We're selling a car for a friend (we live on a main road, while the only thing that passes his house are squirrels). Someone set up a test drive with him and came to take it out for a spin. They were gone awhile, which I thought was a good sign, then came back and said they planned to make our buddy an offer.

We get a call about an hour later from our very confused friend. He said, "They offered me half of what I'm asking because they said the seat bolts are missing and there's no coolant in the radiator." Having JUST ridden in the car ourselves the day before to get it up for a run, we were thinking the guy was just making something up to low ball our friend.

So I went out to check, and wouldn't you know it...the gall dang son of a *#!@# actually removed the seat bolts from the passenger's seat. I am dreading what I'll find under the hood with the fluids.

I have sold 8, maybe 9 cars out of my drive. I've had a couple dozen people do test drives of those cars and this is an absolute first for me. Seriously....WTF is wrong with people!?

...to be honest, it's almost MORE offensive that he thought he could pull it off. Makes me wonder just how dumb I seem to people.... Hands down the most unusual experience I've had selling a car. Thought it was worth a share!

Are you saying the fellow snuck back and removed the bolts from the seat to create a negotiating point?

__________________
[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

You let a stranger come and drive the car without one of you in it? Did you ask for some collateral?

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

I guess that practice will now stop; I hope you've learned your lesson that people are sneaky, stupid and will take advantage of you if you let them.

Yep, that's what it certainly seems like to me. I can't think of any other reason they'd do that, unless they had a powerful and immediate need for four 13mm bolts! We know for a fact the seats were fine the day before. *shrug*

more then likely they did these dirty deeds while on the extended test drive.i had a guy test drive a 67 chevelle i had for sale.we lived out in the country on a paved road so off he goes.about 20 mins later he shows up with a huge whaling dent in the drivers door.seems he underestimated the power of the small block 400 in the car and put it in the ditch and hit a pole.i was only asking 700 for the car and this bozo was so poor probably the only thing he had was a name.so i basically said i wanted 700 for the car and had another guy coming later to look at it.anything i got under 700 he was paying for.and turns out the next guy bought it without even driving it.so he lucked out.

In todays world unfortunately it is better to go along on a test drive with a prospective buyer. The two episodes mentioned previously on this thread are minor to what can occur otherwise.

I try to not dwell on the area but it is impossible to fix stupid. Too many prospective buyers fit that mold all too well. Plus with so much car flipping going on raises even more concerns.

On the flip side, a few years ago, I test drove a Miata with the owner. Little limp-wristed guido flipped out when (after the car was fully warmed up), I accelerated hard and shifted at about 5-6k RPM from 2nd gear to 3rd getting on a freeway. Redline is 7k and I shifted well before -- I didn't do anything it wasn't designed to do. Refused to sell me the car at any price because "you got no respect."

My last words to him were, "HAHAHAHA, I hope it seizes up on you tomorrow, you little prick," whereupon he kicked the side of my rental car. Guy looked like a 3/4-scale version of Joey Buttafuoco -- hilarious.

That didn't really happen like that did it?

__________________
[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

I seriously hope that one day, when I return to the forum in the morning, that you will not have permanently departed us.

You can only get away with such behavior for a limited amount of time..........until you do it to the wrong person.

If you want to test drive a car, go ahead. If you want to beat the car, buy it first. NFW would I lest you flog on my car before I get paid. If the thing blows up, you'd walk away and I own a glorified boat anchor. So kudos to him for standing up to a jerk.

If wishes came true, 90% of the people I know would be on the other end of a meat grinder so it is just words.

__________________
01 Ford Excursion Powerstroke
99 E300 Turbodiesel
91 Vette with 383 motor
05 Polaris Sportsman 800 EFI
06 Polaris Sportsman 500 EFI
03 SeaDoo GTX SC Red
03 SeaDoo GTX SC Yellow
04 Tailgator 21 ft Toy Hauler
11 Harley Davidson 883 SuperLow

It is getting more and more often that I say "just as you think you've seen everything."

The number of idiots and thieves is growing at an alarming rate.

__________________
2001 SLK 320 six speed manual
2014 Porsche Cayenne six speed manual

Annoy a Liberal, Read the Constitution

Their "collateral" was their 2012 Jeep in our driveway they left with the keys in it while they were gone. Kind of wish they had stolen the car outright...our pal would have gotten a significant upgrade! LOL

You mean to say: Their "collateral" was A 2012 Jeep in our driveway...."

You have no way of knowing who owns it or if it is mostly bank owned, etc, etc.

__________________
01 Ford Excursion Powerstroke
99 E300 Turbodiesel
91 Vette with 383 motor
05 Polaris Sportsman 800 EFI
06 Polaris Sportsman 500 EFI
03 SeaDoo GTX SC Red
03 SeaDoo GTX SC Yellow
04 Tailgator 21 ft Toy Hauler
11 Harley Davidson 883 SuperLow

WTF?????????????????

I would not let someone just take the car for a drive without me in it, for this very reason. Who knows what else they did to it.

__________________
TC
Current stable:
- 2004 Mazda RALLYWANKEL
- 2007 Saturn sky redline
- 2004 Explorer...under surgery.

Past: 135i, GTI, 300E, 300SD, 300SD, Stealth