Looks like a nice car and the bids are now at $8,500 + shipping. I can't see how the bid got this high as bidding for a car online sight unseen is a risky proposition. That powertrain could be very good or it could be very bad.
------------------ " THE BLACK PARALYZER" -87GT 3800SC Series III engine, custom ZZP /Frozen Boost Intercooler setup, 3.4" Pulley, Northstar TB, LS1 MAF, 3" Spintech/Hedman Exhaust, P-log Manifold, Autolite 104's, MSD wires, Custom CAI, 4T65eHD w. custom axles, Champion Radiator, S10 Brake Booster, HP Tuners VCM Suite. "THE COLUSSUS" 87GT - ALL OUT 3.4L Turbocharged engine, Garrett Hybrid Turbo, MSD ign., modified TH125H " ON THE LOOSE WITHOUT THE JUICE "
Looks like a nice car and the bids are now at $8,500 + shipping. I can't see how the bid got this high as bidding for a car online sight unseen is a risky proposition. That powertrain could be very good or it could be very bad.
People purchase vintage and late model vehicles every day long-distance sight-unseen, anywhere for $2000 to $200,000 and everything in between.
Yes it is risky, very risky, that is why you should hire a reputable independent inspector/appraiser who is located in close proximity to the vehicle to evaluate it in-person. While that doesn't eliminate all the risk, if you do your own homework and hire an inspector/appraiser it will eliminate 90% of the risk, and most people are comfortable with that, especially when its a hard-to-find specific car they have been wanting for a very long time.
That is what I do for my full-time occupation, people buy $50,000 cars every week sight-unseen and have them shipped cross country or overseas based on my in-person evaluations, and I could tell you so many stories about motor vehicle fraud that would blow your socks off.
[This message has been edited by Skybax (edited 06-14-2021).]
I hear you on that one and yes sending someone knowledgeable to inspect is best before payment is made. Once you pay you own it. I've been screwed a few times on "good used parts" that turned out to be garbage. One was for a transmission. After they arrive at your house good luck getting a refund.
------------------ " THE BLACK PARALYZER" -87GT 3800SC Series III engine, custom ZZP /Frozen Boost Intercooler setup, 3.4" Pulley, Northstar TB, LS1 MAF, 3" Spintech/Hedman Exhaust, P-log Manifold, Autolite 104's, MSD wires, Custom CAI, 4T65eHD w. custom axles, Champion Radiator, S10 Brake Booster, HP Tuners VCM Suite. "THE COLUSSUS" 87GT - ALL OUT 3.4L Turbocharged engine, Garrett Hybrid Turbo, MSD ign., modified TH125H " ON THE LOOSE WITHOUT THE JUICE "
People purchase vintage and late model vehicles every day long-distance sight-unseen, anywhere for $2000 to $200,000 and everything in between.
Yes it is risky, very risky, that is why you should hire a reputable independent inspector/appraiser who is located in close proximity to the vehicle to evaluate it in-person. While that doesn't eliminate all the risk, if you do your own homework and hire an inspector/appraiser it will eliminate 90% of the risk, and most people are comfortable with that, especially when its a hard-to-find specific car they have been wanting for a very long time.
That is what I do for my full-time occupation, people buy $50,000 cars every week sight-unseen and have them shipped cross country or overseas based on my in-person evaluations, and I could tell you so many stories about motor vehicle fraud that would blow your socks off.
Curious who you work for or if your private. Shoot me a message.
Bring a Trailer is basically a new Ebay that is only for selling cars and original or custom. Just like everything sold online there are risks. The majority of it though is very hard and unique cars. Another thing I find fairly cool about it, is they tell you that you get one chance to sell it typically. Makes it more enticing to bid the 1st time. Ron's Chop sold for $20k. If I ever sold the Great Blue Chop, it would go on there too. I love PFF and keeping it in the community but money talks.
Curious who you work for or if your private. Shoot me a message.
Myself, that's why I recommended and underlined reputable independent above because the majority of national chain companies sub the work out to part-time contractors nationwide, and its often subpar/spotty service because the contractors are mostly one-dimensional (ex-mechanic, ex-auto body man, semi-retired, Ford Guy, Chevy Guy, etc) so the majority don't have the experience/skill set/professionalism required to properly evaluate Vehicle-A one day and Vehicle-Z the next day or anything in-between. If you are buying a car long-distance sight-unseen you definitely want to hire a reputable full-time independent auto inspector appraiser.
PS: Worse yet...
Finance companies have "their own inspectors" when somebody decides to finance their dream car from "approved dealers" so they have you covered (cough)
Again, the amount of motor vehicle fraud I encounter is plentiful, not much different than other big issues the world is facing currently, fraud is ramped right now.
[This message has been edited by Skybax (edited 06-19-2021).]
