Folks Of Interest EVER TALK YOURSELF OUT OF A SALE?

I am proud to have gone the other way once at a swap meet. I had a set of like new mag wheel & tires for sale for $400. after more low ball offers than I cared to hear, a man & his teen age son came to look at them. didn't try to low ball, but hemmed & hawed a lot. I asked what they were going on. the kid told me they were for his 1st car, 66 Galaxie 390 C6,working 2 jobs to help afford it. I told the kid to give $200 cash & get them out of here before I changed my mind. gotta keep the young ones interested or our hobby will die with the rest of us!!!

 

I see what you are saying. But there was more than just the engine at stake here. This guy had no idea the engine had such lower horse power. He had no idea about the bolts threads. He said he had never rebuilt a motor before but thought this one would be simple enough. He had no idea what he was getting into. I put him onto 2.0 and 2.3 Fords conversions because there is no reinventing the wheel there. He left happy and educated so I think both my CARma and Karma are in pretty good shape.

 

Nice...CARma!

 

Several years ago I had picked up a turbo 400 with a brake out of a buddys super gas Vega. Fresh trans with only a couple runs. The car left too hard so out it came and back in went a powerglide. I bought it right and knew the guy well so when my plans changed I just wanted to move it down the road and get my money back out of it, not make a killing on it. Another buddy puts some ass monkey wannabe in touch with me who offers not much more than a core charge price telling me he can have one built with a trans brake for less than I was asking. After about a minute I told him he was right and that he would be crazy to buy my trans when he could get a fresh one for less money. (He was wrong, Lol) End of conversation. I hate selling things.

 

Sorry, didnt catch all this about the guy leaving happy in the first post, I guess you really did do him a favor.
My bad again I guess.

 

I don't care what some one does with a part after its sold but if I know its not going to work in what ever project the buyer is planning I tell him so. If he still wants it fine, I wont lie about it just to get rid of the part. On the other hand I will pull out of a deal if he is an ass hat. I don't have much patience for BS and arrogance.

 

I have done similar things when in the middle of selling a car I sensed they were going to be non stop problems with the new owner, told them this car isn't good enough for them and I wouldn't feel right selling it to them.

 

I had a 51 merc that I had for years, I ended up selling it and it went to New Zealand. Prior to that I had a local guy that kept asking me if it was for sale, he's a big rim, rubberband tire, billet, fuck it all up, big money kind of guy. I told him no I dont think I want to sell it anymore. I just couldnt bring myself to selling it to him so he could fuck it all up and then I would have to see it every summer out cruzin.

 

Kind of off topic but it does involve a really nice pole building shop and four car garage.

Last spring my son asked his girlfriend to marry him and since he's dairy farming on the family farmstead it only made since for my wife and me to rent him the farm and for us to find another place to live. We found a place, with the shop and garage, by accident after looking at another house. It had just been put up for sale by the owner that day, a Friday. We saw it Friday night, Saturday I called the realtor and had to leave a message. Turned out the seller had torn the house apart after he bought in the early '80s, redid every wall and floor and raised his family there and was really attached to the place. He actually was conducting the showings of the house himself to interview potential buyers. The following Monday the seller called me to let me know he had an offer and the buyer was signing papers that afternoon. A week and a half later the seller called me to tell me the deal fell through and if I was still interested we could come look at it. The seller turned out to be a really nice guy. We talked with him for a couple of hours telling him our plans if we could swing getting the house. He told us the original buyer didn't give him a good feeling, he wanted someone who would appreciate the house and he felt we were type of people he wanted to have his house. He even helped us get financing.

 

If your selling a NOS 32 fender to a guy building a rat rod, he's got a lot of money or your not asking enough.

