Little6pack
Active Member
- Joined
- Jun 2, 2002
Gee Dennis, Can you start a CAR SELLING THREAD? YOU MUST HAVE PLENTY OF THOSE?
Car buying experiences
- Thread starter Dennis Kirban
- Start date
turbo nasty
Turbo Dojo / MNTR
- Joined
- Jul 19, 2001
Cool mine has the factory 18's and I love them . But dont like over 600 bucks for 4 new tires LOL
Dennis Kirban
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Mar 5, 2009
I figured the title I picked would be a good one once the ball started rolling. For the most part buying experiences have been good concerning Turbo cars as the sellers always knew up front that I am a dealer and knew that putting something over on me would be pretty difficult.
See next story as its very unusual and I almost got burned on it.
denniskirban@yahoo.com
Dennis Kirban
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Mar 5, 2009
Last story from me for the nite:
Kind of unusual one, GN related and one where I almost got burned. Again time frame late 1990s. Car was in Maryland which is nearby considering all the ones I would go after with my truck and trailer.
I got a lot of towing miles under my belt...
Anyrate its low mileage 1987 GN hardtop with a gorgeous repaint. I had a set method on doing quick road tests etc before I would hand over the check for the car. (Checks were all written from a dealer as cars were dealer registered).
I take this GN for a quick drive through the guys neighborhood. Rite turns are fine left turns and I hear a rubbing sound up front. I think thats weird. I look at the front and nothing looks wrong to me. I see some wear marks on the one inner fender but not the other one.
Tires are the rite size car sits the rite height. I ask the seller more questions he bought it from a used car dealer maybe 6 months earlier. At this point I am getting a little nervous as the car was not a cheap buy for me.
As usual I never turn over the money until I have the car fully loaded. I always run a car fax before hand so no red flags popped up.
I get the car up on my trailer. So now I can see the front wheels better and distances front fender to tires. One side spacing is noticeably different from the other side.
They make special hooks for GM cars which I use all the time to tie cars down in the front. I get my hooks out and proceed to lock the hook into the oval slots that are always on the sides of the front frame rails.
Guess what? This car has NO oval slots in either front frame rail! At this point I am really baffled and begin to think at some point someone has put a different frame section under the front of this car. I also firmly believe there is no way this car tracks down the road straight.
I tell the owner the bad news. Number one, I can't buy the car. I can't explain exactly what is wrong with it but there is no way I could sell this car and plead ignorant with what I now know.
I said I don't know the laws in your state but there is something "fishy" about the frame section on this car.
I also told him you best try and find out because the next buyer may have recourse to return the car to you if they put it up on a lift and see something deeper than I am not seeing.
He was not happy at learning all this as you can imagine and I unloaded the car and called it a wasted trip.
Moral of the story? Glad I use a truck and trailer as its not something most buyers would check outside of seeing if the frame rails where straight but noticing the holes being missing.
Who knows where this car is today...
true story
denniskirban@yahoo.com
Kind of unusual one, GN related and one where I almost got burned. Again time frame late 1990s. Car was in Maryland which is nearby considering all the ones I would go after with my truck and trailer.
I got a lot of towing miles under my belt...
Anyrate its low mileage 1987 GN hardtop with a gorgeous repaint. I had a set method on doing quick road tests etc before I would hand over the check for the car. (Checks were all written from a dealer as cars were dealer registered).
I take this GN for a quick drive through the guys neighborhood. Rite turns are fine left turns and I hear a rubbing sound up front. I think thats weird. I look at the front and nothing looks wrong to me. I see some wear marks on the one inner fender but not the other one.
Tires are the rite size car sits the rite height. I ask the seller more questions he bought it from a used car dealer maybe 6 months earlier. At this point I am getting a little nervous as the car was not a cheap buy for me.
As usual I never turn over the money until I have the car fully loaded. I always run a car fax before hand so no red flags popped up.
I get the car up on my trailer. So now I can see the front wheels better and distances front fender to tires. One side spacing is noticeably different from the other side.
They make special hooks for GM cars which I use all the time to tie cars down in the front. I get my hooks out and proceed to lock the hook into the oval slots that are always on the sides of the front frame rails.
Guess what? This car has NO oval slots in either front frame rail! At this point I am really baffled and begin to think at some point someone has put a different frame section under the front of this car. I also firmly believe there is no way this car tracks down the road straight.
