Projects Price so good that you feel guilty?

Has anyone bought a car for a price that made you felt guilty afterwards. I bought a new 1952 Kaiser Henry J from the son in law of the person that we restoring it and he past away. Fast forward 14 years later and he still hadn't put it together and decided it was time to pass it along to someone that will do something with it and he sold it to me for what he gave his brother and sister inlaw $800. Yes $800 and the thing I feel guilty about is it's the most solid one I have seen both online and inperson. It has one quarter size bubble on the inner rocker where it has sat on the car rotisserie for over 14 years. oh and it comes with two of just about everything. The one I have had since I was 14 sat in a dirt floor garage for 20 years so it had n floors left no rockers inner or outer no body supports just lots of tar screen bondo sheet metal under fake alumium panels and not much else. I didn't try to talk him down in price or anything so the question is should I feel guilty? I'll take pictures of the rest of the car once I bring the rest home. So now I have two HJ's a 52&53. So before anyone asks No it won't be a gasser. I'm turning it into a 50's mild custom like the one Ed Roth had and in 16 years the baby will get to own it.

 

^^ Good Plan^^ Its kinda hard not to feel guilty sometimes i see alot of people pushing hard because they know people are short on cash in this economy, but he told you the price and you gave it to him it wasnt the other way around

 

I've had a few transactions where the seller should have felt guilty.

 

Yep, when I "stole" my other '47 Oldsmbile convertible outta the ghetto of philly a couple of years ago. The owner had no idea how much the car was worth. Her fault not mine that she didn't spend alittle time and do some research regarding price instead of just pulling a figure outta the air. On second thought I really don't feel all that guilty. My granite countertop, Brazilian cherry hardwood floor and stainless and glass backsplash that I bought with the profit all look awesome in my new kitchen.

 

I bought a complete with extras, but disassembled, '27 T RPU for $125 a few years ago. I felt a little guilty, but that was the price he was asking. I felt even worse though when I had to sell it instead of building it.

 

hell no- price is asked, negotiated and bought.

 

I have a hard time selling anything right now. Everytime i post something on craigslist everyone is trying to steal it with stupid offers. Even when i post i dont need the money just want it out of my way.

 

don't feel quilty, you didn't grind them on the price. I hope i get a chance at such a great deal someday. Are you gonna finish it up and drive it?

 

Don't bitch about the price, pay it, and if ya can maybe throw some extra in, or at least buy them a 6er of adult cola as thanks for the car. Small things go a long ways later on when they hear of another person selling an old car, they will remember who treated them right and pass your name on.

Dont feel guilt, but don't let karma get ya.

 

Yep !! I've had people ask me "Did You Hold A Gun To The Guys Head ??" I treat car people exactly the way I like to be treated !! I Always ask How Much, and I never try to offer less !! I either pay the asking price or I shake hands and walk away !! And yes I've got some SCREAMING DEALS !!! >>>>.

 

I don't read that as saying the guy didn't realize the car had much more value.

I read it that the guy had no interest in the car, other than the connection it made to his father in law (FIL) obviously, so he got his money back (win), got his "space" back (win) all by basicly giving the project to someone with interest and the required skills to take the rig and see it thru to completion, which is something he knew he would never do! (win)

Now in a couple of years or so he'll get to smile as he sees the car cruise down the road and all his memories of his FIL will be good...instead of...

"Oh yeah...my FIL...great guy.
I got his last old car in the garage, totally in my way and I'll never do a thing with it. I suck".

Right place...right time. Enjoy the car.

 

I don't remember you ever trying to pay me full price for anything. WTF????????

 

Never

 

That's because your Hill-Billy Ass would never tell me a concrete price for what I wanted to buy !!! >>>>.

 

Feelings? Feelings in a business deal? Well, maybe in the nanny-society of today, could be a law against making a good deal...........

 

What he said. Sometimes, I find these deals without even looking for them.

Case in point: Five years ago, my youngest nephew stated college nearby and the house he shared with a buddy had a nice garage. He wanted a project to learn on, so I gave him an old Triumph Spitfire that has been in the family for years. A few months ago, he graduated and wanted to give it back (in five years he managed to clean it up a little and straighten out some electrical problems).

I showed up at the appointed time with my car trailer and proceeded to load the Spitfire when a neighbor came down the street and asked if I would be interested in an old car he was storing. I imagined it was some 80s 4 door POS, so as politely as I could, I mentioned that with the price of scrap being so high, a wrecking yard would probably give him a couple of hundred for it and pick it up in the bargain. He looked crestfallen and told me it was a project that he had sunk over $20,000 into over the years.

