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    Seller's freeloader boyfriend demands return of her vehicle at a $500 loss, 3 months after she sold it to a friend who bought it as a favor for $2500: 'He argued that I should take the hit because they have a family'

    How obligated are you to return something you bought from a friend if they decide they want it back? And, how long after the original sale does this apply?

    The buyer purchased a car from a financially struggling friend for $2,500, a premium and well above market price for the vehicle, which was intended as a "gift" and a helping hand to help her avoid foreclosure. Months later, the friend's boyfriend, upset that the friend had sold the vehicle to her in the first place, pressured the buyer to sell the car back for less than the original price.

    This presented several issues, including the fact that this car had been purchased to completely replace her old one, and she had already incurred additional costs in getting the car road-ready.

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    • 01
      An old vehicle for sale parked in front of a house.
      via Mathias Reding

      An old vehicle for sale is parked in front of a house. 

      The image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

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    • 02

      AITAH: For not selling [the car I bought] back to [my friend] for less than I paid?

      3 months ago I bought a vehicle from a friend of mine for $2,500. She was about to lose her house and I got tired of fixing up my vehicle and figured this was a better option even though it was out of my price range by about $1,000 and I had to take a loan out from my adopted dad to do this. I know that I probably overpaid but when I tried to negotiate she kept insisting she
      via Rare_Constant8114
    • 03
      really needed the money to pay off for taxes on her house or they would foreclose. She needed $2,400 for back taxes. So I paid her the full $2,500 and then spent $400 to register it. I don't mind overpaying because I feel like even if I did she's my friend and she needed it and it's good karma. Her boyfriend was incredibly p ed that she sold it and kept throwing it in her face.
      via Rare_Constant8114
    • 04
      It has been 3 months and I have put 200 miles on the car. Because I'm tired of hearing him complain about how she sold the jeep that he wanted, and how he needed it because he needs two vehicles for work and blah blah blah so I offered to sell it back to them for the exact same price I paid.
      via Rare_Constant8114
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    • 05
      He said no. And offered 2K. I said absolutely not that is not fair especially because I also had to pay another $400 to register it and it's only been 3 months and I put 200 miles on. She agreed. However he argued that I should take the hit because they have a family and they need it.
      via Rare_Constant8114
    • 06
      I understand that which is the whole reason I bought the d vehicle on the first place instead of spending $200 to fix up my own. My friend agrees that I am being more than fair and she thanked me for being fair but he will not stop. Her boyfriend keeps badgering her to tell me to take the 2K. I said absolutely not under no circumstances would I be able to do that because I still owe my dad. money on this.
      via Rare_Constant8114
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    • 07
      209 miles, and I should take a $500 hit plus $400 for registration so ultimately be out of pocket $900. He argued that I would have paid more for a rental car. I never would have got a rental car I did not need a rental car so that argument is beyond asinine. I bought this car so that they would not be homeless. He said that he doesn't care and that his offer is more than fair for the value of the car and he needs it for work because his other vehicle keeps breaking down.
      via Rare_Constant8114
    • 08
      My vehicle constantly breaking down is the only way I was able to justify this purchase to my dad to be able to borrow money from him. He also told her that if I was really her friend I would do it for the 2K because I don't have young children to feed at home. I do however have grandchildren, cats and the dis ed roommate and I am working two jobs as it is to make ends meet and repay my dad. And I am also dis ed myself on top of this.
      via Rare_Constant8114
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    • 09
      He even has the audacity to tell me that "you need to give us our car back and stop being a greedy b II I told him that it was no longer his car it was mine and it's the only reason that he wasn't homeless, and that he should be grateful i stepped in to help. Then I got slammed with this:
      via Rare_Constant8114
    • 10
      "If you were really (name) friend, you would have just given us the money and not expect anything else in return." Then why was the vehicle listed for sale in the first place? She didn't ask me for the money she asked me to buy her car.
      via Rare_Constant8114
    • 11
      At that point I left. My friend texted me and apologized for her boyfriend. I don't have money like that just to give out. I don't and I did donate to their GoFundMe and was one of the few people who did. If I had that money laying around and they needed it I would have given it to them because I know my friend would
      via Rare_Constant8114
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    • 12
      do the same and while I wish I could do that I just can't. I thought I was helping and doing good, but now I want to cry, and mostly for my poor friend who got stuck in the middle of this because it was her car. It was never his car it was always hers.
      via Rare_Constant8114
    • 13
      But somehow I'm the jok, and he's telling all his buddies at work about it one of which got back to me because they're my neighbor, and he's making it out like I borrowed the car and never returned it and he's being generous by offering me 2K to get the car back it's still their car.
      via Rare_Constant8114
    • 14
      It's not. It's mine and registered in my name and it was previously registered in her name it was never his.
      via Rare_Constant8114
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    • 15
      Two women sitting on a couch argue about
      via Getty Images