I tell the owner the bad news. Number one, I can't buy the car. I can't explain exactly what is wrong with it but there is no way I could sell this car and plead ignorant with what I now know.
I said I don't know the laws in your state but there is something "fishy" about the frame section on this car.
I also told him you best try and find out because the next buyer may have recourse to return the car to you if they put it up on a lift and see something deeper than I am not seeing.
He was not happy at learning all this as you can imagine and I unloaded the car and called it a wasted trip.
Moral of the story? Glad I use a truck and trailer as its not something most buyers would check outside of seeing if the frame rails where straight but noticing the holes being missing.
Who knows where this car is today...
true story
denniskirban@yahoo.com
My wife did about the same thing. Saw the black-cherry '06 Scion TC at our dealership. Called me to ask our salesman to pull it out so she could see the color in the sunlight. She drove up about 7 minutes later in her 4Runner. Told me to follow her home and she drove the TC. When we got back to the dealership, she said "I'll take it" and bought it right then and there. 2 hours later we had "another car" and made it 13 cars at the house at once.
2 for you Dennis.
:biggrin:One of the best deals I got was on a Samuria. No kidding.:biggrin: I was looking for a cheap 4WD vehicle and came across it at a local dealer. It wasn't a CJ but I decided to see what I could do. Just out of school and just about broke so I tried to see how much I could get it for. 4 times the salesman came in and tried toget me to go for it and each time I knew what NADA priced it at. Each time he said D@MN! Would walk out to talk to his manager and come back with an offer. Each time I refused and I finally got it for $1800. One of the best deals I've made since it was 3 years old and I wanted something I could take off road. I even got a free tranny out of the deal.
:biggrin:
The next one is in the first link in my sig. I graduated in 82 and always wanted a Regal. Never thought I'd get a GN though. Eddo posted a few time in the B4Black section and went out of my way to find him an engine for it. He bought it and didn't post to much after this. About 3 months after I found the engine for it he posted that if someone doesn't come get it, it's going to the crusher. I had h-ll trying to get hold of him so I could keep it a Texas car but I finally did. Bought it for $400 including engine. Granted the block is bored .060 but it's a start. I call it my "blow up engine". LOL I've got a 4.1 that needs work but the first one will be the 3.8 with my turbo mod to go into it if it survives. Second link in my sig if you guys haven't seen what I'm trying to do.:biggrin:
:biggrin:One of the best deals I got was on a Samuria. No kidding.:biggrin: I was looking for a cheap 4WD vehicle and came across it at a local dealer. It wasn't a CJ but I decided to see what I could do. Just out of school and just about broke so I tried to see how much I could get it for. 4 times the salesman came in and tried toget me to go for it and each time I knew what NADA priced it at. Each time he said D@MN! Would walk out to talk to his manager and come back with an offer. Each time I refused and I finally got it for $1800. One of the best deals I've made since it was 3 years old and I wanted something I could take off road. I even got a free tranny out of the deal.
:biggrin:The next one is in the first link in my sig. I graduated in 82 and always wanted a Regal. Never thought I'd get a GN though. Eddo posted a few time in the B4Black section and went out of my way to find him an engine for it. He bought it and didn't post to much after this. About 3 months after I found the engine for it he posted that if someone doesn't come get it, it's going to the crusher.
I had h-ll trying to get hold of him so I could keep it a Texas car but I finally did. Bought it for $400 including engine. Granted the block is bored .060 but it's a start. I call it my "blow up engine". LOL I've got a 4.1 that needs work but the first one will be the 3.8 with my turbo mod to go into it if it survives. Second link in my sig if you guys haven't seen what I'm trying to do.:biggrin:Little6pack
Active Member
- Joined
- Jun 2, 2002
Actually when PRONTO bought his car from DENNIS..
Dennis picked us up at the local metro station, took us back, offered us PIZZA, but we were were running late due to a broken down ACCELLA train... FKIN AMTRAK! So we ate at the PHILLY station to save time between metro trains.
The best part was looking at all the TOYS Dennis had
The Drive back to NH was Fun.. Just the late night Mcdonalds burger killed me from somewhere in CT. Hey no tares in PRONTOS seats from me FARTING! :biggrin:
PRONTO'S TT is IMACULATE & was a good deal.