That got my attention, so I asked him what it was and he told be a 73 Volvo 1800ES, admittedly not H.A.M.B material, but neither is the Spitfire. Well, it has been a tough year financially and I barely had gas money, but I agreed to take a look because I had actually bought one of those last year Volvo sports car/shooting brakes (think the Saint's ride turned into a two door wagon at the factory) new in 73 and it was the most unreliable car I have ever owned. Well, damn if when he took the tarp off, if it wasn't the same color inside and out as the one I bought new! I said as much and gave him the specs from memory, so he knew I wasn't blowing smoke. He assumed I actually wanted this thing and went on to tell me how much he had sunk into the restoration (It still doesn't run) and asked what I would give him for it. I didn't want to admit in front of my nephew I was flat broke, so I gave the guy my number and asked him to think about what he would take, thinking he would forget to call. Much to my surprise, he calls a week later, after I unexpectedly came into some money, and said $500, so now I own it.

finally, a few words about the pictures. The first Volvo wagon isn't mine. It's there to show what an nicely restored 1800ES should look like. The last photo, taken in 1968 is the only snapshot of my second customization project, a glass 23T body on a wrecked early 60s Triumph spitfire frame. Here it is with my then girlfriend and grandfather mocked up with 4x4s for support. (my first was a hacksaw chop job done to a $10 Model A pickup in about 1965 -- thankfully, no pictures exist).

-meljr

 

No reason to feel guilty unless the price was a great deal and you still felt compelled to talk him down more. Since you gave the asking pice you should sleep just fine.

 

Any pics of that? I don't think I've ever seen that car.

Call me heartless, but I never feel bad about getting a good deal. That's why I always want the seller to throw out the first number.

 

Trust me I am not bitching and I didn't try to talk him down at all. When I went to look at it it was just the body and fenders. Which I was into buying so he says after I said I'll take it he goes oh do you want to see the parts that come with it. I was kind of in shock so we go into the garage the motor is inside he starts it up sounds pretty good for a stock 4 banger. says oh here are the two grilles the gas and like 8 boxes of parts. that go with it. and asks if I would like to buy some of the extra parts. I asked how must he says $400 and shows me the receipts wiriing harness $429 hood ornament $250 front turn signal chrome with lens $359 and rubber mat $459 I asked him if he wanted to just sell them on Evil Bay and he said no. He said give him the $400 and a ride in the car when it's done that in the 14 years he had it all he did was sit in it a few times and not much else. Then he said if I bought them and takes me out to the shed and there is another set of doors and a trunk lid and 3 more rims. I have made two trips so far just for the extra parts so the driveway looks like Sanford and son again. The wife agreed to the deal if we sell the extra parts and put it towards the new kitchen. My friend Chuck said way to live up to your nickname Mr Lucky and if I didn't do the deal that he fresh from knee surgery and choke the address out of me and go get it himself.

 

i've felt guilty before but that goes away once you start working on it.... but look on the bright side, i just saved a bundle by switching to Geico. hahaha

 

Sometimes the owner just wants the car put into good hands.

Choose the right new owner and its a way to keep the dream alive after bowing-out.

 

Mr. Dickies...Nothing wrong with you having feelings, even in a business-deal. I wouldn't feel guilty, but sounds like you really appreciate the seller being reasonable.

Usually, when I feel that someone has been kind to my wife and/or me, she will bake them something, or buy some fresh vegetables/fruit/apple-cider etc. for them. It's not so much the money involved...it's the thoughtfulness, and the fact that it can strengthen a person's faith in human-nature. More often than not, the person is pleasantly surprised and very appreciative. Maybe you could express your appreciation in a similar way.

 

No, it's never bothered me any. The only time it bothers me is when these pricks bitch about something I have for sale because they did the same thing, found a stupid cheap bargain somewhere, and use that as justification to think that every old car should be cheap, or that one not as nice as theirs is overpriced because they got a good deal from someone who didn't know any better.

 

Just traded a '59 Willy's Pickup for two '51 Kaiser's and a WWII vintage commercial towable air-compressor. My initial interest was just in the air-compressor, (to offer sandblasting services as well as metalwork). Now the Kaiser's are kinda growin' on me!

That was a straight-up trade, none of the vehicles are running ...

Do I feel guilty? Nope, the guy who had the Kaiser's saved them from the crusher, but didn't really want them. He just didn't want to see them crushed. He knows me and what I'm likely to do with them and is pleased to see them saved and get a Willy's in exchange.

Dan Stevens
dba, Steelsmith

 

Hear hear! The guy that bought my complete and original, stored-since-1962 '37 Chevy coupe said he had previously bought a BEAUTIFUL original '37 Ford coupe for $5,000 He tried to use that as justification for telling me that $5,500 was too much for my Chevy, and wouldn't pay over $4,500 for it. Yeah, right. He knew better, but hoped I didn't. Two days later, he called to say he'd buy it. Damn snaggle-toothed varmint.

 

I agree RickyBop I was thinking of having my wife make something for him for the next parts run. Thanks Guys

 

An old employer of mine recently asked me to take away a pile of NOS Mopar stuff out of his garage attic. He knows that I lost my job and had a heart attack and that I could use a bit of help. The stuff was free.Top of the pile was not one but two NOS 68-71 B and E body Mopar 440 six pack upper rad hoses.To many it's not a big deal but to a die hard Mopar restorer they are gold! They will pay for my meds for a few months cause they sure as hell aren't cheap.I feel guilty about it but I'm sure he knew....

 

Sometimes you eat the bear, and sometimes the bear eats you. I'd rather feel guilty about buying something for a low price than feel guilty about selling something for a high price.

 

Boys!,Boys!

 

feeling guilty for buying something at a good price?

I seek out people selling things for cheap that they do not know the value of. I have no problem buying things for pennies on the dollar and reselling for big bucks.