car selling issues - need your opinion

[NOLAW]

My partner sold her car tonight, it was a 1994 mazda familia for just over a $1000, it was a good lil runner and shes had it for the last year and it has given her no problems what so ever.

I just got told by the buyer the motor blew up (unsure exactly what they mean by that yet) but i find this hard to believe as the car has given her no issues at all over the last year shes had it and then all of a sudden it apparently goes pop?

A few details i might add is before they test drove it the guy pulled the air filter out and checked it, he then failed to seal the air box back up again before test drive as when he came back from test driving it i saw him mention he forgot to close it properly and proceeded to seal it properly...could this be a possible reason for the engine failing (as it was raining also, so theres a good chance water may have got into the engine)

let me know your opinions

[Sick Puppy]

I wouldn't have thought either of those would have blown the engine, but you'll want to find out what they mean by 'it blew up'... get them to get it checked by a proper mechanic (i.e. the one you use if you use one), and while we're at it, do you have service receipts?

[Bling]

So what are they saying? They want a refund?

Last few cases i've seen similar to this, albeit not quite so soon after purchase was that the buyer made all sorts of threats but eventually went away as its a 2nd hand car and the seller had no control over how it was treated after the sale.

If they test drove it and were happy with it surely its not your fault they blew it up. If it was me, I wouldn't be getting my wallet out that's for sure. Buyer beware. I had someone buy an engine off me I had never run, it overheated the next week Was just a car I was wrecking and the guy knew the risks so never even had a problem.

[AE92-5ONIC]

Buyer beware.

"Caveat emptor" upto the buyer to suss out the car befire purchase. He said it himself, the car "blew up" when it was in his hands, not previous to sale. Sooo, doesn't seem like there's any problems for you.

[rollaholic]

yep theres very little protection on private sales, i wouldnt take any shit if i were you.

[NOLAW]

I found out the oil pump failed 'so they say' to mine and her knowledge the car was fine and neither of us had any clue this was going to fail, extremeley bad timing for them i geuss, im not going to go refunding though as this happend after the sale and therefore is there issue to deal with, however im considering giving a few hundred back to go towards replacing the motor as i do feel a bit ratshit for them.

what do you recon i should do?

[Adamal]

If the oil pump failed, then the little red light would have come up on the dash when the pressure dropped, and they should have pulled over immediately to prevent major damage.

If the engine has 'blown up', it sounds to me like they didn't pull over and just ignored the "Pull the $&#$% over" light

[eskimo]

Dont get out your wallet, just bad luck on their side.

[B1NZ]

If the oil pump failed, then the little red light would have come up on the dash when the pressure dropped, and they should have pulled over immediately to prevent major damage.

If the engine has 'blown up', it sounds to me like they didn't pull over and just ignored the "Pull the $&#$% over" light

As admal has said: User error

[Bling]

what do you recon i should do?

Whether you flick them some money is ultimately up to you, but how likely do you think it would be they would give you money if the situation was reversed? I'm not saying don't pay out, but yeah...

[Leon]

Unless you trust them to be not spinning you a line, and you are feeling generous, I'd be inclined to not give them anything.

I doubt that I would be giving somebody money back on a $1000 car. If you want a warranty, buy a $10,000 car off a yard.

[blindnz]

Yeah the car is $1000, seems a really good price for anything 1994 especially something that has been looked after like you say.
I'd be very suspicious that A. They are pulling your leg B. they thrashed the shit out of it.

I would not give them a cent i would say i am sorry i have never had any problems with this car. It was sold cheap so nothing i can do sorry.

[dnalunchie]

This happened to my RS legacy I sold a while back, just stand your ground and dont pay them a cent. its a private sale for $1,000 its not worth their while getting all antsy about it

[Leon]

This happened to my RS legacy

a Legacy, blowing up? Really??? Heck, who would have expected that!!

Sorry, sometimes the low blow is the best kind.

[.:O4AGTZ:.]

went through the same thing when i sold my car, guy rung me the next day (after a trip from wgtn to akl) and said the head gasket was blown after he drove it all the way back.

There is NO protection of any kind really for buyers in private car sales. They can say you lied, but they have to prove that and considering it was fine when they test drove it that is pretty much void. And they didnt get a proper inspection done and that is fully up to the buyer to investigate.

Your in the clear mate, they can take you to small claims if they want to but they cant prove anything as the proper precautions were not taken by them/ was just bad timing.

A car blows up an hour after you buy it well there is no way of proving that it was their driving and not yours. Just one of those risks really.

[NOLAW]

I was told it blew up (i presumed they ment the car had stopped or died) i have since been told this morning that it did not die but the oil light came on (which is strange as it was full when i they came to veiw it and has never used excessive amounts of oil) they then topped it up and then it blew smoke (unsure how much).

I could be wrong but i dont see how that can be the oil pump..correct me if im wrong

I have told them im not going to consider returning any money until they have a mechanics report on exactly whats wrong with the car as they sound a bit like their taking geusses at the moment

[tsoob]

just tell em you dont want to know about his car. its his car.

[Adamal]

I was told it blew up (i presumed they ment the car had stopped or died) i have since been told this morning that it did not die but the oil light came on (which is strange as it was full when i they came to veiw it and has never used excessive amounts of oil) they then topped it up and then it blew smoke (unsure how much).

I could be wrong but i dont see how that can be the oil pump..correct me if im wrong

If the oil pump failed, and the light came on and they continued driving it, then they've probably chewed through the rings and getting heaps of blow by.

Don't have a bar of it.

[Snaps]

Nope, it's none of your business anymore, it's thier car. Did you write up a reciept or anything which had the date and time on it that the car was 'handed over' to them?

[.:O4AGTZ:.]

just tell em you dont want to know about his car. its his car.

exactly. it has changed hands now and it is his problem. Stand your ground mate as it cannot come back on you