I would call that a good experince.
Dennis picked us up at the local metro station, took us back, offered us PIZZA, but we were were running late due to a broken down ACCELLA train... FKIN AMTRAK! So we ate at the PHILLY station to save time between metro trains.
The best part was looking at all the TOYS Dennis had
The Drive back to NH was Fun.. Just the late night Mcdonalds burger killed me from somewhere in CT. Hey no tares in PRONTOS seats from me FARTING! :biggrin:
PRONTO'S TT is IMACULATE & was a good deal.
I would call that a good experince.
antiquettype
Member
- Joined
- Jul 16, 2009
Sad story
Bought a 87 t a couple years ago. Payed with a bank check when I picked the car up. The gentleman was not sure of a bank check so he wanted my license to photocopy. I gave it to him then was so excited to take the car home I forgot to get it back and he forgot to give it to me.
Got back to town and swung by where some friends were. Offered some rides and took a real cute 22 year old girl with me. Well she really liked it and it did funny things to her. She said she wanted to go to a strip club that was about 3 miles away. I told her I would go as long as we could go in the back for some dances. She said as long as she could pick the stripper, no problem. Great. Got to the stripo club and realized I had no ID when the bouncer asked for it. Doh
True story, kinda off topic
Bought a 87 t a couple years ago. Payed with a bank check when I picked the car up. The gentleman was not sure of a bank check so he wanted my license to photocopy. I gave it to him then was so excited to take the car home I forgot to get it back and he forgot to give it to me.
Got back to town and swung by where some friends were. Offered some rides and took a real cute 22 year old girl with me. Well she really liked it and it did funny things to her. She said she wanted to go to a strip club that was about 3 miles away. I told her I would go as long as we could go in the back for some dances. She said as long as she could pick the stripper, no problem. Great. Got to the stripo club and realized I had no ID when the bouncer asked for it. Doh
True story, kinda off topic
Dennis Kirban
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Mar 5, 2009
Getting some unique stories in this thread.
New Hampshire reminds me, of a GN I bought in that state. One thing it is important to realize when buying a car out of the state you reside in that you get the title and not something that appears like a title. Every state has different laws and title formats.
Example New York has lein releases that look identical to a car title. That won't fly in your state unless you get the actual title.
New Hampshire may be the only state that when the car is I believe over 10 years old a bill of sale is all that is needed...no title is required. Again chances are that won't fly in your state either when you try and register the car.
By a car from someone who is deceased, can be an issue also. You need an original death certificate to go with the title. In other words the surviving spouse (usually the wife as us guys usually go first) needs to get an original death certificate with everything that is in the deceased name to sell it. Not a copy but an original death certificate. (I have bought 3 cars from deceased owners).
Some of the rules I listed above may have changed but these are ones I came across when I did a lot of my Turbo Regal buying out of state. Heck it wasn't that many years ago in Alabama you didn't need to have any car insurance!
So, lesson here is be sure you get the title double check the VIN number to the title as that can be a stumbling block also. My state for example if two numbers/letters are reversed that can be corrected by a notary or state trooper. More than that, could be a problem.
Some states the current tag goes with the car. I know that is how it worked in Arizona years ago. I know a few people that have gotten burned and had to wait months and months to register a car because they did not get the proper title work or the lein release with the title showing it was paid off.
Leins can exist on these cars if they were high dollar examples.
Just my two cents worth....
Will do another unique story tomorrow nite.
denniskirban@yahoo.com
New Hampshire reminds me, of a GN I bought in that state. One thing it is important to realize when buying a car out of the state you reside in that you get the title and not something that appears like a title. Every state has different laws and title formats.
Example New York has lein releases that look identical to a car title. That won't fly in your state unless you get the actual title.
New Hampshire may be the only state that when the car is I believe over 10 years old a bill of sale is all that is needed...no title is required. Again chances are that won't fly in your state either when you try and register the car.
By a car from someone who is deceased, can be an issue also. You need an original death certificate to go with the title. In other words the surviving spouse (usually the wife as us guys usually go first) needs to get an original death certificate with everything that is in the deceased name to sell it. Not a copy but an original death certificate. (I have bought 3 cars from deceased owners).
