Dilemma over buying a car from a friend - W.W.G.D.D??
- Thread starter TrixiBuG
- Start date
It sounds like you're not that keen on the car at the price she wants. So politely walk away. The only reason to buy it at what appears to be more than its worth is to do her a favour. Do you want to do her a favour just because she needs to sell her car?
Walk away.
Walk away.
Caporegime
- Joined
- 30 Jul 2013
- Posts
- 30,261
Passing an MOT and being in good condition are not the same thing.
If she isn't willing to have the work done before selling for the agreed price then I'd walk away.
If she isn't willing to have the work done before selling for the agreed price then I'd walk away.
You could always get hold of a jack and whip the wheels off, if the brakes are that rotten it's going to be pretty obvious even if you're no mechanic.
Either way it's still got the expensive electrical fault.
There's plenty of options from dealers just from a quick look on AT for similar prices if you really want one.
Either way it's still got the expensive electrical fault.
There's plenty of options from dealers just from a quick look on AT for similar prices if you really want one.
Thanks for the replies guys 
How would you go about walking away in this situation? I don't want to upset her!*
*btw I am a girl and I dont like upsetting people. I have known her for 10 years so not just a casual friend
Edit: My thoughts originally were that I would be helping her out and saving her the hassle of trying to sell it on AT. But the more I think about it the more I think its going to cost me in the long run.
So what would you say to her?
How would you go about walking away in this situation? I don't want to upset her!*
*btw I am a girl and I dont like upsetting people. I have known her for 10 years so not just a casual friend
Edit: My thoughts originally were that I would be helping her out and saving her the hassle of trying to sell it on AT. But the more I think about it the more I think its going to cost me in the long run.
So what would you say to her?
Last edited:
Soldato
- Joined
- 3 Oct 2009
- Posts
- 19,893
- Location
- Wales
There are 128 Minis for sale for under £2.5k within 30 miles of Manchester, 11 of which have under 70k miles.
Not sure how this even warrants thinking about?
Not sure how this even warrants thinking about?
Soldato
- Joined
- 15 Feb 2012
- Posts
- 3,308
- Location
- 2
Thanks for the replies guys
How would you go about walking away in this situation? I don't want to upset her!*
*btw I am a girl and I dont like upsetting people. I have known her for 10 years so not just a casual friend
1. Tell her the truth in a friendly and polite manner "I'm afraid I have too many reservations about the Mini so I won't be buying it."
or
2. Lie to her. Tell her some unexpected cost has come up and you haven't got the money.
I would just be up front. Tell her that you don't think the car is worth the price that she wants for it and you're not willing to buy a car with an electrical fault (what is the fault?) that could end up costing you a fair bit to put right.
Point her in the direction of webuyanycar if she wants a quick sale, or Autotrader / Ebay if she can wait.
I'm guessing it's a Mini One as you don't say Cooper or Cooper S.
Point her in the direction of webuyanycar if she wants a quick sale, or Autotrader / Ebay if she can wait.
I'm guessing it's a Mini One as you don't say Cooper or Cooper S.
Thanks for the replies guys
How would you go about walking away in this situation? I don't want to upset her!*
*btw I am a girl and I dont like upsetting people. I have known her for 10 years so not just a casual friend
Let her know that your not in a position to purchase the car for the given price and cover costs etc at the moment so your going to have to pass,
If you want to let her down easy(trying to maintain friendship etc) then tell her something like let her know you will let her know if anything changes but at the moment its a no go and advise her to feel free to list it for sale in other places
Soldato
- Joined
- 30 Oct 2008
- Posts
- 3,148
- Location
- South
I don't know why you are debating this, the car isn't worth what she's asked, you know for a fact, from your own experience driving it, it has an electrical fault, you also know the brakes need changing.
I think she's letting her love for the car cloud her judgement, the car is a scrap heap, not worth a penny and you should say "thanks, but no thanks"
If she falls out with you over you not buying the car, is she really that much of a friend? Think of it this way, would a real friend want to push someone into something they aren't happy with, with no comprise whatsoever. Because that's what she's expecting from you.