Myself, that's why I recommended and underlined reputable independent above because the majority of national chain companies sub the work out to part-time contractors nationwide, and its often subpar/spotty service because the contractors are mostly one-dimensional (ex-mechanic, ex-auto body man, semi-retired, Ford Guy, Chevy Guy, etc) so the majority don't have the experience/skill set/professionalism required to properly evaluate Vehicle-A one day and Vehicle-Z the next day or anything in-between. If you are buying a car long-distance sight-unseen you definitely want to hire a reputable full-time independent auto inspector appraiser.
PS: Worse yet...
Finance companies have "their own inspectors" when somebody decides to finance their dream car from "approved dealers" so they have you covered (cough)
Again, the amount of motor vehicle fraud I encounter is plentiful, not much different than other big issues the world is facing currently, fraud is ramped right now.
I work as an Writer for a large auction company you've probably heard of and know exactly what your talking about. There are people who have been in the position for 20+ years that will come to me with questions as they don't know mechanical, and don't know body work. Regardless of the brand they all have there short comings.
As far as the fraud the amount of cars that come through with "CLEAN CARFAX" written all over them that I find Frame damage is probably 8 out 10.
Worse than that is when a seller doesn't do there homework and isn't aware of what they have (or at least are pretending). I was asked to look one a Shelby Mustang (One of the last ones Carol Shelby was alive for with a signed dash) with Minimal amount of miles that spent a good chunk of life on the showroom floor or storage. Long story short front end was resprayed and the seller decided to come in and voice his frustrations and tell us how I was wrong. Needless to say we educated him and he pulled the car from auction. About a year later is came back, and I wrote it again. No complaints this time.
I work as an Writer for a large auction company you've probably heard of and know exactly what your talking about. There are people who have been in the position for 20+ years that will come to me with questions as they don't know mechanical, and don't know body work. Regardless of the brand they all have there short comings.
As far as the fraud the amount of cars that come through with "CLEAN CARFAX" written all over them that I find Frame damage is probably 8 out 10.
Worse than that is when a seller doesn't do there homework and isn't aware of what they have (or at least are pretending). I was asked to look one a Shelby Mustang (One of the last ones Carol Shelby was alive for with a signed dash) with Minimal amount of miles that spent a good chunk of life on the showroom floor or storage. Long story short front end was resprayed and the seller decided to come in and voice his frustrations and tell us how I was wrong. Needless to say we educated him and he pulled the car from auction. About a year later is came back, and I wrote it again. No complaints this time.
Right on the money. My sister in-law purchased a low mileage car that actually came from the Manheim auction. Clean Car Fax but it was later discovered that the car had been in a serious accident. Car Fax did not post that info until three months after the purchase was made. I put the car on the lift and thankfully there was no frame damage but the entire front cross member, transmission and suspension had been replaced. If I were to consider buying a car online, I would travel to the location to inspect myself before laying down big money. I would request to do a scan, drive the car and check all of the areas for rust and accident damage. People do buy cars online every day but many of these newer cars still have the warranty in place. With a Fiero you have no warranty. Too big a risk for me to take.
------------------ " THE BLACK PARALYZER" -87GT 3800SC Series III engine, custom ZZP /Frozen Boost Intercooler setup, 3.4" Pulley, Northstar TB, LS1 MAF, 3" Spintech/Hedman Exhaust, P-log Manifold, Autolite 104's, MSD wires, Custom CAI, 4T65eHD w. custom axles, Champion Radiator, S10 Brake Booster, HP Tuners VCM Suite. "THE COLUSSUS" 87GT - ALL OUT 3.4L Turbocharged engine, Garrett Hybrid Turbo, MSD ign., modified TH125H " ON THE LOOSE WITHOUT THE JUICE "
Originally posted by Dennis LaGrua: If I were to consider buying a car online, I would travel to the location to inspect myself before laying down big money. I would request to do a scan, drive the car and check all of the areas for rust and accident damage. People do buy cars online every day but many of these newer cars still have the warranty in place. With a Fiero you have no warranty. Too big a risk for me to take.
The problem I run into when it comes to those customers is (the ones that can't decide whether to travel/look themselves or hire me).....
As enthusiasts they certainly know a lot about the car they want to buy, however at the end of the day the majority are hobbyists and they don't do inspections/appraisals as an occupation, so 90% of the time after the evaluation they always say afterwards..... "glad I hired you because I never would have thought of this, that, and other"
I've gravitated away from newer cars over the years (for many reasons) and do mostly vintage autos nowadays.
[This message has been edited by Skybax (edited 06-20-2021).]
The problem I run into when it comes to those customers is (the ones that can't decide whether to travel/look themselves or hire me).....
As enthusiasts they certainly know a lot about the car they want to buy, however at the end of the day the majority are hobbyists and they don't do inspections/appraisals as an occupation, so 90% of the time after the evaluation they always say afterwards..... "glad I hired you because I never would have thought of this, that, and other"
I've gravitated away from newer cars over the years (for many reasons) and do mostly vintage autos nowadays.
I'm split. The newer stuff tends to have a set standard as far as quality control goes where as the older stuff sometimes the factory quality and symmetry wasn't there.
