Listers,
I think there is something that has been missed when you read Freds email.
Fred DID offer the use of his pit for the prospective buyers to look at the
car from all angles. If said pit wasn't available to look at the underside
then
I doubt that it would have been a problem for the buyers to take the car
somewhere where it could be looked at.
Thats all I'm going to say on the subject.
>
>
> >vafred@erols.com wrote:
> >
> >> Listers, I just recently sold a 1970 Karman Ghia conv. that I have owned
> >> since 1973, purchased from the original owner, who was a doctor at the
> >> German Embassy. The car had 24 K on it when I bought it and 43 K when I
> >> sold, of the 19 K I put on it 25 years, 13 K was done in 1 year. I had
> >> every paper and log maintenance record since day 1 . . . . . . .I was
> >>not looking to sell the
> > car,but, a fair offer was made and I starting thinking. Having a pit and
> > lift in my garage as well as all the records I invited the would be
> > purchaser to come for a better look, he showed-up with a 1/2 A@#$% very
> > unknowledgeable so called mechanic and they "informed" me they would be
> > taking the car for the day to put it through all their own check-up. Well
> > my driveway is about 60 feet long so I walked them down it and pointed
> > my finger up the road and told them please don't come back. My point in
> > this, if my records of the car, my garage, and your just looking at the
> > car and knowing the complete story behind the car, you are not a buyer or
> > a a person who knows anything about a car,.
> >--
> >George Richardson
>
> *********************************************
>
> George and Listers,
>
> I'll have to go along with Geogre on this one. Appraising cars is my
> business and I wish that I had those documents and the ability of taking a
> close look at the underside of the car when I'm doing $100,000-plus
> appraisals for IRS donations to the Petersen Automotive Museum in LA or The
> San Diego Auto Museum. I can look at any car (some that there might only be
> three in the world), and drive it around the neighborhood, look at the
> supporting documents and listen to the tall stories of who had previously
> owned it and why that was important enough to double the price, and still
> come up with a fair value.
>
> When I buy cars for myself, I do my homework BEFORE the appraisal (rather
> than after, as I do with paid appraisals) and know exactly what I'm looking
> for and how much I will be willing to pay for it at various condition
> levels when I get there. Unless you are a hobbiest restorer, walk away from
> too much work, excuse yourself by humbly admiting that it is too much work
> for you and don't waste your or the sellers time by grinding or degrading
> the car - just go. Someone who seriously wants to spend the next two years
> of spare time and money rebuilding it WILL WANT IT and let them hammer out
> the deal.
>
> When you find a car that suits your wants and abilities, look it over for
> major defects, drive it and think about if you really want it, then hammer
> out a deal. Last year I bought two cars that will be keepers. The first, a
> 1969 Malibu ragtop was in the local paper, one owner from new, all papers
> from new, runs great etc. The lady wanted $3,200 for it. I walked around
> it, mentally noted the defects, drove it around the block and deceided that
> I had to have it and was prepared to pay the asking price, but offered her
> $3,000 and she took it. Easy and I've been driving it since with the only
> major expence being the 15" Corvette rally wheels and Pirelli tyres which
> were things I wanted rather than needed.
>
> The second was a 1967 Morris Minor Convert for my wife. One owner, all
> recoeds, low miles and long warm indoor storage. It was 400 miles away and
> I was the first to call. I headed out to the car with mt Malibu and a tow
> bar the next weekend knowing that I had to work fast because there were 25
> more buyers in line to look at the car at the carved-in-stone price of
> $3,800. Again, I looked it over and found no rust or body damage, noted the
> worst upholstery job that I've ever seen, fired up the engine and saw no
> smoke or heard no knocks and gave the lady the CASH that she demanded and
> bought the car without driving it as it had no brakes, knowing that if I
> balked there were twenty five others that would be willing to pay that much
> for it.
>
> After getting it home, all of those things that fail from a long storage,
> have. The seats fell apart and it has needed everything from a clutch and
> timing chain to all new suspension and exhaust. I now have over $5,500 in
> it and it still needs paint and interior to finish (plus chrome, rubber
> etc.). Turned out not to be such a great deal but it is rust and damage
> free and one of the cleanest Minor ragtops I've seen in years. Other than
> the down time for repairs, the wife has been using it every day to drive to
> work and loves it even with the dull green paint and blue bootlid. What is
> that worth!!!??? Also, since then Morris Woodies and converts have been
> heading up to over the $10,000 mark in value for real nice ones and we
> probably will have a car that will be worth some of the investment when we
> do sell it someday and it is fun to use and economical to operate.
>
> Back to the Karmann-Ghia ragtop. THOSE WERE NOT REAL BUYERS!!!!! They
> would have known what they wanted and how much they were willing to pay
> right off - I suspect that they had another buyer that they were going to
> resell it to at a higher price and were not willing or able to buy it first
> and take the chance to have their buyer back out or grind THEM on the
> price.
>
> By the way, check out the next issue of British Car Magazine for my TR2-3-4
> Buyers Guide.
>
> Cheers,
>
> Rick Feibusch
> Journalist/Appraiser
> Venice, CA
>
>
Brad (Lincoln Nebraska 402-464-1502)
My Triumph Web Site Http://www.141.com/triumphs (updated 4/9/99)
My Dodge Web Site Http://www.141.com/dodge (updated 4/7/99)
1964 Spitfire4 BFC25720L
1962 TR4 CT288L -- 1965 TR4 CT38888LO parts car?
1959 TR3A TS41311L -- 1959 TR3A TS53523L parts car
1951 1/2 ton Dodge Truck B-3-B-108
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