That's exactly what I was thinking Alpiner. Some folk must have a lot of money or time, or maybe their private oil well (or maybe all three). We saw some cars going a bit cheaper up north but OH won't travel by train anyway.
I sold one of my Campers on Ebay. The guy lived in Inverness and got a flight down to Bournemouth Airport where we picked him up. He loved the VW camper and we put a kettle, a cup and some tea and sugar in the cupboard for him so he could have a cuppa and drive it home.
He rang me a few days later and said he and his wife were really chuffed.
Then again as for distances. I saw a Motorhome on Mobile.de and emailed the chap then flew out to Hamburg and rented a car to drive down to the van. Picked the van up and drove it back to the UK.
We bought our motorhome in Ostend - that was a fab adventure and the one we sold the guy came up from the Isle of Wight with £20k cash in a bag and went off in it after we'd banked his money together and given him a receipt! Someone else had flown down to Aberdeen to look at it but their price was too low so they had to fly back again disappointed - this was me on my own - but I was at the place where we stored it. We had said no haggling.
We live by you somewhere Nora and I think it's bizarre that anyone would come all that way to buy your car as they are very prevalent - we used to have one, got a 407 now - they are used as taxis aren't they so maybe that's what he's thinking. As you say a right ramble on trains and buses to get here, too dear for the money unless he's got something else going on up here, which he might have - if you're not comfy with it just say no as it won't be worth his journey if he's thinking of haggling and this is his only reason for coming! It can't be a scam like someone else said as you'll get all your money or lose nothing, but he probably will want to haggle and most people do, so save him the bother by being up front and tell him that the price is non negotiable. If he then says that's fine tell him you'll meet him a car park somewhere if you're that wary about meeting at your house - but it won't be any different will it to someone coming from round the corner (or will it feel psychologically different?) and you're on your own, I know what you mean though....
NEVER meet anyone on your own in a carpark. What if he turns up with a few guys and takes the car and all documents AND the cash.
There is no point avoiding doing the sale at your house, if he looks at the documents then he will know where you live anyway. Simply ask a neighbour or family member to sit and wait for the deal to be done, then wait for a while after the deal is done.
Remember not to let them take the car for a test drive without the whole asking price in YOUR hand. And "if they bash it they bought it".
Good luck with the sale.
------------- Never look down at anybody....
.....unless to offer a hand, to help them up
I have travelled from Devon to London to buy a car in the past and, having read of several other people's experiences on this thread, it is clearly not that unusual for some people to travel a distance for the right vehicle. I know several people who buy from mainland Europe - although usually for a specific vehicle .
What I don't understand is why that makes a prospective purchaser a person of suspicion any more than someone who comes from 2 streets away. The precautions should be exactly the same!
I would travel a lot further for a motorhome than for a car - the spec of motorhome that you want isn't so easy to get as that of a car. It's only a Peugeot 406, nothing special. There are loads on Ebay and Autotrader, some cheaper some dearer. Most with a darn site more mileage on them though.
I know he lives in Harlow because he said so. He sent a message about 8 o'clock at night and said he would come from Harlow in Essex "tomorrow", i.e. now yesterday, and made me the offer. I've turned it down anyway.
My mate wen't over 200 miles last year to buy a Transit van. I advertised my old Peugeot 405 estate on Ebay, listed it's faults & emphasised it had no warranty, a chap living 140 miles away won the auction, caled me to arrange collection then came down with the £180 & drove it home, faults and all. Obviously people are prepared to travel when it suits them. For me, I wouldn't turn down a cash buyer if I had something to sell & someone wanted to buy it.
If you are buying a used car from a dealer without any remaining manufacturers warranty left I would advise not to travel more than 30 miles as most dealers will give at least 1 months warranty. In case of a problem within the warranty period you have to take it back to the dealer for repair. Not very convenient if you have to take it back (or have it towed back) if the dealer /car sales is some considerable distance away.
If you buy privately it is a completely different ball game as there is no warranty (Caveat Emptor)
Bloke drove 120 miles each way to give me cash for my blown up bike Then me and my dad went 210 miles to give the same cash to another bloke for a working bike and I rode it home Really can't see the problem
------------- Tune the world out, turn the radio up
Sing along to my freedom song