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

["Dave Grove" <dave@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Having purchased a car or two "sight unseen", - all I can say is do whatever
it takes to go and LOOK at the car yourself.
The last one I bought was from a LONG ways away (and not exactly "practical"
for me to go and look myself), - but I wish I had just "got off my wallet",
and bought a plane ticket.  I would NOT have purchased the car.  I did have
someone "check it out" for me, - but he is either a moron (hard to tell that
sometimes via email), - or was "in bed with" the seller.  Pictures are no
help, - they LIE.  Besides, - you will see what you *want* to see in them
anyway (and nothing that you do *not* want to see), - I still have all the
pictures of that car that the seller sent me, - and occasionally, - I go
back and look at them, and I still can't "see" much, - even though I now
know what I am looking for.
There's just no substitute for looking at the car yourself, and if the money
you are spending amounts to anything more than "pocket change", - it is the
wise thing to do.

After all, - "beauty is in the eye..........."

Regards,
DaveG.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: <tomswift@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Monday, June 21, 2004 12:17 PM
Subject: Re: Re: IML: IML Inspections? Warning: bad dealership!!


> 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
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
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>
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