Maybe he was selling it for someone else and they put the ad up, not knowing that it was sold?

keithsfleet

daddyorchips wrote: »

but maybe its that cheap so he can offload it quickly ? I was raised to believe if it sounds to good to be true it probably is

I've checked the car over thoroughly and aside from the overheating I can't find any other problem that might cost a few quid to fix.

Also the original ad was terrible, pictures all taken in a dark underground car park and little to no details about the car.
I think it was a few days old when I saw it.

Don't suppose anyone saw the original advert for it from before he bought it on the 10th of this month?

daddyorchips

mik_da_man wrote: »

Maybe he was selling it for someone else and they put the ad up, not knowing that it was sold?

but if he was doing that would he not have had to contact his friend when op got onto him about a price or whatever I know the price is cheap but people mostly haggle

keithsfleet

daddyorchips wrote: »

but if he was doing that would he not have had to contact his friend when op got onto him about a price or whatever I know the price is cheap but people mostly haggle

He never rang or consulted with anyone when I made him an offer.
He refused it so I went through what parts and labour would be.
He said 750 so I reiterated my offer and I pulled out what I offered plus 60 extra and put out my hand for a hand shake.
He refused again so I walked and that's when he made a counter offer which I accepted.

He also gave his name on the phone as the person who owns the log book.

bobin fudge

perhaps he just forgot he had sold the car to you

BNMC

I'd always be wary of people who put "no calls, text only" in their add.

mikehammer67

BNMC wrote: »

I'd always be wary of people who put "no calls, text only" in their add.

ad says calls only no text

keithsfleet

mikehammer67 wrote: »

ad says calls only no text

English wasn't his first language so he might have trouble reading it.

Shelli2

Is there a waiting period on either site where ads are checked before going live?

keithsfleet

Shelli2 wrote: »

Is there a waiting period on either site where ads are checked before going live?

There is but it's no more than a few hours.