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  3. The "Group Buy" for the 1967-68 Deluxe Steering wheel recasting is now officially "Open". Now is the time to start sending in the wheels. The latest date that the wheels must be received by Kochs is 31 March 2025 The cost for each wheel is $750. The only "up front cost" is your shipping the wheel. If you send in more than one wheel, each additional wheel will cost $700. Shipping and insurance to Kochs and return shipping will be extra. You will be contacted by Teresa to make payment for the wheel(s) and return shipping and insurance when your wheel(s) is complete. The shipping will be factored on your delivery address and insurance. I will be sending the contact information all of you have sent me to Teresa at Kochs. Send in your wheels, horn pad and hardware and paint color sample if applicable. Please include: First and Last Name Shipping Address Phone number email address V8Buick "Member Name" Wheel Color (SEE THE BOTTOM FOR WHEEL COLOR) Pease read the "shipping to Kochs" below. There are two addresses. One for USPS Mailing One for FedEx and UPS shipping You can use USPS/Mail, UPS or FedEx to send in your core. Use the appropriate address depending on what service you use to ship. If you use USPS/Mail ship to: Koch's P.O. Box 959 Acton, CA 93510 Attn: Teresa If you use UPS or FedEx ship to: Koch's 7650 Soledad Canyon Road Acton CA 93510 Attn: Teresa Kochs Contact: Teresa (661) 268-1341 customerservice@kochs.com Wheel Color If you wheel is Black, you can list that in your information you send in with your wheel. For colored wheels, please contact Teresa about specifics for wheel color if you do not send in a color sample to match. Please contact me if you have any questions. Thank you to everyone for your participation in making this a reality. And "Thank You" Jim Weise, for allowing and facilitating this project! Michael .................... to remove this notice, click the X in the upper RH corner of this message box
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Request advice buying car over internet.

Discussion in 'Buyer/Seller Feedback' started by AudiophileTony, May 18, 2005.

  1. AudiophileTony

    AudiophileTony New Member

    Has anyone had any experience buying a car over the internet without seeing it in person? Got any advice or suggestions?
     
  2. cjp69

    cjp69 Gold Level Contributor

    Have someone local that you can trust check it out, or, for the amount of money you are spending on the blue 70, fly someone like Jim Weise in and have him check it out.
     
  3. Keith Seymore

    Keith Seymore Well-Known Member

    Absolutely - it can look good in the pictures but when you get there in person you might find a dirty interior, parts not assembled, fisheyes in the paint, strange noises when it runs (or maybe it doesn't run) etc.

    My son just bought a car off Ebay (without my permission) and this was my experience.

    If a picture is worth a thousand words than being there is worth a thousand pictures... :Brow:
     
  4. George D.

    George D. Platinum Level Contributor

    Are you out of your flipping tree????? NEVER, EVER buy a car over the internet. Spend the money on the plane ticket. I am the MASTER of getting bent over backwards by buying cars over the internet. I don't care if you do send someone to check it out- it doesn't matter. I have had people look at cars for me and I still got it shoved up my a**...
    Please, if you want me to elaborate, PM me. Please, do yourself a favor, look at it in person!!!!! :beer
     
  5. i have bought cars site unseen
    you need to be careful with what you want and weigh out if something is wrong
    it has to be a good price
    bottom line
    no differnt than buying from one of us as well
    one mans great is another mans good to fair
    my fair seems to be ok or good to someone else
    send him a disposible camera or 2 in the mail and with a letter ask him to take
    certain pictures for you close up in areas you know will be bad if the car is not what they say it is
    door edges are a good one
    mud across the bottom but from a distance they look great
    under qt panel wells
    by dog legs
    ect.
    what it cost to send it to him will cost that to send it back
    include that moneys as well
    if he wants to sell the car and is honest he will do this
    good luck
    Greg :TU: :Comp:
     
  6. gs1970455

    gs1970455 Well-Known Member

    I bought my 97 Firebird off Ebay almost two years ago. Thankfully (knocking on wood) I've never really had any problems with it. Sight unseen but there were PLENTY of phone calls to get a feel for the seller. There are some good deals out there, not everyone is out there to rape you as a buyer. Of course with that being said, I don't know if I would do it again or not..........
     
  7. 12lives

    12lives Control the controllable, let the rest go

    Been there - done that! The red car above was shipped from CA. I was lucky and did not get scr**ed, but I didn't get the deal I thought I was either. To me, it depends on the amount of money involved and the level of risk you want to take. You have to decide if you trust the seller based on your conversations and any other information you can glean from him.
    The biggest question you have to ask yourself is: if I get it and don't like it, can I sell it myself and get my money back? Don't think you are going to return it or get any help from the seller.

    Get as much information up front as you can, ask lots of questions, get pictures and videos if possible (to see if it really runs and sounds good), get someone to look at it, if possible. Yeah, if its big money to you, get a professional to appraise it for you.

