I wonder if this is a scam

I received the following in response to my query regarding a new shape Golf for sale for £3100. Now where is my barge pole? .







Hello,
I regret the delay of my response.
I already have many emails so I hope you'll understand that I need to
sort them.
My name is Joanne Parker I have 31 years old and I was doctor for 3
years in Leeds. I am glad you are interested in my car 2006 Volkswagen Golf 2.0 TDi GT (140bhp) 5dr.
First, I want you to know that I lived in Leeds until 2 months ago, but now I'm in Greece because I am
pregnant and I have decided to give birth in my home country so I want to sell my car and move back in Greece.
The car is in perfect working condition. It's in showroom condition, no scratches, no dents, full service
history, HPI clear, no outstanding finance, non-smoking, never involved in any accident and it has 23000



miles.
The car is still UK registered and now it is locked in my garage. If you dicide to buy it you will receive the
original invoice, logbook, keys and all the documents to register it into your name.
Genuine reason for sale: unfortunately I can't register the car here because you know it is very hard to drive
a Right-hand car here.
I want 3100 GBP + shipping to your door for the car. To calculate the shipping fees send me your address.
Due to amount involved and due the fact that I am not located in the United Kingdom, I only accept third party
transaction mediator.I have chosen the eBay Shipping Center Program to take care of all theproceedings, so the



car will be shipped by eBay.
Beside shipping the car, eBay will act as the middle man - holding the payment until you receive and inspect
it. You will have one week inspection period.
Regarding the payment method I would like to use eBay like a third part for the payment because in my opinion
this is the safest way to handle the transaction. You will have the car for inspection and test drive BEFORE
any money is released to me.
Look how this work:
1. I will contact them , and I will send your shipping information to
eBay to open the transaction.
2. They will send you a payment invoice for the car (the invoice will
be from customer support team) about how to make the payment.
3. The invoice contains all the info about this transaction and you
must follow the steps written there to complete the deal with me.
4. After all that will be done, the car will be shipped by eBay, and
the car will arrive at your address in 3 to 5 days..
5. Buyer accepts delivery and informs eBay to tell them if he is
satisfied or not
6. Ebay will release the money to the seller(in case the buyer is
satisfied) or to the buyer(in case that he is not satisfied).
This means a 3rd party.
You will receive a tracking # in the same day when the car will be shipped from eBay.
I am using the protection and shipping program offered by eBay Shipping Center because this will protect both
of us and also it is the fastest way to complete this deal.If you want to go on with this deal , mail me



immediately your shipping address to contact ebay and calculate the shipping cost.

Here are some pictures of the car:



http://i32.tinypic.com/34rj0cj.jpg
http://i32.tinypic.com/sddw12.jpg
http://i32.tinypic.com/15hhg5e.jpg
http://i25.tinypic.com/5md2mg.jpg
http://i29.tinypic.com/fu84js.jpg




2006 Volkswagen Golf 2.0 TDi GT (140bhp) 5dr in MetBlue
Engine Size: 1,968 cc
Power: 138
Mileage: 23000
Date of 1st Registration: 24 Jan 2006
Right-hand drive/Left-hand drive: Right-hand drive
V5 Registration Document: Present
Transmission: Manual In-Car Entertainment Options: AM/FM Stereo, CD
Player
Safety Features: Anti-Lock Brakes (ABS), Driver Airbag, Electronic
Stability Program (ESP), Alarm, Side Airbags, Passenger Airbag,
Immobiliser Interior/Comfort Options: Power Locks, Air Conditioning, Tilt
Steering Wheel, Power-assisted Steering (PAS), Power Windows
Fuel: Diesel Exterior Options: Alloy Wheels
Service History Available: Yes
Manufacturer's Warranty Expiry Date: 01 Jan 2009




Let me know if you are interested ...

 

If anything sounds too good to be true....it usually is not true.

Why would someone take all this trouble to sell via ebay for so far below market value when it would be trivial to take the car to a car supermarket who will buy it there and then for pretty close to market value.

Also why hide the registration?

 

Don't blame you for the barge pole ........ I had a company one of these in 2005/06 and it was such a disappointing car.

