OK, so I had a bit of a "fun" day going to look at a car for sale.
Came up on Thursday on Autotrader, a trade sale, only 15 miles from here. 02, black, OSS, (apparently working,) 144K, history, belt done, years MOT, £999. I rang up on Thursday about it and was told "better hurry up, loads of interest, someone coming to buy it tomorrow, (FR)".
The weather was pretty grotty Fri, so with only my push bike as transport getting down was out of the question. Anyway, Friday night it was still up on the site and this morning, (Sat), I rang up again.
"Yes, it was still available. Would I be looking to buy it today?"
"With no insurance arranged, if it was nice enough I'd leave a deposit".
"No problem, it would be £100 CASH, deposit, and then the balance, CASH, on collection".
So, I tell him I'm cycling down, and from where, and say I expect it to take me up to 2hrs.
Now, I'd checked the feedback on this place on Autotrader and wasn't too impressed. People had complained of not being able to get a test drive so I had specifically mentioned a test drive, "yes, no problem".
Off I go, and almost exactly 2hrs later I arrive at the site on some god foresaken industrial estate. I see the car, parked on the road, and secure my bike. As I'm doing so a bloke walks past and asks if I'm the guy cycling from Consett. Yes, I reply, joking that it would be a big coincidence if someone else happened to turn up on a push bike.
I assumed that he was part of the management. He seemed amused and OK, (with good cause, as was to be revealed shortly.)
I put a pair of old long trousers on and walk over to the car for an initial walk around. First impressions were promising. The paint was generally, good, a few scratches on the rear bumper from stuff going in the boot but nothing major. Tyres were all good and I liked the wheels. So far so good.
I walked back to the bike to get my torch and an old towel I'd taken to lie on. I go back to the car and lie alongside the rear bumper. Rear springs looked new, the dampers not. The cups in the axle where the springs sat seemed nice and solid.
Alongside the O/S sill I looked for "careless jack damage" and was pleased to see none. The wishbone appeared nice and clean. In fact the whole underside looked good.
I'm just about to lie along the front bumper when the bloke that had spoken to me comes up and askes if I'm cleaning his car for him. I crack a joke and he then says that he has just bought it. I look at him. He says it again. "You've just bought it" I repeat. "Yes", an old bloke with him say, "he has the log book".
I experiance an instant sense of humor failure.
I go back to my bike and take out my phone. Now, I fully understand that they probably have loads of people say they are going to look at a car and never turn up so hey, if they can get a sale why wouldn't they. But did they try to let me know?
I didn't even know if my phone had been turned on but even if it had been it's doubtful if I'd have heard it whilst riding. Still, if there is a message there then they can't be accused of not trying.
My phone is on, and there is a message, but not from the car people. I go into the office where a young lad is doing some paper work, (preumably on the A2 he has just sold.)
He looks up and asks if I'm alright.
No I'm not. I tell him that I've just checked my phone and there isn't a message saying "sorry mate, sold the car, don't bother cycling any further".
"Oh, my dad was dealing with that."
I then go out and basically say the same to his dad, (and get embroiled in a bit of an argument.)
I wouldn't have been quite so annoyed if someone had approached me when I arrived, (I wasn't in stealth mode, they must have seen me with the bike,) and said something along the lines of "sorry mate, the son just sold it before I arrived. Sorry for your wasted journey, would you like a drink? Anything else we can interest you in now you're here?" or at least something. But no, they said nothing.
I was fuming. At least it was a pleasant ride, different to my usual routes.
Next!!