    Then you have the whole experience of shipping it - that's another chapter in the story!

    Good luck - Bill
     
  8. JR Wills

    JR Wills Well-Known Member

    IF you are bidding on a vehicle OUT of your area, Either Fly in & do the inspection, or PAY a Professional to do it and Talk with them as to what you want & what you want looked at SPECIFICALLY.
    I just went through an internet buy, on a $45K Corvette. Buyer in Texas, Car in the North East.
    "Only Needs a Paint Job".
    Car showed up on the truck, complete underside recently undercoated, BUT 2x4x3/16 inch chunks of rust were falling out the inside of the Frame Rails.
    Purchaser called Seller on this matter, as car will need a new Frame.
    "Well you can't put you hand thru the frame. Thats what we call Rust here."
    WRONG ANSWER!!!!
    Law Suit Pending, due to Misrepresentation!
    Did another Corvette locally for a Purchaser in Denmark, after bidding was over.
    "Never been Hit, Matching #s, Ride & Drive,Bla, Bla Bla.
    Matching #s, Yes. Never been hit, but SURE hit SOMETHING!
    Ride & Drive? Mechanism to latch hood was NONEXISTANT, no Pins, Nothing.
    25MPH hood wanted to come open & stand right up!
    Interior had so many coats of clear over the paint on the dash, it looked like it was Patten Leather, and the paint was 1/16" thick from where it had come off of the dash in a 2" circle!
    Bidder & I were on computer for 3 hours, starting at Midnight, he got his deposit back!
    In Fairness to Renee & Denny, the Firebird ws less than 30 miles from home.
    BIG difference from 1500-3000, & they got a Nice Car. (Slow, but looked Fast) :Dou:
    Flight, Lodging, Car Rental, Food, are all thoughts to consider, as cost IF you are going to look at a car some distance away, as well as the time line you are working with. Cost of Certified Inspection would be in most cases 20% or less, and save "Oh S&*ts" when the truck is at your drive, and unloading the "Matching Numbered Stage1, from original Owner, in Like New condition," with the "Bondo Billy," Body & Paint $200 Restoration, & 2x4s between the Braced Frame & Shell. BUT MAN, THE PIX LOOKED GREAT!!!!!!!
    When I go out on a PPI, I am in contact with MY Client, Before, & After the Inspection, and all thru the car, and am getting all the information I can get.
    There is a 10 page form, I use, Battery of Pix (emailed to Client & HQ) that Day with information & items I normally inspect & specifics on what the Client needs checked. Data Tag Info, Numbers, History when available, and ALL other Documentation I can get my hands on from the Seller.
    IF the car has been sold & recorded, chances are we will find it in our Data base as well. (AAG has the largest Data Base of it's Type in the Country)
    We work for the Client, NOT the Seller, and are the Prime Appraisers for Hagerty & Grundy, to name 2 Clients (Listed right in Their Web Site Information)
     
  9. austingta

    austingta Well-Known Member

    I have bought and sold several cars over the internet, and I would do it again. My 71 GS Convertible was sold on eBay, for a lot of money, to a guy who never even called me til the auction was over... but he said my pics and 100% feedback made him feel secure enough.

    I think that I can get a feel for the honesty of a person over the phone to an acceptable extent.

    My 68 Rivi GS was bought from Virginia the same way... individual owner, professional man, good pics in a nice location, (a horse farm). I felt secure.

    But then again, I am a salesman who routinely installs $5000+ systems for my clients without a down payment, and I NEVER get burned... I can just sorta tell about a person.

    Now for a car over $20000 I would prolly (there I go again) invest the money and go see it...

    Frank
     

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  10. wildcatsrule

    wildcatsrule Well-Known Member

    I learned about this the HARD way. I bought a car off EBay 2 years ago-my '68 Wildcat coupe. I should've known something was up- the pictures on the ad were just a tad out of focus....as were the additional ones I had sent to me. I paid more for the car than it was realistically worth, but since it was loaded and a Southern car I thought I was getting a bargain. WRONG!
    Let's just say that when someone says a car is original-that can mean that it's original and SHOWING IT'S AGE!!!! The tail light lenses were so cracked and clouded I was appalled! That was only one of many disappointments. The cosmetics were the least of my concerns, however.....
    The oil light was disconnected and after I picked up the car, I drove it 30 miles and the ENGINE SEIZED!!!!! :rant: :rant: :jd: :af: :af:
    Luckily, I found a local mechanic who had been working on cars since the '50's. He went about rebuilding the engine. I had to rent a car, fly home, fly back when the car was ready.....so I could of saved myself a lot of money and lots of aggravation had I flown down to check the car out first.
    The seller reluctantly accepted less for the car and the remainder of what I had originally paid went towards the rebuild. Now it's a great car and since it's a keeper, I'm not concerned with getting my money back out of it. Which would realistically take several more years of appreciating on this car.
    Bottom line: do your homework and see the car in person before you buy. You'll be glad you did. David
     

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