 

Hi Samantha

I'm afraid I have a soft spot for Golfs, (particularly the original GTi) I'd like to buy one for my wife.

 

Yes...probably pay £3K for a top notch Mk1 GTi...but a 2006...no waaay ;-)

 

What ££ should it fetch?

 

David, the car in question is not a GTi but should still fetch around twice the £3100 asking price.

 

Me too! Love the mk1, my brother had one and it was great, difficult to find a good one now though I would have thought. My 16v mk2 was fun but troublesome, wouldn't have another.

 

My brother had 16 valver, too.

That was a G plate (therefore 1990 or thereabouts)

Yup, it went ok.

It didn't give him any bother but then its was a company(or lease )car so they didnt stay long.

He talked at the time about one of us having it, so I think he was quite impressed with it.



Cheers Dev.

 

Mk1 and Mk2 I'd concur ...... which is why I was so disappointed with the latest one - especially since so many collegues kept telling me how good it was. I just wonder what else they had driven. Mine had teething problems, was cheap interior and wallowed like a barge - not what I expected and not a patch on older VeeDubs or even on the Bora which previously I had just thought a Golf with a boot .... apparently it isn't.

If your wife doesn't mind a saloon, I was far more impressed personally with the Bora/Jetta offerings.

 

It stinks .
Since when does eBay handle shipping of cars?,also thats a tad elaborate response for someone rushed off their feet sorting emails.....No reg means you can't conduct a hpi check......

 

...if you do plump for a Bora (very nice cars) get a TDi, I had a lower powered petrol one and its like trying to power a Chieftan Tank with a rubber band. Woeful.

 

Actually my wife does not like Golfs, she'd rather have a Black A Class Merc.

 

I don't see the point in those.

The last one I saw sounded (IMO) like a bag of nails.

Not like a Merc anyway.

 

She knows a lot about cars then NOI

 

I'm hurt now.

She's not a car enthusiast, doesn't drive much and wants something small but fairly roomy. The old shape A class would probably suit her fine. Failing that a 4th gen Golf.

 

I think Mercedes lost the plot when they built the Class A.

My wife had a Micra which was great (M Reg so not the newer ones). Was cheap as chips and nippy. And it had central locking (you could reachall the doors from the drivers seat!!). Newer Models are overpriced IMO

Then got her a Golf Mark IV - 1.6 petrol -very sluggish

She now has a Golf mark V - the 170PSI TDI version. A bit sluggish in the lower gears but then really takes off from 3rd upwards (probably as the turbo kicks in)

 

Awww - no one warned me you were so sensitive ......

My next door neighbour had one, darn unreliable and dealers looked down their noes as it wasn't seen as the sort of car they traditionally dealt with. Another mate had a Smart and had the same problem with the Merc dealers. Sort of puts me off ever owning any merc if that is the attitude.

4th gen GT TD was okay (still prefer the Bora/jetta though). I had the 5th and it was IMO poor. Some expensive stuff done for styling (like the rear lights and the cut aways) meant corners cut elsewhere and you can tell. Also some of the repair costs - Ouch!!

If she isn't a keen driver, for a roomy but compact, but also decent running costs - the Yaris is a pretty good car.
If she needs roomy back seat - the old shape Civic (pre Cyborg) has a fully flat floor and so is more roomy than you'd imagine.

 

Erm, perhaps I should re-consider. My daughter drives a Yaris and my wife hates it. We'd prefer something that felt more solid and doesn't rattle like a toy.

 

Sorry, it wasn't my intention to start a serious thread but as we are here I should explain that I sold (read gave away) her Renault Laguna last week. She liked that car but fancied a change. I generally like German cars, so Golf Mk4 was my first choice. A 1.9TDi or GTI (yes the 2 litre version with capital 'I', which insults the GTi name). My boss OTOH thinks they are small and I suppose compared to a Laguna they are and a LWB A class seemed a like a good idea. So far Honda Civic and Accord, Toyota Corolla, Ford Focus and Mondeo, Any Mazda or Nissan, Skoda Octavia, Vauxhall Astra and Vectra have been vetoed by one or more members of the family.

Any other ideas for around £5k?