Ever sell a car to a clueless idiot?

patrick66 said:

Never, EVER "fix" a vehicle after you've sold it!!! Period! In a bill of sale, you write "Vehicle is sold AS-IS, WHERE-IS, with NO guarantees or warranties of ANY kind; whether oral, written, expressed or implied!" and have the buyer sign TWO copies - one for you and one for him.

In many states, if the seller (even a private seller) repairs a car that he/she has sold to a buyer, THAT implies a warranty situation exists. It can turn into a serious nightmare! I am NOT a lawyer of any kind, nor is this to be construed as legal advise! If the guy you sold the car to persists in harassing you, call your lawyer. He can issue a "cease and desist" letter to the buyer. That will usually shut him up.

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Most states have an "intended purpose" law that also attaches to vehicle sales. Basically it states that if you sell a vehicle for the purposes of say transportation, it must meet that intended purpose. I had a young airman working for me aboard the USS Saratoga who bought an "as is, no warranty" car from one of the "We Finance Anyone" rip-off dealerships in Norfolk. The kid told me it wasn't running right, so I looked at it and saw loads of coolant in the oil. It was Fall, and we hadn't had any freezing temps since Winter, so I knew the block hadn't cracked since the kid bought it. We took the car back to the dealership and the guy tried the "sorry, but the car was sold as is with no warranty" and I told him selling a car with a bad engine for use as transportation is against the intended use law and this would be going to court. The guy refunded the kid his money and I helped him get a better car.

So even stating "as is" isn't always a get out of jail free card. You also need to state that the car is being sold with mechanical issues that will need to be repaired before the car is fully useable as transportation.

I always try to write a lengthy description of the car that I am selling. I realized that when people read the description and come over they can't complain about something that I listed in the description. When I was selling my first roadrunner, I must have had three people ask about the engine. I had replaced the engine before I sold it, and it ran well. I had described it fairly reasonably with a list of the numbers the car put out when I had the car tested. Basically just a stock 400ci engine. I just told people to look back to the description and never heard back from most of them. I knew what they were about, when people ask stupid questions like that they are just looking and have no intention to buy the car. I try to answer any questions about the product when selling on eBay or Craigslist, but when people ask things that I have already described I cannot help them.

to answer the OP question
YES I certainly have

whatever happened to BUYER BEWARE??? This happened to a girlfriend of mine a while back, she sold another girl her Saab, and the girl starts texting her about all these problems that started happening. I was totally blown away!!! I didn't think anyone would ever do such a thing.
Makes you realize a lot of people out there are entitled babies that can't handle things on their own.

Bruzilla said:

Most states have an "intended purpose" law that also attaches to vehicle sales. Basically it states that if you sell a vehicle for the purposes of say transportation, it must meet that intended purpose. I had a young airman working for me aboard the USS Saratoga who bought an "as is, no warranty" car from one of the "We Finance Anyone" rip-off dealerships in Norfolk. The kid told me it wasn't running right, so I looked at it and saw loads of coolant in the oil. It was Fall, and we hadn't had any freezing temps since Winter, so I knew the block hadn't cracked since the kid bought it. We took the car back to the dealership and the guy tried the "sorry, but the car was sold as is with no warranty" and I told him selling a car with a bad engine for use as transportation is against the intended use law and this would be going to court. The guy refunded the kid his money and I helped him get a better car.

So even stating "as is" isn't always a get out of jail free card. YIs ou also need to state that the car is being sold with mechanical issues that will need to be repaired before the car is fully useable as transportation.

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Is there any difference between a business selling a used car and a private party? I also thought cars bought off used car lots came with a 30 day warranty. Im not sure however if thats true as a lot can happen with a junker in 30 days

did you post the same thread on yellowbullet ? you got some funny and good advice over there too.

steve from staten island said:

Is there any difference between a business selling a used car and a private party? I also thought cars bought off used car lots came with a 30 day warranty. Im not sure however if thats true as a lot can happen with a junker in 30 days

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Dealers and individuals fall under different laws. Dealers are NOT required to offer up a warranty on used cars, nor are individuals.

fanucme said:

did you post the same thread on yellowbullet ? you got some funny and good advice over there too.

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Yeah I did. One guy suggested buying a "burner" pre-paid phone for craigslist ads. GREAT idea to filter out the idiots.

