I almost had one.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 4,652
Likes: 80
From: Lakeland Florida
I almost had one.
I found a black 1969 Vette today, for $9000. Everything supposedly worked. I called the owner to come by and look at it. He told me that at 5:00pm it would be available to look at. When I called him at 4:30pm to tell him I was on the way, he said that another person called and was also coming by.
So the race was on. I called him at 4:55pm to get the final directions to his house, since I knew the area. The other person was there to look at it already. Since he knew someone else (ME) was interested in the car, the other person gave the owner a $100 deposit to hold it until he could get the money. I showed up at 5:00pm only to find out that I just missed buying that car. The owner said the other guy gave him a deposit. I told him I was there to play, and pulled out $9000 in $100 dollar bills. But he said he already took the deposit.
I almost had another one.
Any other stories out there like that?
Signed,
Still Looking
So the race was on. I called him at 4:55pm to get the final directions to his house, since I knew the area. The other person was there to look at it already. Since he knew someone else (ME) was interested in the car, the other person gave the owner a $100 deposit to hold it until he could get the money. I showed up at 5:00pm only to find out that I just missed buying that car. The owner said the other guy gave him a deposit. I told him I was there to play, and pulled out $9000 in $100 dollar bills. But he said he already took the deposit.
I almost had another one.
Any other stories out there like that?
Signed,
Still Looking
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 1,957
Likes: 0
From: Chico Ca
Well you can look at that in a good light ........ now you have $9,000.00 in hundred dollar bills instead of a hole to throw more $ into! When I bought my 68 Corvette # 3 i didnt give it much thought I drove fast to the guys house and just bought it like a little kid turned loose in toys R us.
Last edited by Love My 72 and 77; Feb 16, 2005 at 01:22 AM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 3,255
Likes: 0
From: Manalapan FL
I was looking at an early (and mint) 60's BMW motorcycle. Earle's forks, toaster tank, everything. Dude wanted $650. I was in the garage trying to dicker with the guy (knowing well off the bike was worth much, much more) when the doorbell rings.
Guy answers the door and I hear "Is the BMW still for sale?" "Yes, but there's someone in the garage looking at it right now" I heard him reply. "Here"...said the guy at the door.
Guy at the door handed him $650 cash, sight unseen. Owner comes out to the garage and tells me "Sorry...the bike is sold".
Learned a lesson that day...
D. Ocean
Miami, FLA
Guy answers the door and I hear "Is the BMW still for sale?" "Yes, but there's someone in the garage looking at it right now" I heard him reply. "Here"...said the guy at the door.
Guy at the door handed him $650 cash, sight unseen. Owner comes out to the garage and tells me "Sorry...the bike is sold".
Learned a lesson that day...
D. Ocean
Miami, FLA
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 4,652
Likes: 80
From: Lakeland Florida
74FLCONV,
that is how I felt. I showed up, expecting to pay full price. No negotiation. I know that the car was worth $9k or more. So there was no need to try to get him lower, because I was worried that someone else was already offering full price.
This is the second Vette that I lost by 30 minutes or less. In both cases the Seller knew I was on the way to look at it, and sold it out from under me. The first one I flew to Phoenix Arizona with tools and travel material so that I could drive it home, to San Jose. He sold it when I called him from the airport. That was my dream car. Lemans Blue, silver interior, 4 speed, AC, and a 1 OWNER. I couldnt believe it. Price....$7500.
WOW.
Oh Well,,,,, my search continues.
kdf
that is how I felt. I showed up, expecting to pay full price. No negotiation. I know that the car was worth $9k or more. So there was no need to try to get him lower, because I was worried that someone else was already offering full price.
This is the second Vette that I lost by 30 minutes or less. In both cases the Seller knew I was on the way to look at it, and sold it out from under me. The first one I flew to Phoenix Arizona with tools and travel material so that I could drive it home, to San Jose. He sold it when I called him from the airport. That was my dream car. Lemans Blue, silver interior, 4 speed, AC, and a 1 OWNER. I couldnt believe it. Price....$7500.
WOW.
Oh Well,,,,, my search continues.
kdf
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 7,473
Likes: 1,495
From: Little Rock AR
I snatched rare posi rear out from under a guy once about 20 years ago. I had been looking for a long time but kept getting beat to the parts by other eager buyers. I called this guy about one for sale but some other buyer was already driving in from Canada to buy it. I knew I could be there before him so I jumped into my car. I got there, saw it, paid the man $275, loaded up and said goodbye just in time for the Canadian guy to start pulling in the driveway.
I did wave at the other guy as I drove past. He did not seem to recognise me but I knew who he was. :o
-Mark.
I did wave at the other guy as I drove past. He did not seem to recognise me but I knew who he was. :o
-Mark.
Race Director
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 11,814
Likes: 9
From: Science Bitch! Mississauga, Ontario
Canadian Events Coordinator
Originally Posted by Love My 72 and 77
Well you can look at that in a good light ........ now you have $9,000.00 in hundred dollar bills instead of a hole to throw more $ into! When I bought my 68 Corvette # 3 i didnt give it much thought I drove fast to the guys house and just bought it like a little kid turned loose in toys R us.
keep the money....you're better off.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 2,487
Likes: 1
From: Sydney
Gee, that would really upset me if that had happen.
kdf1986 >Can I ask you something? You mentioned 2 similar situations....where did you find out about those vettes? were they advertised somewhere...local paper?
