Recently sold my Audi A6 without fault and need advice

1jcdub · 29-05-2017 01:52PM #1

I recently sold my faultless 2012 Audi A6 multitronic to a private buyer. He test drove the car about 3 weeks previous to purchase. The new owner had never driven an automatic car before so he was a little hesitant behind the wheel on his test drive, but it went well in general and left me a deposit a week or so later.
The car was immaculately kept and maintained and had full service history. I never experience one issue with the car in the 2 years I had ownership. I asked him if he was arranging a mechanic to inspect the car before he was due to collect it and he said he was happy enough as the car was immaculate. Long story short. The new owner collected the car and a few days later text me to say that the car was revving in reverse with no drive and that he hoped I hadn't f**led him over. The gearbox operated as normal while driving forward but when put into reverse the car will rev like it was in neutral but there was no drive while in reverse. As a courtesy, I've arranged for a mechanic to look at the car and plug in diagnostics to see if there's any fault present.
So my question is, what if this is an expensive problem to fix. Should I contribute towards the cost repair, or contribute anything at all? I don't want to leave him high and dry but I'm very limited in funds are after purchasing my new car. The Audi was sold in good faith and without fault and it was without fault throughout my entire ownership with no sign of any underlying issues with the gearbox.

Any advice offered I'd truly appreciate.

endacl · 29-05-2017 01:55PM

Good of you to offer the check, but you've no obligations here as the sale was private. Reads like you acted honourably through the process.

Personally, I'd adopt a 'best of luck with your future endeavours' stance.

db · 29-05-2017 01:56PM

Sold as seen. He carried out all the checks he wanted to and was happy so you have no obligation towards him. Arranging for a mechanic to look at the car was a bad idea, you should not have had any other contact with him.

hidinginthebush · 29-05-2017 01:56PM

You're under no obligation to pay for the repairs. He bought the car as he saw it, he could have had a mechanic look over it fully before hand.

Soarer · 29-05-2017 01:57PM

Not to sound harsh, but he's on his own. He test drove the car, and had the opportunity to get a mechanic. You shouldn't even have arranged for the mechanic.

Seeing as he's not used to an automatic, what's to say he messed up the gear change at some stage and has goosed the 'box?

ba_barabus · 29-05-2017 02:00PM

Caveat Emptor

grogi · 29-05-2017 02:01PM

1jcdub wrote: »

Any advice offered I'd truly appreciate.

Don't offer anything. In doing so you are admitting you feel at fault and that could be used against you in future.

"I am really sorry it broke down, I really understand your frustration. I did not know nothing about it and sold the car in the best faith. From now on, you're on your own".

sbsquarepants · 29-05-2017 02:02PM

Depends - is this a friend of yours or connected to you in some way that you want to keep him sweet?

If not - caveat emptor.
It's up to him to make sure he's happy with things before buying, he said he was happy - you didn't tell him any lies, it's just bad luck. His bad luck. If he'd crashed it 2 days after buying, or it was stolen, would you feel obliged to help?

1jcdub · 29-05-2017 02:05PM

endacl wrote: »

Good of you to offer the check, but you've no obligations here as the sale was private. Reads like you acted honourably through the process.

Personally, I'd adopt a 'best of luck with your future endeavours' stance.

I'm worried that if I contribute anything towards the costs of repair I'll be showing liable in some way.
I do feel sorry for the new owner hence why I'd try make a small contribution as a form of goodwill, but I don't want him to think because I offer a financial contribution towards costs regardless how small that I was admitting there any was a problem before I sold it. There wasn't any issue with the car what so ever.

1jcdub · 29-05-2017 02:06PM

db wrote: »

Sold as seen. He carried out all the checks he wanted to and was happy so you have no obligation towards him. Arranging for a mechanic to look at the car was a bad idea, you should not have had any other contact with him.

He's lives locally so I didn't want any hassle or trouble.

frozenfrozen · 29-05-2017 02:08PM

Well look at it like this, if you were the type of person to fob off a fooked car when he called back to tell you about it he would have heard the beep associated with a burner phone having been turned off.

1jcdub · 29-05-2017 02:11PM

I'm currently away for a week on a family holiday and it's constantly on my mind. Both myself and wife are stressed about it. Hence the post and advice to try ease our minds

1jcdub · 29-05-2017 02:14PM

sbsquarepants wrote: »

Depends - is this a friend of yours or connected to you in some way that you want to keep him sweet?

