People are Annoying

[ProTouring442]

Why do some people think that you won't notice what a piece of crap a car is after they've described it as "beautiful?" I drove from Maryland to Long Island, New York (I will NEVER do that again!) to pick up a station wagon I had agreed to buy based on the owner's description and a pictures. What a waste of time and money!

The car was described as "beautiful," "like new," etc. by the seller. When I spoke to him on the phone he told me how he picked the car up when he found out it was to be scrapped. He explained how this was stupid as the car was "in beautiful shape except for the typical GM paint problems on the hood." So far so good as '80s GM wagons do in fact suffer from this problem. Since he had a body shop (a term I use loosely after seeing the so called "shop") he went ahead and repainted it.

I drove out to pick up a car I expected to be in pretty good shape. The seller seemed to be a very nice guy, and I expected to find an '80s GM wagon with a Maaco quality paint job, no rust, in need of a little maintenance.

What I found was a rust pile with what appeared to me to be a Rustoleum sprayed from a Wagner Power Painter "paint job." The only thing decent on the car was the interior. The spare tire was nearly falling through the rotted out tire well, every bushing on the car was bad, the weather stripping was missing in huge hunks, etc., etc., etc.... I just don't get people. I'll have to argue for my deposit back, but I am sure PayPal and/or my credit card company will side with me.

Ah well, at least I had a very nice day with my wife as we sat in the endless traffic! Dinner was good too, we ate at a little Italian resturaunt.

Did I mention that I just don't get people?

Shiny Side Up!
Bill
'72 442 "Inamorata"
www.FQuick.com/ProTouring442

[Project69]

That sucks. I bought my car sight unseen and im lucky it turned out better then how he described it (or maybe it was my inital shock of owning a 69' camaro at the age of 16) haha

[philbay]

Yea I know hindsight is always 20 20.. I understand your grief but..... what I have seen done on Team Chevelle and probably here as well ....is to ask someone near the desired car, and at least you will get the truth,also you can ask the friend to take certain photos that are your primary concerns . I live on Long Island and would be happy to help another car guy out, even I might add if the car was a Ford? what... just kidding.. phil

[442olds]

Me and a buddy drove from st louis to near cleavland to look at a fiero, that was in "good condition". It was a v6 5speed gt car which looked nice in the photos. We drove it approximately 300 ft and turned the car back around and left it with the guy. The alignment was so far off that the car would drive itself off the road while fighting to keep it straight. The gage pod of the dash was falling off as we drove and the shifter wouldn't go into any gear. That next week he found a car in st louis for less money with less miles owned by a little old lady. Sometimes you just have to look harder.

[Bandit]

Like my old pappy always used to say: "Everybody thinks they've got a goldmine..."

[wick]

Yup, I drove 600 miles to pick up a "nice" 20 ft enclosed trailer. The guy sent me pics and it had a great running Onan generator and roof mounted A/C.

The trailer was HAMMERED by hail on the side he didn't send a pic of. The "great running" Onan wouldn't start and I think it was the first Onan ever made it was so old. It was converted from double doors to a ramp door and it was major league cobbled. I wanted to give him a case of lead poisoning on the spot but I was in Big Spring, TX and he was most likely related to the local law so I just left. Never got my deposit back. F-ing snapperhead.

[ProTouring442]

Well, I just bought a 1986 Mercury Marquis Wagon. Pretty nice shape, no dents, paints a little dead but I think it will clean up, no rust, great interior, 302/auto, and that stupid woodgrain. Any ideas on what I can do to make it a bit nicer? I'm thinking about a set of buckets, a nice tune up, and some wheels and tires. Probably something in the 16" range. What wheels fit, anyone know?

Shiny Side Up!
Bill
'72 442 "Inamorata"
www.FQuick.com/ProTouring442

[Bow Tie 67]

The best decision I made was to personally look at every car I was interested in, working for an airline has its advantages. More than one knucklehead who has no idea what a restoration entails described the car as rust free. I had one kid who I asked more than once if the car had cancer, I even went on to describe what I considered cancer, say " nope there is only surface rust. " After flying in, waiting for the rental car shuttle over 30 min. freezing my a_ _ off. ( now I know why thrifty is so inexpensive ) driving out and seeing nice rust slits above the rear w/w lips, I still did not get upset. I simply knelt next to the car put my finger in the rust / cancer hole, looked up at him and said in a stern voice " Just so you don't get confused in the future, This is called Cancer ". His brother apologized and I said that I was not upset, at least not then, but 9 hours later living the the movie " The Terminal " at Detroit international I began getting upset. Did I mention flying standby has its disadvantages too.

[BonzoHansen]

I hope you get your $$ back from PP. I hear very bad things about their dispute resolution.

[MrQuick]

...man, them musta been some good pictures???

[ProTouring442]

...man, them musta been some good pictures???

In the pics, the car didn't look like a show car, but they sure hid the problems! I should have been more carefull, and would have been if it had been anything over a few grand... argh. In any case, even IF I loose my deposit, it won't be the end of the world, as long as I get my money's worth in irritating the moron!

Really funny thing is, I get the feeling that the moron really does think the car is in great shape. Have I mentioned that I don't get people?

Shiny Side Up!
Bill
'72 442 "Inamorata"
www.FQuick.com/ProTouring442

[68sixspeed]

I think we all have one of these stories-- drove all the way from CT to Long Island NY this fall to bring back a "mint" 2001 vette; it was so beat, most likely it had been hit, the "super clean" interior needed seat covers and some trim pieces, the paint was rubbed through on 3 corners (the 4th was the repaint) and it had so many stone chips I think it passed out the sanding trucks all winter. From now on, high res photos and closeups, or I don't go for a ride!

[BA.]

BILL, get some cheap "Magnum 500" kind of rims for it. That'll be a good start!
Then get that darn wood off of there!


....and ya gotta have some tint!

[ProTouring442]

BILL, get some cheap "Magnum 500" kind of rims for it. That'll be a good start!
Then get that darn wood off of there!


....and ya gotta have some tint!

I hate to say it, but I think I might keep the wood. I'll replace it, but I think it gives it a nice corny feel.

Shiny Side Up!
Bill
'72 442 "Inamorata"
www.FQuick.com/ProTouring442