Define Timewaster when buying / selling a car!

[davistev]

When looking at online car classifieds many say "no timewasters", how do you define a person who is a timewaster?

[mike_nofx]

They create threads like this one.

[DBourne]

Someone who has no intention of buying the car, just wants to take it for a fang.

I solved a problem on the internet, I'd like a cookie please.

[302 XC]

Time waster,someone who has nothing better to do than waste time ......

Don't have the money,want someone to help waste their uneventfull,useless, waste of a life ....

[jamies]

The term ''timewaster'' is pretty explanatory, don't you think ?

[turbodewd]

Someone who replies to a thread like this one and then proceeds to make his sentence really, really long - indeed I think I am probably breaking grammar and punctuation rules but this thread now has an interesting post in it!

[mash again]

**** just wasted 2 minutes on this thread

[davistev]

Geez - there is a lot of negativity here. I thought it was a reasonable question and not deserving of such bully answers.

I ask as I constantly see adds stating this. The message I get when I read such an add is I may be a timewaster if I do not buy which in turn reduces my willingness to even call. As a potential buyer, I would have thought that the seller would be putting their best image forward rather than draw their lines in the sand.

As a seller of a car, our family always offers a drink, have a chat, allow a test drive and thank them for taking the time to look at our car. Never are there hard feelings if the car is not for them.

This thread is about the terminology used when selling a car and how this may impact the number of responses one gets.

[Alan D Segal]

Originally Posted by davistev

Never are there hard feelings if the car is not for them.

Would there be hard feelings if they came out, didn't like the car but then called back and asked to drive it again? Then you agree to let them drive it again, and they then say 'I'll think about it?' You don't hear from them for a few days and they then offer you 20% less than what you want for the car. You say no and they then ask to have their mechanic mate come out to have a look at it. See where this is going?

If you see 'no timewasters/test pilots' and think - 'is that me?', then chances are the answer is 'yes' and you shouldn't contact the seller.

[davistev]

Originally Posted by Alan D Segal

Would there be hard feelings if they came out, didn't like the car but then called back and asked to drive it again? Then you agree to let them drive it again, and they then say 'I'll think about it?' You don't hear from them for a few days and they then offer you 20% less than what you want for the car. You say no and they then ask to have their mechanic mate come out to have a look at it. See where this is going?

If you see 'no timewasters/test pilots' and think - 'is that me?', then chances are the answer is 'yes' and you shouldn't contact the seller.

I would consider that person as an interested buyer who has spent his time looking at my car. I would welcome his mechanic buddy and answer any questions s/he may have as well as another test drive. Prices are always negotiable and potential buyers need to have time to think.

[Alan D Segal]

Best wishes with your sale then.

[davistev]

Originally Posted by Alan D Segal

Best wishes with your sale then.

Thanks. I do see your point and I think a lot may depend on the type of car for sale. Not too many joyriders for my 1.5L Lancer.

[AU Mont]

timewaster - sending email asking a couple questions about car, which your able to give the right answers to. Then dont hear from them again?

[PG2]

It can depend on what type of car you are selling.

When some people are selling performance, collectable or rare cars etc they tend to get a lot of test pilots. You find that you get a lot of people who just want to drive the car so that they can brag to their friends that they have driven that particular type of car. Sometimes you can pick them very easily - they turn up in a beat up wannabe performance car with four of their friends, tell you how much better their car is and then DEMAND a test drive.

Another type of time waster is the one who comes around and just wants to live a memory. Their parent, neighbour, school teacher or whoever had one when they were growing up and they just want to drive it and re-live their childhood with you. I have plenty of friends - I just want to sell my car.

There are also the type of time wasters that want champagne but are only willing to give you beer money. Don't get me wrong I have no issue with someone offering a stupid money for my car - but be prepared to buy it if I say yes!!!! I don't know how many times someone has offered me a price for a car and I have said yes and they have run away like the wind.

An example of a time waster - I was recently selling my EF 5spd wagon with plenty of goodies for $1200. It was in pretty good condition considering it had seen my children grow up in it for over 13 years. It also had to put up with my wife not looking after it to my high standards. I received hundreds of text messages (yes, I am a staunch believer in if you can't afford to make a phone call you can't afford the car). With every enquiry I made it clear the car is 'as is' and while the car has been well serviced I had no written history on the car. I had some kid turn up, grill me for an hour, then drive the car. He got back and said that he didn't want it because it didn't have a service history. He knew that BEFORE he drove the car!!!!!!

It is a fair question but the responses you are getting just show how fustrating time wasters are.

