New to Me Scam

[MJGH]

Apologies not really boaty but the funds from the sale are to be used in the purchase of my new Mini Jet so there is a boat connection.
Advertised a surplus to requirement latish 5series BMW on an auction web site.
5 x Romanians (claiming to be Spanish) turned up to purchase the car flashing big wads of cash.
Whilst viewing they were all around the car with all doors, bonnet & boot open asking many questions taking me from one end of car to other.
Agreed to take one of them for road test in car with me driving.
During course of short road test smoke started pouring out of exhaust blocking view of road behind.
Upon return to yard one removed cap from header tank to reveal oily contents telling me head gasket or possibly worse piston rings gone.
They then offered to purchase the car for 50% of the advertised price.
Being a suspicious soul I declined their kind offer and eventually managed to persuade them to leave site.
I have a plant / HGV workshop on site with fitters who looked over the car the next morning.
It was discovered that a light oil (possibly cooking oil) had been sprayed up the exhaust to produce the smoke cloud and that oil had been poured into the header tank to produce the oily gunk look.
Have now flushed the cooling system and cleaned out the exhaust.
Low and behold no more smoke or oil in header tank.
With the practised way I was distracted whilst they made their 'modifications' it is definitely not their first time doing this.
Over the years I thought I had seen most of the car buying / selling scams but this was a new one on me.
So if the nice shiny car you have for sale suddenly starts to resemble the Flying Scots Man, think twice before taking a lowball to get shut of the problem.
Apologies again to anyone who feels this post in wrong place or not relevant.

 

[CHI]

Wow, these people will try anything.

Thanks for the info, as my son is about to sell his car. I will keep a watch out.

Regards

Keith
CHI

 

[dunedin]

Amazingly inventive deviousness - if only they could apply such ingenuity to a positive purpose.

So many scams being played.

A friend was selling a car last month and the prospective buyer wanted to take for a road test. Cautious seller declined but instead drove the car with "buyer" as passenger. After road test "buyer" wanted to have a good look over, which is reasonable.
He then asked to check exhaust as thought might be excess smoke under throttle, which he said he had seen. Invited owner to look as he blipped the throttle - this time no smoke, but as soon as owner at the back of the car the thief slammed the door and shot off with the car. Keys were clearly in ignition at the time, so looks like insurance may not pay out

 

[beejay190]

Apologies not really boaty but the funds from the sale are to be used in the purchase of my new Mini Jet so there is a boat connection.
Advertised a surplus to requirement latish 5series BMW on an auction web site.
5 x Romanians (claiming to be Spanish) turned up to purchase the car flashing big wads of cash.
Whilst viewing they were all around the car with all doors, bonnet & boot open asking many questions taking me from one end of car to other.
Agreed to take one of them for road test in car with me driving.
During course of short road test smoke started pouring out of exhaust blocking view of road behind.
Upon return to yard one removed cap from header tank to reveal oily contents telling me head gasket or possibly worse piston rings gone.
They then offered to purchase the car for 50% of the advertised price.
Being a suspicious soul I declined their kind offer and eventually managed to persuade them to leave site.
I have a plant / HGV workshop on site with fitters who looked over the car the next morning.
It was discovered that a light oil (possibly cooking oil) had been sprayed up the exhaust to produce the smoke cloud and that oil had been poured into the header tank to produce the oily gunk look.
Have now flushed the cooling system and cleaned out the exhaust.
Low and behold no more smoke or oil in header tank.
With the practised way I was distracted whilst they made their 'modifications' it is definitely not their first time doing this.
Over the years I thought I had seen most of the car buying / selling scams but this was a new one on me.
So if the nice shiny car you have for sale suddenly starts to resemble the Flying Scots Man, think twice before taking a lowball to get shut of the problem.
Apologies again to anyone who feels this post in wrong place or not relevant.

If 5 people came to look at a car or a boat that i was selling i would refuse to deal with them . Just cannot keep an eye on 5.

 

[hunton69]

Amazingly inventive deviousness - if only they could apply such ingenuity to a positive purpose.

So many scams being played.

A friend was selling a car last month and the prospective buyer wanted to take for a road test. Cautious seller declined but instead drove the car with "buyer" as passenger. After road test "buyer" wanted to have a good look over, which is reasonable.
He then asked to check exhaust as thought might be excess smoke under throttle, which he said he had seen. Invited owner to look as he blipped the throttle - this time no smoke, but as soon as owner at the back of the car the thief slammed the door and shot off with the car. Keys were clearly in ignition at the time, so looks like insurance may not pay out

I know of someone that was punched in the face and had the car stolen.

Always ask how many are turning up and make sure you have more people with you.