Some of the rules I listed above may have changed but these are ones I came across when I did a lot of my Turbo Regal buying out of state. Heck it wasn't that many years ago in Alabama you didn't need to have any car insurance!
So, lesson here is be sure you get the title double check the VIN number to the title as that can be a stumbling block also. My state for example if two numbers/letters are reversed that can be corrected by a notary or state trooper. More than that, could be a problem.
Some states the current tag goes with the car. I know that is how it worked in Arizona years ago. I know a few people that have gotten burned and had to wait months and months to register a car because they did not get the proper title work or the lein release with the title showing it was paid off.
Leins can exist on these cars if they were high dollar examples.
Just my two cents worth....
Will do another unique story tomorrow nite.
denniskirban@yahoo.com
Little6pack
Active Member
- Joined
- Jun 2, 2002
Dennis for New Hamsphire
0 to 15 years requires a title
15 to 25 NO title required. Just a B of S.
25 and older optional if you would like to get a title. It might also be considered an antique/classic.
ALSO INSPECTION for ANTIQUE/CLASSICS is a 2 year term with NO EMMISSIONS , where all others are 1 year.
Also INSURANCE is DIRT BAG CHEAP up here. You can really shop the little geko around.
Pronto
No amount of evidence will ever persuade an idiot.
- Joined
- Dec 9, 2002
Ya that was an interesting day for sure! It was a regular Amtrak because Steve was too CHEAP to go with the Acela. The train got about 100 yards out of the station and broke down. Dennis was a very gracious host and the T met my expectations. As you see, I've had some fun with it.Actually when PRONTO bought his car from DENNIS..
Dennis picked us up at the local metro station, took us back, offered us PIZZA, but we were were running late due to a broken down ACCELLA train... FKIN AMTRAK! So we ate at the PHILLY station to save time between metro trains.
The best part was looking at all the TOYS Dennis had
The Drive back to NH was Fun.. Just the late night Mcdonalds burger killed me from somewhere in CT. Hey no tares in PRONTOS seats from me FARTING! :biggrin:
PRONTO'S TT is IMACULATE & was a good deal.
I would call that a good experince.
Little6pack
Active Member
- Joined
- Jun 2, 2002
Ya that was an interesting day for sure! It was a regular Amtrak because Steve was too CHEAP to go with the Acela. The train got about 100 yards out of the station and broke down. Dennis was a very gracious host and the T met my expectations. As you see, I've had some fun with it.
LOL YOU JINXED US.. STILL A FUN TIME.. I MUST SAY AFTER SEEING NYC & PHILLY I AM GLAD WE LIVE UP HERE.
SORRY GUYS I AM JUST NOT A BIG CITY GUY.
Pronto
No amount of evidence will ever persuade an idiot.
- Joined
- Dec 9, 2002
Now my story involves Steve buying a car for his wife. It was an Olds Omega being sold by an old Jewish man in a rich town outside of Boston. While looking at the car in his garage, I had to go to the bathroom REALLY BAD. I couldn't take it any longer and asked the man if I could PLEASE use his bathroom. I told him it was an emergency. He agreed and lead me into his house. He brought me to a small bathroom off the kitchen. By this time I was doubled over in pain. I get in there and whip my pants down and explode in the toliet. It stinks to high heaven and l look over and notice the door is half louvered. I'm farting and blasting way while the old man and his wife are right there in the kitchen. After a few minutes of my distress I hear the wife call out nervously, "Don't forget to use the squish." Needless to say when I was done I sprayed the bathroom down. I apologizied for having to go and thanked him profusely. Steve ended up buying the car. I left without messing my shorts. All's good.
John Larkin
Sublime Master of Turbology
- Joined
- May 25, 2001
ROFLMAO! Awesome.
Dennis Kirban
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Mar 5, 2009
Having read this I'd say it was kinda dumb planning to build a bathroom next to a kitchen.......
denniskirban@yahoo.com
Dennis Kirban
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Mar 5, 2009
Here goes my next story
Its around 1992-93 time frame. One of the few times I flew to go bring back a Turbo Regal. The car was located near Flint Michigan. Back then also known as Buick city. Pete Serio (window rattle guy) drove up from Columbus Ohio to meet me.
