76Frankenstein

A few days ago, I posted wanting help on deciding whether to go for my dream vette...well, I was convinced to go for it. As it happens I found an internet ad from a dealer Sunday evening (posted Friday) for just the right car. I called and left a message immediately, and I got a call last evening. I was told the car was out getting a new top installed and would be returned to the dealership today or Wednesday. He agreed to hold (for a 1K refundable deposit) the car until Friday, which was the earliest I could take off work to inspect it, as it's 6 hrs from my house. I wanted to give him my credit card for the deposit over the phone but he could not accept that. I ask should I wire money or what, and he says he does a lot of long distance deals, and that I should fax a copy of my check to show good faith by Wednesday evening. This evening he calls and says the car is back, but some guy came in and put a deposit on it, he'll call me if it falls through. I know money talks, but I followed this guy's instructions and..... :rolleyes:Not a good start to my search. I don't mind missing one car, I'm not naive enough to think it is just going to fall into my lap. For future reference, how does one handle a long distance deal?


[Modified by 76Frankenstein, 7:28 PM 5/25/2004]

Sharky Guam

I do alot of those kind of deals and often get burned just like you have. Salesmen will tell you anything just to get you going. But the bottom line is that the first with the cash there will most likely get the deal. I recently lost a truck deal where I mailed the deposit just like I was instructed only to find out that when I had someone go to pick up the truck with cash for the balance, low and behold the truck had been sold to someone else. Needless to say, I was pissed and ended up being out a couple of thousand dollars in arrangements and fees. The only way to get even is to pass the word around about the bad deal hoping that you make enough noise to **** the seller off. I can't see doing anything different short of getting a written letter of intent to sell from the seller. Verbal arrangements are not solid binding agreements. So get things in writing if you can.

Sorry to hear about the bad deal! :mad

mfgaffney

I think you may have had a deal. #1 did you get anything in writing from the dealer acknowledging your faxed check? Or any other acknowledgment? Your fax and check would have had a date on it to establish the timing of your offer. His acknowledgment could/could have served as " the acceptance". Then you might have had grounds for a contract. In the future , try to get someone to accept your credit card, or cash your check, then you have more solid proof of your agreement. If you use your cc, and the deal goes bad, you can always dispute the charges, and let Visa or MC sort out the problem.
Finally, dealing with a reputable dealer is the best. How to be sure you are is another issue. The only real way to establish a bona fide contract is : offer, acceptance, and consideration (money). Without them charging your cc, or cashing your check, you lose on the last criteria. A reputable dealer will be happy to hav ethe use of your $$$ for several days or a week. I deal long distance alot, and usually have good luck. Sorry it wasn't true for you. Maybe you will find an even better car/deal. The Corvette Gods work in mysterious ways!

Matt Gruber

i've got a visa deposit on a c6 with a dealer in MONTANA!. i've never done that, but since it's a new car, and he will drop ship it to FL, i expect minimal problems. we will see.(i'm not paying until i inspect it in FL)

redvetracr

Sort of reminds me of a deal I made with a guy over a set of L-88 fender flares...he said "I am sending you the $$$" so I blew off a couple of REAL BUYERS with REAL MONEY NOT a TIRE KICKER like this guy IS!!...6 months later NO MONEY NOT EVEN AN E-MAIL... BUT not to worry I sold them and learned a good lesson...BEWARE who you (attempt to) do business with or accept advice from!! The internet is FULL OF wannabees.......
...redvetracr :nono:

LAvetteman

Sad to hear you missed out on a car you liked. As mentioned above, the car dealer should be able to take a deposit with a credit card. The only time I put down a deposit on a car, it was with a credit card.

bamavettes

I bought this 1970 Big Block '454' long distance. I was on the beach soaking up some rays on vacation. Cell phone rang and a man I had been working with on the purchase agreeded on my price. Said he had to have the money by the next day.

I phoned my bank at 9:00am and had the money wire transfered and he called back at 1:00pm and the money was in his account.

DMONSVETTE

Rule number #1: Don't buy from a dealer!
End of story.
:seeya

72rdstr

Mershon's tried exactly the same thing with me...after I had flown to Ohio from Colorado. When I told them I'd expect to be reimbursed for the plane ticket, they decidedc I could have the car after all.
Since then, I've discovered several things. The "checked out ok" bearings had never been looked at in the 30 years the car existed. Guess "checked out" means they jacked it up and shook the wheels :lol: "No Rust" means only on one side and "never wrecked" means just on the front!
Was a valuable lesson for me and I still love my car. It's mine not just because I paid for it but because I'm rebuilding it one nut at a time.