Originally posted by Skybax: That is why you should hire a reputable independent inspector/appraiser who is located in close proximity to the vehicle to evaluate it in-person. While that doesn't eliminate all the risk, if you do your own homework and hire an inspector/appraiser it will eliminate 90% of the risk.
That's what I did when I found my '88 Fiero GT with sunroof delete two states away 6 years ago. Before I agreed to a price, I hired a local mechanic that specializes in classic cars to do inspection for me. The seller brought the car to their garage which is only few miles away. Guess what the inspector did? He tried to buy the car behind my back. I was pissed as hell.
Lucky for me, I got the car for $500 more, but cheaper than seller's asking price.
You didn't hire a reputable independent full-time inspector/appraiser that specializes in that field, which is what this entire discussion was about, because if you did there is a 99% chance that wouldn't happen because that is their sole occupation/reputation, not a side job and not an unknown subcontractor hiding behind a corporate curtain. You hired a local mechanic, and a dishonorable one at that.
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Here's my advice. Do NOT trust anyone. PERIOD.
Reminds me of a story from the early 1970's when 2 young boys were training at a temple, they went to the market and were robbed...
The elder Master Kahn asked the 2 boys... "what did you learn?"
HoFong said... "never trust a stranger!" (your response)
Originally posted by Skybax: You didn't hire a reputable independent full-time inspector/appraiser that specializes in that field, which is what this entire discussion was about, because if you did there is a 99% chance that wouldn't happen because that is their sole occupation/reputation, not a side job and not an unknown subcontractor hiding behind a corporate curtain. You hired a local mechanic, and a dishonorable one at that.
Truly, I hired a local mechanic who is a state inspector. By your definition of "reputable independent full-time inspector/appraiser", one would have to come from the major city which is about 3 hours away. That means more $$$. My Fiero came from a small farm town, near where James Dean was born.
Nice video! I agree that we should give strangers a chance whenever possible. However, this is not the time to test that theory when you found the car of your dream. The 99% that you mentioned could be a lot less when it comes to temptation. On Youtube, you'd often hear people saying that Fiero is what they've always wanted back then. It could be taken from under your feet if you depend too much on trust.
[This message has been edited by Fiero Vice (edited 06-21-2021).]
Truly, I hired a local mechanic who is a state inspector.
Yep, and a vehicle state safety inspector is completely different (limited) than somebody who regularly examines older vehicles in their totality.
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Originally posted by Fiero Vice:
By your definition of "reputable independent full-time inspector/appraiser", one would have to come from the major city which is about 3 hours away. That means more $$$.
Yep, that becomes a problem for buyers in the lower price range, I understand completely. I once hired a local auto body shop owner to look at a lower-priced Mustang for me (specifically to evaluate the original paint) and he said it was all original paint. After closely examining the photos he provided I became suspicious of several areas, so I bucked up and hired a real inspector and sure enough both quarter panels had been resprayed.
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Originally posted by Fiero Vice:
My Fiero came from a small farm town, near where James Dean was born.
Funny you would bring that up, the most recent job I did last week had his car (replica)...
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Originally posted by Fiero Vice:
Nice video! I agree that we should give strangers a chance whenever possible. However, this is not the time to test that theory when you found the car of your dream. The 99% that you mentioned could be a lot less when it comes to temptation. On Youtube, you'd often hear people saying that Fiero is what they've always wanted back then. It could be taken from under your feet if you depend too much on trust.
All the more reason to hire a reputable independent professional, especially when a lot of money is on the line. To be perfectly honest in dealing with estates, attorneys, divorce, State Police, fraud, and everything in-between... Is doesn't make any sense for any independent inspector who runs a professional business to jeopardize their lively-hood/everything to try and buy a car out from under a customer. But yes I have seen that does happen when you hire local mechanics, auto club members, national chain inspectors, and so on.
[This message has been edited by Skybax (edited 06-21-2021).]
Truly, I hired a local mechanic who is a state inspector. By your definition of "reputable independent full-time inspector/appraiser", one would have to come from the major city which is about 3 hours away. That means more $$$. My Fiero came from a small farm town, near where James Dean was born.
Nice video! I agree that we should give strangers a chance whenever possible. However, this is not the time to test that theory when you found the car of your dream. The 99% that you mentioned could be a lot less when it comes to temptation. On Youtube, you'd often hear people saying that Fiero is what they've always wanted back then. It could be taken from under your feet if you depend too much on trust.
Yeah, missed the part of the conversation about having someone who is set in one field. Mechanics, or body. To be honest I'm sure most mechanics wouldn't able of telling you about any fair body work.
A "Inspector / Appraiser / Condition Report Writer" would be your ideal candidate. Someone whos familiar enough with auto body, mechanical and structural guidelines. Skybax opinion may be better as I am sure he has more experience than me but I'd also consider someone specializing in what your looking at. Someone who specializes in antiques is going be more beneficial than a exotic inspector when looking at an antique. Also make sure you understand what you are paying for. Some will include getting the car in the air to inspect frame some don't same thing applies to test drives.
[This message has been edited by Phirewire (edited 06-21-2021).]
