AutoBuy

Unfortunately, what this company claims on its website and the reality of the experience do not match. I would not recommend dealing with this company. According to their website: “AutoBuy was built to bring more confidence, trust, and simplicity to the car-selling process.” and “At the core of AutoBuy are our values: integrity, transparency, and respect for time. We keep things simple, deliver what we promise, and put you in control of the sale.”

My wife and I were wanting to sell her car. We filled out the form on the website, were contacted with an offer. Having accepted that over the phone we were sent a contract obliging us to sell the vehicle for the price offered. This was signed and submitted on 14 April. We were then told that someone would be sent to inspect the vehicle. This occurred on 21 April and was carried out by a third party. The expectation was that Autobuy would contact us shortly after this because the report was submitted electronically. We did not receive a call so we contacted the agent from Autobuy that we had been dealing with. We were then sent an electronic form from Autobuy that was effectively an invoice to Autobuy for the agreed amount. My wife signed the document on 23 April. According their website: “Once the agreement is signed, our team will collect your ID, registration, and bank details securely. We process the payment directly to your bank account. Funds are cleared before your car leaves your driveway.” Interestingly it does not specify how long after the agreement is signed the money be paid into your account. Unlike most invoices, the electronically invoice generated by “Port Motor Trades” also has no reference to terms of payment. The home page of their website features this statement: “We make selling your car simple. No tyre-kickers, no wasted weekends, just a fair price, fast payment, and convenient collection.” My assumption was that “fast payment” would be a week or less. After a week had passed I rang the agent we had been dealing with. There was no answer so I left a voicemail message to ask when we could expect payment. When there no response I sent a text message on 30 April. When I received no response to my request I rang the 1300 number for Autobuy on 4 May. The system would not allow me to leave a message because it said the mailbox was full. I did receive a call back from another agent who said he could not help answer my question about what was happening but he would pass on my request to the agent I had been dealing with when he saw him.

I did not receive any response the following day so I emailed the agent directly requesting that the invoice be paid. As of today, 6 May, the money has not been received and I have not had response to my request.

This is hardly what I would call “transparency and “respect for time”.