Few days ago I sold my car to buy a new one, and the process to sell the car was a nightmare. I started by taking my car to the dealership, and I got a lower price than actually selling the car in the market. When I left the dealer, one of the guys who stand on the streets to buy cars walked up to me and told me the price that I got and my car’s milage. I was surprised, because I wondered how did he know about such details. He told me the dealer called him and asked him to buy the car. I didn’t know that big car dealers deal with the people standing outside to buy their cars. Anyway I took his number and told him I will think about it. The next day I posted an Ad on 4Sale, and I got few messages. Back and forth, I realized no one was very serious to buy the car. I contacted someone I met in the past to buy the car, and he was very interested. He gave me a high price, and I was ready to sell. The moment he came and I told him the places where I painted the car after an accident, he dropped the price a lot. I am fully transparent and have nothing to hide when it comes to any deal. I told him that I will think about it. This guy is very transparent in doing business, so whatever price he commits to, he sticks to it until we finish the deal. I contacted the other guy who was standing outside the dealer, and he told me that he will pay a higher price than the guy I met in the past. I asked him to give me a specific number, he wouldn’t tell and kept avoiding the question. He kept saying that I will give you a higher price, so I said OK let us meet then. When he saw the car he dropped 3,000 KD and told me because of the paint and previous accidents. Negotiation back and forth until we agreed on a price and that he will be charged for car inspection. We took the car for inspection, and the report showed a tiny comment. He said we need to drop the price even more. I told him then I would sell to the other guy, because I will get a better price and that was true. He told me you know what lets stick to the price we agreed on. I told him is that a final agreement, and he said yes it is. I told him that you will deposit the entire amount in my bank then I will transfer the car. He was fine with that even though he doesn’t know me. Sadly we don’t have something like escrow where a 3rd party takes the money and car transfer documents and then exchange them once everything is verified. I heard in Saudi Arabia you can sell a car via Link where you send a link with an amount and car registration info, and if it is paid then the car will be automatically be transferred under the name of who bought it. Back to our topic, he told me to go to the bank to issue a cashier’s check. Before entering the bank he told me that the deal is right in front of me, but to continue he wanted to drop another 500 KD. I had enough by then, so I told him how many times do we agree on a final deal. I told him you know what I am done, and want to cancel this deal because I don’t feel comfortable at all. I told him that I hate dealing with people who don’t stick to their word after committing. He was really surprised, and I felt like no one told him such thing in the past because that is their usual practice. For me it isn’t about money as much as transparency. I told him I don’t care about money, and dealing with such people with such behavior really bothers me. He said you know what if you pay the car inspection fees then that will be my final price. I agreed, and we walked into the bank. He issued the check and I deposited into my bank account. Then we went to transfer the insurance policy, and lastly we went to transfer the car under his name.
From this experience, I wouldn’t deal with these people again because they don’t stick to their word. Their negotiating tactics are terrible and they wasted so much of my time.