Buying privately - Mercedes C220D Coupe

Pat Is The Baker

I’m currently buying a 162 Mercedes C220D Coupe as part of a private sale.

The car was a UK import and the current buyer has it only 6 months. I’ve carried out all Garda/Police checks in both Ireland and UK. I’ve had a finance check on the car and all is clear. Millage is slightly higher than average but is all validated by Mercedes service history.

Normally I wouldn’t worry once the above is clear, what is off putting for me is the pushiness of the seller. He is trying to rush everything and push push push to get payment. I just don’t like the reckless urgency. Maybe they are sick of time wasters but there is a way to conduct a sale and this is not the way.

The one thing that I would like to do is have a mechanic or garage give the car an inspection. This is the only area I now feel where I’m exposed. The car is based in Dublin.

I would welcome any feedback of anything that I should be aware off before I pay the draft tomorrow. Would anyone on here be willing to or know anyone in the trade that would carry out an inspection? I have no problem paying for the inspection.

If I can’t get an independent would a Mercedes garage carry out a service/inspection?

Whocare

Just a tip when you spend a lot money ask the owner for him driving license and take a picture of it see how he that go down. Plus never never trust anyone when it comes to money.

Atlantic Dawn

Double check it isn't a clone of another legit car, check positioniing of all VIN identification marks are where they should be.

Wildly Boaring

Atlantic Dawn wrote: »

Double check it isn't a clone of another legit car, check positioniing of all VIN identification marks are where they should be.

This. Very much this.

My dad's best mate, a mechanic, bought a car a while ago. Woke up one morning to garda car in front yard, shortly followed by a tow truck.

Car was stolen and cloned. Decent job done on the VIN in window and engine.

No recourse. Nothing, nada, all money gone up in smoke.

Car was ever so slightly cheap, but seemed legit. Very pushy seller.

162 merc obviously decent money. Get it checked properly.



Also how you gonna pay him? Don't end up being mugged in a carpark!!

Wildly Boaring

This is where the aa direct for inspectors

http://www.iaea-online.org/find-an-engineer/

You can select pre-purchase. Seem to be few lads on there doing this full time

Pat Is The Baker

Wildly Boaring wrote: »

This. Very much this.

Also how you gonna pay him? Don't end up being mugged in a carpark!!

Thanks for the thoughts @wildly Boaring.

Payment is with Credit Union Bank Draft.

Wildly Boaring

laurpat wrote: »

Thanks for the thoughts @wildly Boaring.

Payment is with Credit Union Bank Draft.

He gonna give you keys as you hand draft?

This can be slightly catch 22.

As a buyer this is what I'd want
As s seller I'd be wary of dud draft.

Last time I bought privately I handed draft in his bank. They verified authentic and he handed me the keys.

He was a lovely fella but I wasnt handing him a draft and leaving with no car till it cleared

Pat Is The Baker

Wildly Boaring wrote: »

He gonna give you keys as you hand draft?

This can be slightly catch 22.

As a buyer this is what I'd want
As s seller I'd be wary of dud draft.

Last time I bought privately I handed draft in his bank. They verified authentic and he handed me the keys.

He was a lovely fella but I wasnt handing him a draft and leaving with no car till it cleared

Seller has agreed to the draft, so that's giving some peace of mind?

bazz26

I wouldn't be rushed or pressured into spending that amount of money on a private sale. Take your time and get the car checked out fully. Since the car is located in Dublin it might be worth having it inspected by a local Mercedes dealer. If the seller has a problem with that then tell them hold onto it. If they have nothing to hide then they should have no problem with a main dealer inspecting it.

Also what reason has the seller given for selling it only 6 months after importing it?

the_syco

laurpat wrote: »

The car was a UK import and the current buyer has it only 6 months.

This would be a red flag for me. Although he could have a legit reason, he could have also just had it serviced, and an issue was found by the garage.

laurpat wrote: »

Seller has agreed to the draft, so that's giving some peace of mind?

Has he agreed to give you the car when you give him the draft, or does he plan on keeping the car until the draft clears? Accepting the draft doesn't mean he'll give you the keys.

Pat Is The Baker

the_syco wrote: »

Has he agreed to give you the car when you give him the draft, or does he plan on keeping the car until the draft clears? Accepting the draft doesn't mean he'll give you the keys.

Yes - He will hand over the car when I hand him the draft.

Pat Is The Baker

bazz26 wrote: »

Also what reason has the seller given for selling it only 6 months after importing it?

I was told that he's finding it too small for the family...

CharlieCroker

Have you a link to the ad?

Atlantic Dawn

Check the VLC that it wasn't imported VRT exempt in which case he can't sell it for a year without paying the VRT.

jmreire

From the technical side, see if you can get some mechanic to inspect it , and get him / her to run either a "STAR" or "iCarsoft" OBD scan on it...any faults that are present will show up on that... if the seller objects.... walk, and keep walking. Other than that, his push to complete the deal may mean nothing more than he need's the cash. To buy from a private seller, you would need to be buying at a very good "below" the average dealership price. These mercs can be expensive to fix if they go wrong, and buying privately means generally no guarantee.

