I went to look at 2 trucks yesterday and was told that both ran and drove great. The first I was also told by the old man the engine was a 30k rebuilt and then the son told me they just rebuilt the heads. That one ticked like my moms old sewing machine and had some very cobbled repairs! The 2nd wouldnt go faster than 45mph and was missing some very vital pieces! I told them what I wanted and they told me what I wanted to hear even though it wasnt true. Oh well. Like my wife said, it was a nice country drive.
Why cant people be honest sellers?
- Thread starter LilD
- Start date
Help Support Rat Rods Rule:
Pookie Bros
The Deacon of Diesel!
Well that's better than showing up and hearing that they were just sold.......
donsrods
Well-known member
I don't understand it either. I feel that I am fairly articulate, and when I am talking to the person I ask them very specific questions, but when I get there it is like we are looking at a totally different car! 
Me " Does it have any rust." Them " No, very little, only surface rust." Then you get there and the thing has holes you could drive a Mack Truck through.
I realize different people have different opinions of how serious things are, but come on, it isn't like I am not going to see those holes once I actually get there.
I just went through this on an intake manifold I was trying to buy for my Sons boat. I ran an ad in Craigslist, looking for a mint sbc Rochester 4 bbl intake. Guy calls, says he has one..........is it perfect? Yep. He meets me in a parking lot and it not only has a lot of corrosion, there are two welds on it. He says he "thinks someone was only practicing welding on it." He was surprised when I told him I was passing on it.
Don
Me " Does it have any rust." Them " No, very little, only surface rust." Then you get there and the thing has holes you could drive a Mack Truck through.I realize different people have different opinions of how serious things are, but come on, it isn't like I am not going to see those holes once I actually get there.
I just went through this on an intake manifold I was trying to buy for my Sons boat. I ran an ad in Craigslist, looking for a mint sbc Rochester 4 bbl intake. Guy calls, says he has one..........is it perfect? Yep. He meets me in a parking lot and it not only has a lot of corrosion, there are two welds on it. He says he "thinks someone was only practicing welding on it."
He was surprised when I told him I was passing on it.Don
Flipper_1938
He recycles the right way
At least you didn't tow a trailer cross-county.
I drove to New Mexico (from Kentucky) to buy a rust free, dent free truck.....it was neither and did not even have a VIN tag.
I drove to New Mexico (from Kentucky) to buy a rust free, dent free truck.....it was neither and did not even have a VIN tag.
donsrods
Well-known member
One time we did tow a trailer 13 hours to Shreveport La, walked up, looked at the truck cab, said forget it, and drove 13 hours back home with an empty trailer. The way he described it and how it looked in pictures was like it was two different truck cabs. We were there all of 5 minutes.
That was a looooooooooong ride home.
Don
The way he described it and how it looked in pictures was like it was two different truck cabs. We were there all of 5 minutes.That was a looooooooooong ride home.
Don
Flipper_1938
He recycles the right way
We thought going to the desert to get a good truck was going to be worth it.
BigIrish
Well-known member
I love the "good condition...for its age" ads. In other words, it's terrible.
Willowbilly3
A *real* tin magnet
I think most of us have been there. A few years ago I bought a pickup off ebay. I asked all the questions and he said it just had a little surface rust. The pictures were bad (red flag!!), He also said his dad bought it new yadda yadda. they just had a tune up done and it ran perfect.
I rode the bus there to drive it home. I got a bad feeling when he picked me up in a clapped out Celica that looked like it had been in a demo derby. The rust was way worse than he said but I would have still took the truck except it wouldn't even run good enough to get out of the driveway. It was popping back through the intake real bad and missing and raw fuel coming out the tailpipe. He starts the old "I think it's just a little out of time" routine and starts attacking the distributor. I just stopped him and ask him to take me back to the bus station. 500 mile ride each way.
