I'm starting to get the runaround from this seller. I drove the car yesterday & it drives well, but I want to see the damage that's hidden under the 'bra' they put on the front end. The front bumper cover was split in two from the accident (and it's missing some grill parts) and they screwed/bolted it together rather than replace it (to save money, apparently). That's not really an issue for me, but the next part is...
I texted to see about taking it to a mechanic in their town, maybe a mile or so from where the car is now. The guy wrote me back saying he's been screwed around by people driving all over, etc, without actually having the money to buy, or offering him a low-ball offer, so he wants to see my cash before I can take it to a mechanic. Also, the available appointment was too early for him, so he wanted to know the name of the shop so that he could drop it off at a more convenient time.
I know these guys have been buying salvaged vehicles, fixing, and reselling them for years (based on seeing other cars they had for sale), so I'm concerned that they might have an 'arrangement' with local mechanics to say that everything is 'fine' if they know who it is. I want to have the car checked out without the possibility of the seller's influence, which I think is my right as a cautious consumer. I'm also hesitant because I asked the guy for any documentation showing that it was inspected after the repairs, or which parts were replaced, or even pictures of the repairs hidden by the bra. He told me he'd look for them, but texted back that evening saying all he had was a receipt for the bra, no other documents/pictures. I ran into the same issue the last time I looked at one of their vehicles (it's a father/son team).
It's possible everything is on the up & up, but the combination of hiding the front end repairs, and the hesitancy of letting me take it to a mechanic is making me nervous. I don't need to buy this car, and in fact had already decided to wait for spring anyway, so I told him that I won't be paying for a cashier's check for a car I might not buy, and I'm not walking around with that kind of cash on me. If he wants to sell it, he'll have to let me take it to a mechanic, and if not, that there's really nothing else to discuss. It's a car that was totaled out for insurance purposes due to an accident, and that's a big 'buyer beware' flag.
So, now I wait to see what his response is. I have the feeling he'll say no, which means that I'll know to never deal with those guys again. Even if he says yes, I'm still not sure, because why give me such a hard time? Something just kind of seems off.
5:00 p.m. - 2019-12-04
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