Purchasing a vehicle from a friend: what to do?

Gus Berges · 03-15-2023, 08:02 AM

In typical fashion, the wealth of information and sane advice on this forum never ceases to amaze me

Hoping you can share your opinion on the matter and what you would do in this scenario:

Summary: verbally agreed to purchase the vehicle (2002 Mercedes Benz G500 with 80K miles) for a specific price based on pictures he provided me and the written comment "brand new interior as well as mechanically perfect". Deal should have taken place ±6 months ago, but the mechanic working on it has yet to finish pending repairs. Cosmetic condition is NOTHING like the pictures he sent me. Two months after verbally agreeing on the price, I finally saw the vehicle and nearly died because it was so disastrous looking, but I was told "it will look like new when done". The current reality is that it will easily take ±$10K to make it look like it does on the pictures he sent me. Agreed upon price is fair (perhaps $2K below market price) ASSUMING the condition would be as in the pictures.

What would you do? Back out on your word (I've never done that) and risk losing a friendship? Ask for a $10K discount and run the risk of him thinking I'm trying to take advantage of him (it is not the case)? Buy the truck and just deal with it knowing I got screwed by $10K?

Neighbor (he parks his vehicles 30 feet away from mine)/friend is a super nice guy and we know each other since ±10 years ago. I've purchased art from his wife's art gallery that easily equals the agreed upon price of this truck. He was a mentor to my son during an internship for the past six months (and paid him very well). He works 60+ hours per week and is super busy all of the time (hence no time to follow up with the mechanic). He is very well off financially speaking (he has an newer version of this truck, as well as five other vehicles he could use at any moment).

Noah930 · Noah930's Garage

Back out of the deal. BTDT. I didn't back out in my instance, but it was just for a $4500 vehicle, not something that's upper 5-fgures.

aschen · 03-15-2023, 08:14 AM

I thought it was in a bit better condition when we were talking price, I think Its not the right one for me. Its not really your word because it was advertised as will look brand new.

If its truely your friend it should be an easy "no problem". G wagon should be an easy sale these days to another buyer who may or may not be in the hip hop industry.

DonDavis · DonDavis's Garage

Need more info.

Were the provided pictures of the actual truck?

Short answer, nope. Walk away.

Baz · Baz's Garage

You have not given him any money yet so I don't see why you can't wait until the vehicle is ready for purchase (repairs finished) and THEN make a decision.

At that time, both buyer and seller will be able to negotiate based on the actual product, vs. photos.

KFC911 · 03-15-2023, 08:23 AM

I'd talk to my "friend" face-to-face and tell him exactly what you posted .... he will either understand or not.

A "friend" would understand imo. Best of luck!

Gus Berges · 02:48 PM

The exterior pics of the vehicle are in fact of the same vehicle I'd be purchasing, but the paint looked nice and glossy. Now the paint is so bad, it looks like cracked eggshell, thus requiring a $5K-$8K paint job. As I now can confirm, the interior pics are in fact not from my vehicle, but instead from some unknown source. The interior was repainted from gray to black and now it's peeling all over the place, thus requiring about $2K to repaint it black once again. The truck was painted matte gray from it's original silver color by the previous owner to my friend.

Truck has been in the shop for nearly two years as when he got the new truck, he "abandoned/could care less" about this one. I did try and buy it from him before, but he always said "no, I don't want to ruing a friendship because of a problematic vehicle that I'd sell you". It was not after months that he said, "OK, if you really want it, I'd sell it to you". Again, he is very well off financially speaking, so it does not surprise me that he could care less about this truck. That said, he is an extremely savvy businessman and is very direct, no BS with him...

G Wagons are not an easy sell down here due to their known fuel consumption and pricey maintenance costs. A 2008 model with 36K miles in mint original shape is $58K. A 2016 G63 (different model, I know) with 30K miles is $110K, and a 2014 G63 with 26K miles is $90K. My friend and I verbally agreed to do the transaction for $30K....

