S211 E55K Estate on AT

[rockits]

I can understand your frustration and annoyance at this.
I had the same thing happen to me although I was on the train at the time when I found the car had sold.

If you get your ticket from "Trainline" I believe you can still get a refund on an unused ticket. I know I did when I had to cancel a trip to Rochdale the night before I was due to travel.

Gees, sorry to hear that. Even worse when you were actually travelling there when you found out.

Wasn't from Trainline but the train site itself so will have to check in the morning to see if I can get a refund.

Thinking about it I guess it is no bad thing I didn't buy this example as you never know with these types of sellers if they are to be trusted at their word. What else was wrong with the car I didn't know of kind of thing. It is good to have a decent level of trust and maybe this was not quite the case possibly here.

 

[AMGeed]

^ It's really annoying and bad form after reaching an agreement but I can also see the situation from the sellers POV.

He didn't know for certain that a) You'd turn up as arranged and b) You may have pulled out of the sale after viewing.
He had someone turn up, agree to buy the car on the spot and for a bit more money. Human nature says he wouldn't turn down a guaranteed sale.
There is an E55 wagon out there with your name on it. Patience is needed

 

[Will]

I have to be honest - from the seller’s perspective he’s got a buyer in front of him prepared to take the car having viewed it there and then for £500 more, against a buyer who hasn’t seen the car and has already knocked the price down over the phone, who may not even turn up.

If you’d put a deposit on it, fair enough. But for all the seller knows you may not turn up (could have found a better car cheaper etc, or change of mind etc - it happens a lot)

Totally understand the disappointment but if you really want stuff you have to move fast and/or commit straight away. Knocking the price down over the phone and coming a few days later is a risky strategy IMHO.

 

[rockits]

^ It's really annoying and bad form after reaching an agreement but I can also see the situation from the sellers POV.

He didn't know for certain that a) You'd turn up as arranged and b) You may have pulled out of the sale after viewing.
He had someone turn up, agree to buy the car on the spot and for a bit more money. Human nature says he wouldn't turn down a guaranteed sale.
There is an E55 wagon out there with your name on it. Patience is needed

Sure, I totally get that. However, my word is my bond and I do as I say. Maybe this is a rare minority characteristic.

At least I would have expected a phone call to make me aware and give me the opportunity to respond quicker if required. He could have called me to let me know he had received a call from an interested buyer and asked what I wanted to do. I'm kind of glad now really as I don't want to deal with people that work this way.

I also expect the seller would have said that he had a buyer coming to buy the car on Monday for X amount but if you come quicker and pay more I'll let you jump the queue.

I know it is first come first served and until a car is paid for or gone it is still up for discussion in theory. However, when someone has a long journey and costs/time costs you have to agree a correct way to deal with things. Well that is my opinion anyway and we are all different I guess.

If they seller hadn't have had the call he would have been more than happy to continue with the original agreed deal. It is what it is, totally out of my control and nothing I could have done any different really. Just a little annoying.

It sort of happend on the first E55K I enquired about too. They were happy to accept my offer, then another buyer entered discussions and bought the car before I could get across to see it. Slightly different but I'm sure the seller on that one used my offer to pressure the other buyer into a higher price. There is always a bit of a game potentially played maybe I'm just a bit too naive or honest.

 

[Will]

I’ve bought two E55K estates and both were bought blind. One was a 350 mile round trip, and the other the seller was about a 700 mile round trip (but we agreed to meet closer as it worked for both parties).

First car I agreed a deal on the phone in the afternoon and went straight up to buy it that evening with cash. Second car I paid £1/2k deposit and collected the car that weekend.

Point I am making is that you can’t wait a few days and complain if something has sold in the meantime. It’s annoying about the tickets but that’s life.

I didn’t want to lose the cars I was interested in and took an element of risk to purchase blind but I was comfortable. All used cars are a bit of a gamble but you have to go with your gut feeling.

Worst case on the first one I’d have wasted 8 hours and 350 miles worth of petrol. The second one was money as a deposit. Could have lost out but I didn’t. The cars were both okay

Onwards and upwards - if you find another go there to buy it asap and/or agree a price and put a deposit down, seems like they are moving quickly so you have competition!

 

[rockits]

I have to be honest - from the seller’s perspective he’s got a buyer in front of him prepared to take the car having viewed it there and then for £500 more, against a buyer who hasn’t seen the car and has already knocked the price down over the phone, who may not even turn up.