[PG2]

Originally Posted by davistev

I would consider that person as an interested buyer who has spent his time looking at my car. I would welcome his mechanic buddy and answer any questions s/he may have as well as another test drive. Prices are always negotiable and potential buyers need to have time to think.

Are you getting in the car and going with these people when they take it for a test drive?

[davistev]

Wow - people actually have the balls to do that?

[PG2]

If you are referring to my post then yeah you really should. You can have a hard time with insurance if you give someone the keys to your car so they can test drive it and they don't come back. You may have a copy of their licence but with computers these days it is easy to make a fake that the average person would not pick up.

You also can overcome any 'objections' that the buyer may have while driving the car. Some people will drive the car and have an issue with it but are too polite or unwilling to tell you about it when they come back from the test drive.

You will get some people who say that they never would do it and that its a waste of time. Others would say that they would never allow their car out of their sight and would go with them.

It sounds like that you are very trusting, and good on ya, there is nothing wrong with that. Just be very wary - with cars getting harder to steal due to immobilisers , this is becoming a more common way of stealing cars.

[peteypete]

Personally I look at it as a marketing technique designed to deter smart people who know what to look for in finding a lemon or a dog.
It's almost like saying 'Hey, I'm selling a heap of crap, so if you're smart enough to take it for a test drive and not like it, bugger off. Otherwise, give me your pay check now!'

Not really, but the term is definitely abused. Whilst car shopping in the past, I've gone to test drive or even inspect second hand cars, and discovered I didn't like the car, or something wasn't quite right about it. I suppose that would classify me as a time-waster, but that's only because I didn't hand over my money to owner of tested car. Does that really make me a time waster though? No one wants to buy a car they don't want, so why should they?

As for subcitizen, dole-bludgers who spend their fortnightly pay on alcohol, cigarettes and tattlsotto tickets, that's another story. It's quite easy to tell them apart from normal people, and really, if you're stupid enough to let them get in your beloved vehicle to take it for a test drive well then, I hope to god that it's returned with it's roadworthy tyres and quiet uni joints.

[PG2]

Originally Posted by peteypete

Personally I look at it as a marketing technique designed to deter smart people who know what to look for in finding a lemon or a dog.
It's almost like saying 'Hey, I'm selling a heap of crap, so if you're smart enough to take it for a test drive and not like it, bugger off. Otherwise, give me your pay check now!'

Not really, but the term is definitely abused. Whilst car shopping in the past, I've gone to test drive or even inspect second hand cars, and discovered I didn't like the car, or something wasn't quite right about it. I suppose that would classify me as a time-waster, but that's only because I didn't hand over my money to owner of tested car. Does that really make me a time waster though? No one wants to buy a car they don't want, so why should they?

As for subcitizen, dole-bludgers who spend their fortnightly pay on alcohol, cigarettes and tattlsotto tickets, that's another story. It's quite easy to tell them apart from normal people, and really, if you're stupid enough to let them get in your beloved vehicle to take it for a test drive well then, I hope to god that it's returned with it's roadworthy tyres and quiet uni joints.

As for 'picking' dole-bludgers etc some people are unable to pick out these type of people. Also, some of these people who come looking at your car to steal it are very smart. They are well spoken and dressed. They ask the all of the right questions and do all of the right things.

I don't think that anyone is saying that if someone drives a car and doesn't buy it because they don't like it they are a time waster. However, if you do drive it, why not just come back and tell the seller that it is not the car for them?

[Road_Warrior]

But you get time wasters for everything you sell. Some mung beans spend all day trawling (or is that trolling) Gumtree and ebay asking stupid or inane questions that are spelt out in the ad or plainly obvious; some people it seems just don't read things and just look at the pictures. Case in point I sold $50 worth of packing boxes on Gumtree recently, my phone number was clearly visible, but I still had muppets sending emails asking stupid questions like "whats ur best price 4 cash" or "how many boxes" even though its spelt out in the ad. Some people are just predisposed to this sort of behaviour I guess.

[peteypete]

If someone stole the car I was selling, calling them a time-waster would be an understatement.
Anywho, letting someone drive off without you in the passenger seat is just downright stupid. I wouldn't care who was buying it. I'd be inclined to sit in the passenger and talk about the car, for obvious reasons.

Well that it what I'm led to believe. Someone who isn't interested in buying the car is a time waster. That seems to be the general summary of this thread no?
Whether it be the intended buyer shooting a small email and never replying, or to what Alan stated, someone wanting to bring out their super qualified prodigy mechanic buddy.

[PG2]

Originally Posted by peteypete

If someone stole the car I was selling, calling them a time-waster would be an understatement.
Anywho, letting someone drive off without you in the passenger seat is just downright stupid. I wouldn't care who was buying it. I'd be inclined to sit in the passenger and talk about the car, for obvious reasons.

