Won't deal with Goldboattail455 again. (Long)

Discussion in 'Buyer/Seller Feedback' started by Jim68Skylark, Aug 23, 2004.

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  1. John F. G.

    John F. G. Voting Has Ended!

    Sorry about your misfortunes, but man, for 2k I would have just look it over quickly, ask "does it go?" and go with my gut feeling. You know your're going to have to lay out bucks for fixing up an old auto. When I bought my old chevy, it looked cool, ran (and smoked), and it was (and is) rusty, but at the price he was asking (1.5k), it took me all but five minutes to buy it. Never thought twice about anything the previous owner said about it. I don't trust anyone I don't know very well. Getting over that is most of the battle.

    I think I've seen goldboatail's posts. If that is the car in the picture, it's not such a terrible ride for all of 2k.

    I dunno, maybe I have never gotten a really good deal. I also don't think my seventeen year old would know the first thing about brokering such a deal. I would have been very wary about anything that 15 year old said, and certainly would not roast him in an open forum like this.

    All those questions! Whew. More appropriate for a more high stakes deal, for example, a collector car.

    And the air conditioning worked! WOW! I've never had a car with working air conditioning in all the 32 years I've been driving (except for my wife's car, which I rarely drive).
     
  2. rperkins

    rperkins getting better

    Re: Lessons to learn..


    :TU:

    when i first read this thread, i wanted to respond but didnt. but then it kept coming into my head several times today.

    about 6 months ago i bought a 95 cadillac with 77k miles. i wouldnt have considered jumping in it and driving it several states without getting a feel for how it was gonna act. i probably wouldnt even jump into a NEW car and start driving it across the country.

    glad you was able find you another driver
    to take your mind off of the last one

    randy
     
  3. Brian Albrecht

    Brian Albrecht Classic Reflections

    How I handled it.

    Jim,

    I was disappointed to see the name calling in your earlier reply. Rob at least deserves better than that during his "formative" years don't you think?

    One reason I felt so obligated to speak up on this posting was I just went through the same thing this summer although the stakes were a little lower. It all began innocently enough. I wanted to replace the tired 400" in my '69 with a '71 455". The '71, for a stock cruiser, is my idea of the perfect engine with it's big cubes, lower compression, old style non-emissions appearance, and big oil passage. I saw a TR advertised on this site and after emails went after it. The engine was supposedly out of a running car and had been previously "rebuilt".

    http://www.v8buick.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=38343&highlight=tr

    After spending a day getting it home I immediately found this thing to need more work than I expected. Indeed, one of the timing cover bolts appeared to be missing [see photo]. Further inspection revealed that someone had broken the head off and most of the bolt was still in there. Dis-similar metal corrosion had taken over inside there and the bolt was one with the cover. After hours of drilling/heating and beating the timing cover finally broke around the bolt.

    My first instinct was to throw the timing cover away. However I tried a time consuming repair using steel fuel line and devcon aluminum filler. IT FAILED MISERABLY. Back to square one I bought a used cover off Bill Lagna along with some other items the engine needed and fixed it that way.

    There were other problems too including aluminum rockers on one side and stamped steel on the other, a rubber freeze plug?, choke plate and linkage missing from the Q-Jet, and the oil pan was pushed into the connecting rods. So a couple of hundred dollars later and more hours than I care to count, the engine is now where I thought it was when I bought it.

    Did I blast the seller on this board?:blast: Nope. What would be the point in that? I thought about it for like a nano-second but it wasn't necessary. It was an old engine and stuff like this can be expected .

    I'll post the as it is now engine and the feedback I left the seller months ago in another thread. Here is the engine in the before mode:
     

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    Last edited: Aug 28, 2004
  4. Brian Albrecht

    Brian Albrecht Classic Reflections

    Attached Files:

  5. Stagedcoach71

    Stagedcoach71 Well-Known Member

    Jim:

    I certainly can understand why you are disappointed. I am sorry you had poor luck. In an effort to demonstrate misery loves company, I will bore you with a recent V8 board transaction.

    Last spring, my brother bought a fairly nice non-Buick from a board member. Soon after it was delivered, the driver head gasket blew. Not much to do about other than fix it and thank God we weren't traveling three states away in the middle of nowhere when it happened. Point is, $hit happens.

    You may not appreciate it now, but sharing your story may help other members avoid similar heartache in the future.

    Regards,
     
  6. limemist

    limemist Stage1....of 801

    Bargains & Creeps & Old Cars

    I have found there to be many liars and bad-intentioned creeps & opportunists in the old car hobby. Maybe you had the unfortunate experience of dealing with one and I am sorry that you got less then you bargained for.
    Consider that you can't get something for nothing and maybe the two grand purchased you what you paid for - AN OLD CAR THAT NEEDS WORK.
    If it makes you feel any better just remember "what goes around comes around". By sharing your bad experinece with us here on this forum you have excellerated this process for the people who took advantage of you.
    Good luck in your future dealings.

