Yes definitely two different scenarios, one confirming that the situation Blackjack is describing is despicable. And the other that we can't be expected to be 100% saintly all the time, offering someone less than their car is worth is exactly what that 'we buy any car' crowd do, they take advantage of the fact the seller can't be arsed to do any legwork. If the seller is 'of sound body and mind' then I not sure it would be the buyers responsibility to ensure that they know the market value of their car.

If someone offered me a scruffy but MOTed 2cv for £500 then I wouldn't feel any shame in paying that for it, assuming I wanted it, because that's as much as I think it's worth. If I bought it purely for selling on to the idiots on ebay who'll pay twice that much then I'd feel guilty. But now I'm getting back into the old chestnut about values, so I'll stop.

In the meantime Blackjack, the mods are away, who are we talking about?

My core ethics are 'Do unto others..." So unless they want my advice on how to sell it or where to find out how to! I'm not gonna pretend wouldn't blag it down a little to people who think they own a sure store of (fools) gold! After all it's only worth anything if they can find someone to buy it!.... and those house clearance firms (with cash register eyes!)... charge low rates to take all the junk away!

Scenario 1 is the correct option,but,it would seem that the deceased had treasured the cars for a long time.Maybe you could suggest that you would keep the cars and treasure them yourself (depending on what cars they are and your finances) or that you could sell them on to someone who would do the same (not on e bay).Then,as suggested,make an offer and let the woman decide.I suppose alot will depend on wether you want to keep the cars.
If you want to just sell the cars,and they are that good,then surley the first priority is to make sure they go to someone who will appriciate them,and not try and make a quick buck (them not you).
If you intend to keep one,or maybe both,then explain that your finances don't allow you to pay the market value,but you would cherish one/both and make an offer.
Oh,what cars are they?

I have a low tolerance for this sort of thing. My mother is now elderly and blind and has been ripped off by unscrupulous tradesman a couple of times. I was very ill last year and became worried about my wife being saddled with selling off my cars as well as struggling with two very young children.

It has been helpful to hear that most people, whilst they might be tempted, would feel bad about doing something like this. On the basis of this advice I felt I had to bite the bullet and tackle the person about it. I have now received an explanation which says that there was also some major work done to other family cars as part of a trade/part cash settlement and that one of the cars was actually in poor condition and that the deal was agreed by the executor. If this is the case then it clears it up.

In the circumstances it would be wrong to name the person. I have told that person to make it clear in conversation with anyone else that when they mention what they paid for the cars they should make it clear that the deal was not just a small amount of cash.

Make an offer and see what she says!

Maybe I'm guilty of hypocrisy regarding this. My old red 2cv was sourced through a non-2cver friend who'd sourced it through a non-2cver mate of his who'd got it sat in his yard for 9 years (ie back when you could buy them from blokes in pubs for a score). When he mentioned selling it, or at least 'losing interest' in it, I made him an offer of what he paid which was about 1/3rd of what it'd go for on eBay. I knew this and still didn't increase my offer. He was happy, I was happy, so I didn't see any damage. Does the ethical question lose some of it's edge because I rebuilt it and kept it for myself? Or is that just as selfish as if I'd banged it straight on eBay to make hard cash back as fast as possible? Should I, having realised my unethical behaviour is unacceptable, offer him another £300 so I can sleep easily? Now, I can honestly say if he'd put it on eBay I'd not even have bid because I can't justify £400+ for a rotten bag of shit with no MOT, you can buy a decent car that doesn't leak or break of you do more than 90mph or require constant servicing or maintenance for that. If I'd let him do that and it went on eBay for £3-400 who'd own it now? A trader who wants profit? A genuine enthusiast who wants a 2cv to cherish, love and pour money into? Or somebody who wants to break it up? I think there's a lot more to the question than first meets the eye. Somebody who's got that sort of money to throw at a car like that, in their pocket ready to buy at short notice could equally be a trader after profit in which case it's their prerogative to get the car for less than Market value, and how do you come to the value you arrive at anyway? It's only worth what somebody is willing to pay, if the only person interested is a trader who is after a profit margin and is only willing to pay £25 for it, that's it's value. If a genuine collector arrives with £10,000 for it and is desperate to pay that then fine, but what about a hard up enthusiast with plenty of time and love to give the car he/she has always listed after arrives with only £500 to spend, then that's it's value.

Not as cut and dried as it looks I fear.