Projects how much do you lie to sell a car???

Many years ago(1974) I had a nice 57 Chevy pickup with a 435HP 427 and a 4 spd. The truck was very fast for the time and would get away from you quickly if not paying attention. A young guy came (maybe 17) and looked at it. I told him it was maybe too much power for him. He said he was gonna bring his dad to look and would I just tell his dad that it wasnt really that fast and easy to handle-told him no way. They show up to buy it. Dad didn't know much about cars. The kid starts telling his dad it's fine to drive and not that fast-big fib. I told the dad what it really was like and took him for a quick trip. Scared him a bit and he said thank you and they got into a big argument about it, I just told them it was not for them. Dad was happy-kid was mad as hell-guess he expected I would go along with his story. I was not gonna lie then have the kid get in a wreck just for a sale.

 

Absolutely none. I am in this as a hobby and place a high value on my reputation. I have a "day job" (actually I am retired from it). If anything I may be too honest for my own good. Sold a '57 Bird recently. Sixty plus pictures pointing out every flaw.

Charlie Stephens

 

I would try to contact the owner on the title if that is what dmv needs. Just one more reason to check as much as possible in a long distance deal. I want to see the title before I buy and it must be in the seller’s name. I email a copy to a buyer before the deal is final when I sell. There are a ton of discussions here and other sites about title and number problems.

 

Not at all. Where the difference often comes in is perception. I once bought stuff from Florida. By my eye I got screwed. Rusty Junk. But apparently it was good by Florida standards. So it's a rolling scale of perception. We are spoiled on the West Coast with good sheetmetal, solid frames, and a very plentiful supply of good stuff. I can only imagine what other parts of the country have to deal with. But whatever the case go look at, drive, inspect thoroughly, and always gauge your love for the car/parts with your ability to swallow loss of dough.

- Tim

 

I plan on being in the car circles for many years to come. My good name is worth much more than money.

Sent from my SM-N910V using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

I had a guy tell me that the 37 Chevy sedan I was looking at had the original 1937 air in the tires.

 

I probably tell people more than I should. I am brutally honest. I never want to have someone saying I was dishonest or misrepresented something I sold.

 

Seems like I try to talk them out of buying it when I tell them every last thing I know wrong with it. But that's not the case with the cars I've bought. I bought a Buick with a bad transmission from a well-know seller here on the HAMB. I can't prove it so I'm not calling him out. But it was suspicious and he did nothing to help.

 

Yep, let the buyer come look at it and form their own opinion. Everyone has a little different opinion on whats nice and whats acceptable when it comes to repair.

Wont buy sight unseen. Shady car selling is traditional, its been going on since the first car became a used car. Protect yourself or get burnt.

 

I've never lied to sell a car, but have been lied to badly when I bought a 57 Ford Ranchero from a guy in N.Y. Saw the car in the Roundup magazine listed for $1200. Called the guy up and ask condition. He said the only rust was over one of the headlights as is usual for that year Ford. I asked how many years it was driven in the N.Y. winters with the road salt on the roads. He said the car was always garage kept, and never driven in the winter. I asked him to send me at least 4 pictures showing all 4 sides, front, back, and both sides. He sent me 6 pictures 2 being the interior, and engine bay. I asked him why the car in the color pictures he sent me, were of a black 57, and the B & W pictures in the Roundup appeared to be possibly a different color. He said, it was just the lighting. He then told me I could drive up or fly up and look it over before buying it, but I better hurry, as he had 5 calls already before I had called, and two of them were local calls. He was sure one of them as soon as they saw the car would put a deposit down. He said all the right things and so stupid me, I told him I would buy it sight unseen, and pay to have it shipped back to Kentucky. I Western Unioned a $200 deposit, and told him the driver would bring the rest. I asked if it was running, or would it have to be winched on the truck, as that was extra. He said it started faithfully once a week and ran for about 10 minutes, and he drove it around the block when it was nice outside. My hopes were getting pumped up. When the driver called me up the street, to inform me that he would not drive his 3 car trailer back into the cul-de-sac I lived on, and that he hoped I had some strong friends to help me push it back there, as it didn't run, nor have a battery to even see if it would run. He also informed, me that I owed him an extra $50 for having to winch it onto his trailer. My heart sank, as I knew I was about to get screwed every which way possible. When I got out to the trailer I was looking at the car coming off the upper level of a 3 car trailer, you could see daylight through the floors, and bed. There was barely a floor at all. Half of the bed was rusted through. When I sent a Cashier's Check to the Company picking up my truck, I sent a letter explaining I was buying the car blind, and if the drive would not pay the money out of his pocket to buy the car, to not buy it for me. I asked him about that, and he said, he didn't want to lose a run, he was over 500 miles from home and needed the money, besides he figured I knew how to repair that stuff if I was a hot rodder. After taking all kinds of pictures, and calling the guy I bought it from, and chewing him out, he didn't know what I was bitching about, what did I expect from a car that had been setting out in the weather for the past 20 years. I asked, him about the different color of the vehicle from the pictures he had sent me, and he said a friend had one so he went & took pictures of it to show me what mine could look like. I told him I was going to sent the piece of junk back, and he said go ahead, I'll just resale it and make money off it twice. By the way, he had already spent all my money, and he was moving, so good luck finding him, or the cops finding him. I ended up getting the engine running with a good oil change, and tune up. I bought a better 57 Ranchero in Indiana about 40 miles from my home. I figured 2 to make 1 really good one and I'd sell any left over parts. Now I never buy anything unless it is right in front of me.

