Currently, I am trying to sell my brother's Mercedes van. It is worth between five and six thousand pounds. One problem is that the van currently resides behind a shed close to Simon's old cottage - seventy five miles from this keyboard.
There are web-based organisations in Britain that specialise in selling motor vehicles. Perhaps the most famous one is "webuyanycar.com" but I have been attempting to set the sale up with a different organisation - "Motorway.co.uk". They advertise regularly on our commercial TV channels
It has been a bit of a nightmare so far. They require a series of photographs but initially they did not spell out exactly what pictures they require. They told me that I need a picture of the back seats but twice I have had to explain to them that it is a van and vans do not have rear seats!
Another problem is the call centre. I have worked out that it is in South Africa and it is staffed by South African women with exotic South African names like Londiwe Maphumolo. Their pronunciation of basic English down an eight thousand mile long phone line leaves much to be desired and it becomes clearer each day that the staff have had little guidance about the nature of British society and how people operate over here.
I am going to have to drive over to the van on Saturday to take more photos - hoping I do not have to go back again. Clear initial instructions in understandable English would have avoided this inconvenience.
As it happens, I am going to see my first Hull City match of the new football season on Saturday afternoon. We are playing Coventry City. I also have to deliver a camper van wheel to an owner who lives west of Hull. He's heading off to France on Sunday and he's taking the wheel with him as a favour to my brother Robin who lives beyond Toulouse in the south west of the country.
The thing about the van sale is that I shall not profit from it one iota. The process has been just as painful as dealing with Simon's bank and the insurance company with which he set up a private pension plan and, God help me, The Probate Registry with its difficult to obtain forms written in fluent gobbledegook. Never mind - there's a helpline number! Only trouble is it takes forty five minutes before you hear a live human being's voice. It has all cost me a lot of precious time - even more than I had predicted and the end still seems a long way off.
Well, damn. Gregg has been wanting to buy a decent used van to cart his aquarium cleaning gear around in. I'd be happy to buy it from you if not for that pesky pond between us! We wouldn't even argue about paying a fair price for it, either. Oh well!
ReplyDeleteYes that's a shame. I can imagine it with "The Fish Guy" painted on the side in fairground lettering.
DeleteNice van.
ReplyDeleteIt's yours for £5500.
DeleteYou've been watching Dickinson's Real Deal, haven't you!
DeleteI've always heard nothing in life is easy, and now it appears that applies to death too.
ReplyDeleteIt's like I am in a maze and I just want to get out.
DeleteTime and time again from around the world I hear of the same issues when someone dies. Why is just so difficult to finalise someone's life affairs.
ReplyDeleteThe process could be much simpler.
DeleteI have found that selling vehicles can either be easy as pie or a huge drama. There rarely seems to be an in-between.
ReplyDeleteWhy won't you receive the proceeds?
Because all money is going to the beneficiaries - my son and daughter and my brother Paul's grown up children over in Ireland. That's what Simon told me he wanted.
DeleteDitch the South African based company and go with someone local, at least you'll understand each other. I hope it sells quickly, I have the feeling you want it all over and done with already.
ReplyDeleteIf the van was here in Sheffield I would have probably done that. It is no longer taxed and insured.
DeleteTiggers like vans like that too. Pity we are on the wrong side of Europe.
ReplyDeleteA white van in Greece would be just the job.
DeleteCould someone in the village need the van? Are there volunteer groups or other organisations you could approach (by email, for instance)?
ReplyDeleteWe put out feelers but nobody came forth.
DeleteGood heavens YP - surely you don't expect this to be straight forwards? Where's the fun for those manning the phone line - how can they practise their fractured English, which they have learned just to confuse and obstruct?
ReplyDeleteNaive of me to even ask if you can do everything online? Much easier, and you have a record of the whole transaction.
Thank you for your kind understanding Carol!
DeleteCould you try selling the van to a car dealer or ask them to sell it for you?
ReplyDeleteI am getting close to the point with Motorway.co.uk where I might just say "Screw you!"
DeleteMany, especially here in the rural parts of America, have estate auctions for stuff like that. You don't get nearly the amount of money you could if you sell each piece separately but it is a LOT less effort on your part. In fact, the auctioneers do much of the set up work themselves as part of their nice fee and in a matter of hours, it is all over.
ReplyDeleteSimon only had this one asset - his van. I need to get an acceptable price for it.
DeleteSounds to me like those companies are going to screw you good in the end. Take that any way you want it. How frustrating! A dealer closer to where the van is would be a better way to go although you might have to drive over there to work it out and get it to a lot.
ReplyDeleteAren't there used car dealers somewhere near Simon's home that buy used cars and vans? Some used car dealers near us will send someone to pick it up. Sorry it is such a complicated situation for you, Neil. Hope it is settled soon. Nice of Simon to remember his nieces and nephews.
ReplyDeleteOh, what a nightmare. Don't you miss the days when you could place a classified advertisement in the local newspaper and sell whatever you had to sell locally? I wonder if you could just photograph the rear area of the van for the "back seats," since there are none. Like Ed, I wonder if auction is an option -- the auctioneers will take a cut of the price but you ought to wind up with something.
ReplyDeleteI'm genuinely sorry that you are having to deal with all this. The powers that be don't make it easy.
ReplyDeleteI hope there's a resolution soon.
Best wishes.
Contact a few delivery companies, one of them might need an extra van.
ReplyDelete