The reason im asking is ive been looking for a 69vette for over a year now...I have the pacific ocean between me and nice c3vettes and im wondering where I look to find ones for sale.
All I can do is look on the net!! Are there other ways?
stay cool,
cosmicvette
kdf1986 >Can I ask you something? You mentioned 2 similar situations....where did you find out about those vettes? were they advertised somewhere...local paper?
The reason im asking is ive been looking for a 69vette for over a year now...I have the pacific ocean between me and nice c3vettes and im wondering where I look to find ones for sale.
All I can do is look on the net!! Are there other ways?
stay cool,
cosmicvette
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 1,616
Likes: 2
From: Round Rock, Texas, USA Texas
Mine story is just the reverse --- got up early one Saturday (4 years ago now) - went to see the car -- the seller didn't now what a deal he was giving --- I offered to leave a check for full amount while I went to the bank -- he held it on my word-- while I was at the bank getting his cash he had 4 other calls and 2 come by's to look at the car.
From this side I'm glad he held it as we agreed.
From this side I'm glad he held it as we agreed.
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 3,023
Likes: 2
From: TEXASTEXASTEXASTEXAS TEXASTEXASTEXASTEXAS
St. Jude Contributor
Opposite experience here, too. Guy advertised the car here, I agreed to buy it within an hour of his post conditioned on a sound frame. I posted here to tell everyone the car was sold. He received several higher offers from my lovin' Corvetteforum brothers anyway, and turned them all down because he considered the car sold. I flew up to St. Louis to pick up the car & bought him lunch and a beer.
JB
JB
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,132
Likes: 0
I kinda snatched my 71 out from under some local guy in Tyler, Texas- I drove all the way to Texas as soon as I called the seller. Paid 8,200 cash, put it up on a trailer and left as quick as possibly!!!
- Michael
- Michael
Guest
Posts: n/a
Back in the late 80's we lived in the San Francisco area. Back then it seemed like there were Vette's, XKE's, Chevelle's, Mopar's, etal for sale everyday. I found a '62 fulie, correct engine and fuel unit, two tops, 2 sets of tires/wheels, beautiful paint/interior, etc. The guy was having some legal problems and agreed to sell me the car for $10,000.00. I didn't have 10K, but I left a 1K deposit with him, got a bill of sale, and promissed to be back the next day with the balance. The only way I could get the money was to sell on of my corvettes. I had found a very nice '75 Vert a few months earlier (stole it for 5.5K--figured it was worth 12-14K back then), so I took it to the local vette dealer where they "stole" it from me for $8,800.00. I took the money over to the guys house as agreed, but you guessed it, car was sold. The owner had called his mechinic because there were a few parts/pieces at the shop, and the mechinic bought the Vette for a couple of K's more. I was pi****, but what could I do? Another one that got away.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 4,652
Likes: 80
From: Lakeland Florida
To Cosmicvette,
For the cars that I find to go look at I have the following sources.
1. Auto Trader Online... thats a great search function for putting in zip codes, and looking at other cities.
2. Auto trader magazine
3. Craigs List on line
4. Sunday Newspaper, usually Sunday will have the best postings in the classic car sections.
kdf
For the cars that I find to go look at I have the following sources.
1. Auto Trader Online... thats a great search function for putting in zip codes, and looking at other cities.
2. Auto trader magazine
3. Craigs List on line
4. Sunday Newspaper, usually Sunday will have the best postings in the classic car sections.
kdf
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 4,711
Likes: 299
From: Concord VA, U.S.A.
St. Jude Donor '05 thru '26
When I was first looking for a Corvette in 1995, I had found a nice '80 L-82 but the owner sold it one day before I could get it. I had already sold an IROC-Z I was driving so I was without a car. Fortunately, I looked in the local newspaper and found a garaged one owner '80 for sale for $10,000. It was located about 40 miles away and it was the only Corvette for sale in the paper. I went to look at it and ended up buying it for $8,000. The only thing about it was that it was an L-48. Oh well, at least it can be tweaked.
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 11,874
Likes: 263
From: Arlington Va Current ride 04 vert, previous vettes: 69 vert, 77 resto mod
keep in touch with the seller....be polite and not bothersome but make sure he has your number if the other guys money falls through.....this happens more then you think....
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 2,487
Likes: 1
From: Sydney
Thanks for your help kdf.....Ive been checking out TraderOnline regularly...(everyday!)...but I wasn't aware of the other ones you mentioned...
difficult to get my hands on trader magazines and local papers....but Ill definetly look into maybe getting someone to forward me those publications you mentioned.
Good luck with future deals. I told my boyfriend your stories and he feels for you cause something similar happened to him here in Australia a couple of years ago...was upsetting at the time...but you move on and there are always other cars.
Stay cool, and I appreciate your help dude.
cosmicvette
difficult to get my hands on trader magazines and local papers....but Ill definetly look into maybe getting someone to forward me those publications you mentioned.
Good luck with future deals. I told my boyfriend your stories and he feels for you cause something similar happened to him here in Australia a couple of years ago...was upsetting at the time...but you move on and there are always other cars.
Stay cool, and I appreciate your help dude.
cosmicvette
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 844
Likes: 0
From: Central KY
Originally Posted by bobs77vet
keep in touch with the seller....be polite and not bothersome but make sure he has your number if the other guys money falls through.....this happens more then you think....