So.. when is it too late to back out of a car deal?

[MJK]

I just ran across a new one...

I saw a car advertised about 500 miles away from me I was interested in (non-NSX). It seemed a fair price on a nice car. Seller and I spoke on Monday - seemed like a good guy. He is the original owner and encouraged me to speak to the shop that maintained it. I did, and on Tuesday after doing so told him I was interested in the car and would take it at full asking price if it were as described. We discuss logistics and based on this I buy tickets and share flight details. He agrees to pick me up at the airport. The plan is that I will get there early so that we can deposit my certified check at his bank, and I can drive home with car and title. Great, thanks, see you Saturday. Tonight (Thursday) night he informs me he no longer wishes to sell it. Meanwhile it is still advertised in multiple places for the same price I agreed to. My polite 'isn't it a little late for that?' reply goes unanswered.

I've never run into this before and am a little floored. Is this simply a schmuck tax I need to pay for taking someone at their word?

 

[tucsonsx]

Sure is - happens all the time. If you have any luck at all you booked your flight with miles so the cancellation/reschedule charge isn't too brutal.

 

[Miner]

Until you put a deposit down, if the seller accepts it. Or when the seller signs the title over to you.

That being said, it sounds like the seller used you as a wedge to get a better deal, at your expense.

Caveat emptor.

 

[Speedmaster]

Weak seller. Bad moral compass. Chalk it up as a life-tax and move on. After that experience, I wouldn't ever deal with that person again. My guess is that you ran a CarFax. If you want to see if he really did sell to someone else, wait a couple months and run again to see if the car was registered elsewhere. But, that won't make you feel any better. It will just confirm a suspicion, at best.

Were it me, I would ask the seller to pay for the plane tickets and any expenses you incurred getting ready for the trip. That ought to sober them up.

 

[MJK]

Airline ticket are a manageable expense. Agreed that anything is just a conversation until an offer is made, accepted and compensation changes hands. I guess opinions vary as to whether that happened here. Upon further reflection, I think what bothers me most is that I misread this completely. I go out of my way to deal with this sort of person as little as possible in life. The answer I haven't come up with is what if anything I would do differently next time apart from hopefully be a better judge of charactor - I don't like changing myself to a lower standard just because someone else does.

Oh well, the hunt resumes I suppose. Thanks for being a sounding board on this.

 

[docjohn]

your judgement was clouded because he had something you wanted......sometimes we chose to neglect red flags because of the prize.....how many folks are in bad relationships because of that......I hope you respond back so you can have 3000 posts:biggrin:

 

[Senninha]

Almost happened to me when buying the NSX ... it was only the combination of deposit and the buyer being a good upstanding individual that we concluded but he was really not sure he would conclude the deal ... maybe your potential seller has some emotional alignment that got the better of them ...

Over to you for 3k ...

 

[MJK]

Ok - Just to hit the 3k. I am looking for a mint 2005-08 SL55 with P030. Anyone have one? Is the 65 worth the extra expense / hassle?

 

[tucsonsx]

Airline ticket are a manageable expense. Agreed that anything is just a conversation until an offer is made, accepted and compensation changes hands. I guess opinions vary as to whether that happened here. Upon further reflection, I think what bothers me most is that I misread this completely. I go out of my way to deal with this sort of person as little as possible in life. The answer I haven't come up with is what if anything I would do differently next time apart from hopefully be a better judge of charactor - I don't like changing myself to a lower standard just because someone else does.

Oh well, the hunt resumes I suppose. Thanks for being a sounding board on this.

I can't think of anything you could have done differently. You just ran across a flake. Maybe it is for the best, sometimes this type of thing saves you from something worse like some other hidden car/title problem. You should come to C&C at La Encantada next time - cool group of NSXers are usually there and now that the snowbirds are back the selection of cars will be amazing. You won't believe some of the cars that are tucked away in garages around town. Now, make that next post.

 

[MJK]

I can't think of anything you could have done differently. You just ran across a flake. Maybe it is for the best, sometimes this type of thing saves you from something worse like some other hidden car/title problem. You should come to C&C at La Encantada next time - cool group of NSXers are usually there and now that the snowbirds are back the selection of cars will be amazing. You won't believe some of the cars that are tucked away in garages around town. Now, make that next post.

I didn't even know those were still going on! I'll try and make it. 1st Sat of the month?

I'm not sure if you remember - but you actually met my daughter and I there probably 8-10 years ago. Hopefully she can appreciate it more now. Just turned 16 and we have an S2K for dad/daughter fun.

 

[91 X]

That's total BS....I hope you didn't pay for any plane tickets before he pulled that shit.

I recently sold my NSX and agreed to a price with a nice guy from Texas who was going to drive out here to pick it up.

I immediately had my regrets as soon as I agreed to sell it to him, but as soon as he told me he took a couple extra days off to drive out here I wasn't about to back out on him now... I tried to point out all the flaws in hopes he may change his mind, but he seemed to appreciate it even more and was set to come out here and drive it home....

No regrets, sure I miss it, but I'm having fun with the new toy and happy with what I got for the NSX....and happy it went to a good home.

 

[tucsonsx]

I didn't even know those were still going on! I'll try and make it. 1st Sat of the month?

I'm not sure if you remember - but you actually met my daughter and I there probably 8-10 years ago. Hopefully she can appreciate it more now. Just turned 16 and we have an S2K for dad/daughter fun.

I sure do - cool that your daughter is interested in cars and driving an S2K. C&C is the second Saturday of each month your GPW needs to make the scene. Hopefully streeter will also bring his GPW that he and MANIACura built - the thing is jaw dropping.

