A man says a Facebook Marketplace seller grew increasingly impatient while he tried to inspect a used Mazda. He further alleges that his inspection uncovered problems the seller hadn’t mentioned.
TikTok creator Abdullah Sherwani (@abduflips), who documents car flips and used-car deals on his page, shared the encounter in a clip that quickly went viral.
“Buying a car from an aggressive seller,” he wrote in the clip’s text overlay.
The meeting got off to a rough start. According to Sherwani, he was about 10 minutes late, which had the seller frustrated the moment he arrived. Things got more tense when Sherwani said he planned to plug an OBD scanner into the car, a 2012 Mazda 3 that appears to have been listed on Facebook Marketplace.
“I never considered somebody would want to plug something in,” the seller says. The seller grew even more impatient as the scanner took several minutes to send the codes to Sherwani’s phone.
“Make it quick,” the seller says in the clip, adding that he didn’t have all day for the sale.
But Sherwani wasn’t willing to hand over thousands of dollars for a car he hadn’t properly checked.
The seller pushed back, arguing that the Mazda “was not a Maserati” and was relatively inexpensive. He also claimed the car had never been in an accident and had always been serviced.
Then the report came back.
According to Sherwani, the vehicle had previously been in the shop for an AC compressor issue, had been involved in two accidents, and had an airbag deployment on record. He also says the air conditioning wasn’t working.
“So he’s straight up, at this point, just lying,” Sherwani says of the seller.
As of this writing, his video had more than 10.3 million views.
What Should You Check Before Buying A Used Car?
A cheap used car can still become an expensive mistake, particularly if you skip the inspection.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recommends always getting a vehicle history report before buying a used car. Those reports can include ownership history, accidents, repair records, and whether the vehicle was ever declared a salvage vehicle.
That matters here because Sherwani says the seller told him the Mazda had never been in an accident, while the report he pulled appeared to show two prior crashes and an airbag deployment. (It is possible that the seller had also been misled or that he was otherwise unaware of the accident history.)
An OBD-II scanner can add another layer of information, but it doesn’t tell viewers the whole story.
The Environmental Protection Agency says onboard diagnostics monitor proper emissions-related systems and certain engine components. When the system detects a problem, it can store a diagnostic trouble code that a scanner or phone can retrieve. But plugging in a scanner won’t necessarily reveal every mechanical problem, body repair, or accident in a vehicle’s past.
That’s why the FTC also recommends getting an independent inspection before buying a used car. Having a mechanic look over a vehicle before you fork over the cash may catch mechanical problems or hidden damage history reports miss.
The FTC also warns buyers not to let a seller rush them and to watch for potential scammers. High-pressure tactics and resistance to an inspection are both reasons to slow down a deal.
Buyers can also run the VIN through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s recall database to see whether the vehicle has any unrepaired safety recalls.
So while Sherwani’s scanner wasn’t going to tell him everything about the Mazda, taking a few extra minutes to check the car and its history was exactly the kind of due diligence consumer agencies recommend.
Gallery: Mazda 3 Sport Black
Viewers Notice Tons Of Red Flags
Many viewers thought the seller’s attitude was reason enough to walk away.
“His attitude screamed the car had issues,” one person wrote.
“When someone rushes you…..RUN!” another added.
A third viewer commented, “Soon as he threw attitude, I would have just thanked him and left.”
While some thought Sherwani was being overzealous, others defended him for taking the time to check the Mazda before handing over the money.
“Damn, y’all really on this kid for making sure he ain’t wasting $2500? Buddy had attitude right away, like he's selling gold,” one said.
Another viewer didn’t think waiting a few minutes for the scan was unreasonable, writing, “It’s 5-10 minutes. It’s not that horrible.”
But not everyone was convinced by the buyer, either. One wondered, “Why would your [OB]D scanner take 5 to 10 minutes? That doesn’t make any [expletive] sense.”
Motor1 contacted Sherwani via TikTok direct message. We’ll be sure to update this if he responds.
