Just looking for advice... I have a vehicle I am getting ready to commit to buy from the Classified Section here and wanted any advice you can give me. The seller lives 1000 miles away, so its hard for me to really inspect the car in person. I was planning to hire a hauler from here to pick it up and bring it to me. Are there online escrows? title work? Thanks
I wouldn't buy it unless I got a look at it , or at least knew everything that was wrong with it and had pics.. but even then I would say bite the bullet and find some way to check it out... or recruit somebody from here to do it...
Here is a link to Google maps that shows auto appraisers near Nashville. You can do this for the area where the car is and find an appraiser. A Pre-Purchase appraisal could be just what you want. It may be cheaper than a bus/plane ticket
I have bought a lot of cars without seeing them. I have also passed on a few because of a vibe I get from the seller. Appraisers are your best bet... Spend the $100.00-150.00 and have someone check it out. Keep in mind the appraiser most likely don't see a lot of old cars, so tell them exactly what to look for in the not-so-easy parts to see... Get them to send you high rez photos with close-ups. If it is a great deal then I usually figure in the cost of repairs in what I am willing to pay and jump in... although you wont have much recourse here on the hamb unless it is a senior member. If it is a senior member with a good rep an appraiser may not be worth hiring.
I have had mixed luck with long-distance purchases. Perhaps you could ask a HAMB-er who lives closeby the seller to go and take a look at it for you. He could call you while on-site and give you a blow-by-blow discription and answer any specific questions you may have. It's a thought... Good luck!
I'm an appraiser and I see old cars here : http://picasaweb.google.com/alan.boldventure/CAPITOLASATURDAYMORNINGCRUISEIN08012009# I'm just sayin'
It would have to be something real special to even think about it. Even then you'd want someone from here that you trust to go look at it. Pictures are only pictures that don't show you everything and can even be of a differant car. Personally, I'd stay away from it and look alot closer to home
Call these guys: http://www.autoappraisalnetwork.com/local/Southern_OR.html They may be able to help.
Rough call, I think that the majority of us would either want to go check the car out ourselves or have someone who's judgment we trust check it out. I'd say the asking/selling price should be one factor in if you should go check it out or not before committing to buy. a 1000 dollar Model A sedan body might not call for a road trip to check out but a 35000 rod that is claimed to be just so needs to be checked out before purchase. If it is a big enough investment to be worried about how it really is I'd say that the plane ticket or gas and time to go check it out would be a good investment. If you can't go your self you might even think about sending one of your buddies who is a known knitpicker to check it out and report back on it. Expedia says that a round trip flight = sat/sunday is a bit under 600 bucks but there are probably better deals out there depending on what days you flew. I've got two guys I run around with all the time, one I would have check out a car because he for sure would tell me everything that is wrong with it and what is right. The other one sees most things rod and custom related through rose colored glasses and never really sees the defects in something. <input id="gwProxy" type="hidden"><!--Session data--><input onclick="jsCall();" id="jsProxy" type="hidden">
cars that are advertised nationally more times than not are advertized this way for a reason to find a sucker from far away ( not always but happens alot ) there is ussally a reason that their not selling it locally like a LOCAL can check it out real good just dont spend anymore than your willing to loose and you should come out ok
I would look at the members profile first. If he only posts in the classified section only then I would pass unless I inspected it or had someone you trust inspect it. but if they are a regular poster in this section then I would have more confidence in them and judge them by what they post to get a feel if the owner is just a dreamer or is actually a knowledgable person on what he has and knows how to describe things accurately. There is a lot of Hambers I would buy sight unseen from but there is about as many that I wouldn't .
Listen to what this guy says....he knows his stuff.... Better to spend a couple a hundred bucks now & not end up with a POS...or end up with a great car.
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