The dreamers guide to questions to ask E30 sellers.

Mon Jul 14, 2008 3:53 pm

pacerpete wrote:I haven't checked under the back seat yet but did find some condoms (unused!)

Bonus!

Mon Jul 14, 2008 4:01 pm

I've been known to buy and sell cars for a living.

If I'm buying a car from miles away, I ask the seller to send me pics of any damage on the car. Once I've seen the pics I'll contact them and make an offer "as long as it's as described, if there is anything else wrong with it and we can negotiate the price I'll come armed with cash". 9 times out of 10 I'll buy the car, but 7 times out of 10 there is more damage than the seller has noticed.

I'm not fussy, but if the windscreen has a crack in it, the tyres are bald, the exhaust is rustier than an Alfasud washed with saltwater and they've not told me, then I'm going to expect money off.

Selling stuff isn't a problem, I make sure everything I sell is right and price it accordingly

I wish more people did.

I don't pay "Scene Tax" on anything either.

Mon Jul 14, 2008 8:18 pm

I think that a laboratory analysis of the smell of the interior of the car is missing from the otherwise comprehensive list

Mon Jul 14, 2008 10:00 pm

This thread is hilarious!

but yeah it does suck when one has asked for particular details if travelling a fair distance and these turn out to be blatent lies!! I did once (getting angry just remembering) drive 2hours to go buy (with every intention of buying having had pictures and detailed description) an early Splittie Camper, all arranged with the owner I might add, she knew how far I was travelling and when I was going to be there. I turned up with her in the middle of selling it to someone local who just 'happened' to turn up

I argued my case but she shrugged her shoulders- makes me f***ing mad still. Same thing happened with a secondhand dealer once but that was only an hours drive- c**t...

Mon Jul 14, 2008 11:15 pm

On the other hand, you do get agressive sellers...

There is a classic car dealer called John Brown who likes to style himself as "eccentric". I called him up (over 15 years ago) about a car he had advertised. It was a very rare car, only a few hundred built and probably less than 25% surviving. I asked him about a few things and happend to mention my current classic. He asked if I had sold it, I hadn't so he siad "right then so you haven't got enough to buy this then!" and hung up. He was wrong. I had plenty of money to buy it and i really wanted it.

He hung-up thinking "ha! I showed that time waster!". Actually he cost himself a sale. He'll never know. Presumebly he frequently does this and, each time, feels he has shown the time waster who was boss.

I bought a slightly more expensive similar model from another dealer. Quite often see cars (and the odd boat) advertised with him and wouldn't ever consider looking.

it goes both ways

Mon Jul 14, 2008 11:44 pm

I just sold the car I had before my e30. 1st buyer agrees a deal, gives me a deposit and then lets me know they can't complete. I'm annoyed, but just accept thet's the way things are and hope I sell it soon. A few days later I sell it to the second buyer, for the amount agreed with the 1st buyer minus their deposit, so overall it works out the same to me and I'm able to offer the second guy a better deal. Win win. Then I think, oh that first lady was nice, perhaps I'll pop round her house and poke the deposit through her letter box, that'll make me feel like an all round good egg, and all warm inside, I'll have a think about it.

A day later I get a call from her husband, 'what's happening with this deposit then?' Annoyed that they're asking for it back even though they messed me around, I try to remain gracious and make a good natured arrangement with him that being as I've now sold the car I prepared to give him half of it back. He seems perfectly happy with that and pops round a short time after and I do just that, handshakes and smiles etc. Then I get a text (!) from the wife saying she is 'disappointed' that I didn't give them all the deposit back. Wtf? I'd even offered to take her car as a p/ex if it got her out of a hole, now I've given them a load of money effectively out of my own pocket and they still want more?

Lesson I learned is it doesn't matter how nice people appear, business is business. But I'm still pissed off about it.

On another point, I was looking at a nice e30 325i on ebay, bloke says the lowish mileage is 'fully documented', I give him a buzz and when it comes to service history there's a recent 5-year gap, but the stuff since is all good. Just before his auction ends, I think I'll just check that he means it's only the 'service' stuff that's lost, not the MoTs, the car looks really good and despite my better judgment I think I'll bid on it unseen, - he emails me back that he has no MoTs for that period either. How exactly is the mileage 'fully documented' then?

What a tosser!

Mon Jul 14, 2008 11:51 pm

ChrisBarns wrote:On the other hand, you do get agressive sellers...

