An upset Deon Davids from Eerste River says what he thought was a bargain turned out to be a “scam” after buying a car on Facebook Marketplace.
Deon, 51, bought a 2005 VW Golf 5 for R37 000. He says he paid Riyaad Mohamed on 29 January, received the vehicle, but it broke down the same day on the N1 highway.
Deon says: “I sold my bakkie because it was heavy on fuel, so when I went on Marketplace I fell for what I saw because he wrote on top of the post it’s a bargain and it’s a Golf with the licence and papers all in order.
“When I asked Riyaad and his mom if the car can drive because I don’t have another car, they assured me that the car is in good condition. I brought my mechanic to look at everything and we drove the car around the block.
“On 30 January when I collected the car and got onto the N1, the oil light went on and I got stuck, which is dangerous.
“Since then I have been struggling. I am still waiting for the papers. I saw that the vehicle is not even in his name but someone else’s who lives in Vredenburg.”
Deon says he spent R5 000 to have the car serviced and received a quotation of R24 000 to repair the vehicle.
He says: “There is no spare wheel, the doors can’t lock, it rains into the car and the car is now standing in my yard. I wasted R37 000.”
When the Daily Voice reached out to Riyaad, 21, from Rylands, he says: “Deon came to view the car at my house and drove the car multiple times and he was happy, we also gave him a major discount.
“Later that night he phoned to say the car didn’t want to start, I don’t know what happened. The paperwork is sorted at the moment, I just need to give it to him.
“I sell exotic cars, not cheapies, he was aware of all the faults, the doors, mechanical work and spray work, now he’s acting dom.”