Ever want to buy your old cars back? New owner abused it?
09-05-2014, 06:06 PM
#1
Drifting
Thread Starter
Ever want to buy your old cars back? New owner abused it?
2 years ago I sold my 1982 Camaro to finance my Corvette project. I loved that Camaro. I had almost 5 years of blood, sweat and tears in that car. I rebuilt EVERYTHING and hand built the Vortec topped engine. 3.73 gears, tubular trailing arms, I mean this car was new from the ground up. Even had a nice fresh paint job. To say I obsessed over this car is an understatement. The *ONLY* reason why I sold it was because I only have room for ONE project car, and I had just bought the Corvette. I was deployed at the time and my fiancee oversaw the sale to a couple just on the other side of town. I GAVE the car away for pennies on the dollar, looking for a quick sale ( to lessen the blow of selling it).
3 days ago Im trolling Craigslist and there is my old Camaro for sale. Minus the engine. The new owner's only description was 'engine blown, all else there' and a few really crappy pictures. NO mention of all the other new parts, nothing about the non stock gears, nothing about all the performance additions outside of the engine.
I had a friend text the guy like he was interested. The owner said he overheated the car and lost a piston. He stated he 'kept the intake and carb' and scrapped the engine. I was besides myself in grief. Ive been tempted to contact the guy and negotiate a buy back, but common sense tells me better. I dont need another project, and the Vette is my golden child now. Anybody here had a similar experience?
3 days ago Im trolling Craigslist and there is my old Camaro for sale. Minus the engine. The new owner's only description was 'engine blown, all else there' and a few really crappy pictures. NO mention of all the other new parts, nothing about the non stock gears, nothing about all the performance additions outside of the engine.
I had a friend text the guy like he was interested. The owner said he overheated the car and lost a piston. He stated he 'kept the intake and carb' and scrapped the engine. I was besides myself in grief. Ive been tempted to contact the guy and negotiate a buy back, but common sense tells me better. I dont need another project, and the Vette is my golden child now. Anybody here had a similar experience?
09-05-2014, 07:42 PM
#2
Race Director
I bought a brand new (at the time) 1994 Z28. The car was immaculate when I sold it in ~1998 or so. I regretted it almost immediately, but moved onto several other cars (1969 Camaro SS/RS Pace car vert, etc..) But I couldn't get that car out of my head. Anyway, I finally decided to run a Carfax on it.
Exact description of Carfax...
"Accident Reported - it hit a culvert headwall - Airbag deployed"
So the car was history. Could have kicked myself when I saw that. Your car on the other hand is still rebuildable. I would say go for it, but only if the price is right. You might regret it one day.
Anyway, I finally replaced the old Z28 with a 2002 Convertible SS. Probably happier in the long run, but still can't get that car out of my mind.
Exact description of Carfax...
"Accident Reported - it hit a culvert headwall - Airbag deployed"
So the car was history. Could have kicked myself when I saw that. Your car on the other hand is still rebuildable. I would say go for it, but only if the price is right. You might regret it one day.
Anyway, I finally replaced the old Z28 with a 2002 Convertible SS. Probably happier in the long run, but still can't get that car out of my mind.
09-05-2014, 08:52 PM
#3
Drifting
Thread Starter
Id actually been happier if he had wrapped it around a tree. As it is now, its just going to rot in someones backyard, waiting for the 'crate motor' that will never come. I see it all the time. Nice cars that blow engines, only to be offered as rolling chassis.....nobody wants to buy a 82 Z28 roller for 1500 bucks. (No matter HOW nice it looks)
09-05-2014, 09:42 PM
#4
Race Director
Id actually been happier if he had wrapped it around a tree. As it is now, its just going to rot in someones backyard, waiting for the 'crate motor' that will never come. I see it all the time. Nice cars that blow engines, only to be offered as rolling chassis.....nobody wants to buy a 82 Z28 roller for 1500 bucks. (No matter HOW nice it looks)
09-09-2014, 03:14 AM
#5
Race Director
A long time ago my brother put a small block Chevy drivetrain (4 speed trans) in a 1971 Datsun 240z. It had some work done and ran low 12's around 115-120mph. The perfect fun to drive street car RIGHT ? A nice cam (if I remember correctly) that thing was thumping at stop lights. U could see the look on guys face like, wtf ? and NO, I don't want none of that.........
Anyway I sold it back to my brother who made a complete race car out of it and rarely went to the track. It was almost strictly a quarter mile car.
I sold it to him thinking I would try to buy it back after a year or so.
Its been a long time and I still think about that car sometimes. My brother says my old C5 is the same thing with a/c. Not quite
Anyway I sold it back to my brother who made a complete race car out of it and rarely went to the track. It was almost strictly a quarter mile car.
I sold it to him thinking I would try to buy it back after a year or so.
Its been a long time and I still think about that car sometimes. My brother says my old C5 is the same thing with a/c. Not quite
09-12-2014, 08:31 AM
#6
Team Owner
I bought an '85 Firebird brand new, in the early spring of 1985. Kept it 10 years, drove it only a couple months during one winter, due to necessity, but after that, it never saw snow/salt. It was really clean, and well maintained.
Anyway, I simply got the urge for a new car, and ordered a '96 Z/28 in September of '95, and sold the Firebird to a friend of a friend. I hadn't even gotten the Z/28, when the kid crashed the Firebird.