If not - caveat emptor.
It's up to him to make sure he's happy with things before buying, he said he was happy - you didn't tell him any lies, it's just bad luck. His bad luck. If he'd crashed it 2 days after buying, or it was stolen, would you feel obliged to help?

He's not a friend. I thought I was very fair with the sale. I had another buyer interested in the car and I held it for him while he came back with the deposit a week later. Then I held the car for 3 weeks while he organised his funds.

68 lost souls · 29-05-2017 02:17PM

Hes not used to manual, he could well have done some damage himself and caveat emptor

JoeA3 · 29-05-2017 02:22PM

This kind of thing has come up many times here before.

You don't do anything. In fact, even offering to get it checked / put on diagnostics is offering too much. You sold the car as seen and in good faith. He had his opportunity to have it inspected by his own mechanic and he choose not to. This is the risk people take when buying privately rather than from a dealer. A dealer would be obliged to provide some form of warranty cover - you, as a private seller, are not. It is entirely his problem now.

I say - forget about it and enjoy your holiday.

BorneTobyWilde · 29-05-2017 02:27PM

Forget the laws and the fact he is entitled to nothing. If you can help him out then it's the right thing to do. I know I would.

1jcdub · 29-05-2017 02:29PM

I just received this texts from the new owner

"Hi,

Sorry to bother you again on your holidays I'm obviously just very concerned about the car and I can't afford to wait until Saturday to discuss the cost of fixing it or how this can be paid. To be honest Ive literally given you all I have so financially I wouldn't be in any position to pay for this, regardless of the cost. The car as it stands is useless to me after having it a day"

Another text

" I'd appricate if you could let me know your thought's on this or whether you'd be in a position to cover the cost of it as I've paid a large amount of money for something thats no use to me ..I really hope you can understand my side of things and we can come to a amicable decision.. Thanks "

givyjoe · 29-05-2017 02:29PM

1jcdub wrote: »

He's not a friend. I thought I was very fair with the sale. I had another buyer interested in the car and I held it for him while he came back with the deposit a week later. Then I held the car for 3 weeks while he organised his funds.

Are you sure there is there definitely an issue with the car? As in perhaps this guy literally hasn't a bean on what he's doing. Is the car definitely being put into reverse..? Is the electronic parking brake still on (making an assumption it does actually have one here).

Even if there is a fault with the car, it's not your issue. You've done enough, if you can't afford to do any more, don't. If you're dealing with a shady character, you may want to re-asses your options though.

frozenfrozen · 29-05-2017 02:30PM

ask them have they turned off the electronic handbrake on the car...!

givyjoe · 29-05-2017 02:32PM

frozenfrozen wrote: »

ask them have they turned off the electronic handbrake on the car...!

I mentioned this in my earlier post, but I actually sold an a6 which had constant problems with the EPB. I eventually stopped using it as it would literally be stuck 'on'.

Deise Vu · 29-05-2017 02:34PM

1jcdub wrote: »

I'm worried that if I contribute anything towards the costs of repair I'll be showing liable in some way.
I do feel sorry for the new owner hence why I'd try make a small contribution as a form of goodwill, but I don't want him to think because I offer a financial contribution towards costs regardless how small that I was admitting there any was a problem before I sold it. There wasn't any issue with the car what so ever.

This bit. If you do anything for him you need to get something in writing that it is a gesture of goodwill and that the purchaser acknowledges that there were no guarantees with the car, otherwise you are opening up a can of worms.

Hopefully he is as decent as you are and accepts your offer in good faith. The problem is, with a 5 year old automatic Audi, there is a decent amount of money involved and he faces losing a packet if there is a serious problem.

You need to present this as an either / or package. Either he signs the acknowledgement or you tell him to GTFO, you don't know what he did with the car in the meantime. If he won't sign, he is as much as telling you he will enforce a guarantee that you didn't give him and your only protection is to tell him to produce the non-existing contract and not give him an implied guarantee by paying his bills for him.

ba_barabus · 29-05-2017 02:34PM

1jcdub wrote: »

I just received this texts from the new owner

"Hi,

Sorry to bother you again on your holidays I'm obviously just very concerned about the car and I can't afford to wait until Saturday to discuss the cost of fixing it or how this can be paid. To be honest Ive literally given you all I have so financially I wouldn't be in any position to pay for this, regardless of the cost. The car as it stands is useless to me after having it a day"

Another text

" I'd appricate if you could let me know your thought's on this or whether you'd be in a position to cover the cost of it as I've paid a large amount of money for something thats no use to me ..I really hope you can understand my side of things and we can come to a amicable decision.. Thanks "

OP, tell him to stop texting you on your holidays and that you sold the car in good faith and in good condition.

