Selling beaters sucks.

"Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo" (thetomselleck)
04/22/2015 at 22:05 • Filed to: tercel

My ‘89 Pickup was remarkably easy to sell. I had a few days of silence, but the first guy who looked at it bought it, and for more than I thought I would get. The Tercels... they have not been so easy.

Frankly I don’t want a lot of money for them. At this point, I would just like them gone. I sunk so much money into the blue one it’s pathetic. There is no expectation to profit, break even, or even salvage funds. I really wish I could keep the bronze one, but like I said, from gigantic gravel driveway to one-car garage (we have five cars). ((I live in excess and am a bad person)).

I have had multiple people knock on my door asking about them. They have not panned out. One guy wasted a good hour of my time talking about all the cool cars he’s owned, asked maybe two questions about my car. He then kept talking About himself. It was going nowhere slowly. My wife had to basically rescue me and shoo him away.

I had someone emailing me if my cat was included with the car (she was on the hood in a photo).

I had another person who just wanted the steering column, and even sent me a detailed diagram of the thing. I told him I was not parting the car out.

I could make more parting these out, over time, for sure. But I don’t have the time, patience, or place to store a heap of disassembled Japanese wagons.

I also had an interesting Tercel enthusiast email me and I called him up. He owns an immaculate ‘87 and has apparently owned (and flipped) many. It was a lengthy conversation, suddenly uprooted by a quick turn to pricing where he told me after how great the cars are, that mine are worthless because they are ugly. He said he won’t pay a cent over $1000 for both. It is nonegotiable, but his offer is “always on the table.” Nothing he said was necessarily wrong, but it felt very eerie. He became aggressive, and condescending, after buttering my up for a few minutes. I feel like he’s done this before... because he has. He said he literally just emails everyone in the continental United States that has a Tercel wagon for sale. When I hung up, I could only sigh. I will gladly sell them for less to not-that-guy, like someone who actually needs a car.

If the cars are worthless, then I should just scrap them. 600-700 from a junkyard in hand is better than 1000 from a flipper in the bush.

DISCUSSION (24)

CB > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
04/22/2015 at 22:15

If I weren’t on the other side of the country/border, I’d pick up the 4WD one.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > CB
04/22/2015 at 22:19

They are both 4WD, actually.

Slant6 > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
04/22/2015 at 22:24

Any chance the bronze one could make it from whatever Midwest state you’re in (Im on mobile so I can’t find out from your posts easily) all the way to NC? My friends and I are planing a senior road trip and one of them wants a car to use in college that’s cheap and awd.

Zipppy, Mazdurp builder, Probeski owner and former ricerboy > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
04/22/2015 at 22:29

I’ll take the other one too.

I'll take 911 RS for $5000 > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
04/22/2015 at 22:29

I wish I could help solve your problem, but you’re a bit far (just the entire continental US away...). That and another car would make the next 3 months needlessly complicated and expensive.

Darn.

norskracer98-ExploringTheOutback > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
04/22/2015 at 22:30

Pretty much the same thing CB said. Of course I also wouldn’t want to get one all rusty in this hell pit of rust.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > norskracer98-ExploringTheOutback
04/22/2015 at 22:35

But the bronze one comes pre-rusted! :)

Matthew Phillips > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
04/22/2015 at 22:36

Heck.... I wish you were selling those tercel a around February, I most likely would have bought one instead of my vic. Towing couldn't be more than $500 extra.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > Slant6
04/22/2015 at 22:41

505 asked me before if it could make it to New York. In all honesty, I would brave it (because I have been this entire time), but the front boots are torn and it clunks. Tires nice (and possibly worth the value of the car, haha). I know it would “not be my problem,” but I would feel like shit if the cv gave out on such a long road trip.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > Matthew Phillips
04/22/2015 at 22:43

Don’t worry, the vic is a wonderful choice too!

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > Zipppy, Mazdurp builder, Probeski owner and former ricerboy
04/22/2015 at 22:47

You can take it — I won’t stop you or anyone else (except that mean guy on the phone)

Slant6 > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
04/22/2015 at 22:49

I understand. I was in the same situation selling my convertible last fall. This kid at my school wanted to buy it so badly but I couldn’t sell it to him. There were too many unknowns. Ended up selling it to an older man who knew everything that was wrong for $1500. I’m sure there’s a Tercel enthusiast out there that isn’t a jerk that will buy them from you.

Zipppy, Mazdurp builder, Probeski owner and former ricerboy > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
04/22/2015 at 22:50

what if...

that mean guy was me..

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > Zipppy, Mazdurp builder, Probeski owner and former ricerboy
04/22/2015 at 22:54

Then I would probably have to blog about it again

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > Slant6
04/22/2015 at 22:56

Yeah! I’m being as transparent as possible, want a pitiful amount of money, and would be really excited if some kid who wrecked his car was broke and just needed a car to get by. Which is exactly how I bought my first pickup. I guess kids these days have higher standards than me

Slant6 > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
04/22/2015 at 23:07

Yes. They do. None of my friends believe me when I say I bought my Saab for $400. Or that I bought another one for $750. I splurged with the $1400 tacoma but it ran AND stopped when I bought it so it was basically a new car.

I drive the shitiest cars at school. But that makes me look cool in a way.

norskracer98-ExploringTheOutback > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
04/22/2015 at 23:13

Don’t tempt me! There’s also like a 3,000 mile gap between us...

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > Slant6
04/22/2015 at 23:14

My current pickup was $1000 and I’ve spent maybe $40 on it since. I was stunned when the guy I bought that one from said he had so much trouble selling it. It was a kick ass 35-year old pickup for $1000! There are people that make less than me that finance for a fully loaded Ram 2500 so the can haul six piece of wood to a job site. *throws up hands*

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > norskracer98-ExploringTheOutback
04/22/2015 at 23:17

I always wanted to road trip in it. Never went camping in it, never drove it through fresh snow... there are many regrets.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
04/22/2015 at 23:18

Oops, sorry, I think 505 said he was in Maine, not NY... maybe... anyway. Sorry!

norskracer98-ExploringTheOutback > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
04/22/2015 at 23:21

Come drive it to NY in like January, fresh snow AND a road trip all at once!

NoneOfYourBiz > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
04/23/2015 at 08:54

Took me forever to sell my Tercel and it was in reasonably good shape. (a 1992, mind you)

No idea why but it sat in a driveway for months before some kid scooped it for something like $300. I probably would have been better just sending it to a scrap metal place.

handsoff > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
04/26/2015 at 17:42

Saw your listings, can't believe you still have both of them!

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > handsoff
04/27/2015 at 00:10

I’d take way less than I’m asking too, hence the “OBO” part. I am actually amazed how slow this has been.