Red Flash Posted February 8, 2015 Share Posted February 8, 2015 Would very much appreciate your thoughts views on this please. Our Westy is currently up for sale. I have received numerous emails from a dealer in Italy wanting to purchase the car. Which I have ignored. The emails reach me through a privacy emailing system. Tonight he telephones (through a privacy system), expressing his interest and makes a realistic offer. Should I be suspicious? I'm aware of scams and the like. What precautions can I take/make, or do I just give the whole process a wide berth? What do you think? Cheers Paul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XTR2Turbo Posted February 8, 2015 Share Posted February 8, 2015 I know three people who have sold cars (not Westfields) into Europe. The buyer sent someone local to look at the car. Paid by BACS and then collected the car with a trailer a few weeks later. I met someone on here the other week that sold his megabusa to Italy. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marto303 Posted February 8, 2015 Share Posted February 8, 2015 Not necessarily but proceed with caution. I sold a TVR to a chap from Holland, all dealt with via email, I sent loads of photos and we agreed a price. Only then did we have a telephone conversation and the deal was done. He sent payment via international bank transfer (at his cost) which when cleared I checked with my bank and could not be recalled. He then flew over to collect the car, all went very smoothly. So their not all scammers, just don't let anything go until you have payment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quinten Posted February 8, 2015 Share Posted February 8, 2015 Cars in the UK are cheap as chips compared to the continent. And exotic cars like ours are in demand too. It may well be genuine, but I would certainly thread with caution and do not release car until money has cleared and is irreversible.... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SootySport Posted February 9, 2015 Share Posted February 9, 2015 I sold a Renaultsport Clio to a Frenchie for cash. He came over on the Eurostar and I picked him up Ashford, had a drive round for 15 mins. and deal done, I pointed the way to Dover and of he went. He did have extra paperwork that I had to fill in so he could import and register his car in France but all went as planned. Don't forget to send of the tear of slip to the DVLA specifying the car was exported. He's still doing battle on Paris streets and loves the car. I found a another Clio for his mate as well, a couple of months later. One thing I would wary off, make sure he is who he says he is by asking for a copy of his passport by email before you do anything. If he is a genuine Italian with an Italian name and accent you'll be alright. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SootySport Posted February 9, 2015 Share Posted February 9, 2015 Cars in the UK are cheap as chips compared to the continent. And exotic cars like ours are in demand too. It may well be genuine, but I would certainly thread with caution and do not release car until money has cleared and is irreversible.... That's quite right, it's a bit of a misnomer that cars are cheap in Euroland, they're not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigjas Posted February 9, 2015 Share Posted February 9, 2015 I was selling my GT40 replca a few years ago, I got most interest from potential buyers in France, Italy, Belgium and Malta. In the end it went to France. He transfered 80% of the agreed price via BACS (which I checked was not reversible) and then he turned up with the rest in cash. The deal was fine, if anything, the buyer was very trusting of me, sending over £30k to someone in a different country who he has never met. I did send plenty of pictures and videos of the car before the deal was done. The guy turned out to be a dealer and bought cars from England on a regular basis. I was very cautious of the deal, but then I would be if it was someone from England. Golden rule is to not let the car go until you have full payment and you are happy with the deal. Jas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rory's Dad Posted February 9, 2015 Share Posted February 9, 2015 The recent incease in the £ vs € will have made UK cars comparatively more expensive Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corsechris Posted February 9, 2015 Share Posted February 9, 2015 Not necessarily but proceed with caution. I sold a TVR to a chap from Holland, all dealt with via email, I sent loads of photos and we agreed a price. Only then did we have a telephone conversation and the deal was done. He sent payment via international bank transfer (at his cost) which when cleared I checked with my bank and could not be recalled. He then flew over to collect the car, all went very smoothly. So their not all scammers, just don't let anything go until you have payment. Had a very similar experience selling a Marcos Mantula to a chap from Holland. A genunine dealer type will often pre-pay a significant deposit or even the amount in full. If your chap starts talking about escrow etc then walk away. Direct non-reversible payments or cash only. Also sold a car to a couple of chaps from Germany many moons ago. Had the car on sale at Stoneleigh, they agreed to buy, followed me home, handed over a carrier bag full of £50 notes and drove away happy. I confess I was slightly nervous so got my neighbour to keep an eye open. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BudSlater Posted February 9, 2015 Share Posted February 9, 2015 I wouldn't be too concerned with this, same principles whether they are UK or Europe based, you're not going to buy a car unseen, so small deposit secures and cash to take it away. But if they / an agent aren't going to come look, I doubt they will be interested. I mean, how do they know that the car exists and isn't a photo from 2 years ago and that you haven't already sold it, or totalled it etc etc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red Flash Posted February 9, 2015 Author Share Posted February 9, 2015 Thanks for your replies folks. I am cautious, but at the same time don't want to tar everyone with the same brush and think they are all scammers!! Bud Slater, your thoughts are the same as mine. Why would someone want to transfer money to an unknown person without seeing the car first. I would have thought dealers in Europe would have had contacts in the UK who would perform an initial viewing. Then when the car and owner have been verified the process of transfer begins. It just appears to good to be true. The old addage, 'if it is to good to be true then it probably is'!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corsechris Posted February 9, 2015 Share Posted February 9, 2015 Can only tell you what I did/what happened with me. Perhaps the fact I made contact with the buyer through a third party known to us both helped us trust one another? A good dose of caution is called for but no more than that really. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arm Posted February 9, 2015 Share Posted February 9, 2015 Most of the above are sensible replies about being careful. We nearly got into a sticky situation selling an engine to some guys in Italy. Fortunately someone in the UK bought it as at that point it got nasty and we realised they were intending to collect and not pay. It was a very expensive engine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red Flash Posted February 9, 2015 Author Share Posted February 9, 2015 I appreciate your replies and advice. This guy is keen. I've missed 2 calls today. Oh, I phoned Pistonheads today also and asked their advice. In not so many words, their advice was to avoid! I'm being ultra cautious. I've sent an email with a few questions, so we'll see how things pan out. I'll keep you posted Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red Flash Posted February 9, 2015 Author Share Posted February 9, 2015 Well I've come to the conclusion for the time being that this guy is genuine. I hope I'm a good judge of character! As well as the V5 doc, he also wants assurance that he MoT is still valid. It is, but for transfer abroad why would this be important? Does this give him some assurance that the car is road worthy? or does this make import for him more straight forward? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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