I found this on Sunday (2 days after it was posted), Called the guy and it was already a bidding war. I tried to get to see it and take some pics (and of course buy it) since it was so close. He said he would run the ad for a week and then contact the top bidders, the ad was pulled last night. I texted him, he said it sold yesterday..........It was so close I could've pushed it to my friends garage down the street and I never knew it was there. Sooooo who's the lucky guy????
Just in case anyone was skimming the post. I DIDN'T buy it, but I tried. I was almost at double the posted price with the idea I could look at it first. So sad, a '39 Merc convertible, similar to my grandfathers, so close.......but apparently not close enough dollar wise.
Yeh, it's kind of like real estate nowadays, never thought I would see houses sell for more than the listed price.
He told me he sold it today. He said he had to two high end collectors with much more money. But was basically taking bids. I saw it on Friday afternoon when it was posted. Like I need another project? But he said runs and drives.
Sorry it didn't find a spot in your garage @1oldtimer... That was a steel of a deal...and no doubt quite underpriced by the look of things...
Although not overly common, OBO (as stated in the text of the ad) can mean on either side of the ask not just below. As DDDenny stated, this is just like real estate ... list a price, take offers for a week and sell to the highest. My Mom just sold her house for something like $180,000 over ask so you don't hear me complaining If someone calls and says I'll give you full ask (on the car) tomorrow IF, after looking it over I am still happy with it, then someone calls 10 minutes later and states "Ok, then I'll give you $15,000" the seller has the right to accept the higher offer. You could argue that "we had a deal" (assuming no deposit was taken) but I am not sure it would stick since the ad did state OBO.
I don't blame the seller at all, it's his car and he's entitled to get all he can (legally and ethically of course). I might have been able to give a better bid if I could have seen it in person, but that's life. Yes I'm a little bummed, but mainly I'm hoping someone on the HAMB (or Fordbarn) bought it. I would really like to see a thread started on it.
I am not blaming the seller at all either, I just wished I could have gotten it at 10-15K, Ha! I actually talked to him on the phone also and he wrote back and told me it was sold after all. But good on him I guess, also note that he said it needed cosigner title and a new title, I thought that was weird and am really picky on trying to see if it was scam on top of it, but the seller seems to be legit. Offers on either side are fine as long as he states it when making an offer, that you offer would be considered. This is NOT a 46/48 Ford, if you know what your looking at.
These bidding wars unfortunately take a bit of the ambience out of the more Traditional way of buying things when you sat down and shot the shit a bit and gleaned all there was to glean...now it's kinda like the line at the French fry wagon...Oh well it is what it is... The Highest offer-er will get that conversation I guess at the end of the day...yes things are just a little different these days...
Just went through something similar with my 40 mercury. I drove 5 hours to see it, hoping I could pay with a bank draft or certified cheque if I liked it. the seller is a great guy, we made a deal but he wanted cash , no bank in the land has a decent amount of cash on hand “ it has to be ordered in “ anyways , I left a small deposit and told him give me a month to figure out shipping, I knew my work had a couple forklift going out that way by the end of this month or early October. The driver could have brought the cash with him . I was trying to be lazy and avoid driving out there again with a trailer and all that nonsense. Anyways he calls me up on the long week end and tells me he’s got a couple interested parties who are willing to pick up the car ASAP and pay a bit more. He would gladly give back my deposit. what did I do ? Took the Tuesday off work and drove for 14 hours round trip to get it snd bring it home. I completely understood where he was coming from and I’ll be Damn’d if I was gonna loose the car for being lazy. I’m lazy , but not THAT lazy !
Crazy world we live in today. Not car related, but how things have been going here in Texas. You get a guy born and raised down around the coast of Texas. list a $100k house for sale. Then a bidding war begins. House ends up selling for $300k Someone from California sells their house for $800k move to Texas and snatching up the $100k homes. Car related, they paying $5k for a $800 40's truck to use as yard art. Just saying the current market is crazy. It will vary by where you live.
No it was a mercury !!!!!! you guys are a bunch of bullies !!!! Fine my next car will be a dodge just ta shut yas all up
I sold an OT late model last week. I cleaned it up and pushed it to the street. Five minutes later a dude said he was interested in it for his father-in-law. He called later and left a message to see what would I take for it? Next morning before calling him back I listed it on FB Marketplace. The computer lit up with inquiries. Where are you? What is wrong with it? When can I look at it? Clean title? I called the original interested guy and said if he wanted it it was the asking price. He said "I'll take it" without ever even hearing it run. Five minutes later a caller said "I'll give you $500 more than you were asking." I told him some things were more important to me than money - like integrity. When the buyer came I told him if he wanted to flip it I could give him the name of somebody willing to give $500 more than he paid. He kept the car. I listed it at what KBB said was fair. Go figure.
Just went through this with a late 50's early 61/62 twin engined go kart. Got in early with a request to see it and was given a few days hold to come see it as he was out of town. It was taken down soon after it posted and I did touch base with him on the day he was to be back in town. Go kart was now a little higher due to the response he got - first guy didn't have the time to go see it so it fell to me - so I went and picked it up for his added price. No worries - it's a friggen British built cart with their twin motors of choice - so how the heck did it get over here in the states ? Sorry to hack....
Yeah, I did the same thing with an OT car that had been in my barn for 20 years. Got offered more, said no, but gave the second guy the name of the first. First guys sold him parts for more than he paid for the car, but I held my deal.
Just did this with an OT Dodge p/u, listed on FB marketplace, called the local mobile notary met at the nearby Club Mac had 4 buyers show up and an hour after it was listed I’m back home with cash in hand and no truck.
The Jalopy Journal