 

I have a shit load of hubcaps and wheel covers that I take to swap meets with my other old car parts. I had a guy come up to me on Sat. morning of a two day meet, picked up a 53 Studebaker wheelcover and looked it over like it was a million dollar watch, said this things pretty rough, how much? I said $8 bucks thinking I would take 5 or 6. He said I was nuts, he could pick them up anywhere for a buck a piece and throws it down. a couple hours later he comes up again like hes never been there, picks it up and says how much, i tell him $15, he says a while ago it was $8, I said you should have bought it then. He offered me $2. At the end of the day he comes back again, says how much for that Study cap, i say $25, hes pissed and walks off. Sunday morning it starts all over, the price goes up everytime, Sunday afternoon I am loading up and I see him coming, I took that Study cap to the blacktop and done a dance on it and put it back where it was on the ground, he picks it up and starts yelling WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED TO THIS HUBCAP!! I said hey asshole you wanted a $2 cap there it is. That was 30 some years ago, my buddies still bring it up every time we go to a swap meet!

 

YEAH,, You sure showed him... Lost yer display model Tho...

 

No, but I had a former boss who was approached by a television network about producing a show featuring a showman and an engineer, building cars. He turned that deal down.

Season 8 is about to air.

 

I had a set of split rim 19"wire wheels from a 30's Huppmobile. I thought they would be perfect for a period type of race car. Had listed at a few places, no bites. One Sunday I get a call this guy has GOT to have them, when can he pick them up, etc. (I think I was at the lake relaxing) These had a 6 lug pattern which puzzled him (even though the ad showed a clear photo of them and stated that) and wondered if a type of adapter could be made, or purchased. "I guess"-dude, I'm just wanting to sell the wheels.
Then he asks how they will do at 80 mph? I'm like "WHAT"? I don't know anything about THAT, they are 80 years old, more for display or cruising, unknown for extended highway speeds, what are you wanting them for?
"I have an Avanti, I think they would look good on it"
...so 19 inch split rim spoked wheels, with adapters, on an Avanti I ask, seriously? "yeah" he replies. NO, I'm not going to be around to sell them to you! click

 

stuff comes and stuff goes.

 

I listed one of the first cars I ever built, an off topic 4 door, but cool, and fast in its own right. Had a guy come by after no other interest, bought it even after I had a bad feeling ( I was buying a house and needed some renovation cash ) he gave me the sob story about wanting a cool family car. It was gone.
The next day he texted me a picture of it totaled, saying something about it wasn't his fault. It was winter and he shouldn't have been driving a 500hp rear wheel drive car in the snow if he had no clue how to handle it on dry cement. Still regret that. Had I not needed the cash I would have passed on him and just held onto it.

 

I'm still stuck on a 352 in an MG.
That's funny as all get out.
Only problem I have is bringing these fools to my house and tools, projects, parts, tools, other junk.

 

This is exactly why I do not normally sell anything.
I don't want these "people" at my place seeing what else they can come back for.

 

^ Unless I know them I set up a meeting place some where close.

 

All you guys talking about "karma" are way off base.
"Karma" does not exist.
There is a greater power and a greater plan, but it is not karma.

 

Not sure about the term "karma" but if you crap on someone today, do you think that person or anyone else who knows about it would want to help you tomorrow?
Thats what Im talking about.

 

Done a few swap meets in the NH.Maine and Mass conn. vt.first I know how plentiful the parts are, its condition and a fair value. If the guy or lady is close and its early I might hold off if the person is REASONABLE ill entertain the offer if its close Sold,l if not just say you cant. Just as im having a good day, then comes the BLOW HARD TAKE A _____ WALK!! I just bought new boots and now there all full of $hit

 

This wasn't me , but I was there. Ceres auto wreckers , 50 years ago. Guy comes in for 57 ford fender, yep got one ,you pull. Gets it brings it in to pay , same exact color. 20 bucks ,o no too much. The owner cut in half with a torch., guess it won't work now he said.

