Buyer Beware

[Roscoe p]

Hi and hello to all,

I have been searching the web for a late Mk 4 for a while now, quite like the idea of a big v8,

Found a silver 430 with high mileage 183000 to be exact on Autotrader not to far from me.

Discounted it because it had panel damage and was a 430.

Imagine my surprise when I found the same car now for sale on eBay in Dudley advertised with 163000 miles on the clock.

I rang the autotrader add who confirmed it was now sold and confirmed the mileage was in fact 183000 miles, I rang the eBay add and the chap confirmed it to be 163000 miles !!!

I can only assume the salesman drove it backwards from the West Country to Dudley and it's approximately 20000 miles.

Curiously the eBay add mileage changed quite quickly back to 183000, but as soon as the add in Autotrader was deleted it now gone back down. Can't make his mind up?

Listing no.is 301130771919

He wasn't to happy when I pointed out his school boy error. Ha Ha.

If you decide to purchase pls check the mileage, check the history and Hpi check it.

YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.

P.S. Still looking for a Mk 4

[steve2006]

Very well known on the LOC had many usernames AdamsProdigy being just one of the others used in the past.

"Mileage can vary dependent on where it is advertised" should be his method statement.

You are quite right to suspect and certainly avoid.

The thing is with eBay is when it comes to legal matters like a trader posing as a private seller they don't give a hoot so these people get away with it.

At least you smelled the rat early :)

[messi]

Yes this guy is very very dodgy, he clocks backs the cars doesn't tell the customer the faults with the cars, and has changed his name numerous times, I don't know how he gets away with it, but I have heard there is a way of deleting bad feedback on eBay and I reckon that's what he does

[steve2006]

I would imagine most of his sales are done outside eBay, there was a post on here some time ago where it was mentioned he uses the same listing all the time but edits everything for his next car offered for sale.

So not only are the cars dodgy but he gets away probably with both listing fees and final value fees and of course if sold outside eBay there is no feedback involved.

If you notice he had a Celsior IV a while back for sale and there is no feedback for that.

[messi]

Was the him with the black v reg celsior or was that his mate huzzy sal? I remember something where he said it has a timing chain lol, and didn't mention the fact it was running right

[cruisermark]

that was his mate - I think he has managed to sell that eventually - its not advertised anyway

[Roscoe p]

I have reported this unscrupulous chap to the powers that be at eBay, not quite sure if it will have any effect.

Made me feel better,

[messi]

I'm glad you've done that Roscoe, I don't know how he always gets away with it, I wanted to do that, but I didn't know how to report him

[Roscoe p]

I just rang them up, it was a call centre in Bombay probably, if they ban the guy he will just pop up somewhere else or Change

His identity and re list

Still, if we make life difficult for them they may eventually crawl back under the rock they emerged from.

[harrylime]

Report him the the nearest Trading Standards and do some potential buyers a big favour

[Bluesman]

I have reported nearly everyone of his listing for being a dealer selling as a private person for mileage discrepancies and they do nothing, absolutely nothing. I have even reported him to Treading Standards in the West Midlands and they take the same route as eBay, nothing. What do we pay these parasites for? Mike

[messi]

I reckon that's why he changes his name

[Bluesman]

I reckon that's why he changes his name

I know all his names and have given them all to eBay but sweet fanny adams. The best way to get him is to get the name and address of the guy he bought the car from, quietly and then find out from the police who it is that deals with this type of thing and give them the story, they like good info as it makes it an easy nick, they don't have to do any investigating. If anybody has his proper name and address I have friends who work for the Benefits depts up in Blackpool who will gladly run his name and address through the system. Mike

[Clunkfish]

A lot of hearsay, rumour and supposition. Unlike just about everyone else, I have actually done business with this chap. I was very happy with the deal and with the car. I have had it for a year now with no problems at all.

My advice would be to inspect the car carefully, get as much info as you can, and be aware that vehicles can have concealed faults. In other words, treat him the same way as anyone else selling a car to you.