There is a classic car dealer called John Brown who likes to style himself as "eccentric". I called him up (over 15 years ago) about a car he had advertised. It was a very rare car, only a few hundred built and probably less than 25% surviving. I asked him about a few things and happend to mention my current classic. He asked if I had sold it, I hadn't so he siad "right then so you haven't got enough to buy this then!" and hung up. He was wrong. I had plenty of money to buy it and i really wanted it.

He hung-up thinking "ha! I showed that time waster!". Actually he cost himself a sale. He'll never know. Presumebly he frequently does this and, each time, feels he has shown the time waster who was boss.

I bought a slightly more expensive similar model from another dealer. Quite often see cars (and the odd boat) advertised with him and wouldn't ever consider looking.

it goes both ways

I agree, generally I walk round looking like I haven't 2pence to rub together, at the local audi and bmw dealership I get looked like I'm something you picked up on your shoe, had to laugh when I turned up to a local bmw dealer and the salesman blanked me for half an hour I grabbed his junior and bought a Range Rover Sport off the forecourt in cash.

Funneir still is I bought it out of my own money to sell to my uncle at profit (he isn't one to shop around, more money than time!), and now they treat me like a king there. All because I choose not to spend 3 years wages on a car and prerfer to buy a car in cash and be able to fill it up insure it and tax it in cash withought having to revert to 'credit'

My Girlfriend prefers to buy a car she can't afford, new, off the forercourt. And wait 8 weeks for it, loose 15% of its value in the first week and never really own it herself, each to their own I suppose.

Dealership salesman as well as other 'specialists' can really be their own worst enemy, I have noticed in the current credit crisis they are a little more friendly, but generally they judge a book by the cover. I run my own business the kind that pays cash so I need to 'vent' cash every now and again and I know where I like to spend it and where I don't

Mon Jul 14, 2008 11:57 pm

Tue Jul 15, 2008 3:44 am

when i am looking at stuff 5 out out of 10 times some thing always happens to make me one of them time wasters.

last time 1st off fooked me leg up off my feet for a week sorted that then thougt i'll go over the car before we set off chaged a buckeled wheel and noticed the rubber cups that the springs had gone and one spring had snapped (girl friends car) wtf luckly had a back up car.

when i bought my 316 from ebay i knew about the cosmetic issues with the car, but however the car was advertised as having long MOT when i turned up to buy it it was as discribed cosmeticly so i asked about the "long MOT" the response i got was "ah i cant find the certificate

had that with my 316 touring the guy said is moted till at least the end of next month i would have been stopped in it aswell other wise being in london bla bla bla got home didn't drive it about for 2 weeks

then one night i thought i'll check on vosa's site run out the a month befor i bought it.

best time i have ever had though was going out looking at cars had 2k on me and i was driving my blue morris minor with blue smoke (you could turn round and drive back through it) and house speakers etc fitted

and the only sales people that would give me the time of day was the old sales people all the new younger people showed me things like peugeot 405 1.6l for £595

after last mishion of buying things i am never going to ask untill i have all the money in my hand checked the car i am taking etc befor i make any calls or send any emails and leave the same day.

as for me selling cars i do try to tell people every thing so they dont waste there time like i have amny times but some car's like the touring i was selling i just thought so many little things wrong with it i might as well just keep it, then some one looks at it and tells me its all normal stuff

what it comes down to at the end of the day is how high buyer sellers standereds 8 out of 10 times are i think

hope all this makes sence i just clocked what the time is

Tue Jul 15, 2008 12:38 pm

When i sold my fisrt Baur the winning bidder came to pay and pick up...

He poked about like he was buying (not just BOUGHT) something that had cost him 20 times as much lolly..

Anyway he said he was really happy and was going to go to the cashpoint to get the money (alarm bells)

Needless to say he didnt turn up and a couple of hours later i had neg feedback for the car "not being as described"

I explained it was 22 years old etc, i recommend viewing, you satisfy yourself before buying...all the usual and put 12 goood pics up...but no...the seats were worn apparently and the paint on the front valance had some chips in it....

TW*****************************************T

AND what a f*cking coward....didnt even have the guts to discuss things with me like a man.

Ebay is full of w*nkers and walters.

Tue Jul 15, 2008 12:52 pm

The amount of people who pull up at the lights and ask "Are you selling it mate" promptly replied with "Yeah sure, but I advise you speak to your bank manager first"

Tue Jul 15, 2008 1:39 pm

hubble wrote:The amount of people who pull up at the lights and ask "Are you selling it mate" promptly replied with "Yeah sure, but I advise you speak to your bank manager first"

Yeah you can get away with it with yours, it's stunning- I don't think anyone has ever asked to buy mine lol

Tue Jul 15, 2008 2:16 pm

There's a guy near me with two two-door E30s parked on the street. One's got M-badges (stick ons, probably) and a dustbin exhaust and the other is a 320i; neither have moved in a long time and the front discs are rustier than my GCSE French, but I left a note on the windscreen asking if they're for sale and left my number.

