Exotic Car Search? My Personal Experience

Well, there's two sides to every story. I can see the point of both sides. The buyer wants to move quickly and requests info he is not getting. The broker can only provide so much and is tiring of the prolonged back and forth.

I guess the one thing that strikes me is the buyer is spending over $165,000 on a car with no PPI.

 

What is the value of the broker here? Earn your fee and go take more pictures/find info on the tire. Since the car was not being offered, then the buyer was not worried about it being sold. It was just a matter of finding time with the owner and the broker to go take more pictures.
Also the tone in that conversation would have had me ending any further communication.

The only thing i would have done differently would be to have the car PPI'ed but then if the owner and broker cant find time to take a few pics then they probably dont have time to have it sent to a shop either.

This one might be over budget but it's manual and in a very cool color and the seller has great reputation:

2007 Used Lamborghini Murcielago LP 640 at CNC Motors Inc. Serving Ontario, CA, IID 11797727

 

Well if I understand this correctly, the car is in Alabama and the broker is in Missouri.

Also, usually the PPI guy goes to the car, not the other way around.

As I said, there's two sides to this story.

 

Something was amiss. I'd bet you avoided a worse fate and be pleased that this one didn't work out. There are others.

 

I delt with Brian on a transaction with another FChatter and had no issues. He was extremely accomodating, professional and had a good sense of humor. I had a broker on my end so the deal had some bumps as they needed to have their arses covered - they bought the car with funds I had from another car they sold for me.

A broker can't make his client send info the client does not have. Cars are brokered all the time from two different points in the world.

Deal just did not work out. S*&t happens on deals all the time in business, marriage, frienships. Next.

 

Then he should not be a dealer. Only a complete moron would buy a car sight unseen unless there is already a GREAT relationship. And the photos of the texts speak for themselves.

Based upon such evidence, you appear to have gotten lucky.

 

I would agree.

BUT (for future consideration) there were too many moving parts to this arrangement.

NO WAY would I even consider moving any money, before seeing the car in person.
However they did ask for a deposit to put you first in line and that $5K would have been safe.

The problem (as noted) with a Bank Cashiers check is the possibility of fraud.
I have had sellers refuse a fresh one from the Chase bank up the street where I had funds available..because "they had been burned before"..so:

A one shot bank wire is the way to go.

That said, the broker was giving you hogwash on it "not posting to the account in time", before 2PM, before 5PM, whatever...please, the banks talk to each other, they can see a posted wire transfer INSTANTLY in the system. The receiving bank can take as long as they want to actually "give the account the money" but that is not your concern, nor anything you can control. Nonetheless that bank "has your money" and release the title instantly if a release of Lien is involved.

So, too many pieces, too much BS in the air...but in any event you were entitled to an inspection, a test drive, a 3rd party PPI or whatever put YOUR mind at ease, before any transfer of funds (other than the refundable deposit) took place.

Easier to pay cash for a clear title car, but I know that's not always possible.

'Banks talking to banks' cuts the broker out of the middle, IMO

 

They won't meet you at the airport in the car either.
(Although I have had dealers send a van!)

THAT was a little "over the top" IMO.

It would have impressed the babes though....

 

I can see both sides - unless it was something super-rare and hard to find, I for one would never buy from a broker, but that's just me. Broker's are for people with too much money and not enough time - on both sides of the transaction. In my experience those types of people tend not to care about tire-dates and the like.

You, as a somewhat picky buyer (and there's nothing with that BTW), should have paid for a dealer PPI and asked the dealer all the information you requested from the seller. I've dealt with many sellers who've sent pictures of things I've requested in "skewed" ways to make them appear different than they actually where, and seat bolsters are a great example. A 3rd party (like a dealer doing a PPI) tends to be much more objective and generally gives you exactly what you ask for when it comes to pics. Alternatively you could have asked to see if someone from Alabama on the Lambo site (or even here on F-chat) could go out and look at the car for you. I've done that with good results too.

 

Cannot argue with this

 

To be fair to the seller, cashier's checks are produced falsely all the time. I have had a number of knuckleheads send me these things and every time they turned out to be fake. Asking you to spend 24 hours is minor, and more than fair. I would have made you wait until it really cleared.

As far as not being satisfied with pictures or a description, I would have either inspected it myself or hired someone to check it out.

In this day and age one can't take a check (cashier or not) on face value. Wire transfers are the best and easiest way to get something paid for.... short of going to the bank with the seller and withdraw cash and hand it over.

 

Be happy it worked out the way it did.

 

Bingo.

 

Hate to tell you this but your actions and demands come off as EXTREMELY high maintenance. If you don't want to deal with time constraints, flights, money details, etc. etc. Then here's an idea. Have the broker or somebody you trust finalize the deal for you and get the car FOR YOU. Everything you are mentioning are typical roadblocks that come up during the private sale of a car. If you really want the thing, suck it up. Spend the night in Alabama, Arkansas, New Orleans, or wherever the crap the car is. If you don't want to do it, don't buy the car. If you want the car but don't want to do it, GET SOMEBODY TO DO IT FOR YOU.

 

Banks have cutoff times and they don't budge, EST and PST are also in play. Cashiers checks can be cancelled. I see both sides having bought and sold MANY cars in my time.

If you want the car, like Bradwilliams states, fly there, get a room, look at the car, go to the sellers (or brokers bank) wire the funds from the managers office, have lunch, come back to bank to verify funds with the same bank manager, sign papers, and drive off.

Personally, in that situation from different states, in that price range, with that kind of money, wired cash is the only way I would do a private sale. Wired cash, verified, sitting with a branch manager that the funds cannot be reversed. Do the paperwork in the bank.

Banks are happy to provide the service.

 

Are you considering adding another name to your sig line (another notch to your gun)?

 

The buyer is contemplating a 6 figure car purchase? I'd be a bit high maintenance too if that includes a full description and photos and payment terms. I don't see anything for the broker to resent in this scenario.

 

Consider it a teachable moment for both affected parties. Besides, there are more cars out there and everything happens for a reason,

I see both sides and consider it a draw. Perhaps it is time to move on gentlemen?

No popcorn or cats are necessary.

Sent from my iPhone

 

Brian bought a Gallardo from me. No issues at all.

 

Better summation than mine...good post.

 

Ugh, I despise that phrase.

 

There is a reason for that!