I actually felt kinda bad for the guy because he had a friend "tune" it and hadn't checked the bozo's work. Plus he had a passle of rugrats and lived in a shack so I knew he really needed the money. When He dropped me off I gave him $300 because I knew they were strapped.
I rode the bus there to drive it home. I got a bad feeling when he picked me up in a clapped out Celica that looked like it had been in a demo derby. The rust was way worse than he said but I would have still took the truck except it wouldn't even run good enough to get out of the driveway. It was popping back through the intake real bad and missing and raw fuel coming out the tailpipe. He starts the old "I think it's just a little out of time" routine and starts attacking the distributor. I just stopped him and ask him to take me back to the bus station. 500 mile ride each way.
I actually felt kinda bad for the guy because he had a friend "tune" it and hadn't checked the bozo's work. Plus he had a passle of rugrats and lived in a shack so I knew he really needed the money. When He dropped me off I gave him $300 because I knew they were strapped.
BigIrish
Well-known member
You're alot nicer than me! I drove an hour to look at a '64 Ford pickup that "ran great", just a little rust, etc, etc. I just wanted a cool old truck to run to the steel shop, etc so l wasn't too concerned. I get there and the bed was 90% rotted off the frame, the gas tank is a plastic 5 gallon tub in the bed, and there was no battery to even start it. I was so ****ed. I got even more ****ed when he suggested I take the battery out of my car to start his. The guy didn't look too prosperous, but c'mon!
ratphotog
Banned
Yeah, I don't get it either. I actually take pride in my classified honesty.
I think that when you can honestly sell something it gives the buyer a sence of security no matter what is being bought or sold.
I think that when you can honestly sell something it gives the buyer a sence of security no matter what is being bought or sold.
Willowbilly3
A *real* tin magnet
I think part of the trouble is that almost everyone has a different set of values, and owners tend to overlook issues that jump right out at a poptential buyer.
I even have friends that think something is "cherry" that I consider junk.
I even have friends that think something is "cherry" that I consider junk.
pistolpete
Well-known member
I'm the same way, when I had sold my Jeep I dont think there was a scratch or dint in it I didn't point out myself when people came to look at it. Was completely upfront about everything with the people who called and or emailed me about it. It's just so much easier to deal with someone when they show up at your house to have a look at something when you have been straight up with them from the start.
I've been looking for a cheap ride for my daughters first car - $1000 range.
On CL: "Just surface rust" - rust out the size of my forearm! I pointed it out and he said "Yeah, but the frame's not rusted out." Apparently 'surface rust' means body rust?
On the phone: "Runs great" - radiator was missing!?
Texted: "New tires" - had new 18" rims/tires - but needed $700 more or would put the used up stock ones back on for the listed price. [S
Not dishonest, just genuinely stupid.
On CL: "Just surface rust" - rust out the size of my forearm! I pointed it out and he said "Yeah, but the frame's not rusted out."
Apparently 'surface rust' means body rust? On the phone: "Runs great" - radiator was missing!?
Texted: "New tires" - had new 18" rims/tires - but needed $700 more or would put the used up stock ones back on for the listed price. [S
Not dishonest, just genuinely stupid.
ratphotog
Banned
I've been looking for a cheap ride for my daughters first car - $1000 range.
On CL: "Just surface rust" - rust out the size of my forearm! I pointed it out and he said "Yeah, but the frame's not rusted out."
On the phone: "Runs great" - radiator was missing!?
Texted: "New tires" - had new 18" rims/tires - but needed $700 more or would put the used up stock ones back on for the listed price. [S
Not dishonest, just genuinely stupid.
AH, I wish you posted this a month ago, I have the perfect first car. I just sold my Saab 900 Turbo. It was a little rusty, and it was 3 colors, but it ran and drove PERFECT. I was only asking $1000 for it, sold it for $900.
bullet
Well-known member
My favorite .............. advertised Candy Red paint job ................ you get there, and it's barnyard red house paint and it's being put on with a brush.
