Exotic Car Search? My Personal Experience

This is Lambo oriented, but the broker has Ferrari's on the site, so I'm passing the information along.

I started working with Brian at Exotic Car Search last week in the acquisition of an LP640. We agreed on a price and that I would go pick up the car from the seller’s house across the country and drive it back. I told Brian that I would be paying with a cashier’s check from the bank because I was getting a loan on part of the car and I told him that the portion from the loan would be in a cashier’s check but I would wire the remainder. Brain said wire transfer only, something that is against my bank’s policy on a loan. To reassure Brian and the seller, I sent Brian a picture of the check and contact information of the loan officer at the bank so the funds could be confirmed. Brian agreed on that arrangement. I was completely open back and forth about how to pay, I even suggested putting the funds in the Seller’s attorney’s account to hold until I could look at the car in person, etc. This is the last time things will go smoothly.

Selling issues:
I ask Brian for interior pictures of the seats because there are none online and any pictures of exterior damage multiple times. Over the phone he was glad to get them for me, but on text it was not going to happen. I also asked for the build date on the tires and sent Brian a picture of the area on the tire to get me the information, his response “will do”. The following day, Brian gives me an ultimatum to buy and says no pictures or tire build date. Also, no information on books, tools, or clear bra; all things insanely easy to check on.

Brian specifically told me not to speak with a Lamborghini dealer that may have knowledge of the car. Of course after he said that I called the dealer and received information on the car.

Pick up issues:
Brian refused to give me any bit of information of whether I could get picked up at the airport when I flew into Alabama. The seller was a "busy man", so who knows how that would work out.

Payment issues:
Brian says if I want to pay with a cashier’s check I will have to spend the night in Alabama. Who the hell would spend the night waiting for a bank issued check to clear. But, being reasonable, I gave Brian a few options including; I would be willing to spend the night if the seller would pay for my hotel or I could send the cashier’s check to the seller days in advance of me arriving so that it would clear and wire the remainder, per Brian’s request.

Brian told me that a wire transfer takes an hour. So I find a flight that arrives in Alabama at 2:30pm so I can see the car and wire the remaining amount to the seller. Brian immediately said that wouldn’t work if the seller’s bank has a cut-off time for wires. I asked Brian to have the seller check with his bank and see what the cut-of time was, I never got a response to that question. I also offered to wire the remainder before I got on the plane to fly to Alabama, so there would be a full day for the funds to transfer.

The End
Brian said, “You are beating the hell out of me” and called off the sale AFTER I agreed to all of his terms.

In conclusion
Brian wanted me to send funds, in full, for an LP640 without sending me some minor specifics of the car, not agreeing to a mutually convenient way to pay for the car, and giving zero information of how I would physically get the car.

Throughout the past week Brian has told me how busy the seller is and how he doesn’t have time, etc. Earth to Brian, anyone who has funds to buy a Murci is a busy person and anyone putting their car up for sale has the time to get rid of the car.

Brian at Exotic Car Search is insanely difficult to work with, ploys very strong second hand used car lot sales tactics, and his methods for payment and delivery scream of fraud.

Oh, and if anyone knows Shane Boatright, let him know Brian walked away from a buyer with cash in hand, asking where to send the money.

 

I forgot to add, Brian wanted me to run a carfax and send him a copy. This guy is a joke.

 

"Shane Boatright" ?? That doesn't sound made-up at all...

Sorry for the hassles, sounds like you got lucky though.

 

The name may be strange and the guy looks even stranger but he is an extremely successful businessman.

 

The owner 's bio on his website makes him look like a VERY good businessman. To be clear, I have zero issues with the owner.

 

In this situation, what was your reason for using a broker? What service and at what cost was he supposed to provide?
Sounds like you could have handled this on your own. Just wondering???

 

Seller hired the broker.

 

Sounds like an unpleasant ordeal. The sooner you forget it and move on the better. Nothing closer to your home port?

 

Whiteout..try finding a decent broker, they are out there, Roy at Cats Exotics does a decent job as others I have dealt with over the years...if you dont get a good recommendation from a few people dont use them...just my 2c

 

Your problem is with the broker, not the owner. Personally...too many moving parts.

First, I wouldn't take a cashiers check either. A cashiers check can be cancelled. The last car I bought, I flew to Florida, looked at it, sat at a B of A with the manager and wired the cash to his account at B of A. We went and ate a few tacos, came back and the funds were in his account and verified by the manager. Everyone is happy. Bill of sale signed in front of manager...done deal.