If you’d put a deposit on it, fair enough. But for all the seller knows you may not turn up (could have found a better car cheaper etc, or change of mind etc - it happens a lot)

Totally understand the disappointment but if you really want stuff you have to move fast and/or commit straight away. Knocking the price down over the phone and coming a few days later is a risky strategy IMHO.

Yes, maybe I should have put a holding deposit down but not sure it would have changed anything by the sounds of it. He sold it for £500 more than we had provisionally agreed but was.mote than happy to sell for that provisional price. I suspect if a 3rd potential buyer had come along and offered £11995 then he would have sold it to that buyer the same.

The advertised price is just that and often not paid by many in my experience. The reason I offered a little less than the advertised price is the front tyres were mixed and not matching and the rear tyres were cheap ditch finders. So I had budgeted a wheel refurb and new tyres all round as I never compromise on decent tyres on a car. Especially one with circa 500bhp.

If it were more local I would have gone there on Friday or Sat morning latest just couldn't get there sooner and we had agreed Monday PM was fine with both parties. It was agreed as a sale/collection not just a viewing though but no point crying over split milk.

Personally I would have dealt with it slightly differently but we are all different so there isn't a right or wrong I guess really.

 

[Will]

Yes, maybe I should have put a holding deposit down but not sure it would have changed anything by the sounds of it. He sold it for £500 more than we had provisionally agreed but was.mote than happy to sell for that provisional price. I suspect if a 3rd potential buyer had come along and offered £11995 then he would have sold it to that buyer the same.

The advertised price is just that and often not paid by many in my experience. The reason I offered a little less than the advertised price is the front tyres were mixed and not matching and the rear tyres were cheap ditch finders. So I had budgeted a wheel refurb and new tyres all round as I never compromise on decent tyres on a car. Especially one with circa 500bhp.

If it were more local I would have gone there on Friday or Sat morning latest just couldn't get there sooner and we had agreed Monday PM was fine with both parties. It was agreed as a sale/collection not just a viewing though but no point crying over split milk.

Personally I would have dealt with it slightly differently but we are all different so there isn't a right or wrong I guess really.

I think if you’d put a holding deposit down then the chances of him selling it to someone else would have been much reduced.

Usually ‘deposit taken’ and take the details of other interested parties in case the deal falls through.

 

[rockits]

I think if you’d put a holding deposit down then the chances of him selling it to someone else would have been much reduced.

Usually ‘deposit taken’ and take the details of other interested parties in case the deal falls through.

I had it with my E43 when I had agreed to sell it subject to the buyer coming to collect the car and pay for it. I asked for a deposit to make sure the seller was committed and serious. Even though I had two other higher offers in between agreeing that deal and the car being paid for/collected. I was offered a fair bit more but was happy the the first buyer and to me felt I had entered into a verbally binding agreement at this point deposit or not.

I do agree that maybe the seller should have suggested or asked for a deposit or maybe I should have offered one. We will never know I guess if that still would have held true but onwards and upwards. It wasn't meant to be and maybe something better will come along soon.

 

[Will]

I had it with my E43 when I had agreed to sell it subject to the buyer coming to collect the car and pay for it. I asked for a deposit to make sure the seller was committed and serious. Even though I had two other higher offers in between agreeing that deal and the car being paid for/collected. I was offered a fair bit more but was happy the the first buyer and to me felt I had entered into a verbally binding agreement at this point deposit or not.

I do agree that maybe the seller should have suggested or asked for a deposit or maybe I should have offered one. We will never know I guess if that still would have held true but onwards and upwards. It wasn't meant to be and maybe something better will come along soon.

I think you’ve answered yourself there - as the seller you took a deposit to show the buyer was committed and serious.

Unfortunately when you’re dealing with strangers, your word as good as it may be is not worth anything to them.

Taking a deposit, although not totally watertight, usually sorts the serious buyers from those who perhaps aren’t.

I’m not saying that you weren’t, but if the buyer doesn’t know you, and you’d already knocked the price down over the phone, maybe you would have turned up and tried to knock more money off for the inevitable niggles found, or not turn up at all?

‘First come, first served’ - but I do understand the frustration with the ticket!

 

[rockits]

I think you’ve answered yourself there - as the seller you took a deposit to show the buyer was committed and serious.

Unfortunately when you’re dealing with strangers, your word as good as it may be is not worth anything to them.

Taking a deposit, although not totally watertight, usually sorts the serious buyers from those who perhaps aren’t.

I’m not saying that you weren’t, but if the buyer doesn’t know you, and you’d already knocked the price down over the phone, maybe you would have turned up and tried to knock more money off for the inevitable niggles found, or not turn up at all?