Got an answerphone message this morning that they're the Polish equivalent of a thousand pounds. EACH. And they haven't moved for two winters; tyres perished, crusty arches, flat paint. I won't bother calling back to ask about cam belt changes or service history; you know from the start whether the seller is a peenarse or not. Im sure if I'd offered him 500 for the pair (what they're worth in used parts) he'd have formed the same opinion of me though.

Tue Jul 15, 2008 2:31 pm

march109 wrote:
ChrisBarns wrote:On the other hand, you do get agressive sellers...

There is a classic car dealer called John Brown who likes to style himself as "eccentric". I called him up (over 15 years ago) about a car he had advertised. It was a very rare car, only a few hundred built and probably less than 25% surviving. I asked him about a few things and happend to mention my current classic. He asked if I had sold it, I hadn't so he siad "right then so you haven't got enough to buy this then!" and hung up. He was wrong. I had plenty of money to buy it and i really wanted it.

He hung-up thinking "ha! I showed that time waster!". Actually he cost himself a sale. He'll never know. Presumebly he frequently does this and, each time, feels he has shown the time waster who was boss.

I bought a slightly more expensive similar model from another dealer. Quite often see cars (and the odd boat) advertised with him and wouldn't ever consider looking.

it goes both ways
I agree, generally I walk round looking like I haven't 2pence to rub together, at the local audi and bmw dealership I get looked like I'm something you picked up on your shoe, had to laugh when I turned up to a local bmw dealer and the salesman blanked me for half an hour I grabbed his junior and bought a Range Rover Sport off the forecourt in cash.

Funneir still is I bought it out of my own money to sell to my uncle at profit (he isn't one to shop around, more money than time!), and now they treat me like a king there. All because I choose not to spend 3 years wages on a car and prerfer to buy a car in cash and be able to fill it up insure it and tax it in cash withought having to revert to 'credit'

My Girlfriend prefers to buy a car she can't afford, new, off the forercourt. And wait 8 weeks for it, loose 15% of its value in the first week and never really own it herself, each to their own I suppose.

Dealership salesman as well as other 'specialists' can really be their own worst enemy, I have noticed in the current credit crisis they are a little more friendly, but generally they judge a book by the cover. I run my own business the kind that pays cash so I need to 'vent' cash every now and again and I know where I like to spend it and where I don't

March109: The Zones very own Money Launderer!!!

What's the business? Small time smack trade or international human trafficking???

I could use a new maid!!!

Tue Jul 15, 2008 2:38 pm

"I could use a new maid!!!"
LOL

I hear Gordon likes to role play?

Tue Jul 15, 2008 2:41 pm

Nah, Gordon just likes to solicit for man love.

'Fancy a bum??'

Tue Jul 15, 2008 3:05 pm

ChrisBarns wrote:On the other hand, you do get agressive sellers...

There is a classic car dealer called John Brown who likes to style himself as "eccentric".

John Brown is a purveyor of tarted up scrap. He hoovers up the rubbish at the end of auctions like tired 240 Jags and shagged P6 Rovers/Stags etc, gives them a £1500 P40 restoration and it's a 'stunning example that performed well on test drive'. He does occasionally have a proper car, but a lot of it really is old toss.

Tue Jul 15, 2008 3:23 pm

Rosc0PColtrane wrote: March109: The Zones very own Money Launderer!!!

What's the business? Small time smack trade or international human trafficking???

I could use a new maid!!!

Ssshh I'm in enough trouble as it is, and I DO declare all my earnings. Godknows the shite I'd be in if I didn't.

Anyway - taxis (hackney licensed) - I run a couple, rent them back to the drivers so they work on a self emplyed basis and I don't have to worry about paye and rubbish like that. Can be a PITA when one is off the road but I have a family friend in the trade too and so we share resources.

I was recently approached by an accountant who could make my money work harder for me, turned him down though didn't like the concept of preying on the poor and stupid. Basically the accountant has a highstreet operation where he lends out cash on monday and the tard pays it back friday plus 15%

, 15% in a week I'd hate to know the APR. Payday advance loans or something, getting quite popular amoungst the down trodden. Basically he wanted additional business funding from me for a share of the proceeds.

Not my bag though. I find all that high APR payday loan rubbish insulting and anyone stupid enough to fall for it is too stupid for me to lend money too. There is always another option.

