Selling a secondhand vehicles

[CountP]

I need some advice.
I sold my daughter's 1997 Holden Vectra today. The vehicle was sold unregistered, as is.
The car had issues that I made quite clear to the buyer. Clutch needed replacing, engine oil leak, aircon not working, needs tyres. I tried to be as honest as possible about the vehicle. I sold it for $900.
The buyer took it for a test drive and the car was driving fine. He took it away on trade plates.
An hour later he phones me and says the cambelt has snapped on his way home.
Now there is no way I could have know this would happen. To my knowledge the cambelt had been done 50 000km back. My daughter is away and I been using the car to work and back. I drove it 'briskly' but didn't thrash it.
I am thinking he gave it a good canning and at his own admission it was going 'great guns' until it stopped. I had a quick internet search and it seems it is an interference engine so at motorway speed the engine is now junk, holes in pistons etc.

Now I don't want it back but I kind of feel bad. He bought it as a work hack and seemed to have some mechanical ability.

Now the way I see it I have three options.
1. Tell him to suck it up, he bought a second hand car for $900 and it was running when he drove it off.
2. Offer to give him his money back.
3. Give him half back.
Either way he won't fix it for $900 and I don't want it back.

So where do I stand on this?

Ryan

[Silenceisgolden]

If he had trade plates, he is presumably some sort of automotive professional. I would be suspicious.
If he is just an honest citizen, then maybe giving part money back might ease your conscience and calm him down.
Legally you are in the clear.

Good luck.

[Pedro_The_Swift]

he had trade plates? so a dealer.
regardless,, Option 1;)

[Roverlord off road spares]

I need some advice.
I sold my daughter's 1997 Holden Vectra today. The vehicle was sold unregistered, as is.
The car had issues that I made quite clear to the buyer. Clutch needed replacing, engine oil leak, aircon not working, needs tyres. I tried to be as honest as possible about the vehicle. I sold it for $900.
The buyer took it for a test drive and the car was driving fine. He took it away on trade plates.
An hour later he phones me and says the cambelt has snapped on his way home.
Now there is no way I could have know this would happen. To my knowledge the cambelt had been done 50 000km back. My daughter is away and I been using the car to work and back. I drove it 'briskly' but didn't thrash it.
I am thinking he gave it a good canning and at his own admission it was going 'great guns' until it stopped. I had a quick internet search and it seems it is an interference engine so at motorway speed the engine is now junk, holes in pistons etc.

Now I don't want it back but I kind of feel bad. He bought it as a work hack and seemed to have some mechanical ability.

Now the way I see it I have three options.
1. Tell him to suck it up, he bought a second hand car for $900 and it was running when he drove it off.
2. Offer to give him his money back.
3. Give him half back.
Either way he won't fix it for $900 and I don't want it back.

So where do I stand on this?

Ryan
You have no idea of how or what was done to it after he drove away, I can see your feeling guilty because you ask, but it was $900, a car with known problems, clutch etc, so what does he expect. Unfortunately the once it's off your property warranty applies. We could have towed it, and then gone over the car with mechanics instead driving it way.

[Bytemrk]

As the others have said.. if he took it on trade plates... he should know the risks of a $900 car... you win some.. you loose some... Option 1.

[discovery39]

Option 1.

[V8Ian]

I'm with Pedro here, option 1.

[Ausfree]

Old saying "Let the buyer beware"......it's a $900 car for God sake. Option 1 here too.

[RHS58]

Well I wouldn't have had the courage to sell it in the first place.
Except to a wrecker.
But he bought it......so, option 1
Now it's his problem.

[CountP]

Thanks for the replies.
The sad thing is the car still looked good. I had just spent $1000 getting faded paint repainted. Then the clutch started slipping and we decided no further. Cut our loses and stop throwing good money after bad, as they say.
He is going to try a new belt so well see how things work out.

[Homestar]

Option 1 is your only option IMO. Buyer beware, it was running when he bought it.

[jsp]

I bought a car that ran fine and drove onto the car trailer fine, but once home I never got it started again, not even to get it off the trailer. Bought a car that blew an auto box two days after I bought it. Both were cheap older rangies and such is life, I paid my cash, signed the form, was my problem from that second on, I don't blame the sellers they let me test drive both and inspect both to my hearts content.

[Cobber]

Option 1 is your only option IMO. Buyer beware, it was running when he bought it.correct. 'As is' means exactly that. The buyer could have walked away at any point.

[V8Ian]

If the $900 special went for five years trouble free, do you reckon he'd come back and offer another $900? :angel:

[UncleHo]

Yup! $900 "As Is" =with all faults if any== 30/30 warranty,30 metres or 30 seconds

I would suggest that he wound it out at highway speeds+ to see if he could break it,and try for money back,what's the bet he has a similar poor bodied one out the back :angel:

[Spudlynicholas]

If I bought a 900 dollar car and it happened to me I'd treat it as one of life's little lessons. And try my luck with another 900 dollar car :P (I'm a sucker for punishment!)

Ian

[UncleHo]

I bought a $50 FC Holden Sedan in Sydney in 71 it had a permanent oil light the dealer just wanted it gone,I fitted a new oil pressure switch light went out,and used it without a problem for 2 years, traded it for a 58 Star Model Customline :D

[frantic]

Option 1 , as someone else said if he has trade plates, he's either a dealer or close to one. He's using the line daily hack(a normal buyer would ring RTA for temporary rego to get to mechanic as trade plates cost a fair bit) , you could use the line $900 has gone to pay daughters credit card, rent, uni bills, holiday etc, so not there anymore;)