Let me tell you guys one I bought a 72 mustang mach 1 351c car for my wife I payed 2k for it it was in need of everything and was hit hard in the front so after I got this thing home and really saw how bad it was I put it for sale (I was very truthful) I had a guy come look at this thing (no floors no hood eng locked up) and the a/c not working was a deal breaker (ok what ever) I had at least 20 people come look at this thing and were nit picking over the clear coat is peeling or the windshield had a chip ,so at this point I'm very over this turd so I'm at the point I'll just cut my loss' and scrap this thing , I had a guy come look at it says he wants it I'll give you a running 76 corvette I went looked it over (it was a nice car ) I said fine your vette for my mustang even trade as is he agreed and I got the vette home and he started working on the mustang in my driveway (after I already told him the motor was locked up)so I sold the vette in two days got my cash back and he finally comes to tow the mustang and asked where the vette was told him it sold ,so he got so upset I sold it ,as he was leaveing with the mustang he STOLEN MY TRASH CANS ,then he calls me every day asking me how to fix it "he didn't know how things went back together" so after I put him on blocked caller he started driveing by the house to see if I was home ,of course my wife didn't like this so I had to make the call to my cop friends ,well after he got arrested , a few months went by never heard from him till on day I got a letter from what appeared to be an attorneys office stating he was sueing me for selling him a junk car . So after I spoke to my cop Friends we decided he typed this up him self and they went to arrest him agen ,well something Happend and he pulled a gun on the police,so now he's liveing at a place for crazy people and isn't ever getting out . A few mouths later I get a notice that my 72 mustang needed to be picked up or it would be auctioned I guess the house was seized and the car came back in my name ,I told them to auction the car and they could keep the money for funding ,so yes I've had some real winners buy things from me it's very important to write as is and try not to sell it at your house you might get a new crazy friend. I know this sounds made up but this is 100% true even the part where I buy a mustang (we all make mistakes)

Holy RUN ON sentence, Batman!!

I was never good with grammar you must for give me

Kern Dog said:

I have been buying and selling cars over the years to fund my various car projects. Some I buy as a neglected rolling chassis needing a fresh engine and some TLC. I have sold cars locally and on Ebay. My feedback is good.
Last year I began selling more stuff to put together some money to buy a 2015 Challenger. I had a 78 Plymouth Trail Duster that I'd owned since 2011. It was bought with the intentions of taking the wife camping or just some off road fun. I put a rebuilt trans in it, added a new Sure Grip rear diff and kept it in great tune. It was fun but I rarely drove it. I figured it was better to sell it rather than to let it sit unused. I priced it at $2850 and let the market decide what it was worth. I had plenty of calls and sold it within a few days to a local guy for $2500 He was happy to find an unmolested 440 Truck, one that hadn't been crashed or hacked up.
A week later, the calls started. He said the wipers didn't work, the heater didn't work, why is the steering loose, etc. I did forget to replace the nylon linkage parts for the wipers, so I agreed to fix the wipers. he came over, I offered to fix them after I looked at the heater. I flipped the slide lever on the A/C and Heater controls and the fan blew just like it should. "What did you do? Did you just FIX it?" Yeah...I just fixed it because I am so brilliant, I know how to move a switch.
He must have been embarrassed because he made an excuse to leave early, saying he will just fix the wipers himself.
A month goes by, he starts texting with accusations of how I ripped him off, writing that the truck is hard to start after sitting a few weeks. I tried to call back because text arguing is totally stupid to me. STRAIGHT to voice mail. I tried to be amicable because I figure the guy is just used to newer cars with fewer quirks. Over the last 2 months, he pops up occasionally to bitch about something, as if all cars come with a lifetime customer service agreement. Still blocking incoming calls, by the way. I have plenty of experience with old cars, so it is no big deal to use starting fluid to get a ThermoQuad equipped 440 alive after sitting awhile. I am used to wind noise through the windows, the sloppy overboosted Mopar steering, etc. This assclown must have expected new car feel for $2500.
I am not a fan of Censorship. I do not put anyone on an "ignore" list on any forum I frequent. This guy was the first that i ever felt the need to add to the "Block this caller" list on my phone.

