Two men walked into WeBuyAnyCar with a crime scene on wheels and the salesman asked one question before handing over the money anyway

YouTubers Josh Pieters and Archie Manners put the WeBuyAnyCar slogan to the test in 2023 by attempting to sell the company a vehicle staged to look like a literal crime scene. As first highlighted by LADbible, the pair wanted to see whether the company would live up to its name and purchase absolutely anything that rolled through the door. The stunt turned into a wild experiment in what exactly constitutes a sellable car.

To set it up, the duo started with a Kia Picanto and made the interior look as suspicious as possible. They smeared fake blood across the cabin and filled the boot with human hair, rope, and cable ties, then drove it to the WeBuyAnyCar branch in Putney, South London. Their goal was to see if they could walk away with a quick payout while acting like they were on the run.

When they arrived, they told the employee they needed to get rid of the vehicle fast. To their surprise, the staff member didn’t turn them away. Instead, he provided a valuation of £196 for the car.

The salesman watched them wipe down a hammer and still processed the sale

Not content with just getting a price, the duo escalated things right in front of the salesman. Archie handed a hammer to Josh, who wiped it down and tossed it into the boot alongside the other props, all while the employee watched. The salesman, sensing something was clearly off, finally asked: “Have I got anything to worry about?”

Despite the direct question and the obvious red flags, Archie talked his way through it. The employee confirmed the money would be transferred within three hours. As they wrapped up, Archie told him they would be out of the country by the time the payment arrived, adding: “So good you buy any car. It’s really got us out of a bind today.”

The standard WeBuyAnyCar process is considerably more mundane. Sellers enter their registration online for a free valuation valid for four days, then book an appointment at one of the company’s 550 UK branches. During a 20-minute visit, a buyer inspects the car, takes a short test drive, and checks documents including the V5 logbook, proof of address, and bank details before processing the electronic payment. Amid a broader wave of consumer complaints about companies failing to deliver on their promises, the prank adds a more absurdist dimension to the conversation about how little scrutiny some transactions receive.

Josh later explained the motivation: “We thought they had a fascinating name because they’re one of the only companies who state exactly what they do in it, and we wanted to see if it’s true or not.” The pair did eventually find a limit to the policy. When they tried a different branch with a car fitted out with sex toys, the deal was rejected.

Josh said of the findings: “It turns out WeBuyAnyCar don’t buy any car, but not the cars you’d expect them not to buy. The ones they do buy, they should be checking a little bit more before turning a profit.” The story drew renewed attention online, not unlike the attention generated by an NYPD officer who racked up hundreds of speed camera tickets in school zones with no apparent consequences. WeBuyAnyCar declined to comment after being shown the footage.