Buyer beware.

[Robotstar5]

I saw a car for sale in one of my FB groups

The sellers description included: absolute solid example fully wax oiled chassis like new fully serviced spent a fortune on getting it perfect

The numberplate was shown in the pics so I looked up the last MOT which had this: General vehicle condition corroded on underside suspension components heavily corroded brakepipes corroded exhaust system heavily corroded

 

[bricol]

Maybe they did indeed "spent a fortune on getting it perfect" ?

 

[Erie Fred]

I saw a car for sale in one of my FB groups

The sellers description included: absolute solid example fully wax oiled chassis like new fully serviced spent a fortune on getting it perfect

The numberplate was shown in the pics so I looked up the last MOT which had this: General vehicle condition corroded on underside suspension components heavily corroded brakepipes corroded exhaust system heavily corroded

If you lay on waxoil/fluid film/cosmolene thick enough.....
Now they are offering some brands in a black color as well.....

It put's the metal back in place to OEM specs.....

 

[Kayos]

MOT check has saved me a few wasted journeys car/van buying

 

[dieselsamurai]

I always check the Mot history if there are recurring advisories that dont get fixed thats a warning sign to me too

 

[hotponyshoes]

Could be either.
Maybe he's spent a load of money getting it all done plus a bit more on treatment to ensure it doesn't happen again.

Or the mot tester told him 'this will all fail next year' so he's covered it over and is getting shot of it..

At least with that one you have some background information and can take a closer look.
There are plenty of mot testers who only give 'verbal' advisorys to mates so I'd have a good look at any car I was buying anyway..

 

[bigegg]

Why would someone "spend a fortune" getting a car "perfect", and then sell it?

Id much prefer to buy an "honest " car, with known faults, and a price to match, than something which has been bodged + other faults hidden.

I think the above advert definitely falls in the 2nd category.

 

[hotponyshoes]

Why would someone "spend a fortune" getting a car "perfect", and then sell it?

A mate of mine does exactly that.
I think he fancies himself as a 'rust to riches' or 'custom wheels' type dealer.
He'll buy something nice, do every little thing on it, drive it for a month then sell it again.
Probably goes through 2 cars a year plus usually has some sort of side project like a classic or a boat that gets done once a year or so.
I guess he enjoys the project element of it (plus driving around showing it to his mates) as I'm pretty sure he's not making much money from doing it.

 

[steveo3002]

many people do think a dusting of waxoil /shutz = yes totally fixed /back to new

the mot notes being avail are a god send eh?

 

[keithski122]

I always check the Mot history if there are recurring advisories that dont get fixed thats a warning sign to me too

My car has had an advisory for slight play in nsf strut top mount for the last ten years, never got any worse though. I also had a mazda 323 that every year used to get an advisory for oil on the steering rack, for some reason it would always get one drip and never any worse, even if it was wiped off by next year it would have that one drip back again.I had that car for fourteen years.

 

[bricol]

A mate of mine does exactly that.
I think he fancies himself as a 'rust to riches' or 'custom wheels' type dealer.
He'll buy something nice, do every little thing on it, drive it for a month then sell it again.
Probably goes through 2 cars a year plus usually has some sort of side project like a classic or a boat that gets done once a year or so.
I guess he enjoys the project element of it (plus driving around showing it to his mates) as I'm pretty sure he's not making much money from doing it.

I keep doing that when I see a car I like...problem is I fail at the last part, selling it on. I like driving them too much.

I bought a Lancia integrale - put it on limited mileage, run it a year, sell it...anyway, 30 plus years later, 250,000 miles later, I used it yesterday for the work commute.

Dodge Challenger - run it a year, flog it on, make more than my money back from importing it... 8 yrs later, I used it today for the work commute - it towed my trials car to and from an event last weekend.

I have managed to sell a few on over the years, but never made money, but did have a few smiles. Run out of room at the moment - 8 cars on the drive, patio, in the garage, at the bottom of the garden...

 

[dieselsamurai]

My car has had an advisory for slight play in nsf strut top mount for the last ten years, never got any worse though. I also had a mazda 323 that every year used to get an advisory for oil on the steering rack, for some reason it would always get one drip and never any worse, even if it was wiped off by next year it would have that one drip back again.I had that car for fourteen years.

Thats ok if its your own car and you know its a minor issue but I just had to help both my kids buy their first car (with money they saved) so im looking at it through different eyes id rather get them a car that on the next MOT any minors were sorted as it in theory means they looked after it not just trying to run it into the ground

My Hilux had a top ball joint play minor for years i finally got round to sorting it last year but most things i'd rather nip in the bud before they get worse