First you are buying a car sight unseen, with unknown seats, unknown damage, unknown tools, books etc. The question is: WHY????

Next, you ask: "Who the hell would spend the night waiting for a bank issued check to clear?" The answer is, you may be a great guy and all but, who in their right mind would give you the car before all funds have cleared? Pay for YOUR hotel room? You are kidding I hope....

 

Manual Murci coupes are hard to come by.

I've purchased cars sight unseen before and many out-of-state transactions, all without issue.
There was too little information to feel completely comfortable with the deal, but I figured that it was probably a good car with a lack of communication for details. I talked myself into being okay with sending the funds before seeing the car. I literally agreed to all the seller/broker's terms and then the broker killed the deal.

I was willing to send full payment and have it clear before taking possession of the car. If the owner specifically wanted me to spend the night and wait for the check to clear, I would if he covered a hotel room. Staying around for a check vs. sending it a few days earlier seemed like a waste of time and added expense.

 

Very sorry to hear that. I've used Brian at least 3 times, not had an issue. Likewise, he has bent over backwards on a couple of things to help me/the deal out.

Interestingly enough, I'm in Alabama, but don't know what city Mr Boatright is in. I'd be happy to help if it is near enough.

Sometimes these things happen only to open the door to a better car and situation for you.

 

Assuming the OP's story is accurate, and I have no reason to doubt it, it sounds like young Brian does a pretty good impersonation of the south end of a northbound horse.....

Abuse the buyer....yeah, that's the secret to business success.

 

Thanks for the offer. Based on how the past few days have gone, I'm going to pass on this car.

That's true, something new always pops up.

 

Whiteout:I sent you an agreement last week with a 5k deposit to secure the vehicle subject to inspection. You never sent back agreement nor a deposit.

I didn't market the car or offer it to anyone else during that time, since I was trying to get additional information for you. I tried without success for additional photos and tire dates.

When I was unable to gather the information you requested, I advised investing in an inspection service for a couple hundred dollars to come inspect and take the photos you wanted. You declined insisting the owner needed to take his own time to get photos if he wanted to sell a car to you.

In regards to payment: You were never told you needed to pay for the car upfront. The procedure which was advised was for you to inspect the car in the morning and then take a lunch break while you initiated the wire already in place for the remaining balance. So this way you only had a "refundable" $5k deposit out of pocket, and no other monies were given until the inspection was complete. Wire hits...away you go with title in hand. I have done this procedure many times.

Basically you wanted to control the whole transaction and do it all on your terms. The seller reserves the right to sell as he or she wishes, and if those terms are not agreeable...both parties move on. You only agreed to terms once you were told the owner had chosen NOT to sell the vehicle to you.

There was never a time constraint on this sale from the owner or I...... I actually encouraged you to perhaps move the date back a week, so you might have more time in your schedule to do the transaction.

By the way...what is wrong with Alabama? You meet some of the nicest folks from Alabama...like the owner of the LP640.

Brian@ECS

BTW- A cashiers check is NOT CASH Nick. Doesn't matter if you are a lawyer or not...still not cash.

 

You say there was not time constraints...

















Obviously I had no problem sending the $40k cashiers check in advance because I told you that multiple times. I was waiting for confirmation of a pickup time and place before sending some random person $40,000. You never supplied that information.

 

Things "just got real"
This has popcorn-cat potential written all over it

 

Indeed...
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+1. Perfect

 

{Photos of time constraints and refusal to send pics of interior.}


Without taking sides, it does look like Brian just lied to us.

 

Whoa....credibility out the window...no BS will recover from that
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same old time pressure tactic...

just pass on car & broker

many other cars out there

 

There was verbal conversations also. Ask Whiteout if I asked him if he would like to move the date back a week where he had more time. WE discussed it on the phone, when I was having a hard time meeting his requests. Never during this time was this car presented to another client for sale. I do agree I have very limited amount of information on this car compared to others I represent. He was sent an autocheck and a warranty and campaign report from Lamborghini and the photos on my website are pretty good. Link:» 2007 Lamborghini LP 640?6 SPEED MANUAL Exotic Car Search
There is a decent interior photo, but I understand wanting more.

 

Sorry Brian, but are you are claiming the shots of the text conversation are a fabrication?

 

15 pictures is not enough if you want to really show a car.. I like to see pics of bolsters, and also from under the car..