 

BAD KARMA with liars!

 

johnold1938, youve got that right about BAD KARMA with liars. Knew someone who screwed many people most who were newbies to the old car scene. He's been pushing up daises the last 4-5 years.

Gary

 

You should ALWAYS be open and honest - never know, the buyer could show up with his angry pals, Smith and Wesson. hahaha. It's just bad karma to B.S. a buyer.

 

I don't lie and I wouldn't sell a car without the buyer or his representative come look at it, if possible.

 

15 or 20 years ago I found an ad for a '32 roadster in Springfield Il. I spoke at length to the guy on the phone about the car several times. He sent a ton of pic's. Not a bad pic in the lot. Drove out to Springfield 20 minutes later I was on my way back to Maine. I don't think he was trying to hustle me. I don't think he had a clue. He obviously did not build it. Another time, about 15 years ago, I drove out to Dearborn, MI to look at a '29 RPU. The truck had some issues that were relatively minor but many. Drove home an hour later. I still kick my ass over that one. Again about 15 years ago I drove out to Warren, Ohio for another '32 roadster. Bought it. Brought it home in a blizzard. It is the only car out of the eight I have that I didn't build. Eighty thousand miles later. Still have it. Still love it. Bottom line, you have to do your homework.

 

I don't lie.
I had a add in the paper for a 55 2nd 3100. This fellow calls and I begin describing the truck...

I said

" It's a 55 3100. It runs good. someone had split the manifold. Every now and then the shift linkage hangs up. It has some rust in the lower hinge pockets and the drivers door is a little loose. Someone painted it a light kind of aqua green.....

The guy stops me and says.....

" Awwwh Hell. That's my old truck. It's a piece of shit!"
Then he hung up.

 

I sold my 64 Tbird after completely rebuilding the engine. The definition of rebuilding in this statement is that every moving part was either replaced or machined. I had rebuilt the brakes, suspension and added a couple factory options that I found in junk yards. It was a CA car with no rust, none, nada! It still had issues with vacuum leaks since it seemed that all the pneumatic goodies like door locks, cruise control, rear vent, heat and cool functions and Lord knows what else had leaks. The guy buying the car could only look at the shape of the car and as I told him of the good stuff and the remaining bad stuff, all he could see was himself and his girl driving down the boulevard looking cool. He even drove up in an older car so I assumed he would get it, that driving a car like this would take some level of talent to keep it up. It had been my daily driver for the past five years.

He bought the car but returned several times asking me to help with this and that. The last time he showed up I had to tell him that it was his project now. I sold it because I didn't have time for it anymore. I wonder to this day if there is a Tbird sitting in someones field, rotting from the bottom up with a practically new 390 in it. I didn't lie, I just sold it to the wrong guy.

 

Not worth lying even about the parts I sell.

 

In answer to the title question...……………. Did you really think anyone was going to get on a public forum and say "Hell yeah. I lie like a rug to sell a car right after I filled the rear end with sawdust, filled the engine with motor honey, and put pepper in the radiator." ???

 

Pepper in the radiator!?

Every vehicle I own has (at least) the following in it: a blanket, a knife (pocket or otherwise), a map, some string and a set of chopsticks. Now I'll have to add a packet of soup mix and a bowl! At least if I break down, I can have a bowl of warm pre-peppered soup while I wait

 

Better add a phone and the number for the nearest poison information line or the nearest hospital for when you poison yourself with the peppered anti-freeze soup