Re: Re: IML: IML Inspections? Warning: bad dealership!!

[<tomswift@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I believe I paid the guy I used close to that, but it depends on the distance 
you ask him to travel and the time it takes.

It's true, you don't have a guarantee that a person from the IML will have a 
good eye for what's wrong with a car, but you don't get that with an appraiser, 
either.  There are good ones and bad ones.  I would recommend talking to them 
for awhile and getting a feeling for what kind of appraisals they usually do 
and how much they know about the type of car you're asking them to look at.

With all the folks on the IML I've asked to look at cars for me it's been 
understood (in my mind at least) that the ultimate decision to buy the car is 
mine, not their's.  And so far, no one I've talked to has really been off the 
mark in their evaluation of a car.

Mark
> 
> From: RandalPark@xxxxxxx
> Date: 2004/06/21 Mon AM 12:24:10 EDT
> To: mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: Re: IML: IML Inspections? Warning: bad dealership!!
> 
> I think that asking another IML member to look at a car puts that person in 
>an uncomfortable position. What if they think that the car is okay and the 
>buyer isn't satisfied? 
> Also, I am rather sure that there are some/many IML'ers that may not have a 
>very sharp eye when it comes to whether or not a particular car is or is not a 
>"bondo" job.
> Since it came up, I would suggest that it is best to hire the professional 
>appraiser. That individual is paid and trained to provide that service. Is 
>$200.00 the fee what one would expect to pay for this? That seems very 
>reasonable.
> Paul
> In a message dated 6/20/2004 6:20:23 PM Eastern Daylight Time, 
>tomswift@xxxxxxxxxxxxx writes:
> > 
> > 
> > Dear Melissa,
> > 
> > Sorry to hear about your bad experience.  Just about everyone who buys cars 
>eventually comes across a crook, so don't feel alone.
> > 
> > As Dick B pointed out, you can ask an IML member to go inspect a car.  If 
>you can't find someone in the area, there are professional car appraisers who 
>will do it for you.  You can find them advertised in Hemmings 
>(www.hemmings.com).  It may cost you $200, but I always feel losing $200 is 
>cheap if it saves you from losing $2000.   I use appraisers not to give me an 
>idea of worth, but just to have an objective pair of eyeballs on a car (and to 
>take pictures).  One saved me from making a similar mistake with an Imperial 
>in Miami (Ted Vernon motors-- careful).  Same story there: car was claimed to 
>be near perfect and it was full of rust & bondo.
> > 
> > I agree with the fellow who says to contact the state dept. of Consumer 
>Affairs.  This is not something you have to accept helplessly.  The state can 
>put a serious bite into a bad dearlership's business, and you may be surprised 
>how cooperative they become after they find out you've notified the proper 
>authorities.
> > 
> > Good luck!
> > 
> > Mark M
> > > 
> > > From: "M Turner" <tminjesu@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> > > Date: 2004/06/20 Sun AM 09:20:14 EDT
> > > To: <mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> > > Subject: Re: IML: Warning: bad dealership!!
> > > 
> > > 
> > >   ----- Original Message ----- 
> > >   From: Melissa Swenson 
> > >   To: mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 
> > >   Sent: Sunday, June 20, 2004 12:01 AM
> > >   Subject: IML: Warning: bad dealership!!
> > > 
> > > 
> > > 
> > >   Eric found a 1965 Imperial for sale at a dealership that was mentioned 
>on this site right after we purchased it, called Country Classic Cars, located 
>in Staunton Illinois.  The main thing is, is that we bought this car soley on 
>the fact that we would be able to go for family rides this summer in it.   The 
>car will not even drive around our yard.  It is so not driveable that he can 
>barely even start it up.  I am no car expert so I don't know everything that 
>is wrong, but I feel bad for Eric that he was taken advantage of so badly.  >> 
>I urge you to report this to the State's Attorney General's office, State of 
>Illinois, and to their office of consumer affairs.   I feel certain they have 
>consumer affairs office or bureau, even though I do not live in Illinois.  You 
>also should look into a way you might be able to pull this guy's license to 
>operate.  Just for the record:  Be careful with eBay sellers too.   eBay 
>offers an inspection service, which saved me a SERIOUS headache on a 1960 
>Imperial Crown Southampton that I was "die
ing to 
> > have."  The deal died after I got the report from the inspector, which 
>presented a very different car from what the sellers were presenting.
> > >   Vince in Boston
> > > 
> > > 
> > 
> > 
> >