Wildly Boaring

jmreire wrote: »

From the technical side, see if you can get some mechanic to inspect it , and get him / her to run either a "STAR" or "iCarsoft" OBD scan on it...any faults that are present will show up on that... if the seller objects.... walk, and keep walking. Other than that, his push to complete the deal may mean nothing more than he need's the cash. To buy from a private seller, you would need to be buying at a very good "below" the average dealership price. These mercs can be expensive to fix if they go wrong, and buying privately means generally no guarantee.

Curious
Would the VIN be on the software too.

Cloning is my biggest fear on a decent secondhand

jmreire

Yes, once either the STAR or iCarsoft obd scanners are plugged in, the go straight to VID, plus the data which is stored in all car's computer systems..... To alter data at that level is not something that the ordinary guy would be capable of, or even attempt.

aaakev

Op have you seen the mercedes service history? if you have want to send me the vin ill run it in the morning and check the mercedes digital service history, if it was damaged and presented to a main dealer it should show up.

Id definitely recommend an independent assessor take a look at it, it will be the best €300 you ever spend before handing over the cash on a private sale because if you find out down the line ot was a write off of badly damaged you are up **** creak

jmreire

Google " where is VIN located in Mercedes Benz" it will tell you all you need to know to locate it in the car you are interested.

Pat Is The Baker

aaakev wrote: »

Op have you seen the mercedes service history? if you have want to send me the vin ill run it in the morning and check the mercedes digital service history, if it was damaged and presented to a main dealer it should show up.

Id definitely recommend an independent assessor take a look at it, it will be the best €300 you ever spend before handing over the cash on a private sale because if you find out down the line ot was a write off of badly damaged you are up **** creak

Thank you so much for the offer - I've just sent through the details there now.

Can you recommend a garage / assessor that would be in the Dublin area?

aaakev

laurpat wrote: »

Thank you so much for the offer - I've just sent through the details there now.

Can you recommend a garage / assessor that would be in the Dublin area?

Edge Anderson are ones that call me for valuations all the time and also assess Ireland. They are all mechanical engineers so should be fine for what you need. Ill check out your message now

Pat Is The Baker

WHERE DO I START...... Completely Gutted...

Car turns out to have been a Cat D write off which happened with it was only 2 months old (09/11/2016). The owner never mentioned any word of damage until challenged and then insisted that the car had a small tip on the rear.

The car also is recorded as stolen and recovered in Ireland.

UK Registration X and X

Irish Registration - X

It's well worth using Motorcheck.ie or similar..

bazz26

You dodged a bullet there.

mickdw

laurpat wrote: »

WHERE DO I START...... Completely Gutted...

Car turns out to have been a Cat D write off which happened with it was only 2 months old (09/11/2016). The owner never mentioned any word of damage until challenged and then insisted that the car had a small tip on the rear.

The car also is recorded as stolen and recovered in Ireland.

UK Registration FEL111X and YK66GHW

Irish Registration - 162 WX 1467

It's well worth using Motorcheck.ie or similar..

I thought you had got the all clear on all these checks already.
This couldn't be further from all clear.

Pat Is The Baker

mickdw wrote: »

I thought you had got the all clear on all these checks already.
This couldn't be further from all clear.

I had checked fiance through a finance house and got confirmed the car wasn't currently stolen...

Agree 100%

aaakev

The full main dealer service history is not there either, it only has one recorded minor service at 16k miles and a loose bumper repaired at 1,100 miles.

Henry Ford III

Run Forest run!

IrishZeus

Gutted, but thousands of euro richer than you would have been down the line. Fair play for doing all your checks.

Dia1988

Any link to the advert OP to ward off other potential buyers!

It's always good to go with your hunch, there were reasons why he was selling after 6 months. The car being too small for family never washes!

Pat Is The Baker

Dia1988 wrote: »

Any link to the advert OP to ward off other potential buyers!

Add has vanished...

Would be no harm to put up a detailed description of the car I would imagine, and photos you may have saved from the ad.

road_high

Just shows the quality of advice on here. Saved the op a lot of potential loss and heartbreak down the line.
Spending that kind of money there are plenty of good and less risky options available

road_high

Now you know why he was in such a big rush to sell sell sell!

Dia1988

The 162 WX 1467 car is also down as having 3 Irish owners.

Exported from UK in September 2017

Wildly Boaring

road_high wrote: »

Just shows the quality of advice on here. Saved the op a lot of potential loss and heartbreak down the line.
Spending that kind of money there are plenty of good and less risky options available

Well one thing we missed was a Cartell report.
I assumed from the OP one was done.

First stop should be get UK reg and check MOT history. This is free.

Then pay the €30 or whatever for cartell or equivalent.

Pretty sure this one would have flagged at step 2.