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Yes. I sold a 1967 Mustang convertible to a man, who "just had to have it", for #4500.00. It was a running, driving, car with an operating top and some small rust on the body at the rear wheel wells and the frame under the trunk on both sides. I took pictures of the car inside and out, with the top up and down etc. because my brother wanted to see it. He was a Mustang collector. He said no so I put it up for sale. I didn't put anything like "as is" or a detailed description on it because the guy was there, and I showed him everything!!. He acted really happy to get a great deal! Drove it away smiling. He sent a letter from his lawyer a month later stating that I sold him the car saying that the 302 V8 ran and the top worked and there was no rust. But that he found out that the engine was seized up , the top did not work and was missing a lot of parts, and that it was badly rusted! It said he wanted the money back, damages, and to pay the legal fees! I was floored! I took this POS letter to a lawyer that worked with one of my brothers and he asked if I had any proof that the guy was full of crap? I said...well yeah...I have pictures..of the car and of him while he was looking at it, and driving away in it. Unknown to me at the time, my wife had been snapping pics of the yard from the porch because we had just done a lot of landscaping and she had several of us too. Come to find out , he had taken the car back to his place and pulled engine, replacing it with a rusted out seized up 302, he had taken the parts he wanted off of the convertible top gear, and had pulled both doors and the hood and the trunk and put rusted out , beat up ones back on, in several colors!!. Needless to say when we all finally sat down in the conference room across the table to settle this sh*t , I had some fun. My lawyer let them go first and we sat and listened while this bum said all sorts of vile crap about me and the car and demanded the sun and the moon in damages etc. When he finished my lawyer said, " OK". He then started laying out 8x10 color pictures of the car and the guy while looking at the car. The pics had the date in them. After a minute or two the other lawyer looked at mine and said, Hmmm, I see." He then got up and walked out!!
The bum was speechless, and his face was white as a sheet. My lawyer slide a bill for his services across the table to him and said," I will expect payment in 30 days. Don't pay and I will drop on you from a very great height." We got up and left. I never heard from him again and he paid the lawyer the next week. I have never sold another car. period.

I read this post with a grin and fear at the same time. This (nonexistent) warranty stuff plagues small businesses too. People do this crazy $#it at Wally's and other places, and they put up with it in fear of loosing business. What happens... every one else is supposed to (it's assumed) have the "same" policy. Screwing up things and returning them, having something bought elsewhere, and returning it, having something for 6-8-10 months, and returning it, having no paperwork and returning it, altering something and returning it. OR AT LEAST ATTEMPTING TOO!. This scenario goes for cars , parts, and EVEYTHING ELSE you can think of with the possible exception of tobacco and liquor.
We had an attempted return last week on something that was totally altered, Wallys would have taken it back I'm sure (if they were in the parts biz) But we didn't, things can only go so far.........

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Rocketman said:

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Judges have still sided with idiot consumers in court around these parts. BIGS knows lots of car lots.......... You mean a $2995 used car doesn't have a lifetime bumper to bumper warranty??? :jerk:

Sold a 95 Cavalier years ago for asking $1300. The brother of the female buyer did all the negotiating. Agreed on 1100. Good car in perfect condition. She shows up with him at delivery and says can only pay 1000. I agreed. I still think about it. Pissed me off, should have kept the goddam car. When she test drove it through the parking lot she flew like a fool. Doubt she made it home without wrecking it. Lousy Cultural experience. They communicated in another language for the durationof the deal although both spoke English. I hope it overheated or seized.

I've had people give me $ to "hold" a car for them and I always have them sign a form (with witnesses) that this $ is a non-refundable deposit to hold the vehicle and not a down payment. An old friend that was a dealer told me to do it this way. He's not a lawyer and I'm sure the laws vary for state to state, but I haven't had any trouble since I've used this procedure.

That sounds like a sure fire way to cut the stupid out of stuff.

Moparsmitty said:

I've had people give me $ to "hold" a car for them and I always have them sign a form (with witnesses) that this $ is a non-refundable deposit to hold the vehicle and not a down payment. An old friend that was a dealer told me to do it this way. He's not a lawyer and I'm sure the laws vary for state to state, but I haven't had any trouble since I've used this procedure.

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i had a 68 Plymouth Sport Satellite, put a 440 with sixpack and 4:10s in it. the car ran hot, but the radiator hole was small, the engine was mean, the prospective buyer didnt like my 6500$ price (1998)...he low balls at 3500...wtf...i counter at 5500, we end up around 4500, with the condition that the sixpack came off, and a Holley 750 with Edelbrock RPM intake in its place, and the 4:10 possi would come out, and a 3:23 sure grip in its place.

the douche-nozzle plagued me for over a year with different drama...he was calling me long distance even after i moved from Utah, to Cali...omg...

the constantly complained about the drivability...509 mopar cam...im like well, it needs more compression and a better carb to tune it more to his liking, after i had this conversation 3 or 4 times, i had to change my number, and told my folks to tell the guy that i left the country with the peace corps...

Had a guy blame me for a bent hood and busted windshield. I should have told him a hood needed latched. Did I mention it was an old cj5 that he had had for over a year since he bought it?