 

[MJK]

That's total BS....I hope you didn't pay for any plane tickets before he pulled that shit.

I recently sold my NSX and agreed to a price with a nice guy from Texas who was going to drive out here to pick it up.

I immediately had my regrets as soon as I agreed to sell it to him, but as soon as he told me he took a couple extra days off to drive out here I wasn't about to back out on him now... I tried to point out all the flaws in hopes he may change his mind, but he seemed to appreciate it even more and was set to come out here and drive it home....

No regrets, sure I miss it, but I'm having fun with the new toy and happy with what I got for the NSX....and happy it went to a good home.

I bought tickets to the specific airport he requested (SoCal) and at the time that was best for him, and talked to him on the phone on Tues before doing so. Conversation ended with him having my flight info and saying 'will bring the car, and see you there'. It isn't the money that pisses me off the most, although that certainly does not help. I rearranged a weekend, transferred a bunch of funds and had an appointment to pick up the cashiers check on Friday AM. Thursday late he cancelled via text, and then just cut off communication. Under no circumstances would I deal with him again.

Don't get me wrong, I don't begrudge someone who wants to keep the car. Anytime up to 'yes, if you buy tickets the car will be here' is fair game. After that, it feels like the ship has sailed. That is how I would have handled it in the sellers position. But, I'm not him. So, OK. This is not the first time I have had a negative experience buying (or trying to) a car, but all up to this point has been shadiness before we came (or didn't) to terms. Live and learn. Oddly, I have I have never run into anything even mildly distasteful in almost 20 years of NSXing. In the same way that adds to the NSX community, it sort of detracts from some of the others. Odd how that happens - or at least has to me.

Enjoy the new toys in good health, and please stick around!

I sure do - cool that your daughter is interested in cars and driving an S2K. C&C is the second Saturday of each month your GPW needs to make the scene. Hopefully streeter will also bring his GPW that he and MANIACura built - the thing is jaw dropping

Will try and do that, and hope to see you there! It seems our cupholders have a once every 8-10 year rendezvous. I would hate to break that up.

 

[91 X]

I bought tickets to the specific airport he requested (SoCal) and at the time that was best for him, and talked to him on the phone on Tues before doing so. Conversation ended with him having my flight info and saying 'will bring the car, and see you there'. It isn't the money that pisses me off the most, although that certainly does not help. I rearranged a weekend, transferred a bunch of funds and had an appointment to pick up the cashiers check on Friday AM. Thursday late he cancelled via text, and then just cut off communication. Under no circumstances would I deal with him again.

Don't get me wrong, I don't begrudge someone who wants to keep the car. Anytime up to 'yes, if you buy tickets the car will be here' is fair game. After that, it feels like the ship has sailed. That is how I would have handled it in the sellers position. But, I'm not him. So, OK. This is not the first time I have had a negative experience buying (or trying to) a car, but all up to this point has been shadiness before we came (or didn't) to terms. Live and learn. Oddly, I have I have never run into anything even mildly distasteful in almost 20 years of NSXing. In the same way that adds to the NSX community, it sort of detracts from some of the others. Odd how that happens - or at least has to me.

Enjoy the new toys in good health, and please stick around!



Will try and do that, and hope to see you there! It seems our cupholders have a once every 8-10 year rendezvous. I would hate to break that up.

Man, you say he is in SoCal?

If you don't mind can you send me a link to the ad? I'd like to mess with this doucher offer him a bunch of money and then tell him to meet me at my bank and then just ghost his ass.... I can't believe he pulled that crap after he agreed to pick you up at the airport

 

[neuronbob]

This happened to me when I was looking for my NSX four years ago. Pissed me off mightily, and worse, he called back a few months later asking for more money. I already had my current NSX at that point. Grrrrr....

 

[MJK]

^^ That takes some serious balls (and stupidity). I'd have laughed myself silly, both before and after hanging up on him.

Ad appears to have been pulled sometime between yesterday and today, but it was a black/black 06 SL55 in w/44k Buena Park. Hell, maybe I'll convince myself to stop looking at R230 AMGs and start looking at the 997 GT3 I really want. It is tough to believe I would have 4-6X the fun with the latter though, so probably not. :smile:

In any case, time to move on. Thanks for the moral support.

 

[91 X]

Wow....talk about depreciation. Those started at like $125,000 back in 2006


Yeah, unfortunately this guy probably got a little bit better offer and just left you out to dry..... what a turd.

 

[whiteNSXs]

Congratulations for dodging a POS. There are very good reasons for the car to be worth 1/5 of the original price. EVERYTHING breaks on that POS. I helped my friend changed the 3rd brake light which broke off just from closing the trunk. The way it was attached was completely laughable. Wait for the shocks to leak and you will be out for a few grands.
Steve

 

[hustlerr]

Congrats!

 

[JLCoolman]

Congratulations for dodging a POS. There are very good reasons for the car to be worth 1/5 of the original price. EVERYTHING breaks on that POS. I helped my friend changed the 3rd brake light which broke off just from closing the trunk. The way it was attached was completely laughable. Wait for the shocks to leak and you will be out for a few grands.
Steve

Yes, a fellow former NSX owner had one with that "shocking" problem.... pardon the pun, lol.

 

[DJ Iceman]

That story burned my blood. I can't imagine EVER treating someone the way the seller treated you, nor can I honestly describe how I'd react had that happened to me. Right/wrong, ethical/unethical, legal/illegal are not always the same...