What I've learned buying and selling cars

[Ratchet]

I thought this might be a good topic for the G-Body members to add their insight into dealings they have had buying and selling cars.
I'll start off by remembering one of the winners I've dealt with. The son answers the phone when I call about the ad. He tells me he doesn't know much about cars, it's his dad's car, and all he knows is it doesn't have an engine, the rest is all there and in decent shape. The father calls me later to say exactly what the son stated earlier. The price is right, so I drive out to look at this bargain. The son was correct that it did not have an engine and the rest was all there except for the grill, bumpers, brackets, steering wheel, radio and transmission. There was not one useable part on the car. The interior was destroyed, it did not have floors, the trunk was rotted along with the quarters, front fenders and valence panel. The remaining body parts were either dented or with 8 lbs. of bondo. Later I find out the father owns a body shop and the son works there as well. People do not always tell the truth on the phone.

 

[fleming442]

Same for body guys

 

[Gwarren79]

I ask for pictures if I have to drive more than 30 minutes one way......

 

[pontiacgp]

what I have learned is I buy for too much and sell for too little.....

 

[Texas82GP]

what I have learned is I buy for too much and sell for too little.....

I know the feeling, friend.

 

[bracketchev1221]

My latest experiences are the seller doesn’t know anything about the cars. You ask pointed questions and I don’t know is the answer. Or it’s the I’m selling it for a friend and don’t know anything about the car. I guess the trend has shifted from flat out lying about the car to playing ignorant. When I sold my cars I was the expert on it. I could tell you everything about it.

 

[69hurstolds]

Any car that I am interested in buying I do my homework first. I will become a quasi-expert on the car if at all possible. At least read the cliffs notes. I'll at least be able to tell if someone has hacked it or not. Or them trying to tell me the 2.73 rear end was standard in the 71 442 along with the 100% fiberglass hood from GM, or some crap like that. You HAVE to be able to know if it's your money on the line. Do not ever depend on the seller to educate you on the car. Recall he's trying to get you to give him money for his car (which could be his problem-child vehicle). He may not know the car as well as you. He might, but nowadays I find that more rare. As stated, the loss of memory is more prevalent nowadays as to a car's history.

Your best chance of getting a good, honest car is within a car group that specializes in the car being sold. For example, if someone had a G-body on here for sale, and was selling it, they know there's a lot of potential buyers that are educated enough about the car to know what's what. Harder to pull the wool over someone's eyes if that was the intention.

When selling, I've always accepted reasonable offers. But I've also put very reasonable (too cheap) prices on the cars I have sold. I know this because every one of them has sold within a week. Very often I've undercut myself on the market prices just to get something gone. I don't try to retire to an island somewhere when selling a car, but I think from now on, if I do sell something, here's the price...don't like it? Then it's simple. Don't pay it. Go buy someone else's stuff. It's going to be firm pricing. I don't have time for the game of overpricing, then accepting a lower offer, only to get what I originally intended.

JMO.

 

[Ratchet]

I agree with 69hurstolds on many points. I never ask the seller for his knowledge on the car. I’ll do my research up front. I’ve never been successful listing any of my cars on forums of like minded members. It seems they are looking for a bargain plus the audience is small. It’s true they are much more knowledgeable. In the past three months I’ve sold three vehicles, (dirt bike, 5th gen Camaro & g-body) on EBay with the Buy it Now listing. The amount of buyers is much larger and they seem to be more free spending. One plus is I work with a shipper that is trustworthy.

 

[ZMonte85]

After just finishing a long vehicle search for my latest project I can only add my favorite style of write up on a car:

"Car is perfect, doesn't need a thing, drive it anywhere. Only thing wrong is **insert massive mechanical issue here**"

Its like people don't even read what they write. Also may just be my pet peeve, but I can't stand the incorrect use of the words sale and sell. Could just be a southern thing because of the accent.