I decided to sell off my old jeep since its registration renewal was close and I did not want to spend money on painting and some minor engine work. Now with the recession, the vehicle resale market is bad. People are selling off cars and furniture to get cash.
The mechanic where I usually have my jeep serviced told me that he had a buyer who may be interested. Initially, he had told me that the car would bring a price of about KD 400. I had the jeep given a complete wash and delivered it to him the next day.
In the meantime, I was informed that the buyer, was looking for a vehicle for around KD 300. Anyhow, thought we could negotiate to get a higher rate but came to to know the buyer was not interested.
The mechanic assured me he would show to two Iranians who sometimes buy cars from him. Three days passed and nothing. Then finally yesterday got a call that the mechanics had taken the jeep to the second hand car auction yard and the maximum price so far offered was KD 300. According to them it meant that after paying the fees and their charges, I would get KD 250 in hand, was it acceptable. I said okay( wrong decision). They said they would be on the way back from the yard.
The next stage involved going to the traffic office. The validity of the registration should be more than a month, else you have to have the vehicle tested and then only have the transfer done. Luckily mine had validity of more than a month. I had the insurance transfer papers prepared in the name of the buyer and put a KD 5 revenue. However, by the time, these paperwork was done it was already 7pm and the traffic office closed for the day. Unfortunately, it was a Thursday and that meant that transfer procedures could be done only on Sunday afternoon after the weekend holidays. The buyer paid me part money and took the car. On Sunday, when we went to the traffic office in my area, we were told to go to the traffic office in Farwania since the buyer was from Kheitan for which that office was in charge. Then we all rushed up there.
Once there, we had to stand in a queue. When our turn came, the person at the counter checked the papers and then civil id’s and made the buyer sign on the insurance papers and then me. We were told to go and sit outside and they would call out. This involved waiting patiently as intermittently, an employee came and called out names – some whose new registration for cars were ready and others whose paperwork had problems. Finally the name of the person who bought my car was called out and we walked out. He then paid the balance money and we parted ways…
