Worst/Best Face to Face buying experience...?

[Canuk]

A little thread for funny/horrific buying experiences. My most hilarious experience was about twenty years ago. I got a tip off there was a guy in Dundee selling up a tremendous amount of collectable British and European frames on account of a brutal divorce settlement (not in his favour!)

I turned up late to the show, it was the start of winter in Scotland, and it was just about getting dark at 6pm. A farm house too, in the middle of nowhere outside Broughty Ferry. It was already set for a good horror movie...!

When I got over the door there were already three other guys haggling over some very nice but kinda beat to sh#t vintage Hetchins. I had my eye on a Thanet Silverlight that either no one had noticed, or no one knew what it was (or how rare).

I was offered a beer (Belgian), and gladly necked it (it was a long drive for just one frame) and promptly offered the guy 100 quid for the Thanet. The other guys were too busy arguing the toss over the Hetchins. Very pleased with myself, I tried to make a sharp bee line exit for the door. As I left I saw two guys literally pulling see-saw style at a track curly frame, and the other guy giving it 'just f#kn well punch im!'.

To the strains of 'I saw it first', I passed the soon to be ex wife on the doorstep, who just rolled her eyes and said 'bloody cyclists'. Having sold a few bikes on my own doorstep, I guess I have an appreciation of what bike hoarders wives go through. They couldn't care less about your latest 'bargain buy'. If you're selling, they're happy. One less bike.

Bloody cyclists. Indeed

 

[Canuk]

Here's another bike buying story (not mine, but a mate who owns a bike recycling outfit).

He'd been after an SBDU of the 753 variety for a few years and out of the blue 'I know a guy who knows this guy, who knows a guy...'. But it's way out of the city, a good 3hrs drive and the bloke wants to meet in a Sainsbury's car park at 6pm in the evening. Just as it's getting dark

So lots and lots of emails later and then eventually he gets a mobile number out of him, and it's on! 2 hrs before the meet the guy sends a txt 'Cash on collection please'. Which would've be fine if it was £200, but the agreed sum was £1100.

Now, I've bought a few motorbikes like this in my time and I always follow the same safety protocol: 1. Always in broad daylight, in banking hours. 2. Always in a busy public place. 3. Always let someone know exactly where and what you're doing and 4. Never take the entire amount in cash. If liked the bike, I'd walk the guy to the nearest bank and give him the cash inside - in full view of CCTV.

So my mate goes to the meet, with £1100 folding, in fifties. A thousand in one pocket and a ton in the other just in case there's wiggle room. After the long drive he spots the guy with the Raleigh popping out the hatch of his car.

Only on inspection, it's not the same bike that was advertised. It's the same colour as an SBDU but that's where the similarities end.

Obviously, neither party is too chuffed, especially my mate as he's got a 3hr drive home with nowt to show for it. The seller is like 'I've lost a shift at work tonight to come here ... You owe me something for my trouble'. There's a definite shift to aggressive behaviour.

So he tries to be diplomatic (also his spider senses are telling him to get the hell out of there. And says 'Look mate I'm a copper, I'm back on duty myself in 3hrs, it looks like we've both been disappointed tonight. Let's just call it quits it at that'.

Even though it's big car park, it's a Sunday and there's almost no one about.

Gulp!

The seller is unmoved. He wants a hundred quid to cover his shift. A big bugger as well. He goes into the car and brings out a sizable looking adjustable wrench. Seconds away from a probable pop in the moosh, blue lights go flashing by on the other side of the car park and the seller bangs the boot shut and high tails it off into the night. The blue lights fade out and off into the distance. My mate is shaken, but not stirred!

The moral of the story: Thirty years ago I would've been okay with a deal like this, but now with internet and easily discarded 'burner phones' and Facebook scams and phishing issues I would probably take someone with me to a meet like this, even in broad daylight. You just have no real idea who you are dealing with

Society has definitely changed, and there maybe aren't more crooks than there used to be, but they know how to exploit the tech and how to lever situations to their advantage with threats of violence.

Buyer beware!