"hethoughtofcars" (hethoughtofcars)
02/23/2014 at 20:14 • Filed to: Buying cars
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"hethoughtofcars" (hethoughtofcars)
02/23/2014 at 20:14 • Filed to: Buying cars | 2
| 14 |
Earlier today, Lets Just Drive is Mkolabin posted an article about a !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! . There's a Celica GT in my neighborhood that's been sitting in someone's driveway half under tarps for a fairly long time.
!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!
(Yeah, that's my dog's tail in the lower corner. We were on a walk.)
It got me to thinking, if I wanted to see if the owner would sell it, how would I go about it? A note? Just walk up to the door and knock? I really have no idea. Have any of you guys tried it? Were you successful? Were you threatened with a shotgun that you had 2 seconds to get off the porch?
Freddy "Tavarish" Hernandez
> hethoughtofcars
02/23/2014 at 20:18 |
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Walk up to the door and talk to the owner. If they're not available, leave a note with your contact info. Don't be a creep and know what the car is worth and what you're willing to spend beforehand. You'll be fine.
Skif6996
> hethoughtofcars
02/23/2014 at 20:26 |
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I had a lot of people do this to my parents while I was in the army. My Plymouth was parked out back and people used to knock on the door all the time and ask about it. I think most people would be OK with it as long as you are polite. Here is one of the few photos I still have of her. This was at bracket finals in Delaware when I was 17, I think.
Tareim - V8 powered
> hethoughtofcars
02/23/2014 at 20:28 |
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have you not watched Counting Cars? Danny just goes up to the house knocks on it, says its a lovely car, asks how much they'd want for it if it were for sale
> hethoughtofcars
02/23/2014 at 20:51 |
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When I was in high school I passed a 1969 Charger that's been rotting in someone's driveway for years. The tires sank into the pavement from sitting so low. Then one day it was gone. I was so sad. Only 2 things can happen, you will either get a car or the owner will say no. If you don't fancy knocking on someone's door, you could always leave a note in the mail box with a phone number expressing your interest.
Almost A Wooden Bird
> hethoughtofcars
02/23/2014 at 21:11 |
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Yup. I bought a Camaro for $50 like this once. Saw the plates were out of date, walked up to the door of the house (with my Dad, I was like 18) and asked her what the deal was. She was angry about it because her son had bought it a ways back to fix and then never moved it because it broke down. I asked her if I could get it running in the yard if she would take the paycheck I had on hand ($50 {yes, a $50 paycheck}) and give me the car. So, I did, and she did, and then I fixed it up and sold it for a lot more! Long story short, the worst you get is a no! I tried to by some old muscle car like this once and the guy just said no.
i-do-strange-things
> hethoughtofcars
02/23/2014 at 21:12 |
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Oh yea-I've bought many many cars over the years-and very few of them were for sale.
Heres a few tips:
scan around when driving. Look in back yards-behind sheds-in garages. Look for tall grass growing around the car-stuff stacked on top-a car that doesn't get shoveled out.
Knocking on the door is your 2nd choice. Drive by on a weekend-see if you can catch someone outside.
And this is the most importiant: BE READY TO SEAL THE DEAL ON THE SPOT! If some has a car for sale for $1000, they already have that money metally spent. (" I need to invest $1k in my pool-I know-I just sell that old Toyota in the driveway." ) If you hit them blind with an offer-AND have the cash right on the spot, its "found"money in the sellers eye. Extra points to have an air can to blow up the tires-and a trailer at the ready. ("I'll get it out of here right NOW for $500.")
Nothing kills a deal like time. Don't even ask if you can't at least put down a sizable deposit right now. Time to think it over might be time to change their mind-or call their cousin that showed interest in it 2 years ago. I've had this happen.
whoarder is tellurium
> hethoughtofcars
02/23/2014 at 21:26 |
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Just after I moved last year, I had a local guy offer to buy my G35 Coupe on the spot. He lived in the same neighborhood and after a week or so of him staring at it as he drove by, one day he finally stopped and offered to buy on the spot.
Just be very careful, courteous and straight forward. Know that you're at the mercy of the owner but you want to make it happen. Have money ready and be generally flexible. I ended up selling it to him, but it took myself a few hours to decide...mainly because it was my only car and I was still attached to it.
Best part, I was able to get what I needed out of it- value wise.
webmonkees
> hethoughtofcars
02/23/2014 at 21:39 |
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Yep, a '67 Shiftomatic Beetle. VW fans may note that's about the worst one to get.
Left a note, made an offer. Dragged it to the house, got the engine running.
Then the trans stopped working. Backwards tow later, Eventually sold. Only because I have a '74, which every 5-8 months I'll get the walk-up offer. .
Problem is, (speaking as a vintage-parked-car-needing-work owner) that I couldn't afford to buy the car again, but if you have the budget to take on that project, someday I may give in.
Or I'll get that motor and floorpan done and roll out on my own. It keeps me from going out and leaving a note on another aircooled VW. I already got one.
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hethoughtofcars
> webmonkees
02/23/2014 at 22:12 |
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I wouldn't say it's the worst . The only thing "wrong" with it in a collector's opinion would be the transmission. My first car was a '69 Beetle, and I'd pretty safely say that '67 is the last of the really collectible years. I'd say worst is probably something along the line of a Super Beetle hardtop (of any year, really). Maybe a 411/412 if we're including all air-cooled VWs. :)
Definitely interesting to hear the prospective of someone who does get those "knocks on the door".
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hethoughtofcars
> Tareim - V8 powered
02/23/2014 at 22:15 |
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Yeah I've seen it. He doesn't just knock on their door, sometimes he tracks them down in traffic! I don't have anything near his personality though, and having a camera crew following you while you're doing it probably gets more people to open up. :)
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Skif6996
> Skif6996
02/23/2014 at 22:18 |
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I lied. Now that I actually looked at the picture it is obviously in PA. The whole "Keystone" part gave it away.
JACU - I've got bonifides.
> Skif6996
02/24/2014 at 00:27 |
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A valiant effort regardless.
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Tareim - V8 powered
> hethoughtofcars
02/24/2014 at 02:43 |
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Yeah I probably wouldn't advise getting someone on the road to pull over without the camera crew haha
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Skif6996
> JACU - I've got bonifides.
02/24/2014 at 06:59 |
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I see what you did there...
It's actually a Scamp, but the joke still stands.