‘First come, first served’ - but I do understand the frustration with the ticket!

Agreed. There was an odd thing he said on the phone in our discussion about the car on Friday which gave me a weird part red flag. He said......a guy at work had offered to buy it but needed to sell his car first. Not sure why he mentioned that and maybe it was a cheap shot as to apply some pressure on me. As soon as someone says something like that it sounds a part red flag but maybe it was genuine and he felt it was in some way relevant I have no idea.

When I called him this afternoon fair play he answered the call but when I said I had booked train tickets he said.....Oh, hadn't realised you were coming by train. He knew where I was and that it was a long journey so not sure how he was expecting me to get there. I had told him my BiL couldn't give me a lift already. All irrelevant really now and lets move on.

 

[rockits]

I'm kind of in a state of limbo on the current E500 Estate I have as there are a couple of things I would like to get done but don't want to commit too much cash into the car just yet. Might be better to offer a cheaper sale price when I sell it rather than get some things done then need try to sell it at a higher price.

I used WelwynMerx in Welwyn Garden City to do a service on it but they are so slow to do anything or even respond it is painful. When I bought the E43 and found a couple of issues the supplying dealer agreed to part compensate for these. They wouldn't send the cash to me though and sent it to WelwynMerx so I am in credit with them as I paid for alloys and tyres separately myself as they were so slow to respond. So I can use that credit or get the balance back from WelwynMerx but it has taken a long time to get any responses from them. Often several weeks to respond and sometimes never until I chase and chase and chase. Not sure why their comms is so bad but I can't recommend WelwynMerx from my experience of the last 6 or so months.

I always used Olly at PCS for years on previous Mercs but it didn't make so much sense for some small quick jobs. It is a day round trip for me pretty much each time. Maybe I need to go back to PCS even for the small jobs or find an alternative more local other than WelwynMerx.

 

[Will]

Agreed. There was an odd thing he said on the phone in our discussion about the car on Friday which gave me a weird part red flag. He said......a guy at work had offered to buy it but needed to sell his car first. Not sure why he mentioned that and maybe it was a cheap shot as to apply some pressure on me. As soon as someone says something like that it sounds a part red flag but maybe it was genuine and he felt it was in some way relevant I have no idea.

When I called him this afternoon fair play he answered the call but when I said I had booked train tickets he said.....Oh, hadn't realised you were coming by train. He knew where I was and that it was a long journey so not sure how he was expecting me to get there. I had told him my BiL couldn't give me a lift already. All irrelevant really now and lets move on.

Most people get a lift to look at cars, saves paying for tickets and if the car is not as described you have easy travel back. Also less pressure on the buyer, seller knows you don’t want to have to get a train back!

Maybe the mention of other interest was polite notice that there were other potential buyers out there, especially if he felt you were hoping to get the price down further?

But I don’t understand how you expected him to know that you’d booked train tickets days in advance for a car that you’d not put a deposit on, that’s just odd

I’ve been there myself and missed a few cars over the years. Disappointing yes, but it’s only a car I guess. Good luck in the search for the next one, and I’m sure you’ll move quicker next time

 

[Skd884]

You snooze ya lose if i see a car i like i go view/purchase the day i see it or the day after.

 

[rockits]

Most people get a lift to look at cars, saves paying for tickets and if the car is not as described you have easy travel back. Also less pressure on the buyer, seller knows you don’t want to have to get a train back!

Maybe the mention of other interest was polite notice that there were other potential buyers out there, especially if he felt you were hoping to get the price down further?

But I don’t understand how you expected him to know that you’d booked train tickets days in advance for a car that you’d not put a deposit on, that’s just odd

I’ve been there myself and missed a few cars over the years. Disappointing yes, but it’s only a car I guess. Good luck in the search for the next one, and I’m sure you’ll move quicker next time

Yes, I think I might be a little different there as tend to have to get trains or Uber's/Taxi's to go to look at cars as don't have too many options of people able to give me a lift to see cars. Especially ones a fair distance away. I could have driven there and gone back to collect so maybe I should have done that.

I had no intention of driving the price down more or doing anything like that as that is not really my style or the way I operate. I tend to prefer to be quite open and honest about things and stick to the plan.
I just booked the train tickets as have had situations with work travel around the country on occasion where there were no tickets available for the journey or times I needed so didn't want to let someone down at the last minute. That doesn't seem odd to me but maybe it is. Maybe I should have suggested to put a deposit down and in future I think I will suggest this to try to create a two way bond so that someone doesn't sell the car to someone else suddenly without notice. Lesson learned.

