Scam warning!!

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DonFlintoni
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Scam warning!!

Post by DonFlintoni » Thu Apr 08, 2021 9:25 pm

Mods - apologies if not totally relevant here but thought it was worth sharing my experience as i nearly got scammed today when attempting to sell my D3....

1. Advertised car on Autotrader.
2. Got a call from a pushy bloke wanting to negotiate a price before even seeing the car.
3. Agreed to show the guy the car the following day.
4. 3 ever so slightly shifty guys turn up to view the car.
5. I show the prospective 'buyer' around the car, inside and out, inc. under the bonnet and in the boot, whilst his tag-alongs look around too (quite closely).
6. i take the 'buyer' for a short test drive where he's not really that interested in any history (which is a bit weird), just that I gun it a bit......
7. Get the car home and notice its smoking excessively from the exhaust.

[Now, here is were the alarm bells start to ring as: a) its never really smoked before, even for a derv, and b) it had its MOT yesterday and passed its emissions with flying colours........]

8. Obviously the 'buyer' is disturbed by the smoke so calls across his 'mechanic' mate to take a closer look. i pop the bonnet and the mechanic takes off the oil fill. its a bit tappety and splattery as his mate revs it to which he grumbles about a bit.....then he goes to the water reserve, takes the cap off, sticks his finger in. Low and behold it comes out with oil on, he grumbles a bit more......
9. the 'mechanic' then seems to take over preceding's from the 'buyer' and then offers me about 20% of my asking price (flashing some tempting neat wads of cash) because the head gasket has gone and it needs a new engine......his 'evidence' is the tappety engine, smoke and oil in the water.

[Now, fortunately for me, I'm not entirely naïve (just easily distracted as it turns out - more on that in a minute), and being a degree qualified mechanical engineer I proceed to question a few of the symptoms and recent findings of the 'mechanic'. I pull the dipstick and its clean as a whistle (no emulsion). Smelling a rat, I tell the guys that i'll fix the headgasket myself and they can pay the asking price at a later date.

10. The guys leave.
11. 10 mins later one of the guys phones up and does a weird one way haggle where when he offers me half of my asking price accepting that it will cost a small fortune to recover the undriveable car, fix the engine and service it. Again i say thanks but no thanks.

[In the meantime, ive googled 'headgasket, water, oil, scam' and its thrown up a number of articles which outline the scam I was seemingly subjected to, but didnt fall for.......]

So, what I think happened to me.......

Whilst i was showing the 'buyer' the wonderful rust free boot, and under the carpet in the spare wheel well, i.e. nicely distracted! the 'mechanic' or 4th party must have put some oil in the water tank.
Also, whilst showing the splendid near-mint condition interior to the very disinterested 'buyer', one of the others may have squirted some oil into the exhaust.

So, what can I/we learn.......

1. Never attempt to show a gang of prospective buyers around a car without having back up from someone who can keep eyes-on, at all times, on your behalf, to bits of the car you can't see...
2. If you are on your own, show the car in sections (bonnet open/close, boot open/close), ensuring no-one can access bits you cant see......

Hope this helps.
Former Alpina owner. Having a break.

ScooBeeFive
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Re: Scam warning!!

Post by ScooBeeFive » Thu Apr 08, 2021 9:29 pm

That's ridiculous, I feel for you - so glad you realised what was going on. It's a horrible situation to find yourself in. I've never enjoyed advertising and selling cars due to stories like this.

Thanks for posting your experience.....
Paul

2013 F11 B5 BiTurbo Touring #135 - Alpina Blue
2017 F33 B4S BiTurbo Cabrio #235 - Tanzanite Blue

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greenelekta
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Re: Scam warning!!

Post by greenelekta » Thu Apr 08, 2021 9:39 pm

Thanks for sharing. I've heard similar stories before, good you didn't fall for it.
E39 B10 V8S Touring Brass Metallic
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DonFlintoni
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Joined: Sat Aug 14, 2010 12:04 pm
Location: Cotswolds

Re: Scam warning!!

Post by DonFlintoni » Thu Apr 08, 2021 9:50 pm

ScooBeeFive wrote:
Thu Apr 08, 2021 9:29 pm
That's ridiculous, I feel for you - so glad you realised what was going on. It's a horrible situation to find yourself in. I've never enjoyed advertising and selling cars due to stories like this.

Thanks for posting your experience.....
I can see how some folk have easily fallen for it.
Former Alpina owner. Having a break.

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