The owner of the car I was buying picked me up at the airport and the deal was done. Pete and I drove up to Flint. A friend of mine gave us a personal tour of the Buick engine factory during a normal shift. Pretty neat seeing 3800 engines being built. I also got to meet another person that would take my calls when Buick had that 800 line. This guy provided me with a lot of the unusual info that went into my first book. I only wish I had found out more about production numbers etc since it was so complicated seperating turbo regals from regular regals since they also made V8 Regals with the T-Type package etc.
Back to the story:
Its the weekend, Pete and I get a motel in a small town. I get up the next morning drive into town for breakfast. The main street is closed because of road construction. I go down a side street and notice a huge garage sale with items spread out all over the lawn. What caught my eye was even a kitchen sink was on the lawn for sale!
I have time to kill so I stop. Among the items for sale the lady has a huge array of books laid out for 25 cents and 50 cents each. Among them, happens to be a book my Dad wrote. (He wrote over 50 books several that hit 1/2 million in sales). So here I am in Michigan and there is a book my Dad wrote about 10 years earlier, for sale for a mere 25 cents.
I take it up to the lady and tell her I know this author quite well. I show her my PA drivers license as my middle name is the same as my Dads first name. I said I can go one better and call him on the phone and ask him should I pay 25 cents for his book. The lady can't believe I am related to the author.
I call my dear Dad and put him on the phone with the lady. She is shocked and can't believe it.
He asks for her address and says he will mail her a few of his other books signed as a gift.
Had their not been a kitchen sink in the yard its doubtful I would have stopped. The turbo car I bought ran great never missed a beat driving home. Once I determined I was going to buy a lot of these cars I invested in a trailer and a truck which made it getting them easier.
true story
denniskirban@yahoo.com
Its around 1992-93 time frame. One of the few times I flew to go bring back a Turbo Regal. The car was located near Flint Michigan. Back then also known as Buick city. Pete Serio (window rattle guy) drove up from Columbus Ohio to meet me.
The owner of the car I was buying picked me up at the airport and the deal was done. Pete and I drove up to Flint. A friend of mine gave us a personal tour of the Buick engine factory during a normal shift. Pretty neat seeing 3800 engines being built. I also got to meet another person that would take my calls when Buick had that 800 line. This guy provided me with a lot of the unusual info that went into my first book. I only wish I had found out more about production numbers etc since it was so complicated seperating turbo regals from regular regals since they also made V8 Regals with the T-Type package etc.
Back to the story:
Its the weekend, Pete and I get a motel in a small town. I get up the next morning drive into town for breakfast. The main street is closed because of road construction. I go down a side street and notice a huge garage sale with items spread out all over the lawn. What caught my eye was even a kitchen sink was on the lawn for sale!
I have time to kill so I stop. Among the items for sale the lady has a huge array of books laid out for 25 cents and 50 cents each. Among them, happens to be a book my Dad wrote. (He wrote over 50 books several that hit 1/2 million in sales). So here I am in Michigan and there is a book my Dad wrote about 10 years earlier, for sale for a mere 25 cents.
I take it up to the lady and tell her I know this author quite well. I show her my PA drivers license as my middle name is the same as my Dads first name. I said I can go one better and call him on the phone and ask him should I pay 25 cents for his book. The lady can't believe I am related to the author.
I call my dear Dad and put him on the phone with the lady. She is shocked and can't believe it.
He asks for her address and says he will mail her a few of his other books signed as a gift.
Had their not been a kitchen sink in the yard its doubtful I would have stopped. The turbo car I bought ran great never missed a beat driving home. Once I determined I was going to buy a lot of these cars I invested in a trailer and a truck which made it getting them easier.
true story
denniskirban@yahoo.com
Pronto
No amount of evidence will ever persuade an idiot.
- Joined
- Dec 9, 2002
I don't remember what I had ate but nothing was going to stop that action!
