To what extent should I feel bad about this?

I recently sold an 01 Ford Ranger 4cyl/5 spd with 148k miles. The truck had been my faithful DD for 5 years, but I needed a more family friendly vehicle so it had to go. The truck was mechanically solid, but the cruise control didn't work and the AC system wouldn't hold a charge. I had no concerns about driving it anywhere.

The buyer was a nice Neighbor Couple down the street. They bought it for their developmentally disabled son. He had experience driving a stick, but was admittedly a bit rusty. I was open and honest about the condition of the truck, and suggested they give it a thorough look over so they'd be comfortable with what they were buying. I took quite a bit under asking price because they're nice people and I wasn't interested in raking decent neighbors over for a few hundred $ more. Everybody was happy. The kid loved the truck so much that he slept in it the first couple of nights.

Neighbor Lady dropped in recently to see our new baby for the first time. She brought a small gift for the baby. I asked how her son was liking the truck, and after a bit of prying she said that a couple of weeks after buying it they had to take it to a local repair shop (that I trust) after her son said it made a "bad sound". The shop said it's new engine time.

I felt terrible, and asked what I could do, but Neighbor Lady insisted that nothing was expected, they weren't upset, and they just considered it bad luck. I guess Neighbor Lady is due for a new vehicle, and is planning to give her son her current vehicle. The truck will be sold for whatever they can get. I know deals like this are "as-is", and their son has a reputation for driving a bit aggressively, but I still feel bad. What would you do?

Nothing. You represented the condition of the truck honestly and fairly, and the buyers bought as-is. It seems as though you are struggling with some guilt, but you don't have anything to feel guilty about.

You're good, man.  It's a E36 M3ty thing to have happen...but you had no prior knowledge, and they're clearly not bent out of shape about it.  Everyone was happy until something that no one saw coming happened AFTER the sale.  

Nothing, and who knows if he was that rusty driving a stick he probably over revved it

Something similar just happened to me and I as the seller I felt horrible at first. I also felt kinda dumb as a car guy for not knowing an issue was creeping up and pretty shocked because I trusted the vehicle completely and problems arose very quicklly.

Luckily in my case I believe the problem was relatively minor and the new owner was a very understanding car guy. I might be the subject of some jokes next time we get together over beers...

Anyway, you are certainly allowed a brief moment to process the situation and have an emotion or two of that is your thing but otherwise get over that E36 M3 immediately. Seriously. E36 M3 happens.

148k on a Ranger 4cyl is nothing. My nephew got his dad’s Ranger with over 200k and he beat that truck and sold it still running at 260k. I think a missed shift killed yours.

In reply to rustybugkiller :

Or 5 of them. 

My bet is a missed shift or 40 over revved it or the shop is pulling their chain.

Maybe offer to look at it to see whats wrong or buy it from them for whatever they think its worth now?

I wouldn't feel too bad. Your intentions were not malicious in nature. Like has been said previously, stuff happens.

I had a situation similar to yours about 12 years ago. I had a 1991 Ranger, 2.3L, 5 speed that my now ex-SWMBO made me sell. I had bought it for $600 and drove it everyday for almost 2 years with zero issues. We are talking gravity-like reliability.

I sold it to one of my young troops who just arrived at my unit. He was looking for a cheap, dependable vehicle to get him to work.

Less than 2 weeks after buying my Ranger, the brake master cylinder decided to fail spectacularly by puking the seals out. My young troop was driving in heavy traffic at the time and sailed right through a busy intersection. I have no idea how he didn't hit anything.

I felt terrible. I completely talked up the reliability of that truck and right after he took ownership, it tried to kill him.

I gave him a ride to work the rest of the week and helped him replace the master cylinder the following weekend.

Stuff happens.

You're free and clear. As is, where is. Kid probably beat it to death, or the mechanic is a scumbag and is trying to snipe a cheap truck. 

Years ago I sold my old Plymouth wagon, 318,stick, to my teen age nephew.

I told him to be sure to check the oil as it used some.

 A few weeks later I get a phone call.   The engine blew.

I'm sorry to hear that.   He hung on like he was expecting me to do someting.

I told him he could find a used engine easily.

Good luck and good bye.

We bought a 94 ranger xcab 5 speed with the 4.0l brand new and drove it for years without any issues. sold it to my BIL (really cheaply) and a year later head gaskets went out. He replaced them himself and a year after that the truck left him on the side of the road. (not sure why) Some enterprising youth was able to start it and drove it off into a field totaling it. E36 M3 happens. life goes on. its ok.

To what extent:

The one you've already felt... That's enough. 

I just don’t sell cars to people I know who are non car people. 

Thanks all!

I sold a protege to a friend. Several weeks later, the speedo stopped working and the shifting became different. He and his wife took it to a shop who quoted ~$2k. When I heard about it (they were not angry with me, but were poor students at the time) I spoke with them. We agreed that I would source a low mileage gearbox and provide the labour if he would actually  help and they would pay for parts. $300 and a Saturday morning later we were all happy. I felt better, it didn’t cost me money out of pocket, and I had a nice social morning with a mechanically inept but eager to learn young man.  

I'm hesitant to deal with people I know. I feel bad enough when things go wrong with a deal regarding total strangers. 

I had a kid's whole family show up to buy a 5spd, two door, rust free E30 I was selling. It ran and drove but I'd rescued it from a 5-8 year slumber. I'd driven the car a total of 15 miles. I told the buyers ALL of this. They showed up. Checked the car over at night in the freezing cold. They asked me "Do you think it'll make an hour drive?" I said "I can't promise anything in regards to that as I've only driven it the short distance I mentioned." Then, they decided to drive it an hour home. They called 20 minutes later saying the car was overheating. We talked for a bit and the mother stated "He's using all his savings to buy this car." I then replied "I've been honest with you guys and you know that trying to drive this car home was a gamble. I'm sorry it's not been easy for you guys." I still felt bad about it.

If I can be convinced to sell to someone I know I sell below market and tell them about all the warts and history of the car. I sold a first gen Speed3 to a friend and I told him I'd tracked it one and broken a vacuum nipple off on the intake that I repaired by installing a small metal sleeve to rejoin the nipple and intake. He was happy with the car for years even when it started eating AC compressors. 

Back to you..you did all you could. I understand feeling bad but let yourself off the hook on this one. Sounds like your customers already have. Give yourself permission to be ok with the deal. 

In reply to STM317 :

Any chance he broke the timing belt? I don't think those are an interference engine, and 148k is about when they are going to let go if they haven't been changed. If so they are super easy to change if you want to help your neighbor out.

gearheadmb said:

In reply to STM317 :

Any chance he broke the timing belt? I don't think those are an interference engine, and 148k is about when they are going to let go if they haven't been changed. If so they are super easy to change if you want to help your neighbor out.

The ubiquitous 2.3L SOHC Lima engines were timing belts. However, 01+ 2.3L Rangers came with the all aluminum, DOHC Duratec/MZR engine. This came with a timing chain, 4 valves per cylinder, and interference design that was lighter weight, made more power, got better fuel economy, and was cleaner than the predecessor. It's basically a stroked NC Miata engine with different manifolds. Or, since the Duratec came out in the Ranger 5 years ahead of the release of the NC, perhaps the NC has a destroked Ranger engine... The architecture was also shared with Mazda's DISI engine and still lives on in Ford's 2.0L and 2.3L EcoBoost engines.