      Two women exchange heated words in an argument. 

      The image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

    • Most of the time, when you sell something privately to a buyer, it's a given that for both parties, this is the beginning and end of the relationship. For the seller, it's cash in hand and out of site out of mind. For the buyer, they know there is an inherent risk in buying something used, with unforeseen issues that could pop up and make the price they paid, no matter how much due diligence they do. 

      It's a bit of a gamble on either side, the seller gambling that they haven't just given something away for a fraction of what it is worth. The buyer is gambling that they haven't bought a lemon that was sold for a price that was “in working condition," with costly repairs blowing the entire point of buying something used for cheaper in the first place.

      Once you get a sense of navigating used markets, you get better at sniffing out scammers, when things have been used and misused, and when something is too good to be true, but part of it is accepting that there are a certain number of things you buy that are going to be more trouble than they're worth.

    • Of course, this relationship gets a lot trickier when it comes to friends, family and aquaintences. 

      It's often said that you should never let anyone borrow any amount of money that you don't plan to see back. But what if you sell something to a friend or family member at a discount? Selling something to a friend or family member for way less than it's worth is almost a more subtle way of giving them a certain sum of money.

      Some of us who have done this with the best of intentions and thinking that the understanding that they were getting a deal was implied have probably found that our “friends and family” price becomes not an appreciated favor but an opportunity for a quick flip and some extra cash, quickly followed by some sheepish half-baked excuse as to why they didn't need it anymore.

      I think there's an argument to be made here that you're entitled to part of the profits, but others might say that, like with lending someone money, you need to be prepared to never see the margin for what you sold it at versus the market rate returned.

      And if you are just genuinely selling something to a friend at market rate, because you need to get rid of some things that are lying around the house for a bit of liquidity. Are you entitled to that thing back if you have a sudden change of heart due to seller's remorse? 

      What if something breaks or, in the case of something like a vehicle, a mechanical fault appears within a certain period of time?

    • You can see where the clear line of the “buyer and seller” relationship gets blurred very quickly as soon as there is an existing personal relationship. For that reason it's always best to set clear ground rules when establishing the original sale, and making sure that everyone has a clear understanding of the expectations and limitations. 

      But this is, of course, idealistic, and relationships and communications are never quite so simple. 

      The situation in this story was a bit of the opposite of our hypothetical one: A woman bought her friend's vehicle at a premium, above market rate, as a way of giving her friend a helping hand when she desperately needed it. It also gave her an excuse to replace her older vehicle that was in at a point in its life where it was in need of constant mechanical repairs.

    • 16
      A man stands, arms crossed, gazed determinately forward
      via Getty Images

      A man stands, arms crossed, gazed determinately forward

      The image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

    • LongjumpingSkill9305

      NTA. That guy is a j**k. Keep your car and stop helping that “family”. You can be friends with someone without giving them money or financial assistance.

    • No_Arugula4195

      Each time he brings it up, raise the price $100. He'll finally shut up.

    • pterodactylorpotato

      Boyfriend needs to stop. At this point make it clear you aren't selling, it isn't an option so there is nothing to negotiate and block him.

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