The saga is over! :)

[RossMAN]

Originally posted by: apoppin
All clear now? Everything settled?

Nope, my appt with the mother isn't until tomorrow (Friday 5PM @ my Credit Union) to sign the bill of sale and have it notarized, then I hand her the cashier's check for $300 and the spare key.

After much deliberation I don't think I should have to pay the $300 since she assumed ownership and possesion of the car last Friday 8/2. On Monday 8/5 I cancelled the for sale ad, cancelled the car insurance and called the Oregon DMV informing them I no longer own the car and advised them who the new owner's are.

I've already discounted the car from the original ad price of $3,900 down to $3,300. I'm sure her $3,300 personal check has cleared by now but just in case I want to wait until Friday morning where I will call the mother and explain she has 1 of 2 options.
1) The car was already discounted $600 from the original $3,900 asking price down to her counter offer of $3,300 so she can keep that $600 discount and get no $300 refund
-or
2) I will give her the $300 refund if she gives me back $600.

Do you think this is justified? The repair costs are $715 according to her and I don't want to go through the hassle or wait of having her fax the estimate to me or getting 2-3 other estimates. The $600 initial discount I gave her should cover almost all of the $715 in repair costs.

What do you guys think?

 

[Viper GTS]

You agreed to cover half of the repairs, you should stick to that.

Stupid of you? Absolutely, but keep your word and give her the check for $300.

Then be done with her.

Viper GTS

 

[apoppin]

Personally . . . ? . . . I think you are having seller's remorse.

If it were me, I'd bite the bullet and sell her the car for what you (finally) agreed on. You DID agree to give her a $300 rebate toward car repair, right?

I think (again, IMHO), IF you hassle her you may LOSE the deal entirely and may eventually end up in court over this. Plus, you may have to start all over in selling your car (new ad, new idiot buyers).

How much is your time and stress worth?

EDIT: ViperGTS put it far more succinctly.

 

[Jzero]

IMHO, it's the buyer's responsibility to ask the seller for a mechanic inspection *BEFORE* you actually buy the car, so I think they should have to suck it up.
However, being a "helper" type of person in that situation, I'm not sure what I'd actually do. I have a good feeling if you told me you'd cover $300 repair charge in exchange for an extra $600 price (now I'm out $1000 instead of $700 if I just ate it or $300 if you offered to just cover half), I'd probably tell you to "Suck it, I'll see you on Judge Judy."

That being the case, if I was in your shoes, I'd be tempted to just say here's your damn $300, there is no warranty and I am absolved of any further responsibility for any issues you come up with from this moment on.

 

[RossMAN]

Viper GTS - True, I did agree to give her $300 yesterday ... I could go back on my word but it's not really worth losing the entire deal or making it uglier than it already is.

apoppin - Yeah I'd rather have this headache over with although it's going to cost me $300 I'm still $500 over the low $2,500 I was willing to settle for.

*shrugs* Oh I'm such an idiot.

 

[deftron]

You got 3 grand for a 94 Corolla with a salvage title ?


I'd say you made out like a bandit...


Sure you got $1,000 less than you paid for it (which was way too much)

but at least you got a years use out of it.

 

[apoppin]

Originally posted by: RossMAN
Viper GTS - True, I did agree to give her $300 yesterday ... I could go back on my word but it's not really worth losing the entire deal or making it uglier than it already is.

apoppin - Yeah I'd rather have this headache over with although it's going to cost me $300 I'm still $500 over the low $2,500 I was willing to settle for.

*shrugs* Oh I'm such an idiot.

Yep, it's definitely "seller's remorse". You will survive . . . Keep your word.

 

[dirtboy]

Originally posted by: RossMAN

Do you think this is justified? The repair costs are $715 according to her and I don't want to go through the hassle or wait of having her fax the estimate to me or getting 2-3 other estimates. The $600 initial discount I gave her should cover almost all of the $715 in repair costs.

What do you guys think?

You know what I'd do? I'd hand you the keys back and take my money back. All things considered, you should be very happy that you're getting rid of this car so easily and for what is a fair value. It's your fault for not getting a bill of sale signed. I suppose if you wanted to drag them to small claims court and fight over this, you could. You'd look really stupid if you did, IMHO.

After all, you're trying to sell a salvage titled car for close to the value of a non-salvaged title car. Stop being a dick about it and just give them the $300, get a simple bill of sale signed and go on with your life.

After reading this thread for the last few days, I have begun to feel sorry for those people that are buying your car RossMAN.

 

[jcovercash]

Originally posted by: RossMAN

Originally posted by: apoppin
All clear now? Everything settled?

Nope, my appt with the mother isn't until tomorrow (Friday 5PM @ my Credit Union) to sign the bill of sale and have it notarized, then I hand her the cashier's check for $300 and the spare key.