Edited for fat finger effect



[Modified by 72rdstr, 10:00 PM 5/25/2004]

Desertdawg

Just wait, he will call you back tomorrow, and ask if you want to outbid the other buyer......RIPOFF> :mad

Matt Gruber

how far are u from carlisle? aug 28-29. plenty of vettes to choose

Budman68

Move on, he'll get his in the end. There are plenty of vettes to choose from.
Sorry your deal went south, but you probably wouldn't have wanted to deal with him anyway. :cheers:

problemenko

Roger's Corvettes in Orlando came through for me. I spoke to several folks who bought from them in the past and most said you can buy sight unseen. They sell exactly what is advertised. I did send an ASE mechanic to check out the car but that was just to understand what needed to be done. Aside from hoses and belts, which Rogers changed as part of the deal, the car was as they claimed. A quality transaction indeed. :cheers:

Ken Lally

Oh goodie, my chance to blast PRO- TEAM in OH. OK< I had a 1K deposit in on a pretty cherry 69 BB, Chad was my sales guy, filled out all the prelim papers and such, even had my classic financer swing by for an appraisal, the deal was locked, price agreed on, and the weekend I was making my plane reservations, Chad calls me to say that his boss sold the car to a walk-in.

He appologized over and over and again, but did not go much farther than that to band-aid my dissapointment. These guys really screwed me, and I have heard several other horror stories from PRO-TEAM purchasers.

Bottom line- dont buy an old car from a dealer and never buy from PRO-TEAM!

gliot1

I actually had a good experience with CvV in Phoenix. They accepted a Visa deposit, faxed me a receipt, held the car while the monies were getting sorted/transferred, covered the shipping to Chicago. Besides that the car was sold to me for the fair book value. They guaranteed everything to be in working order except the clock. I found a couple of minor pieces missing two weeks later, and the sent them to me gratus. Nice guys; no BS. I flew into Phoenix, and one hour later owned my car. They're within ten minutes of the airport. they only thing I have noticed about them, is that they seem to sell higher mileage Vettes, albeit at a lower price than most of the dealers. My '78 Pace had 32,000, which is low by most standards, but for a Pace a little higher than normal. My plan was to drive it, not garage it, so I went for it!

70vert

If you are looking for your dream car then don't be in such a hurry. If you get impatient you will pay too much and not be happy very long after the purchase. It would be very unlikely that you should buy the first car you look at. I looked (very hard) and waited (even harder) 8 months before I found the car for me. I am still very happy with my purchase.

76Frankenstein

Hmmm...sounds like a mixed bag on long distance deals. It's not so much that I'm in a hurry (considering I got my first ride in, and longing for, a '69 vert in 1970) I just don't like being lied to. He did have the courtesy to call me to apologize before I made the trip. I understand his position, but I'd rather be told "I am going to sell if someone gets here before you, I hope you understand." No B.S., no misunderstanding. I am 30 minutes from Carlisle, I go every year, but most of what I have found there is a project or premium priced. Because I usually have to wait until the weekend, I never seem to get there to snag the deals before the dealers do! Thanks for the replies and tips. Keep 'em coming. :cheers:

Matt Gruber

let me get this straight:
you are 30 min from carlisle, and you can't get there first at the crack of dawn,
yet you think you can travel across country and get a better deal :rolleyes:

76Frankenstein

[QUOTE]let me get this straight:
you are 30 min from carlisle, and you can't get there first at the crack of dawn,
yet you think you can travel across country and get a better deal :rolleyes:

1.) Have you seen Carlisle at crack of dawn?
(never was in the market before, anyway)
2.) Across state is not across country.
(and not all cars come to Carlisle, some you have to go look for)
3.) Better deal? No idea, that's why one must look, and I had no chance.
(which was my original point)
4.) Glad to hear you always know exactly when, where, and how to find what you want...some of us have to learn, with constructive advice appreciated. :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

Matt Gruber

good points,
there will alway be a local guy that buys the really good deals.
i've had over 50 cars; never did i go more than 22 miles.(they bring the car to me sometimes for a fast cash sale)
York my be too far in the woods, in which case you have to travel some(if it weren't for carlisle).
good luck!
(and before you make any trip, ask them to guarantee no rust holes in the frame, or they pay your expenses)