Who has bought a Kirban car.........

[JOHNDEEREGN]

Was it what you expected and how were you treated.

 

[striker_29]

I have never bought one from them, but have never heard anything but good about them and their cars. I'm sure some others will chime in with testimonials.

 

[JOHNDEEREGN]

niceeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

Lookin GN striker

 

[striker_29]

Thanks man, they arent the best pics in the world. She actually needs a new tint job bad! Thanks again!

 

[turbosam6]

Well, I've never bought a car from him, but I was going to. I had the cash in hand, trailer hooked up, and a buddy to help me make the 16 hour drive. I called Dennis to inquire about one of his cars I saw on his web site, and told him my situation with the long drive and stuff. I said I had the cash in hand, plus about $2000 extra to buy some parts from him while I was there. I asked if he could meet me on a saturday, since thats the only time we could make it. Not only would he not do it, he also said he didn't really have time to talk to me about it over the phone. He was such an insufferable prick to me I said screw it and bought one elsewhere. Mines better than the car he had anyway, but to treat a potential customer like that, he's a first class ass hole in my book. I know lots of guys have had good luck with him, but not me. I did however spend thousands of dollars on parts with him, only to get d!cked around when one $50 dollar part was bad. I had to fight to get a store credit for it, much less a refund. I hope he sat on that t type I was going to buy, he deserves it. I will no longer spend any money with him, very unprofessional and not worth it when theres other good vendors to choose from.

 

[Buicksx2]

I bought a car from Kirban back in 1994. It was an 87 white limited with blue interior and blackout package. At the tim eI bought I dont believe he was as much into selling cars or he was just about getting into finding and selling them.

Car had 61k on it and we spent alot of time looking over the car and I told him I'd take it. Of course I made the obligatory $500 less than the asking price offer. He declined and said the longer I keep the car the more I add to it like braces etc etc aka "Kirbanize" it.

So for $500 I wasnt about to lose this car as it was all stock and sweet. So I paid the asking price and picked it up a few days later.

A couple months later I took the car to E-town for a Buick event and Denis was there and we got to talking, he told me he sold me that car too cheap, I just chuckled and asked him if he wanted to buy it back 6 grand more then he sold it to me, needless to say he declined.

I guess Turbo T Limiteds (1 of 1035) in white with blue benchseat interiors, column shifters and blackout packages with 61,000 on it for $8400 are too cheap.

Car is still in garage with 67k on it and aint going anywhere.

 

[WakkoSS]

If you look at his website and see 1998....$6k, went to Florida, that's me. I saw it on his website, called him and he told me the following: Car needs paint badly, has mint interior, runs like a top, has one dent the size of a softball on the driver's door and needs absolutely nothing else. He said he had it a year since people kept coming to buy it and would kick in more money to buy a nicer example.

I went ahead and booked the flight with my buddy, flew up and got there at noon. The interior was super nice, though not quite perfect. Paint WAS shot, but had more dents than the one. The front bumper had taken a smack on the left side and been pulled back out. Front suspension was so bad the tires cambered in. Fired it up, took it for a ride and he didn't seem to want to let me drive it very far. It ran well, but not GREAT. Had the usual rough TR idle, but it seemed like it was missing. At the time, I didn't know much about TRs and when he said it had dirty injectors from sitting so long, I believed him.

I bought the car for $6400 (and my stock radio I took out on the spot) and in the trunk were new springs (front and rear), AVC GNX dash, under hood braces and GNX louvers. Installed on the car already were the frame braces, missing bushings (he said, I never checked) and a chrome powermaster cover. Drove it home with the TTops off and was in my driveway by noon the next day. The car STILL had a miss, even though I had run lots of fuel cleaner through it, so I eventually replaced the injectors with a new set of stockers. DIDN'T fix it. Car was slow....I'd barely keep up to Impala SS's.

Anyway, I brought the car to Cal Hartline who tested the coil pack and discovered it to be no good. He also did a leakdown test and found #3 cylinder was something like 80 psi and number 4 was 95 or so. Replacing the valve springs did nothing to help. I eventually brought the car to GN/T Performance in Sarasota for a completely new engine and suspension and that's where she was dismantled and sold for parts. See my website for the before and after pictures.

I'll still deal with Kirban for some stuff, but I feel he intentionally misled me on the car. The price was good and I enjoyed the car for 12k miles with no real problems, but overall I was disappointed with the lack of information provided. I shoulda known better though and when I bought my latest TR with 34k miles on it, I checked it out tight and have never regretted it.

 

[SuperSix]

I've not heard good things, I hear he's not exactly forthright in regards the the car's condition, and generally somewhat dishonest. *I* wouldn't buy one from him..

 

[Chris Cornett]

Kirban is a joke. Ever see some of the prices he gets for his cars. Worst part is people are buying them. I wont even buy parts from him. You can usually find the same part elsewhere for cheaper. Just an opinion though.

 

[Turtle TR]

There were a few guys that bought cars from Kirbans. None of them on forums. I wonder what condition their car's are.

 

[JOHNDEEREGN]

thats why I posted fellas

Just wanting opinions, good and bad.

Thanks again

 

[Gr82baGN]

My experience was a positive one. I paid a little more for what I felt would be a solid ride and the investment paid off. The car gave me no problems and the condition of the car was exactly as described. I was the first (39,500 mile, NJ) GN sold in 2000. Except for some dings and a few surface scratches she pretty much still looks the same now, 45,000 miles later. You can see pics at www.michaelsamman.com just follow the links to my gn.

