To Everyone Paying Attention
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 2,057
Likes: 0
To Everyone Paying Attention
If you are interested in buying a car sight unseen from someplace too far for you to travel to, here's a friendly little tip that works great: Get on this forum and find someone in the same area who can go look at the car for you. You can also usually find someone in a local Vette club to do the same. I have the feeling that no one on this forum would give any false info and I also feel that most of us would jump at the opportunity to help. Too many recent posts of people buying one thing and getting another. Stay safe. 
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 4,652
Likes: 80
From: Lakeland Florida
After reading of all the problems with buying cars sight unseen, I could not do it either. I dont know if I could have said that before I joined the forum.
There are problem some people who did not get burned, but I think there are more people that end up with problems and wished they had not.
Now it may be a different story buying a $1500 - $2000 car. I am strictly talking about high priced vettes here.
kdf
There are problem some people who did not get burned, but I think there are more people that end up with problems and wished they had not.
Now it may be a different story buying a $1500 - $2000 car. I am strictly talking about high priced vettes here.
kdf
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 2,740
Likes: 3
From: Aurora Ontario
I would never buy a high priced Vette sight unseen. I did a lot of research and concluded the best deal sight unseen is a vette for a couple of grand that is numbers match and has a solid frame but otherwise needs evertything else.
I found it made no sense to pay $10,000, $12,000 or more for a car that almost had a good interior or paint job. Bottom line is for perfection it still needs these things fixed and/or replaced. I'd rather pay $2000 plus $2000 to fix then $12,000 and still have to fix for $2000 more.
Anyway I have $8,000 in total into mine...everything is brand new and perfect. Its actually too perfect...I'm afraid to drive it....
Jim
I found it made no sense to pay $10,000, $12,000 or more for a car that almost had a good interior or paint job. Bottom line is for perfection it still needs these things fixed and/or replaced. I'd rather pay $2000 plus $2000 to fix then $12,000 and still have to fix for $2000 more.
Anyway I have $8,000 in total into mine...everything is brand new and perfect. Its actually too perfect...I'm afraid to drive it....
Jim
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 2,057
Likes: 0
I would but a car sight unseen if I were comfortable with it but it would have to be from a reputable dealer (Proteam, Roger's, CnV, etc...). I probably would never buy one unseen from a private individual. Heck, I probably would be a little wary even I did see it.
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Drifting
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 1,763
Likes: 0
From: Fayetteville NC
Originally Posted by own2vettes
I would but a car sight unseen if I were comfortable with it but it would have to be from a reputable dealer (Proteam, Roger's, CnV, etc...). I probably would never buy one unseen from a private individual. Heck, I probably would be a little wary even I did see it.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 1999
Posts: 2,675
Likes: 13
From: Sudbury MA
Kalaway,
I agree and had the same reaction you did. When I saw the words "reputable dealer" and ProTeam in the same sentence I thought to myself, "Now that's an oxymoron or, at the very least, a stretch of the imagination".
I wouldn't buy from them under any condition after everything I have read on this forum over the years from people who were burnt.
I would trust a private party over a dealer any day of the week, assuming I have done my homework of course. That's the basic problem, people don't do their homework, have buyers remorse, and then cry about it.
I spent many years as an accounting manager for a Chevrolet dealership and saw firsthand how "honest" car dealers really are.
Kurt
I agree and had the same reaction you did. When I saw the words "reputable dealer" and ProTeam in the same sentence I thought to myself, "Now that's an oxymoron or, at the very least, a stretch of the imagination".
I wouldn't buy from them under any condition after everything I have read on this forum over the years from people who were burnt.
I would trust a private party over a dealer any day of the week, assuming I have done my homework of course. That's the basic problem, people don't do their homework, have buyers remorse, and then cry about it.
I spent many years as an accounting manager for a Chevrolet dealership and saw firsthand how "honest" car dealers really are.
Kurt
Last edited by ksbunting; Nov 18, 2005 at 08:34 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 2,738
Likes: 1
From: Deep in the Heart of Dixie Alabama
Thats a good thought but in reality I have tried twice on this forum to have someone check out a Corvette for me,but I never received one reply.
Both were in cities where I am sure there were many forum members.