After much deliberation I don't think I should have to pay the $300 since she assumed ownership and possesion of the car last Friday 8/2. On Monday 8/5 I cancelled the for sale ad, cancelled the car insurance and called the Oregon DMV informing them I no longer own the car and advised them who the new owner's are.

I've already discounted the car from the original ad price of $3,900 down to $3,300. I'm sure her $3,300 personal check has cleared by now but just in case I want to wait until Friday morning where I will call the mother and explain she has 1 of 2 options.
1) The car was already discounted $600 from the original $3,900 asking price down to her counter offer of $3,300 so she can keep that $600 discount and get no $300 refund
-or
2) I will give her the $300 refund if she gives me back $600.

Do you think this is justified? The repair costs are $715 according to her and I don't want to go through the hassle or wait of having her fax the estimate to me or getting 2-3 other estimates. The $600 initial discount I gave her should cover almost all of the $715 in repair costs.

What do you guys think?

I agree with you on some of your points, and i dont want to make enimies or anything. BUT You took the lower price of 3,300 not 3,900. So you can forget that 600 Its gone, in fact it never was there. So they paid you 3,300 Its their car now. Then they come back and all this blah blah blah that said was wrong we need money for it. Well You shouldnt have offer to give them 300 back in the first place, you did so now you have to stick to your guns. They bought the car and then decided to get it inspected. Thats like me selling you a used computer w/ a little dust in it, and you having to spend 10 bucks to clean it and wanting me to give it half back. There is nothing ever said or implied that if something is wrong im gonna pay for it or pay half.

You have no reposibility whatsoever after the car is paid for.

Thats just my .02

Josh

 

[RossMAN]

deftron - Yeah I paid too much to begin with, should have paid $3k and sold it for $2500 but that's another story. Although I'm losing $1k I did have use of the car for 1 year so I just consider the $1k like a $100 per month car payment, besides cars are not sound investments. Just wish I didn't agree to the $300 yesterday but getting $3k for the car and selling it the FIRST day it listed is pretty nice.

Who knows maybe if I had held out I could have gotten the $3900 but I highly doubt it once they learn it's a salvage title.

I have learned my lesson, all 300 of them!

 

[BigPotato]

dude. that sucks.

 

[apoppin]

Originally posted by: RossMAN
deftron - Yeah I paid too much to begin with, should have paid $3k and sold it for $2500 but that's another story. Although I'm losing $1k I did have use of the car for 1 year so I just consider the $1k like a $100 per month car payment, besides cars are not sound investments. Just wish I didn't agree to the $300 yesterday but getting $3k for the car and selling it the FIRST day it listed is pretty nice.

Who knows maybe if I had held out I could have gotten the $3900 but I highly doubt it once they learn it's a salvage title.

I have learned my lesson, all 300 of them!

$300? That's an inexpensive lesson - even for a Ferengi.

 

[dakata24]

bump for an update.. howd it go?

 

[apoppin]

Originally posted by: dakata24
bump for an update.. howd it go?

We'll know soon after 5 PM PDT.

 

[RossMAN]

Originally posted by: apoppin

Originally posted by: dakata24
bump for an update.. howd it go?

We'll know soon after 5 PM PDT.

Actually right afterwards I might finally go see Star Wars II (yes it's still playing in movie theaters here and I'm the last person on the planet who hasn't seen it and I know it sucks) or I'll go to CostCo B&M to buy some car seat covers. But after I get home I'll update you guys on how it went.

 

[apoppin]

Originally posted by: RossMAN

Actually right afterwards I might finally go see Star Wars II (yes it's still playing in movie theaters here and I'm the last person on the planet who hasn't seen it and I know it sucks) or I'll go to CostCo B&M to buy some car seat covers. But after I get home I'll update you guys on how it went.

So that's what a Ferengi does when he is depressed after being taken - watch a (bad) movie and go on a shopping spree.

 

[Christoph]

You didn't discount jack. You and the buyer negotiated a price. That whole "willing buyer, willing seller" thing.

If, after you had completed the negotiations, you had said to her, "I know we just agreed on $3300, but you seem like a nice lady, so I'm going to knock $600 off that amount, " *that* would be a discount.

You don't *have* to give her the $300. The only reason you should is because you agreed, for whatever reason, to do so. The time for deliberation ended when you told her you'd pay her the money.

You don't have to give her the $300 in the form of a cashier's check. I wouldn't. (You do trust yourself to have the funds available and not stop payment on the check, right?) You're the seller, doing her a $300 favor--what's she going to do, refuse your personal check?

You don't have to get the bill of sale notarized, although it won't hurt. The bill of sale is just a receipt used for calculating tax--it can even be handwritten. I wouldn't add any "mumbo jumbo" beyond the phrase "as-is condition". Why run the risk of screwing it up?

