OK, story time:
Around 1990 we purchased a "rust free" 1970 Mustang Convertible
painted "original Gunmetal Grey" with an "original 302". It was
$3500 and listed in Hemmings. I was 18 at the time and my mom had
been looking for that car for a while and we were looking for
a "deal".
So after a few questions on the phone we agreed to send money and
have the car shipped. Hint: Never let a 18 year old "broker" any
deal :-)
Responses to questions were like:
It has AN original Mustang engine.
It is painted AN original Mustang color.
But like that buyer on the web site, we were too foolish and exited
to think of things logically. After sending money and getting an
agreement as to when the car would be shipped, we lost "touch" with
the seller. Called the local Police and learned that we sent the
money to a MOTEL (UH-OH!!).
Well, finally we made contact with the guy and the car was on its way
and we got ahold of the shipping company and they told us when it
would arrive. When the car got here it was worth no more than
$2000. It looked like it was a daily beater for a painter. There
was white paint on the top and interiror. The top was slashed and
the rear window was falling out. The floor pans were gone.
Dings/Dents EVERYWHERE. Luckily the rest of the car was really rust
free. The car was originally a 6 cyl and not a 302 (yeah, we didn't
get the vin first) and it was originally some nasty light tan color.
Well, my mom who's not one to roll over, called the DA back up to
complain and basically they took the complaint and really didn't do
much.
Like a year later we got a phone call from the DA's office saying
that a bunch of people got scammed by him and they were putting a
case together. He must have gotten really greedy because the DA said
some people got absolute wrecks and we were "lucky". Well, my mom
had kept info on EVERY single phone conversation, scrap of paper,
phone number, person's name, picture, etc. and the DA just loved it.
He told my mom that without all her documentation his case was far
weaker. All in all we got back somewhere around $1500 from the guy
after he was convicted.
The car got a new crated 302 (got it for a steal), new interior, top,
chrome, body work (fire engine red paint). Its a super sharp car and
my mom love's it to death. She gets pulled over every so often by
cops that want to check it out.
Rule #1: Go see and feel the car.
Rule #2: Get the Vin, run the Carfax report.
Rule #3: Hand the cash to the guy the day you take it home.
Rule #4: If you ignore Rules 1-3 then expect the worst.
Rule #5: If you get screwed keep ALL information and contact the
authorities.
-Mike
--- In ascmclaren@yahoogroups.com, "Nelson" <lxfiveoh@c...> wrote:
> I saw this one:
> http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?
ViewItem&item=2460265665
>
> Then I saw this:
> http://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/ripoff5562.htm
>
> Hmmm....
>
> Nelson
> 1990 Mustang LX 5.0
> http://fiveoh.homestead.com
> http://home.comcast.net/~lxfiveoh
>
> Sign up at 5-0.org! http://www.5-0.org/forums/profile.php?
mode=register&ruid=39
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