 

I have a fair collection of very rare NOS parts that I have accumulated and given a good home over the last 40 years, and although I might give an experienced restorer or rodder a sweet deal on a badly wanted/needed piece, any dude that just came around with a wad of cash 'cause he wanted something sweet to dress up his rat crap that he will sell or junk in the next year, I wouldn't sell for ten times as much.
I don't need the money that bad, either these parts go to an owner that can appreciate their value, or I'll hang onto 'em till I croak. Then I won't give a damn. But today I'm still breathing and I still do.

 

Actually the term "plan" is an antonym of karma. The term Karma has been around for centuries and it is considered to some a belief or a spiritual calling. To me its simply; treat some one as you yourself want to be treated. My little add on would be; If treated poorly pay back is in order.

 

Yer supposed to let yerself get screwed and just suck it up, don'cha know.

 

Was selling an OT car and had a guy come by, wanted it on payments - no, wanted me to hold it -no, wanted me to put new tires on it - no. Finally told him to leave and don't come back unless he had $4K cash.
Guy shows up a week later, I got the money. Great let me see it. He pulls out a giant ball of $20 bills. I ask where'd that come from. "I gotta get my bank roll on"
I followed him to my bank to get his stupid gangster roll changed into $100 before I signed the title and had him sign an as is bill of sale.
This dumbass called me for a year, asking questions, any time the car had a rattle, he put in a stereo and had a dash fire, wanted me to help him fix it.
What a deal, I liked the car, was just outta room.

 

I was trying to sell an off-topic "muscle car era" car on craigslist, had advertised it as a "low mileage, non-running car that had been in storage for several years" this one guy emails me back and says "how much will you knock off because its not running".
I emailed him back and said "Its ADVERTISED as non-running. If it were running, I would be asking a higher price, so the answer to that would be ZERO. If working on a car is such a big issue for you, I would strongly suggest that you should NOT buy a sixties era car in the first place."
Guy was so thick, he couldn't figure out that he had just been politely told to f*ck off, and emailed me two more times before I finally emailed him back, and told him the car was no longer for sale...

 

I was cleaning out the stash of wheels and had some 5 spoke torque thrust type, a new mag aluminum wheel in pinto bolt pattern, a used GMC truck rim and wanted to sell the lot. A guy comes over and wants to give me my price, but to scrap for the aluminum to supplement his income. I told him I wouldn't sell him the 5 spokes as they need to go on a car, but the rest I would and lowered the price somewhat. After he got a few blocks away, I remembered an aluminum pinto bell housing that I had and called him back and gave it to him....he was happy and I sold the 5 spokes to someone else for their project

 

Yes I've talked myself out of many sales. I've talked myself into sales. Basically I just talk to myself!

As for this Karma crap and a Super Power who's looking over me, yes I believe in all of that crap too.
My wife has been pronounced dead three times yet she still bugs the shit outta me and we live together. About five years ago all the lights and buzzers quit while in ICU and I actually saw the light.
I'm not religeous or believe in make-believe but I do know someone watches over us and I just call it Karma. I've screwed a few people and Karma got even. Same with people who've screwed me. Most times something happened to them and my friend Karma smiled down at me. When I screwd with someone somehow I lost.

We all sense things when making deals. I once could have made out good on my old 1933 Chevy 4-door which was mostly original and mostly finished. I wouldn't sell it to a friend with a body shop because his plans were to chop it, drop it, and make a rod out of it like other Bondo buggies he's built.
Sold that car for less and saw it later in a museum. I'm happy.
There have been many parts swaps, sales, and give aways. I'm not rich but I'd rather give a radiator cap to a guy who needs it than sell one to another guy who will just up the price and swap meet it.
I know a few "friends" who I will not sell anything to. Just yesterday a "friend" offered $60 for an old Sears table saw that my grand dad gave me. I haven't used it in over 15 years and it does have to go when we move. Before that offer I'd told my son I'd sell the saw for $100. So I did offer the cheap skate the saw for $75. Told my son I'll give it to someone else before I take less from his friend.
I'd never be a good swap meet, flea market, or scrap dealer. I hate being offered $1.00 on something I'm asking $5.00 for and is worth $10.