[messi]

I'm sorry mate but the guy is very dodgy, I'll give you couple of examples, he was selling an ls430, made out it had 135000 miles, and no faults at all, I knew the car he was selling because some other guy was selling before dodgy guy bought it of him, I called up the other guy, and he confirmed the car had infact done just over 280000 miles, and it needed a vsc sensor and the rear passanger door won't open or close, I called up dodgy guy and when I told him the faults with the car and the milage it did, he got abit angry and also asked if I had owned the car before, on another occasion he was selling a blue v reg ls400, made out again no faults at all, a friend of mine was interested, I told my friend to stay away from the dodgy Pratt, but he went down anyway, for some reason dodgy guy didn't want to meet outside his property, long story short, the car need 2 wheel bearings, that's just 2 cases, he's selling an ls430 now that has really done just over 180000 miles, but he's saying it's done 163000 miles, well there you have it

[harrylime]

Yep, if it looks like a duck, walks like a duck etc. - he's clearly as trustworthy as Nick Clegg. How do they get away with it now? I made sure I got a VOSA MOT history before buying mine. It only goes back 5 or 6 years or so but it is a start, and the service history and old MOT certificates backed up the rest

[Titch LS]

He should be prosecuted.

[harrylime]

Nick Clegg? I agree

[Roscoe p]

Hi Clunkfish,

Clearly you didn't read my original post.

No hearsay supposition or in fact rumour here old son, contacted previous owner who confirmed mileage.

Good luck with your purchase from this parasite, buyer beware.

[Clunkfish]

Hi Clunkfish,

Clearly you didn't read my original post.

No hearsay supposition or in fact rumour here old son, contacted previous owner who confirmed mileage.

Good luck with your purchase from this parasite, buyer beware.

I did read your post.

I know that honest mistakes can happen, and that too much can be read into them; I also know that there are scoundrels who will rip you off without scruple.

My contribution to this debate was to point out that I have actually met the guy and done business with him, unlike everyone else offering their opinions as to his trustworthiness. I had no problems. Therefore, at the moment, it is more reasonable to assume that it was an honest mistake.

Even if it was not, clocking a 15 year old LS400 to 163K from 183K is not exactly the crime of the century. How much difference, realistically, does it make to the value of the car? £50?

[messi]

And what about clocking that's done 280000 miles to 137000 ish, is that not a crime? Its not the first he's done it, and obviously he's still doing it

[messi]

And what about clocking an ls430 that's done 280000 miles to 137000 ish, is that not a crime? Its not the first he's done it, and obviously he's still doing it

[harrylime]

That's a very relaxed attitude to clocking, that he only took 20000 miles off a car. If it was 20000 miles without a service, which it almost certainly was, it clearly makes a big difference to the car. In either event, if he'd done it to me, he'd have experienced a different, swift and quite unpleasant response. It is fraud, whichever way you look at it and I tend to take these things personally, having worked hard for what I have got.

[Roscoe p]

In my original post I did not accuse him of clocking the Lexus, what he HAS done is to list the mileage as 20k less than it has covered.

After I contacted him and pointed this out he changed his listing to the correct mileage, shortly after he changed it back to 163k,

NOT an honest mistake.

IF he has clocked it to the tune of 20 k, no it probably won't make a great difference to the value of the car, but it could make a great

Deal of difference to the safety & roadworthy ness of the car.

My aim when I posted my original comments were to point out to any prospective purchasers that he is not to be trusted.

[Adam Evans]

Hi Clunkfish,

Clearly you didn't read my original post.

No hearsay supposition or in fact rumour here old son, contacted previous owner who confirmed mileage.

Good luck with your purchase from this parasite, buyer beware.

I did read your post.

I know that honest mistakes can happen, and that too much can be read into them; I also know that there are scoundrels who will rip you off without scruple.

My contribution to this debate was to point out that I have actually met the guy and done business with him, unlike everyone else offering their opinions as to his trustworthiness. I had no problems. Therefore, at the moment, it is more reasonable to assume that it was an honest mistake.

Even if it was not, clocking a 15 year old LS400 to 163K from 183K is not exactly the crime of the century. How much difference, realistically, does it make to the value of the car? £50?

Yeah in the great scheme of things 20000 miles is not a big deal

However if the timing belt was due at 180k and he has just gave it a haircut so an unsuspecting buyer thinks they have a good 18months trouble free driving then that could be drastic

You are right about the over all value of a car not altering much but would you seriously pay £2K on a car that needs the best part of £500-£750 on service bits

From the add

Timing/Cam belt replaced at 123,000 Miles again at Lexus with Invoice, so that's not due for replacement until 223,000 miles.

That means that the timing belt will be overdue by 20000 miles and possibly be terminal at 223000 (243000)

Nasty salesman