    Larry DiStefano
    71 gs stage 1 (now in the capable & honest hands of Jim Weise):)
     
  7. BORN2RIV

    BORN2RIV Well-Known Member

    another ripoff riv

    my freind In holland buys a car from roberto in texas
    now i have given roberto bumpers for this riv
    so i kind of know hime and he uses this

    my freind pays shipping from texas to sc $700 then pays $3000
    for the gold 72 riv... guy sent pictures yadayada yada

    the car arrives windshield is broken out because the roof is rusted away .

    back brakes disconnected
    fron suspension bushings worn out 10 years ago
    on and on
    no lights
    starter cracked &fudged up
    heater is fubar
    lugnuts missing
    2 inch lug studs on front wheels must of had the lowrider look

    i asked roberto why didnt u say something about the windshield and just happen to leave that out of photos


    Roberto: well i errr didnt think that was important"

    I was so close to flying in there

    anyway roberto lives in texas has a master deluxe
    so beware
     
  8. frtlnrbuick

    frtlnrbuick Midwest Mafia

    Re: Lessons to learn..

    I don't think truer words were ever spoken. I purchased a car from a board member last October. It was located about 650 miles from home. The deal was a little more than I wanted to spend, but, came with lots of extras. The deal was made over the phone. Mistake? Maybe. The owner said the car could probably be driven home, I took a trailer anyway. The car was in good shape, a couple of issues, nothing that would indicate it would not make it home. On the trailer it went.

    Got the car home, pulled the non-functioning aftermarket A/C off, fixed the wobbling balancer (long story, nothing serious, motor had been run like this for 30,000 mi.) and it was off to the car wash and its first car show!:TU:

    So far, I have reset the timing, and the idle screws for the new altitude, and have driven it for the last year. Not one issue. Mind you this car still needs a lot of work, but, it probably would have made the 650 mile drive to home in one piece.

    The point is: I have been working on these cars (and rebuilding transmissions on the side of the road (he, he, JW)) for about 30 years, and still err on the side of caution.

    I have been known to take my generator and welder to the races in another state, just to be prepared. But, I would never attempt to drive a car across country without laying my eyes on it, or having someone I trust completely inspect it first. And even then there are no guarantees.

    I don't think that either party in this is blameless, however, both were less than completely savvy in the deal. Live and learn? You bet! Nobody got hurt (seriously) and both ultimately ended up with what they were after.

    With the prices of these cars going up so much, it will become more worthwhile to have someone, like Jim W or others, look over a car if you don't know what to look for yourself.

    My .02

    Jim (#3)
     
  9. ABben32

    ABben32 Well-Known Member

    First

    Off, its not that wise to buy a car for a 14 year old. His mother shouldn't have allowed him to sell if if she knew what problems the car has. I just bought a 1968 Dodge Coronet 500 with a 318 for $600, but I drove it and the owner told me what it needed. Common things, brakes, oil change, and a gas sending float. But now the car is giving me some problems its been over a month since I bought it, I cannot call him and told him you sold me a lemon it doesn't work that way. As for you with the rivera, any car has problems, I would not even buy a car that is 2-5 yrs old and drive it from chicago to ny, unless a mechainc saw it. Every used car will have a problem unless you rebuild it your self.
     
  10. pooods

    pooods Well-Known Member

    He is 14 years old! Could not even drive the car to see all the problems. Even my cars have stuff like that happen, and I keep them up very good. The car is old and Way past Buick's projected life span. You pay for what you get, and if you are so picky, you should look before you leap. I would never plan on a lengthy drive in a $2k car. Just asking for problems. I have bought many over the years and consider most of what you mentioned as normal problems. I would never have a driver without repairing many SMALL things. Some should consider buying "Jellybean" late model cars and leave these vintage Buicks to us who know what to expect.
     
  11. David G

    David G de-modded....

    I think there's been enough commentary here, let's let this rest, guys.
     
  12. pooods

    pooods Well-Known Member

    It will rest with me. I think these things can happen with any type of feedback forum. I never speak up, but sometimes my opinion jumps out. Hope everthing turns out well with both parties.
     
  13. MR.BUICK

    MR.BUICK Guest

    I am also sorry to hear about the whole thing, but Rob is 14, and I know how this stuff goes, but you shouldn't blame your thinking on the deal you made, fly in and drive home in a 2k car is a sight to see if it was possible. Nothing on my car is wrong at the moment that I can see, im 14, and if I were to sell my car it would sell for around 500 bucks and that's it, and let's see someone drive it over 1000 miles without something going wrong. It's just guaranteed to happen when you buy a car that cheap. Even if cars are frame off restored something could happen to them, you just have to expect it with old cars. Sorry to hear about the whole thing but my experiences as a 14 year old at the moment I know how stuff like this happens. Better luck in the future on deals such as this one :TU:

    -Cody
     
  14. grannys70skylrk

    grannys70skylrk MORE IDEAS THAN MONEY

    Cost to have MY OWN car (80K miles, properly maintained, etc.) shipped to Florida: $600

    Would it have made the trip? Probably. But that $600 bought me piece of mind and eliminated the aggravation of possibly getting stuck along the way.

    Moral of story: don't drive it unless you are prepared for the possible problems and move on. Enjoy the ride you have now and suck it up to a learning experience.

    In Nam we used to say "It don't mean nothin'", I like to say if it ain't fatal, f*!k it!
     
    Last edited: Sep 29, 2004
  15. RACEBUICKS

    RACEBUICKS Midwest Buick Mafia

    Time to put this dead horse to sleep sorry guys this thread is locked. Nothing more is going to be said that hasnt already.
     
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