My other choice would be to get something like a Cayenne Turbo (2012-2014) or a Range Rover (2013-2016) and lose $30K in depreciation alone in the next 4-5 years (equal amount to the purchase price of this G Wagon) plus perhaps higher maintenance costs than the G Wagon (which mechanically will be in nearly perfect shape). I work from home, so it's not a "daily driver". Max 3-5K miles a year.

KFC911 · 03-15-2023, 08:32 AM

I'd tell him "straight up" that I think the vehicle was misrepresented an not what you agreed to. See what his response is....

Zeke · 03-15-2023, 08:35 AM

Seems easy. Ask where is the truck he showed pictures. Surely this isn't it.

Naw, that might be offending. Might as well come forward with the polite truth as has been suggested. However, I think you have to wait and see what comes out of the shop before declining for obvious and honest reasons.

masraum · 03-15-2023, 09:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gus Berges

The exterior pics of the vehicle are in fact of the same vehicle I'd be purchasing, but the paint looked nice and glossy. Now the paint is so bad, it looks like cracked eggshell, thus requiring a $5K-$8K paint job. As I now can confirm, the interior pics are in fact not from my vehicle, but instead from some unknown source. The interior was repainted from gray to black and now it's peeling all over the place, thus requiring about $2K to repaint it black once again. The truck was painted matte gray from it's original silver color by the previous owner to my friend.

Truck has been in the shop for nearly two years as when he got the new truck, he "abandoned/could care less" about this one. I did try and buy it from him before, but he always said "no, I don't want to ruing a friendship because of a problematic vehicle that I'd sell you". It was not after months that he said, "OK, if you really want it, I'd sell it to you". Again, he is very well off financially speaking, so it does not surprise me that he could care less about this truck. That said, he is an extremely savvy businessman and is very direct, no BS with him...

G Wagons are not an easy sell down here due to their known fuel consumption and pricey maintenance costs. A 2008 model with 36K miles in mint original shape is $58K. A 2016 G63 (different model, I know) with 30K miles is $110K, and a 2014 G63 with 26K miles is $90K. Muy friend and I verbally agreed to do the transaction for $30K....

My other choice would be to get something like a Cayenne Turbo (2012-2014) or a Range Rover (2013-2016) and lose $30K in depreciation alone in the next 4-5 years (equal amount to the purchase price of this G Wagon) plus perhaps higher maintenance costs than the G Wagon (which mechanically will be in nearly perfect shape). I work from home, so it's not a "daily driver". Max 3-5K miles a year.

I'd take the same route with him. Tell him something like, "I saw pics, and now that I've seen the vehicle, the interior and paint are not what I saw/agreed to. I would pay the agreed price for a vehicle that matches the pics that I saw, but I won't pay the agreed prices for the reality of this vehicle."

If you would be open to getting it at a discount based on reality/actual worth, and then having the required repairs done, then you can approach that as well.

If he's a no BS kind of guy, then I'd give him a no BS presentation of your thoughts. If he's already mentally written this vehicle off and doesn't care about it any more, and is a no BS kind of guy, then I wouldn't expect this to bother him or impact your relationship. If it does impact your relationship, then he's unreasonable, and, IMHO, not worth worrying about.

Bill Douglas · 03-15-2023, 10:00 AM

Explain that your wife went mental when you told her you were getting a new Mercedes Benz, and she wanted a Lexus.

Really, really, really sorry, but SHE said no.

1990C4S · 03-15-2023, 10:08 AM

I would tell him the truth. The truck is not what he said it would become, and you think it's overpriced. You would love to pay him as agreed, but you want what was promised. You're not going back on your word, he is.

If he disagrees, tell him to sell it privately and if he's right he will get his asking price.

If he agrees, offer him a fair price, but he's free to sell it elsewhere on his own.

You never had a real agreement, because the required work was pending.

Gus Berges · 03-15-2023, 10:22 AM

LOL Bill, my buddy knows my wife too and he knows that the G Wagon is the only vehicle she actually has any kind of interest in, so can't play that card. His wife wants him to sell that "old truck" ASAP as she feels he has one too many toys, among them, a newer G Wagon. My bud and his wife have gone to dinner with my wife and I on multiple occasions and we always have a blast and it's not necessarily due to the multiple bottles of wine/champagne/beverage of choice either. They are genuine good people and we had a blast a few months ago at their daughter's wedding.