Both were in cities where I am sure there were many forum members.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 1999
Posts: 2,675
Likes: 13
From: Sudbury MA
Bamavettes,
I know what you mean as I have seen the posts requesting such and there have been no replies. Since, from my personal experience, I have found the members of this forum to be EXTREMELY helpful, the only thing I can assume is that no one wants the responsibility of someone else buying a car on their say so. Since everyone has different criteria and values for what they consider good, fair, or excellent, I think the concern is that someone will come back after the purchase and say "Well you said it looked good or was excellent and now this and that is wrong". That's the only explanation I can come up with. People here are usually very eager to help with advice and often even by sending free parts. I have been on both the giving and receiving end and this is a very helpful bunch.
Kurt
I know what you mean as I have seen the posts requesting such and there have been no replies. Since, from my personal experience, I have found the members of this forum to be EXTREMELY helpful, the only thing I can assume is that no one wants the responsibility of someone else buying a car on their say so. Since everyone has different criteria and values for what they consider good, fair, or excellent, I think the concern is that someone will come back after the purchase and say "Well you said it looked good or was excellent and now this and that is wrong". That's the only explanation I can come up with. People here are usually very eager to help with advice and often even by sending free parts. I have been on both the giving and receiving end and this is a very helpful bunch.
Kurt
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 7,456
Likes: 2
From: Coming home from Luckenbach Texas
Originally Posted by ksbunting
I know what you mean as I have seen the posts requesting such and there have been no replies.
Think about it this way -- how often does the car you see in your local newspaper turn out as good as the seller's desciption? Why do we usually look at many, many cars before choosing one?
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 4,652
Likes: 80
From: Lakeland Florida
Page62 wrote: Think about it this way -- how often does the car you see in your local newspaper turn out as good as the seller's desciption? Why do we usually look at many, many cars before choosing one?
And yet there are people that will buy one sight unseen without EVER looking at it. It just doesnt make sense. I looked at around 7 vettes before I bought my 73 454. And boy am I glad that a)I did not buy the first one I saw and b) that I waited until the right one came along.
kdf
And yet there are people that will buy one sight unseen without EVER looking at it. It just doesnt make sense. I looked at around 7 vettes before I bought my 73 454. And boy am I glad that a)I did not buy the first one I saw and b) that I waited until the right one came along.
kdf
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 1999
Posts: 2,675
Likes: 13
From: Sudbury MA
I looked, for two years, with a mechanic, all over New England before I bought my Benz. I wanted each one that I saw and he kept saying "Not this one". Finally found one that he said "If you don't buy it I will". I bought it. It had just been restored. Its a 79 450SLC and I still have it, right next to my 68 Corvette. Both will be with me until I die.
Moral of the story is: don't buy the first one you see and have someone check it out who can be objective and unemotional about the decision.
Kurt
Moral of the story is: don't buy the first one you see and have someone check it out who can be objective and unemotional about the decision.
Kurt
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 2,738
Likes: 1
From: Deep in the Heart of Dixie Alabama
On the other hand. Last year I get a call on my cell phone from South Carolina. The man said he called our Corvette Club and said he needed a 63 Corvette checked out here in Montgomery. Our President said he needed to call me.
I was trying to get ready to go on vacation to the beach.
I stopped what I was doing and drove 32 miles and spent 1 1/2 hr. checking out this SWC. Took 36 pictures and emailed him. Gave him a full description of complete details, and used 45 minutes on my cell phone time.
He never even said thank you.
I was trying to get ready to go on vacation to the beach.
I stopped what I was doing and drove 32 miles and spent 1 1/2 hr. checking out this SWC. Took 36 pictures and emailed him. Gave him a full description of complete details, and used 45 minutes on my cell phone time.
He never even said thank you.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 1,143
Likes: 0
From: Leander Texas
Originally Posted by fl_rider
caveat emptor
Let the buyer beware
another saying I have heard...
"A Fool And His Money Are Easily Parted"
Let the buyer beware
another saying I have heard...
"A Fool And His Money Are Easily Parted"
I live by this one.
"A wise man learns from others mistakes, and a foolish man learns from his own."
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 5,020
Likes: 6
From: Long Beach CA
I bought my '69 sight unseen (pics only)...the catch is the previous two owners are forum members. If this wasn't the case I would have never bought it without looking at it first. The car had been seen (even wrenched on) by other members over time and I was 100% confident I was getting what I expected. The car was exactly as it was represented with no surprises.