Turn your phone off and forget about it.

It REALLY isn't your issue or anything for YOU to worry about.

frozenfrozen · 29-05-2017 02:35PM

It should have occurred to me sooner that this could be the issue but I've seen my dad completely bamboozled by the car not reversing because the auto parking brake has turned on automatically and it doesn't always turn off automatically if you're on a decent enough gradient, you need to hold the brake and manually turn it off.

BorneTobyWilde · 29-05-2017 02:39PM

1jcdub wrote: »

I just received this texts from the new owner

"Hi,

Sorry to bother you again on your holidays I'm obviously just very concerned about the car and I can't afford to wait until Saturday to discuss the cost of fixing it or how this can be paid. To be honest Ive literally given you all I have so financially I wouldn't be in any position to pay for this, regardless of the cost. The car as it stands is useless to me after having it a day"

Another text

" I'd appricate if you could let me know your thought's on this or whether you'd be in a position to cover the cost of it as I've paid a large amount of money for something thats no use to me ..I really hope you can understand my side of things and we can come to a amicable decision.. Thanks "

What is mileage on this car?
How many times did you change oil in gearbox since you owned it ?

1jcdub · 29-05-2017 02:39PM

frozenfrozen wrote: »

It should have occurred to me sooner that this could be the issue but I've seen my dad completely bamboozled by the car not reversing because the auto parking brake has turned on automatically and it doesn't always turn off automatically if you're on a decent enough gradient, you need to hold the brake and manually turn it off.

I had the new owner double check that all is working correctly with the electronic handbrake.

frozenfrozen · 29-05-2017 02:42PM

it's still a possibility something is wrong with the driver of the car rather than the car itself. Maybe have him put it into neutral and roll the car to see if the parking brake is seized or still hasn't been turned off properly

1jcdub · 29-05-2017 02:43PM

BorneTobyWilde wrote: »

What is mileage on this car?
How many times did you change oil in gearbox since you owned it ?

the gearbox was changed at 40k miles and I had it done then I bought it for peace of mind about 40k Kms ago. It's due again in 20k kms

Lantus · 29-05-2017 02:45PM

For all you know he's abused the car and caused damage but is using his anger to pressure you into repairing his car. Because let's be honest it's not yours anymore as you sold it.

You are not a shop or a business and you openly suggested a mechanic. He refused and bought any way.

Cars are mechanical and can break anytime. I'd be more inclined to believe that he has done something being un used to an auto.

Stop taking his calls and move on.

It's his car now and his responsibility to pay for it.

29-05-2017 02:45PM

Buyer beware in these situations, sorry but he was checking the car out weeks before he bought it, you don't owe him anything at all, sounds to me like he hasn't a clue how to drive an automatic and has messed something up along the line...

Henry Ford III · 29-05-2017 02:47PM

He shouldn't have bought your car OP. He overstretched (according to his own text message).

He also didn't get the car inspected (not that it'd have made any difference).

I'd just say "Sorry I cannot help you. Car was perfect when it was sold to you".

Deise Vu · 29-05-2017 02:55PM

1jcdub wrote: »

I just received this texts from the new owner

"Hi,

Sorry to bother you again on your holidays I'm obviously just very concerned about the car and I can't afford to wait until Saturday to discuss the cost of fixing it or how this can be paid. To be honest Ive literally given you all I have so financially I wouldn't be in any position to pay for this, regardless of the cost. The car as it stands is useless to me after having it a day"

Another text

" I'd appricate if you could let me know your thought's on this or whether you'd be in a position to cover the cost of it as I've paid a large amount of money for something thats no use to me ..I really hope you can understand my side of things and we can come to a amicable decision.. Thanks "

He knows you are on holidays and yet he is sending you these texts? To be honest it sounds like he is trying to get you to commit to doing something and getting it in writing. Be very, very careful what you reply and, ideally, as others have said, don't reply at all. You did everything you could, it sounds like the purchaser is trying to trap you. If you feel you must do something, tell him you will talk to him when you get home.

Do not put any financial commitments into a text message!!!!

Recently sold my Audi A6 without fault and need advice

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