I think she's letting her love for the car cloud her judgement, the car is a scrap heap, not worth a penny and you should say "thanks, but no thanks"
If she falls out with you over you not buying the car, is she really that much of a friend? Think of it this way, would a real friend want to push someone into something they aren't happy with, with no comprise whatsoever. Because that's what she's expecting from you.
Caporegime
- Joined
- 30 Jul 2013
- Posts
- 30,261
Thanks for the replies guys
How would you go about walking away in this situation? I don't want to upset her!*
*btw I am a girl and I dont like upsetting people. I have known her for 10 years so not just a casual friend
Edit: My thoughts originally were that I would be helping her out and saving her the hassle of trying to sell it on AT. But the more I think about it the more I think its going to cost me in the long run.
So what would you say to her?
Sounds like she is taking advantage of you to be honest. You offered to pay for a service on her car and she wouldn't even do that? Bizzare.
Best friend or not, she's going to the other side of the World so you are unlikely to be as close just by the fact that you won't be spending any time together.
I hadn't even picked up on that! That almost certainly confirms she knows it's a scrapper but wants to fleece you anyway.
There is a short in the BCU. So when you are driving along, the hazard lights will come on (but the hazard light in the car doesn't) and the windows will drop approx 3 inches (which is the only indication that something has happened).
When I picked up the keys from her she said that it doesn't happen all the time and it last happened 3 weeks before. The following day it happened 4 times whilst I was driving around the M60. Doing 70mph and the windows suddenly dropping without warning is not something I want tbh
Its a black cooper
Last edited:
She has something she wants to sell, and apparently, to you. But every time you suggest some independent inspection, she baulks.
I can't really understand why this is even a question. Me? I'd walk. From what you've said, at this point, nothing she could do would induce me to buy it, no examination, no inspection, not her getting brakes "fixed" first, nothing.
As far as I'm concerned, to buy from a friend requires a degree of trust, and everything done to date would undermine that. It's simply not worth the aggravation when, or if, it goes wrong.
Walk away. If you still want a car of that type, research it like normal and treat it with the scepticism you would normally in buying from a stranger, and buy a different car.
To be honest, from your opening post, she is not coming aross as a friend.
I can't really understand why this is even a question. Me? I'd walk. From what you've said, at this point, nothing she could do would induce me to buy it, no examination, no inspection, not her getting brakes "fixed" first, nothing.
As far as I'm concerned, to buy from a friend requires a degree of trust, and everything done to date would undermine that. It's simply not worth the aggravation when, or if, it goes wrong.
Walk away. If you still want a car of that type, research it like normal and treat it with the scepticism you would normally in buying from a stranger, and buy a different car.
That, right there, is the point you slipped up. I understand why you did as you did, but the mistake, as I think you now know, was not either insisting on a full service (by YOUR choice of garage), on condition that you'll pay for the service work if you wish, but she pays for remedial work on faults, or not walking away when she refused.
To be honest, from your opening post, she is not coming aross as a friend.
I don't even understand the dilemma - you're offering 2k for it but she is demanding 2.5k as in she's confident it is worth that amount... why would you be hurting her feelings OP - she's putting her foot down, does it even matter who she sells it to? Let her sell it for 2.5k to someone else if she's that confident it is worth that amount - if she gets 2.5k then that is a good result for both of you, if she doesn't then she can't be miffed at you because you were right in saying it wasn't worth that much and you were willing to buy it as promised albeit at the price you thought was correct, which in the end turned out to be correct
Soldato
- Joined
- 12 Sep 2012
- Posts
- 11,698
- Location
- Surrey
If you dont want to tell her straight that you dont think its worth more than your offer, simply lie and tell her you cant afford to spend more than what you are willing to spend. Personally, i would forget it, you can do better for the money she wants.