And please, if the buyers ever contact you in the future: don't take the call.

 

[RossMAN]

Originally posted by: Christoph
And please, if the buyers ever contact you in the future: don't take the call.

No problem there. All they have is a temporary 1 month voicemail number which will be disconnected next Monday.

2 1/2 hours until I meet with them and I haven't even started, it's been so damn busy at work. Think I'll have to trim my 1 page of legal mumbo jumbo to the relevant stuff maybe 10 lines long. Oh well, it will all be over with in about 3 hours, w00t!

 

[brtspears2]

Just write "Let the buyer beware. To my knowlege, this car is rock soild as of (insert date here). This car is sold AS IS - NO WARRENTY."

Besides, who really buys a used car to expect everything to be perfect. Its USED, and it has a salvage title. You've been too nice on the price. You like a good deal, you are giving a great deal, someone wants to take adavantage of a good deal.

 

[RossMAN]

First of all I have to say that Credit Union's ROCK!. Didn't have a really long line to wait in, the teller was friendly, directed me to a personal banker for the notary, that took about 5 minutes, where I signed, he signed then she signed. Also the cashier's check was free and took like 20 seconds, very quick and painless. I'm loving having a credit union account and actually getting service instead of being charged up the ass with fees for everything and earning less than 1% interest.

FINAL UPDATE: (knock on wood)

At 4:00 PM I realized that I haven't even started on my BILL OF SALE so I opened Word and quickly whipped out a 20 line document in about 20 minutes, printed a buyer's official copy and a seller's official copy, made copies of the Oregon DMV bill of sale and the original $3,300 personal check ...

So I arrived at 4:58 PM, the husband was sitting at a table said his wife was in the bathroom. We walked over the notary area and they quickly reviewed my bill of sale addendum, although there were some interesting parts they didn't object or ask for any clarification on anything so that was nice and painless. If they had refused to sign I would have raised hell and walked out WITHOUT giving them the $300 check. This was the first document I have ever had notarized so that was a new experience for me. The notary looked at our ID's, jotted down our info into her notary book, stamped and signed the buyers and sellers copies of the bill of sale. The woman said the repair is actually $715 parts plus $400 labor, LOL she had a copy of the Toyota dealership estimate which she gave to me, I haven't looked at it but I could really care less at this point. She did thank me for offering to help with the repair costs, which further reinforces that I'm a total and complete frikkin' idiot since this was optional for me, argh! They sat back down while I went to the teller to get a $300 cashier's check made payable in his or her name. As we were walking out I remembered to give them the extra key copy, otherwise I'd have to mail it to them.

They did mention that the car passed through DEQ with flying colors, what else were they expecting? Everything in the bill of sale was pretty tame and normal except I did indicate that I will charge them a $3,000 fee if they attempt to contact me via telephone, mail or in person.

Although I walked out of the credit union $300 poorer I felt like a weight had been lifted off my shoulder. I'm finally able to put some closure to this ordeal and start my vacation! We don't leave for Vegas until Monday morning and get back to Portland next Friday.

Thank you everyone for your helpful suggestions and insight, I have definitely learned my lesson! Hopefully I won't have to buy or sell a car for a LOOOOOOOOOOOONG time.

 

[BigPotato]

good times.

now don't blow all your money in Vegas.

 

[Sluggo]

Originally posted by: RossMAN[/iThey did mention that the car passed through DEQ with flying colors, what else were they expecting? Everything in the bill of sale was pretty tame and normal except I did indicate that I will charge them a $3,000 fee if they attempt to contact me via telephone, mail or in person.

WOW, I'm pretty much guessing you donnt wish to hear from them again?

I hope you dont blow the whole 3k in Vegas

 

[RossMAN]

Originally posted by: Sluggo

Originally posted by: RossMAN[/iThey did mention that the car passed through DEQ with flying colors, what else were they expecting? Everything in the bill of sale was pretty tame and normal except I did indicate that I will charge them a $3,000 fee if they attempt to contact me via telephone, mail or in person.

WOW, I'm pretty much guessing you donnt wish to hear from them again?

I hope you dont blow the whole 3k in Vegas

Exactly, I never wanna hear from them again and I think they know that after reading that little blurb.

The $3k is sitting in my savings account, sent a $3k cc payment today.

 

[Smolek]

Everything in the bill of sale was pretty tame and normal except I did indicate that I will charge them a $3,000 fee if they attempt to contact me via telephone, mail or in person.

For that much you better do a few tricks or something

 

[ThunderGirl]

ok call me dumb to ask after this is over and done but didn't you say you had a mechanic look at the car b4 you put the ad in the paper?? Why didn't your mechanic find the leak?

who knows maybe I misread that if so sorry.