 

[Pronto]

I bought my T from Kirban last fall. He sent me LOTS of good close clear pics of the car. In the pics I noticed some defects and he explained them to me. Now being from NE I had seen too many rust buckets. This car was acceptable shape for that and the interior was super. My friend and I took the train down to PA. The trip down was a nightmare. The train broke down about 2 miles from the station. We didn't get into the town near him until late afternoon-5 hours late. I telephoned him about my problem and he understood. He picked us up at the station and we went to his house. He showed me the car which was in better shape than I expected. He had added a Hooker catback, bushings and braces, fuel filter, air filter and Delco battery and battery wires and mats. He showed us his other cars for sale including a 3k mile GN that was unbelievable. My friend fell in love with a nice white T with blue interior but he wasn't in a position to deal. Next he showed us his personal GN with the GNX suspension. His wife was very nice and they (his family was there) were going to have pizza for dinner. They invited us for dinner but it was already 6pm and we had a good 6 hour drive ahead of us so we declined. My buddy and I drove back with no problems. The car ran fine and it was very comfortable. Now I know I payed more than I could have but I didn't feel ripped off. Being new to TBs I didn't want something that had been modded too much or beat to death all it life. This car was stock and lightly driven. I really enjoy the car. I found Kirban easy to talk to and very personable. I don't know why others have had problems with him. My trip down was so bad I was really thankfull the car was good and he was cool. If your interested in something he has call him yourself and make up your own mind.

 

[Little6pack]

After meeting Dennis I thought he was very nice.

I think a few folks here that don't like him may have a little to much attitude.

Some folks don't understand that he is a business man & sometimes when you call he can't always be 100 percent
attentive. I am sure he has a life & can't be at every potential customers beck & call.

I look at it this way. He sells stuff for our cars & he is out finding some nice stuff to resell.

I am sure some cars have had problems. Then again same thing when you buy a daily driver or from a dealership. How many people have been burned with getting a lemon at a dealer?

 

[Rogue Leader]

Never bought his cars, but his sales records were very helpful in getting the true value of my GN outta my insurance company when it got stolen and stripped.

 

[Chris Cornett]

I think a few folks here that don't like him may have a little to much attitude.


That is not the case at all. I have talked to him and would not buy parts from him much less a car. Have you ever seen some of the junk he is asking 7-9K for in person? I have and it is just that junk. I can handle that, if someone will pay for it more power to him. I had my GN for sale and he offered me 9K for it. When I told him to get bent he said well I'm just tellin ya what the car is worth and that is what you will get for it. He is a pompus ass and I am not saying that he never has nice cars because thats not true. You had just be ready to pay for it. Here are a few pics of the above mentioned car. I brought it home and sold it for $13,500.

http://community.webshots.com/scripts/editPhotos.fcgi?action=viewall&albumID=79421366

 

[Little6pack]

Yeah nice link! No workie

BTW the 2 cars I saw when I was there were really nice.
A white T with blue inside & a low mile super clean GN.

Heck somebody is buying from him.

 

[2quiktocare]

Well to paraphrase an old saying, you can please all the people some of the time, some of the people some of the time, and some of the people none of the time. He is a businessman and if he wasn't available when you were, that isn't something to call him a jerk over. If he is selling something at a higher price than you think it is worth, that doesn't make him a jerk. If he offers you less than what you can get on the retail market for a car, that doesn't make him a jerk either. We all approach selling a car as Kirban does. When we are selling, it is worth much more than when we are buying. Everyone has that attitude. If someone is selling something at a higher price than you think it is worth, then go buy it from someone that is charging what you think is right. It doesn't make someone a bad business person to try and make a maximum profit. If he has too high of prices it will hurt his business. You do have freedom of choice, as well as responsibility to not bad mouth someone that didn't give up his personal time to sell you a car, or wanted more than you were willing to pay for it, or not wanting to give you what you wanted for a car. It's just the market. Obviously there are many that are happy because he is doing well from what I can see.
I'm not trying to step on toes here, but why does he have to make himself totally available to you at your convenience to sell you a car? And why does he have to sell you a car at less than he wants for it? And why does he have to pay you more than he is willing to pay to buy your car? After all, you are the one wanting to make the deal. How can you say someone else has a bad attitude when you are the one that tells him to get stuffed?
Just a few thoughts. Like I have told my kids, when you go to buy a car, never act emotionally, and always be prepared to walk away from any deal. Sounds like many here could use that advice also.,,,,,,,,,,,Mark

 

[Chris Cornett]

The link works for me.

This is just my experience with the guy thats all. He approached me about my car, not the other way around. As I said he has some nice cars too, but be ready to pay for them. He all but told me my car was a piece of junk to my face. That kind of bothered me especially when I seen what he was selling. He can have his own opinion thats cool. I just want this person to know what I knew about him thats all. I realize he is in business to make money, or he would not be there. I just think some of his cars are junk and he is lookin to get way too much for them.

 

[WakkoSS]

Originally posted by 2quiktocare always be prepared to walk away from any deal. Sounds like many here could use that advice also.,,,,,,,,,,,Mark

Hard to do when you and a buddy fly up from Florida to Pennsylvania on a weekend during final exams in college. Also when the budget has been squeezed to fund those plane tickets.