Our mutual friend, happened to be a body shop owner, and the kid had the car towed there. I saw it a day or two after the crash. What a mess, I was heartsick......
Anyway, I simply got the urge for a new car, and ordered a '96 Z/28 in September of '95, and sold the Firebird to a friend of a friend. I hadn't even gotten the Z/28, when the kid crashed the Firebird.
Our mutual friend, happened to be a body shop owner, and the kid had the car towed there. I saw it a day or two after the crash. What a mess, I was heartsick......
11-07-2014, 08:49 AM
#7
Team Owner
Member Since: Oct 2004
Location: altered state
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St. Jude Donor '05
Ran across a few old cars I had over the yrs
In fact a yr ago I saw my first car I ever owned still in the neighboring valley. Been through too many hands I wouldnt want it again
That "emotional attachment" memory thing can cost ys if you fall for it
They are never the same as you remember them
In fact a yr ago I saw my first car I ever owned still in the neighboring valley. Been through too many hands I wouldnt want it again
That "emotional attachment" memory thing can cost ys if you fall for it
They are never the same as you remember them
11-07-2014, 07:01 PM
#8
Melting Slicks
Oh yes, my beloved 1987 IROC-Z. I owned it for 11 years, and spent untold thousands on it, fixing it up, and customizing it to my liking. In the end, the engine was tired out, and the rear end was on it way out too. I traded it in on a new 2000 Camaro SS. Big mistake. I should have replaced the engine, and had the rear fixed. I'd probably still own it today.
I did encounter the car once, years after I'd sold it. I came across it parked by itself in an empty parking lot of a restaurant near where I was working at the time. I left my business card on the windshield, and asked the present owner to call me. He did, and I discovered he'd parked it there because it had broken down. He told me of all the mechanical problems he was having with the car, and offered to sell it to me, but I declined (I already had the Firehawk). While it was the right decision, I still felt regret about it.
I still miss that car, which is probably in a wreckers yard by now.
I did encounter the car once, years after I'd sold it. I came across it parked by itself in an empty parking lot of a restaurant near where I was working at the time. I left my business card on the windshield, and asked the present owner to call me. He did, and I discovered he'd parked it there because it had broken down. He told me of all the mechanical problems he was having with the car, and offered to sell it to me, but I declined (I already had the Firehawk). While it was the right decision, I still felt regret about it.
I still miss that car, which is probably in a wreckers yard by now.
11-09-2014, 01:42 PM
#9
Melting Slicks
I have bought two of my cars back; one I almost bought back a second time (I have a disease).
I had a 1983 Jeep Scrambler that I bought, liked it except for the crappy gas mileage, the leaking interior and the horribly rough ride. A year or so after selling it I missed it, for some strange reason, and bought the thing back. I sold it again after a year or two.
Second car I bought back was a 1968 Camaro SS/RS with a big block. Bought it at Carlisle when I was in my 20's; sunk all kinds of money into it including installing a Lingenfelter 461. Drove it for about 5 years and sold it to buy a 1987 RX7 turbo (leased it).
After I few years pass I run into the kid who I sold it to; he had completely restored the exterior and changed the white interior to black. He sold it to someone in Florida; I track it down and find that it just happened to be for sale. The wife and I drive to Florida and buy it back (mistake). It was in pieces and I spent too much getting it back together. I hang onto it for another 5-6 years and get it looking real nice but, I didn't drive it all that much and, having just bought a new house, we needed the money for house things so I sold it.
Fast forward 10 or more years and I stumble across it on the Cars Online website. I call about it and confirm that it's my old car being sold by the guy I sold it to. The wife and I head out to PA to look at it, test drive it and consider buying it back AGAIN! In order to buy it I would have had to sell my 1969 Corvette since I don't have the room for all those cars; we pass on buying it back. The wife was disappointed but, I heard it sold and was shipped over to Australia; not much chance of me buying it back now.
I had a 1983 Jeep Scrambler that I bought, liked it except for the crappy gas mileage, the leaking interior and the horribly rough ride. A year or so after selling it I missed it, for some strange reason, and bought the thing back. I sold it again after a year or two.
Second car I bought back was a 1968 Camaro SS/RS with a big block. Bought it at Carlisle when I was in my 20's; sunk all kinds of money into it including installing a Lingenfelter 461. Drove it for about 5 years and sold it to buy a 1987 RX7 turbo (leased it).
After I few years pass I run into the kid who I sold it to; he had completely restored the exterior and changed the white interior to black. He sold it to someone in Florida; I track it down and find that it just happened to be for sale. The wife and I drive to Florida and buy it back (mistake). It was in pieces and I spent too much getting it back together. I hang onto it for another 5-6 years and get it looking real nice but, I didn't drive it all that much and, having just bought a new house, we needed the money for house things so I sold it.
Fast forward 10 or more years and I stumble across it on the Cars Online website. I call about it and confirm that it's my old car being sold by the guy I sold it to. The wife and I head out to PA to look at it, test drive it and consider buying it back AGAIN! In order to buy it I would have had to sell my 1969 Corvette since I don't have the room for all those cars; we pass on buying it back. The wife was disappointed but, I heard it sold and was shipped over to Australia; not much chance of me buying it back now.