Well that it what I'm led to believe. Someone who isn't interested in buying the car is a time waster. That seems to be the general summary of this thread no?
Whether it be the intended buyer shooting a small email and never replying, or to what Alan stated, someone wanting to bring out their super qualified prodigy mechanic buddy.

Really like that first paragraph. I wouldn't call them a time waster either.

I don't think that someone who isn't interested in buying the car is a time waster. However, I do think that someone who isn't interested in buying any car is a time waster.

Fair enough in regards to the last paragraph. Some people take minutes to decide to buy a car (that is certainly me). However, others take days to decide and need a committee to buy a car - does that mean that they are time wasters? No, probably not.

[davistev]

I never even imagined this **** happens. I looked further on the internet and found this story of someone who had his car stolen recently during a test drive http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/man-...-1226593132672

I think I have been around nice people for too long!

[Mr Brooksy]

Having bought a performance car after testing 5 over the course of 4 weeks, I'd have to also add that there are MANY "time wasters" out there selling cars!

You know the type, puts a stupid asking price on their car and realises after 6 months that because there has been next to no interest they had better drop the price or not sell.

The car I bought was from one such idiot. Had the car listed 8 months before I bought it (called him a few days after I saw it listed to ask for more info) only to be told that the price was a "bargain" (at over 5G more than similar models with similar equip). Once the price actually became "reasonable" negotiating started (after seeing it, then coming back to test drive it, didn't have time to test it on first visit, which I made known on the phone prior)... almost walked away 2 times if it weren't for my patient wife! I do not take kindly to being called names in a business negotiation because he was frustrated for not getting what he wanted (v's what was reasonable).

Turns out he had bought it with the express interest to sell it on at a profit! Instead he paid too much for it, and wouldn't see the writing on the wall til he lost 5G's because of his ego.

My point, there are two sides to every coin. And going by the comments so far, some "time wasters" may be lurking near by.

[STINKY NINJA]

Im selling my te50 at the moment,had a guy come look at it,took ages looking over every single detail,liked it alot,took it for a test drive and loved it and couldnt fault it,said he was very keen and never heard from him again,he was a timewaster,just tell the people selling the car you arent interested and be done with it,therego be done with timewasting!
In saying that i just removed the "timewaster and joyriders not welcome" from my ad because i think it scared a few timewasters off...
Timewasters can also be defined as people who are selling cars who dont accurately describe the cars they are selling over the phone,you drive 50km to go look at said car to find out it a rusty piece of dented up dog poop and proceed to abuse the seller for wasting your time...
People who dont have constructive replies to this thread can only be described as timewasters also...
The op obviously needs to find out answers, he doesnt need smartasses looking for a cheap laugh from fellow timewasters who then proceed to like his stupid replies...

[Rodge]

Car Timewaster "Somebody who has no real intention of buying a car but wants the thrill of feeling important while they are going thorough the motions and / or someone who enjoys test driving cars without having any intention of ever buying them"

They're also known as "bankers" but the spelling of the word starts with W.

[PG2]

Originally Posted by davistev

I never even imagined this **** happens. I looked further on the internet and found this story of someone who had his car stolen recently during a test drive http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/man-...-1226593132672

I think I have been around nice people for too long!

There is a way to help prevent this from happening. When you pull up at the end of the test drive get the buyer to take the key out of the ignition and give it to you while you are still in the car. No, not fool proof but one of the many precautions that you can take.

[my_gxl]

Someone who ask questions, then inspects, goes away and thinks. Calls and agrees to purchase, then calls the next day and backs out after the ad is cancelled.

[T-Pak Addict]

Do we ever buy the first car we see? Well I haven't... Except our latest purchase anyway but usually we have a good look around, test drive a few and then go back to the one that felt right, ticked all the boxes etc etc. So was I a time waster? Not to the owner I bought the car from but to the others I was, but I always say I have a few others to look at.

When buying our latest purchase I short listed the cars that I wanted to look at (looking for a 7 Seater Territory). Now there are plenty of 5 seaters but 7 seaters are a rare breed here in SA.. I initially got 14 hits and it got narrowed down to 4 rather quickly as we wanted a TS or Ghia with reasonable kays. It got narrowed down to 2 just on Kays alone. A 2008 TS or a 2005 Ghia both same kays but the 2008 was only a grand dearer. Added in was the 2008 had the extra airbags (this is carrying the family around) it was a no brainer...

Buying a used BA/BF/FG would be a nightmare..... I would be wasting a lot of people's time and my own looking for the right one....

[STINKY NINJA]

That sucks gxl,i suppose at least he called you back,most wouldnt even have the respect to do that.