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| Pontiac Grand Am 1998 6 cylinder |
That is the corner of my lot where it is sitting. It had been sitting in this spot for exactly four weeks, since he bought a new vehicle.. I wanted to sell it before it quit working and before some of the hoity toity neighbors complained about the junker on the street. It started first time the key was turned. They never even drove it, got into it, or put it into gear. Exbf told no lies about the car.
When I called the mechanic to tell him about the car this afternoon, he asked me, "I don't suppose it runs?" I assured him the owner drove it 200 miles each week for work and another 130 miles round-trip to come to my house. The mechanic said, "If it runs, I will definitely buy it."
The guy handed exbf $300 cash--3 $100 bills.
How did I get $300 for this car from the first person I called and the first person who looked at it? I called a certified mechanic to see if he had any idea of a person who might want to buy a car. He and his son came by and were really, really happy. The son works for a tire dealer across the street from where the father is a mechanic in a full-service station. The father smiled as he said that his son could learn to fix it, that he had been wanting a car. The son seemed to like that his father said that. The son smiled when I asked him where he worked. He commented that when business was down he could pull it into a bay and work on it. He appeared so happy and proud in a very quiet way. So, there appeared to be a bonding moment I was watching as the father beamed at his son. There will be probably many more bonding hours with this car.
See the twine holding down the hood?
I have no idea how this twine kept the hood down since this car drives about 200 interstate miles at high speeds! Yes, they untied it and looked under the hood and made sparks fly when the did something wiggly to the wires attached to something. Spark plugs?
If I had taken pictures before the two guys arrived, I could have gotten better pictures. It felt like I was interrupting guy talk. Maybe I would ruin the sale? So, pictures I could get and only one shot of each were all I dared to take.
new owner
Once in about 1986, I sold a car without a back bumper for $350. My friend was shocked I got so much from the first person I asked if she knew someone who needed a car. She said she drove it for over 3 years without a bit of trouble. Maybe I sold it too cheaply? I did give her the bumper, but she never put it on.
By the way, he sold his last running car for the $100 a guy offered him. Since the car was left here when he drove the other one home, I was sort of in charge of selling this one. Exbf was thrilled with what I got.
Your turn
Does the car look and sound like it is worth $300? If you are a mechanic, would you have bought it for a kid to learn by doing?
actually here in SC, that is scrap price for a car running or not....ya'll both did good on this deal.
ReplyDeleteWarlock Sundance,
DeleteThanks. I think exbf got less for a better car just because it threw a rod. Everything worked well on it. I appreciate your evaluation.
Congratulatons. I suspect that only a mechanic (qualified or would-be) would get value from it, but it sounds as if there are hours of fun ahead for them.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely a win/win deal.
EC,
DeleteI would rather get $300 than spend hours, sweat, and frustration trying to get a better price for that car. And, YES only a mechanic would really get any value. I suspect they might fix it up a bit and sell it and get a better one.
I have bought pieces of junk or gotten it from the side of the road to fix up the junk. Sometimes, friends have thought I was out of my mind, but I knew the value of fixed junk.
Despite coming from a family of car men, I know zip about them. Except to make sure "I" maintain them. I took out my first car loan in 2013. My Dad was able to help me sell my old car for $2k, enough for the sales tax + a little extra. I was surprised he got that much and so quickly.
ReplyDeletetlc,
DeleteEven thought I found the buyer and did all the talking over the phone that morning, if I had gone out when they came, they probably would have tried to offer me less. I told exbf what time they were coming and to let me know when they came. He did and I took the bill of sale and the title out put it into my car.
The guy that bought the car probably thought exbf would be tougher to deal with. Actually, exbf would have taken $100!
Most of the time guys can get a better deal. I am tough enough to run a hard game.
My father knew all about cars and could rebuild engine or transmission or whatever. But, I learned nothing!
He ran under a truck? And he lived to tell the tale? I can't put myself in the place of a mechanic, but Favorite Young Man really is a mechanic. We never bought a car for him to learn on because we always bought new cars and because it never occurred to us that he would use his education to become a mechanic. The first time he and a friend decided to do something to the new car we had given him, they destroyed it. He's a much better mechanic now, and he still regrets fooling with that new car. He sold a very crappy car to some kids who came all the way to Jacksonville from some state I can't remember, except that it isn't right next to Florida. He got more than $300. I think he found them on Craig's List. He has purchased and refurbished some cars that were pretty awful at first. He usually takes them to work and fools with them when business is slow. He had a BMW that had all these fancy little diddly-bobs. I called it the pimpmobile. Now he has a Porsche that didn't run at all when he got it. I swear he can work magic on cars. I'm glad exbf was happy.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Janie
Janie,
DeleteIt was a tall pickup, slowing to turn a corner. He ran under as it turned and never even scratched to truck. The guy told him not to worry. Exbf lost a crappy job because he kept bashing into things at low speed. Although he is an engineer, trained at Auburn, he was willing to work at anything after he lost his engineer job when the company closed. So, he drove a vehicle in the airport parking deck, sort of a security job.
I have stopped him many times as he was going through a stop sign or red light. He always said it is my fault for talking...sheesh.
That is wonderful that your son is so talented. I figure they may fix this up a bit and maybe sell it to get something better. I know people who make money on the side fixing up cars and selling them. At least her can keep his car running. That is a great skill to have.
I think that it is great that a dad and son team are going to work in it. And you got $300 is wonderful.
ReplyDeleteHahaha, you gave the bumper to your friend when you sold it.
My car stalled as I pulled out of a driveway. The woman turned the corner and was looking away from the road. Just as I got it started, she looked up and looked startled and hit the bumper as I tried to get out of the way. She pranced out of the car in her short shorts and long blond hair, bebopping over the the policeman and told them I "darted out" in front of her. Lying bitch!
DeleteActually, she ripped it loose and it remained attached by a piece of metal. The two cops moved it back and forth for me and put it in the trunk.
That woman frequented dives and liquor stores. People kept telling me where they say my car. NO! It was so visible without the bumper, as you can imagine. I wanted to tell her not to go to those places as she was ruining my reputation!
When I sold it, I opened the trucnk and let her put the bumper in...lol.
I drove it like that for two years.