As you say it is just a car and I'll lose no sleep over it. Just a little annoying to lose some time and money but my fault and nobody died so hardly a disaster. I couldn't really move that much quicker maybe could have gone there Sat or Sun but what is done is done. No good looking in the past. Learn your lessons for the future and look forward/ahead

 

[E55BOF]

Sure, I totally get that. However, my word is my bond and I do as I say. Maybe this is a rare minority characteristic.

I'm with you on that, but you're right, there aren't many of us around...

You snooze ya lose...

Why am I not surprised you think that...

 

[rockits]

You snooze ya lose if i see a car i like i go view/purchase the day i see it or the day after.

Thanks. Yes, seems that way. I used to be a bit more like that when I was young, free and single. When you have a wife/children then your priorities change a little so it doesn't always give you the opportunity to move as quick as you might otherwise like.

 

[rockits]

I'm with you on that, but you're right, there aren't many of us around...

Thanks.....and yes it does seem a dying breed. It was just the way I was brought up with honour, respect and all those other similarly valuable character traits that have always been quite important to me. Maybe they don't seem to matter much to most these days.

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

There’ll be another one along shortly

I can’t see the sense in committing to buy an older, more complex vehicle over the phone based on description and photos. You need to see it and drive it first. ( I tried to buy a 2007 SL500 a few years back and their quality was all over the place.)

All kinds of hazards lurk that aren’t just a matter of a few hundred quids adjustment to the suggested price.

As for potential buyers, there’s no end of private and trade “buyers” out there who cancel on the morning, or don’t show, or who turn up and then lowball 20% off in the belief that people will just roll over to get the car off their driveway. (This last group being traders). A sale is never done until the money’s agreed and paid.

Somewhere, someone’s just bought a new car or taken delivery of a company EV, and needs to now sell their much loved E55 ….

 

[Will]

Yes, I think I might be a little different there as tend to have to get trains or Uber's/Taxi's to go to look at cars as don't have too many options of people able to give me a lift to see cars. Especially ones a fair distance away. I could have driven there and gone back to collect so maybe I should have done that.

I had no intention of driving the price down more or doing anything like that as that is not really my style or the way I operate. I tend to prefer to be quite open and honest about things and stick to the plan.
I just booked the train tickets as have had situations with work travel around the country on occasion where there were no tickets available for the journey or times I needed so didn't want to let someone down at the last minute. That doesn't seem odd to me but maybe it is. Maybe I should have suggested to put a deposit down and in future I think I will suggest this to try to create a two way bond so that someone doesn't sell the car to someone else suddenly without notice. Lesson learned.

As you say it is just a car and I'll lose no sleep over it. Just a little annoying to lose some time and money but my fault and nobody died so hardly a disaster. I couldn't really move that much quicker maybe could have gone there Sat or Sun but what is done is done. No good looking in the past. Learn your lessons for the future and look forward/ahead

Nothing strange about using Ubers or trains to look at cars as such, but just thought it strange you thought that he ought to have known that you’d be getting the train there and bought a ticket several days in advance.

I’ve had people come and see cars, leave a deposit then come and collect a few days later. That’s fine, car is sold pending the balance.

A phone call from a stranger, however nice they might seem, doesn’t justify a hold on a sale. Fair enough if you’d agreed to go that afternoon or something but not a few days later with no deposit or anything.

 

[Will]

I can’t see the sense in committing to buy an older, more complex vehicle over the phone based on description and photos. You need to see it and drive it first. ( I tried to buy a 2007 SL500 a few years back and their quality was all over the place.)

All kinds of hazards lurk that aren’t just a matter of a few hundred quids adjustment to the suggested price.

As for potential buyers, there’s no end of private and trade “buyers” out there who cancel on the morning, or don’t show, or who turn up and then lowball 20% off in the belief that people will just roll over to get the car off their driveway. (This last group being traders). A sale is never done until the money’s agreed and paid.

Buying any older car is a gamble, but it’s a balance of risk.

Much like buying a car at auction, or on eBay etc.

You either have to be very flexible (quick) to go and view cars your really want or the compromise is to accept some risk.

The idea of a deposit is the middle ground. Depending on the amount paid hopefully the buyer and seller would be flexible enough upon viewing should some significant issue arise for example.

For an example - houses can be sold until contracts are exchanged, this is only a car (that hadn’t been viewed) by comparison!