Used Car Purchase

[one...two...tree 2,762]

After searching through countless ads in the Auto Trader, Pennysaver, Cars.com, and Craigslist, I found an older Honda Civic that sounded like a good deal. I went to the seller's place, looked it over, noticed a few issues (back tires are well worn, paint has faded, cracked on the rear bumper and the right door shakes at lower RPM's), and then made an offer. The seller, a nice college student, said he needed the car a little longer as his only transportation until he flies home to Sri Lanka for the Winter break. I asked him when could I have the car then? He said on the 26th of December, so I agreed to give him half of the money in cash as a deposit and we wrote up a sales contract which stated the delivery of the car would be on the 26th. I even included a clause that if the car is in an accident before that time, the sales would be null and void.

I drove home this morning wondering if I should have given him a personal check as a deposit instead of cash, but I felt the contract was sufficient along with his word and handshake. Then he called me 2 hours later to ask if he could hang onto the car longer than the 26th (he leaves for Sri Lanka on the 5th of January). I told him I'd talk with my wife, but we needed a car asap because she's pregnant and finding it more difficult taking the city bus to and from work when I can't drive her.

I called him back and he understood my point of view - I even offered to allow him to back out of the deal as I'm sure he'd have no problem selling the car quickly if he just waited until right before he leaves the country, but he said he didn't want to do that and he'll figure out a way around without a car.

So hopefully, there will be no problems with getting the car 10 days from now, but it does bother me that I gave him a thousand in cash and left with nothing but a sales contract that we both signed.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

... but it does bother me that I gave him a thousand in cash and left with nothing but a sales contract that we both signed.

If it really bothers you, you shouldn't have done it.

[Flames9_RN 359]

wow, ur a trusting guy!!! I wouldnt have given him anything, but would have rather waited till the 26th to do the whole transaction!! Hard to enforce a contract when he isnt even in the USA. Hope it works out for ya!!

[ThaiStyleUSA 1]

This is just my opinion...I would not go through this type of deal. Unless you put in the contract that if something happens to the car between now and then; who is liable for it. Did you have a witness as well for signing the contract? I don't know for me anyway...giving someone thousand dollars and have nothing in return...very risky.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

wow, ur a trusting guy!!! I wouldnt have given him anything, but would have rather waited till the 26th to do the whole transaction!! Hard to enforce a contract when he isnt even in the USA. Hope it works out for ya!!

I know it was a bit hasty as I went there expecting to drive the car back with me, and when he accepted my offer - that was the time that he sprung it on me that he needed to keep the car for about a week longer for transportation. It seemed like a reasonable plea, but nevertheless, unsettling in afterthought. With classified cars, if it's a good deal, they go fast...I found the right make and model, in the shape I wanted and didn't want to pass up the chance.

[Jasman0717 9]

Buy a gas guzzler, you can save a fortune on the price

[Ban Hammer 14,655]

steven steven steven........are you the guinea pig for nigerian scams?

[natty bumppo 297]

What happens when the car is totaled or not in the same shape?

Steven, Steven .....

[Mags 112]

More than likely you'll be lucky and he is a genuine bloke and honest too. I have to agree with the other comments here in that a cash deposit wasn't the most sensible thing you could have ever done. Something else to consider is that he has done this to a few other people too, all of whom have given him a deposit and are expecting the car in a week or so. He has made a few grand out of it and is then leaving the country. As has been mentioned before it is hard to enforce a contract if the other party is out of the country...and only one of you will get the car at the end of it. It might be worth your while to get someone to phone him, pretending to be an interested buyer, and see if the car is still available. If it is, you might be able to get the police involved and re-coup your money before it's too late.

I really hope you haven't been conned out of a grand, I really do.

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

Steven... interested in a bridge or some prime real estate in Florida?

[russ 1]

Steven... interested in a bridge or some prime real estate in Florida?

Well, if he signed a lien against the title to you, you don't have much to worry about.

At the same time, he could have just rented a car for the week or two, it isn't that expensive. ($200 maybe?)

I wouldn't have given him cash without the car and title.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

More than likely you'll be lucky and he is a genuine bloke and honest too. I have to agree with the other comments here in that a cash deposit wasn't the most sensible thing you could have ever done. Something else to consider is that he has done this to a few other people too, all of whom have given him a deposit and are expecting the car in a week or so. He has made a few grand out of it and is then leaving the country. As has been mentioned before it is hard to enforce a contract if the other party is out of the country...and only one of you will get the car at the end of it. It might be worth your while to get someone to phone him, pretending to be an interested buyer, and see if the car is still available. If it is, you might be able to get the police involved and re-coup your money before it's too late.

I really hope you haven't been conned out of a grand, I really do.

Good idea, Mags. I'll have someone call his number tomorrow.

[mawilson 2,133]

He has made a few grand out of it and is then leaving the country.

Leaving the country with, what, 10 grand? 20 grand? He wouldn't be the brightest tool in the shed if he did that.

I really don't see a problem leaving a cash deposit. You'll be just fine, Pants.

[Empress of Groovy 373]

Yikes, Steve.

I hope the seller is an honest guy, but even more than that, you should have had a mechanic check it out before you decided to buy it based on what it looks like. (I don't mean to assume that you don't have mechanical knowledge, but you didn't mention it in your original post.)

I wouldn't buy a car for any amount of money before taking it to my mechanic to look it over. It could need $1,500 worth of work within the next few months and you (or indeed the seller) wouldn't know.

Sorry, I know I sound like someone's overbearing dad, but I've bought and sold a few used cars, and a hour's worth of a mechanic's labor to do a prebuy is money well spent!

I sincerely hope the seller's honest and that the car doesn't need any major work. Civics are great cars (we have one), but stuff needs to be replaced every now and then!

[natty bumppo 297]

Yikes, Steve.

I hope the seller is an honest guy, but even more than that, you should have had a mechanic check it out before you decided to buy it based on what it looks like. (I don't mean to assume that you don't have mechanical knowledge, but you didn't mention it in your original post.)

I wouldn't buy a car for any amount of money before taking it to my mechanic to look it over. It could need $1,500 worth of work within the next few months and you (or indeed the seller) wouldn't know.

Sorry, I know I sound like someone's overbearing dad, but I've bought and sold a few used cars, and a hour's worth of a mechanic's labor to do a prebuy is money well spent!

I sincerely hope the seller's honest and that the car doesn't need any major work. Civics are great cars (we have one), but stuff needs to be replaced every now and then!

Heck ... I know people who would collect the buyers $$$ then take the car for a ride ... and not a pretty ride knowing the car belongs to someone else.

Edited December 16, 2007 by Natty Bumppo