"MonkeePuzzle" (monkeypuzzle)
03/29/2018 at 09:44 • Filed to: None
5
11|
"MonkeePuzzle" (monkeypuzzle)
03/29/2018 at 09:44 • Filed to: None | 5
| 11 |
i dont mind used cars, but I cant bear liars and deceptive tactics
I googled “garbage honda civic”
In my ongoing hunt for a rare thing, an acceptable mid 90s Honda, I’ve test driven quite a few now. None have been up to my desires, but none have been an outright lie like last night’s endeavour. Not only was it an hour away (yay, 2hr roadtrip) it was a complete waste of time.
The Lies:
- has it passed emissions with the current engine swap? yes
actually... engine went in 2 weeks ago, no test since
- does the a/c work? yes
to quote him when I was there in person “yes.. it works, but has no gas right now”
- do all the features work, power windows locks mirrors? yes
a summary: windows, eh, sorta. locks yes! mirrors... well they move (more sort of a shimmy when the buttons are pushed), but they can be moved to a position that doesn’t stare straight down at the road
- smoked in? never
MAYBE it wasn’t smoked in, BUT, I smelled so bad of car freshener spray that my wife was legit gagging when I got back to our car
Of course a quick test drive revealed
- illegally dark, like basically just black painted, windows
- an undimmable ricer gauge cluster
- paper towels somehow structural to keeping the headlights in
- random wires unplugged and hidden in the engine bay
- poorly installed stereo just rolling around the trunk
- unbelievable rattles bangs and crashes when driving
- constant massage of shaking when at idle
It LOOKED good though. And the wife approved of the look, so that’s one step forward. Off to test drive another local prospect tonight, and then my next choice is a roadtrip away to Wyoming.
Arrivederci
> MonkeePuzzle
03/29/2018 at 10:05 |
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I’ve never really dealt with outright lies like that, but maybe neglectful misinformation.
A couple years ago when I was searching for a Cayman S, I located what looked like a nice example in pictures at a Porsche dealer about three hours away. I called and spoke with a salesman, he did a virtual walkaround with me as I pinged him with all sorts of questions about its appearance, history, etc. It sounded like something I wanted, so I make an appointment and head up there on a Saturday to check it out. The car looked as if it had been driven behind a gravel truck most of its life. Nose completely sandblasted, up the hood, mirrors, even the leading edge of the roof. I was so disappointed and a little pissed that I wasted six hours on a Saturday for this.
More recent example when my wife’s car was totaled, she wanted to replace it with a Kia Sorento. Find a nice year-old example at a Kia dealer about 90 minutes away. I talk to the salesman and ask about its condition, any damage, smells, etc. He replies all is fine, so I set an appointment and we go to look at it. I see them pull it up and it has window visors. Uh oh. Climb in and it smells like an ashtray. Turned out the salesman was a smoker, so he didn’t notice the smell. Ugh, massive waste of time.
HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles
> MonkeePuzzle
03/29/2018 at 10:08 |
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Used car shopping is not always fun, and I think we’ve all had a experience like that, mine was a e36 325i. Just a pile of poorly maintained, stupidly modified, rusty garbage that didn’t live up to the CL ad even tho the ad was bad too.
I hope the next one is better.
Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
> MonkeePuzzle
03/29/2018 at 10:22 |
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I love car browsing, but really don’t like it when it gets to the actual shopping part. Even the guy I bought the IS from kept his cards close. I had to really milk information out of him. Once he knew that I knew that he knew, and I knew that he knew that I knew what he knew, we were able to make a deal.
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MonkeePuzzle
> Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
03/29/2018 at 10:28 |
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right! you get to the part where you are both looking at the hole of rust in the rear quarter, and you poke it with you finger and chunks fall out, the seller will STILL claim no rust
“oh that? thats nothing”
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MonkeePuzzle
> HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles
03/29/2018 at 10:29 |
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I’ve seen plenty of garbage, but mostly it was advertised as garbage, not advertised as a rare diamond.
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MonkeePuzzle
> Arrivederci
03/29/2018 at 10:30 |
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it is immensely frustrating when you know you have asked all the right questions and they still fail to inform you.
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Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
> MonkeePuzzle
03/29/2018 at 10:37 |
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My guy did the thing where I would discover flaws for which he had no explanation - or - he said it was like that when he bought it. In hindsight, I believe he was on the up-and-up, but at the time my assumption was I DON’T BELIEVE YOU
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MonkeePuzzle
> Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
03/29/2018 at 10:38 |
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buyer: *starts car*
car: *belts squeek loudly*
seller: *faux look of shock and expression* “huh, its NEVER done THAT before!”
Chuckles
> Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
03/29/2018 at 10:49 |
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This is why I usually just stay in the “endlessly browsing craigslist” stage of car buying. It’s safer there, and you can dream about cars without being brought back down to reality.
Kiltedpadre
> MonkeePuzzle
03/29/2018 at 11:11 |
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My worst was with a shady used car dealers in the late 90’s.
I knew going in the place had a reputation. Supposedly that was all in the past because this was a whole new company and owner that had bought the lot after the previous dealer’s owner was prosecuted for odometer fraud.
My buddy wants to stop and look at what I believe was a 1961 Cadillac; though it may have been a ‘62. I don’t recall the year for certain but remember it was being advertised as “complete and all original.”
We’re walking around the car looking around. I pop the hood, and here comes the guy that owns the lot to unlock the doors and try and make the sale.
First thing I noticed as he was walking up was it wasn’t the right motor. I don’t say anything because I want to see if he’ll fess up. He opens the door and hasn’t said anything yet, but I then notice the front seat isn’t right either. It sits in the right spot on the driver’s side, but there’s a big gap between the seat and the passenger side door. They had taken a seat from a narrower car and stuck it in.
He finally gets past the hellos to talk about how wonderful the car is, and I just can’t take it. I cut him off and say; “I’m assuming since you’re saying this is all original the right engine and front seat are in your shop somewhere?”
He tries to claim by “all original” it just means none of the sheet metal was replaced after an accident. Needless to say we left.
Schaef_Camaero Z/28
> MonkeePuzzle
03/29/2018 at 14:08 |
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I was in a similar situation with a lawn tractor that I sold last spring. It had never not started for me. I pulled it out in the front yard early so it was easy for the buyer to see & so that it was cold when he got here. He pulls up with his truck and trailer, we talk about the mower for a bit and then when he went to start it the damn thing would-not-start. It was embarrassing. 10 minutes after he left, it started right up & I put it back in the garage..