Tue Jul 15, 2008 5:27 pm

Too stupid and too poor mate.

Though all investments work on the principle of lending money at one level or another.

The high rate of intrest is indicative (sp) of the level of risk there.

Tue Jul 15, 2008 6:14 pm

march109 wrote:
Rosc0PColtrane wrote: March109: The Zones very own Money Launderer!!!

What's the business? Small time smack trade or international human trafficking???

I could use a new maid!!!
Ssshh I'm in enough trouble as it is, and I DO declare all my earnings. Godknows the shite I'd be in if I didn't.

Anyway - taxis (hackney licensed) - I run a couple, rent them back to the drivers so they work on a self emplyed basis and I don't have to worry about paye and rubbish like that. Can be a PITA when one is off the road but I have a family friend in the trade too and so we share resources.

I was recently approached by an accountant who could make my money work harder for me, turned him down though didn't like the concept of preying on the poor and stupid. Basically the accountant has a highstreet operation where he lends out cash on monday and the tard pays it back friday plus 15% , 15% in a week I'd hate to know the APR. Payday advance loans or something, getting quite popular amoungst the down trodden. Basically he wanted additional business funding from me for a share of the proceeds.

Not my bag though. I find all that high APR payday loan rubbish insulting and anyone stupid enough to fall for it is too stupid for me to lend money too. There is always another option.

Can i have your accountants number, i have no qualms about taking money off stupid fools !

Tue Jul 15, 2008 8:35 pm

Rosc0PColtrane wrote:Nah, Gordon just likes to solicit for man love. Where as I love it! Dya 'Fancy a bum??'

No thankyou Nathan I don't come from Texas

Tue Jul 15, 2008 8:48 pm

march109 wrote:
Rosc0PColtrane wrote: March109: The Zones very own Money Launderer!!!

What's the business? Small time smack trade or international human trafficking???

I could use a new maid!!!
Ssshh I'm in enough trouble as it is, and I DO declare all my earnings. Godknows the shite I'd be in if I didn't.

Anyway - taxis (hackney licensed) - I run a couple, rent them back to the drivers so they work on a self emplyed basis and I don't have to worry about paye and rubbish like that. Can be a PITA when one is off the road but I have a family friend in the trade too and so we share resources.

I was recently approached by an accountant who could make my money work harder for me, turned him down though didn't like the concept of preying on the poor and stupid. Basically the accountant has a highstreet operation where he lends out cash on monday and the tard pays it back friday plus 15% , 15% in a week I'd hate to know the APR. Payday advance loans or something, getting quite popular amoungst the down trodden. Basically he wanted additional business funding from me for a share of the proceeds.

Not my bag though. I find all that high APR payday loan rubbish insulting and anyone stupid enough to fall for it is too stupid for me to lend money too. There is always another option.

if it was so succesful why would he be needing extra funding from an outsider?

Tue Jul 15, 2008 9:12 pm

Kind of going off off at a tangent aren't we ?

BTW - Great first post by Niiick - very funny and true

Tue Jul 15, 2008 9:44 pm

fuzzy wrote:
march109 wrote:
Rosc0PColtrane wrote: March109: The Zones very own Money Launderer!!!

What's the business? Small time smack trade or international human trafficking???

I could use a new maid!!!
Ssshh I'm in enough trouble as it is, and I DO declare all my earnings. Godknows the shite I'd be in if I didn't.

Anyway - taxis (hackney licensed) - I run a couple, rent them back to the drivers so they work on a self emplyed basis and I don't have to worry about paye and rubbish like that. Can be a PITA when one is off the road but I have a family friend in the trade too and so we share resources.

I was recently approached by an accountant who could make my money work harder for me, turned him down though didn't like the concept of preying on the poor and stupid. Basically the accountant has a highstreet operation where he lends out cash on monday and the tard pays it back friday plus 15% , 15% in a week I'd hate to know the APR. Payday advance loans or something, getting quite popular amoungst the down trodden. Basically he wanted additional business funding from me for a share of the proceeds.

Not my bag though. I find all that high APR payday loan rubbish insulting and anyone stupid enough to fall for it is too stupid for me to lend money too. There is always another option.
if it was so succesful why would he be needing extra funding from an outsider?

More capital = more loans = more interest charged. It's exponential growth mate

Tue Jul 15, 2008 9:47 pm

im a sceptic. i view it the opposite way. if he hasnt made enough cash himself by now to expand then it cant be such a great earner.he would need to double his business to cover another partners share.