Based on the consensus of the replies, I feel more confident about approaching him with "something has to give because what we agreed upon initially does not reflect reality" and this not necessarily meaning that a rift may form between him and I. Perhaps I've spent too much time overthinking things.... Just wanted to bounce it off others and see what perhaps I was not seeing for myself.

Gus Berges · 10:32 AM

One caveat regarding condition.... The roof is the portion with the major paint problem and it was not until about 4 weeks ago that I was able to see the condition because it was covered with plastic due to some repair being done (sunroof). Even though I've known about the paint issue, I've not made it known to him...

Regarding the interior, still to this day it's impossible for me to know the final condition as it is still being put together, but unless something majorly drastic changes, there is NO WAY it's a "brand new interior" as he stated. Again, I've known about this crappy interior condition for a while, but I've failed to tell him about my concern regarding the condition.

My "position" is to only have a final judgement regarding overall condition once the mechanic says "come and get it, it's ready to be taken away", hence me not wanting to give him a punch list of items that I see that are not ready yet.

Another point to consider.... I'm not 100% sure if he would have asked the mechanic to finish this project if it was not were because of my interest in purchasing the vehicle... That is what "scares" me the most (him incurring a big bill thinking he has a guaranteed buyer)... I know he will be getting a big repair bill as he has already told me a few times "get the check ready so I can pay this huge bill". Of course, he only tells me this when the mechanic tells him "it will be ready next week" (but never delivers...). It is not of my interest to purchase the vehicle to avoid a problem with him and resell it right away. I SERIOUSLY doubt I could recoup my money given the current condition.

Chocaholic · 03-15-2023, 10:38 AM

Personal circumstances changed and unfortunately I won’t need the truck afterall.

rfuerst911sc · 03-15-2023, 10:40 AM

There are so many alarm bells on this transaction they can hear them in Japan !!!! Don't walk RUN away from this deal .

matthewb0051 · matthewb0051's Garage

In the US, verbal contracts are not enforceable if they are over $500. This is a great example of why that rule exists.

Run, don't walk away. Or as others have said, if he is truly a friend just be honest about it with him. The fact that he previously said: "no, I don't want to ruing a friendship because of a problematic vehicle that I'd sell you" makes me believe he would understand if you backed out.

pwd72s · 03-15-2023, 10:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bill Douglas

Explain that your wife went mental when you told her you were getting a new Mercedes Benz, and she wanted a Lexus.

Really, really, really sorry, but SHE said no.

Discuss this with your wife...she probably wouldn't mind.

Gus Berges · 03-15-2023, 11:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pwd72s

Discuss this with your wife...she probably wouldn't mind.

thank you gentlemen for all of your replies, truly appreciate it.

Wife is the #1 fan for me getting this vehicle as she likes G Wagons (only car she actually likes...) and further supported by my twin boys who are jumping out of their skins by simply thinking that sooner than later I'll own a G Wagon (and they will get to use it once in a while). All of them are telling me to look at this purchase as a "hobby" (which I need

) as it's project, not a turnkey solution, at least not by my standards

Me? I could care less about the truck as it does little for me, but will readily admit it's a "first world problem". Who knows, perhaps I'll learn to like it. I'm more into this one strictly from a financial point of view as there are many other cars/trucks I'd rather have, but not willing to spend the money (mainly depreciation) on them.

Seahawk · 03-15-2023, 12:08 PM

^^^ Good for you. Cars are a thing I only buy if I want to buy it. Sounds simple but don't get lost in the "friendship" angle...this is business.

If his car doesn't meet your expectations and criteria wave-off. If he quibbles, so what?

When I bought my LC from my friend almost four years ago, I knew it was in reasonable shape but I also knew there were going to be costs associated with getting it up to snuff.

We settled on a fair price and nearly four years later I think happy thoughts about Vic every time I get in th car.

Friends can negotiate.