A bathroom near the kitchen is great. I got one. I just made sure to have a solid door and a fan!!:wink:
best deal ona we4
a friend of mine knew i was into TR'S and aske dwhat is 1 worth? i ask the year as it makes a huge diffrence. he has no idea of the year and i ask for 2 weeks to take me over to see the car he gave me a rough idea where the car was and told me it was either dark blue or black. well it only takes me a couple minutes to find the car in the guys neighborhood and it was parked in the front yard near a school and i was baffled that nobody ever stopped on this car in this small town? well when i get out of my car i realize it a 87 based on the grille but that was i figured out at this point because there was green mold growing over a lot of the car.i knocked on the door and asked if the car was for sale i told them my friend did some electrical work for them and he mentioned that the car might be for sale.the owner said it was and i asked what was he asking he said $1000. and if he could not get that he would part it out. he told me it had some issues ,tires,exhaust(original) right side power window motor shot and headliner falling down. i ask to take a look he says he would find the keys while i take a look after a couple minutes of looking i figure out it is a we4 and the frame is fine ,quarters look good.bumper fillers are good interior was beautiful and it only had 64,000 miles and the guy was the original owner! he finally comes out of the house my mind is made up i'm buying it no matter what. when he asked me if i wanted to hear it run i said sure he walked over to the garage grabbed a wrench hooked up the battery and it started and i nearly fell over.he said the car was parked 4 years prior and looked like it been there longer due to the green algae growing on it.he also gave me nos hood emblems a whole bunch of kirbans repair manuals and a nos accumlator ball which i later sold for $200.
within a month of owning it the car went from stock to running 11.88 @114
with bolt ons.
car needs doors but other than that its solid . got original title,manuals and window sticker,
the guy also was aware of ebay and knew it was a we4???? why he sold so cheap is baffling i bought it 3 1/2 years ago!
a friend of mine knew i was into TR'S and aske dwhat is 1 worth? i ask the year as it makes a huge diffrence. he has no idea of the year and i ask for 2 weeks to take me over to see the car he gave me a rough idea where the car was and told me it was either dark blue or black. well it only takes me a couple minutes to find the car in the guys neighborhood and it was parked in the front yard near a school and i was baffled that nobody ever stopped on this car in this small town? well when i get out of my car i realize it a 87 based on the grille but that was i figured out at this point because there was green mold growing over a lot of the car.i knocked on the door and asked if the car was for sale i told them my friend did some electrical work for them and he mentioned that the car might be for sale.the owner said it was and i asked what was he asking he said $1000. and if he could not get that he would part it out. he told me it had some issues ,tires,exhaust(original) right side power window motor shot and headliner falling down. i ask to take a look he says he would find the keys while i take a look after a couple minutes of looking i figure out it is a we4 and the frame is fine ,quarters look good.bumper fillers are good interior was beautiful and it only had 64,000 miles and the guy was the original owner! he finally comes out of the house my mind is made up i'm buying it no matter what. when he asked me if i wanted to hear it run i said sure he walked over to the garage grabbed a wrench hooked up the battery and it started and i nearly fell over.he said the car was parked 4 years prior and looked like it been there longer due to the green algae growing on it.he also gave me nos hood emblems a whole bunch of kirbans repair manuals and a nos accumlator ball which i later sold for $200.
within a month of owning it the car went from stock to running 11.88 @114
with bolt ons.
car needs doors but other than that its solid . got original title,manuals and window sticker,
the guy also was aware of ebay and knew it was a we4???? why he sold so cheap is baffling i bought it 3 1/2 years ago!
alwayscode390
Active Member
- Joined
- Apr 2, 2009
I bought my Syclone off Ebay ... we set up shipping but I got nervous and bought a 1 way plane ticket. Well, I made it there and saw the truck IN THE DARK. I paid WAY too much for that truck by todays standards, it was decent by THOSE DAYS standards.
I bought my 67'RS off my Aunt ... it was her BF's in High School, then hers , then mine. I purchased the car for 1/10th of the price today.
I always lusted over a TTA ... but I never searched one out. My local f-body hot rod shop had one for sale. I got it for 1/2 the retail price ... then found out it was #5 , a festival car, and 1 of 187 cloth seats. PROBABLY the best deal I have ran across ... especially considering I bought it off of a professional hot rod shop, lol ---
I bought my 67'RS off my Aunt ... it was her BF's in High School, then hers , then mine. I purchased the car for 1/10th of the price today.
I always lusted over a TTA ... but I never searched one out. My local f-body hot rod shop had one for sale. I got it for 1/2 the retail price ... then found out it was #5 , a festival car, and 1 of 187 cloth seats. PROBABLY the best deal I have ran across ... especially considering I bought it off of a professional hot rod shop, lol ---