Tue Jul 15, 2008 9:50 pm

It's how every investment on the planet works. How do you think banks are able to pay interest? You give them money, they lend it out. You get part of the interest. The more money you have to lend, the more liquid your assets are, meaning your lending terms are not governed by the person who lent you the money in the first instance. ie when they want it back, because you have so many people lending through you, you're able to pay them back out of what ever loan is collected at that time.

You're able to lend various amounts over different times because you have depth of investors.

Tue Jul 15, 2008 9:51 pm

fuzzy wrote:
suchy wrote:I've found myself on other forums I've wondered so far off course!!
i hope it wasnt after a bum love discussion with nathan?

yeah and it had combine harvesters and everything....

Tue Jul 15, 2008 9:57 pm

Rosc0PColtrane wrote:It's how every investment on the planet works. How do you think banks are able to pay interest? You give them money, they lend it out. You get part of the interest. The more money you have to lend, the more liquid your assets are, meaning your lending terms are not governed by the person who lent you the money in the first instance. ie when they want it back, because you have so many people lending through you, you're able to pay them back out of what ever loan is collected at that time.

You're able to lend various amounts over different times because you have depth of investors.

but were taking about a loan shark with limited amounts of business available .(local benefit scroungers) not an international bank. if an accountant needs to ask a cabbie for financial help id start worrying.

Wed Jul 16, 2008 4:15 pm

fuzzy wrote:
Rosc0PColtrane wrote:It's how every investment on the planet works. How do you think banks are able to pay interest? You give them money, they lend it out. You get part of the interest. The more money you have to lend, the more liquid your assets are, meaning your lending terms are not governed by the person who lent you the money in the first instance. ie when they want it back, because you have so many people lending through you, you're able to pay them back out of what ever loan is collected at that time.

You're able to lend various amounts over different times because you have depth of investors.
but were taking about a loan shark with limited amounts of business available .(local benefit scroungers) not an international bank. if an accountant needs to ask a cabbie for financial help id start worrying.

To double growth, you'd need 100% interest. The rate of interest here (15%) reflects the level of risk. Yes they (the customers) are scummers, which is the risk.

If an accountant is asking for beans, he clearly believes he has the potential market to expand into, he's offering investors the chance to help him realise that.

Yes it is a risk. Investment is gambling for the rich, in simple terms and you shouldn't invest what you cannot afford to lose.

Wed Jul 16, 2008 4:25 pm

With An APR of 780% he can afford to lose a few (this being the risk)

now lets work that out inclusive of compound interest.... erm il get back to you

Thu Jul 17, 2008 12:53 pm

how did we geo onto talking about loan sharks nd bum love the original topic was dodgy buyers and sellers

Thu Jul 17, 2008 5:38 pm

fuzzy wrote:
Rosc0PColtrane wrote:It's how every investment on the planet works. How do you think banks are able to pay interest? You give them money, they lend it out. You get part of the interest. The more money you have to lend, the more liquid your assets are, meaning your lending terms are not governed by the person who lent you the money in the first instance. ie when they want it back, because you have so many people lending through you, you're able to pay them back out of what ever loan is collected at that time.

You're able to lend various amounts over different times because you have depth of investors.
but were taking about a loan shark with limited amounts of business available .(local benefit scroungers) not an international bank. if an accountant needs to ask a cabbie for financial help id start worrying.

To be fair I'd hardly call a Ltd Company with an office on the high street and regulated by the FSA a loan shark. These are regulated loans like these ones:
http://www.paydayuk.co.uk/indexga.htm?p ... 1QodKV_ykg

They make £25 per £100 per week, I would make 15% for investing (though I was led to believe this was per month!). However these types of firms cannot get bank or government funding in order to operate they need private funding. In order to grow they need funding. Websites, shops staff and bills all cost money. Regardless of thier profit margin if they don't have the capitol to expand they can't.

It sounds very lucrative, just not my idea of ethical investment. I would also not be lending them the money I would be investing it as an investor, hence any loss by the company (on any forfeit loans) would also be my loss but again at a reduced amount proportianal to my investment.

I never looked into it any further.

Fri Jul 18, 2008 5:19 pm

Not sure this is the kinda convo one would have with a prospective buyer of a vehicle?
"Love the leather interior, ever donkey punched a girl on the back seat?"

Fri Jul 18, 2008 6:52 pm

This thread has gone so far off topic that not even the A team could find it.

Please try to stay remotely on topic

Fri Jul 18, 2008 6:58 pm

horray someone noticed that bum love and loan sharks has f**k all to do with dodgy buyers and sellers