Beware of Valley corvette in Bedford PA
12-06-2017, 07:13 PM
#61
Safety Car
I'm fortunate enough to only live 30 minutes from them. I have stopped in a few times and they are reasonably nice to me. They have always just let me go and look at whatever they have.
They are just used car salesmen at the end of the day. They do get great cars in from time to time but they get a lot of junk and are just trying to make a buck. It's a pretty small family operation.
The dad told me once he likes selling cars to people across the pond and I assume that is because they have no recourse when the junk cars arrive.
They are just used car salesmen at the end of the day. They do get great cars in from time to time but they get a lot of junk and are just trying to make a buck. It's a pretty small family operation.
The dad told me once he likes selling cars to people across the pond and I assume that is because they have no recourse when the junk cars arrive.
12-07-2017, 02:07 PM
#62
Burning Brakes
The one that got me was my Classic Mini Cooper. Found it in SFO. Went to look at it and liked it. Didn't know anything about them. Came back a few weeks later, dickered on the price and as it turned out still paid several thousand more than I should. Took a chance and drove it home to Oregon. Found out the rear tires only had about 10 psi and when I turned on the headlines they didn't work. Had to run with the headlite flash mode for the last 200 miles. When I had it looked at in Oregon half the advertised components where a lie. It was a clean chassis with no rust and had been stripped and repainted so over all not a bad driver.
My Hemi/Vette was easier. I was able to talk to the seller who had been given the car by the previous owner, when that fellow died, who had built all the Hemi's for the drag racers in Calif. The fellow I bought it from was good friends with that guy and had just kept the car in his collection and never drove it for years. I stumbled on it just as he was trying to move it. A little dickering and we came to a deal. This car again was in the SFO bay area but this time I drove down with my car trailer and brought her home on the trailer.
My Hemi/Vette was easier. I was able to talk to the seller who had been given the car by the previous owner, when that fellow died, who had built all the Hemi's for the drag racers in Calif. The fellow I bought it from was good friends with that guy and had just kept the car in his collection and never drove it for years. I stumbled on it just as he was trying to move it. A little dickering and we came to a deal. This car again was in the SFO bay area but this time I drove down with my car trailer and brought her home on the trailer.
12-07-2017, 02:14 PM
#63
Team Owner
I'm fortunate enough to only live 30 minutes from them. I have stopped in a few times and they are reasonably nice to me. They have always just let me go and look at whatever they have.
They are just used car salesmen at the end of the day. They do get great cars in from time to time but they get a lot of junk and are just trying to make a buck. It's a pretty small family operation.
The dad told me once he likes selling cars to people across the pond and I assume that is because they have no recourse when the junk cars arrive.
They are just used car salesmen at the end of the day. They do get great cars in from time to time but they get a lot of junk and are just trying to make a buck. It's a pretty small family operation.
The dad told me once he likes selling cars to people across the pond and I assume that is because they have no recourse when the junk cars arrive.
12-08-2017, 10:03 AM
#64
Burning Brakes
12-08-2017, 10:59 PM
#65
Safety Car
I'm fortunate enough to only live 30 minutes from them. I have stopped in a few times and they are reasonably nice to me. They have always just let me go and look at whatever they have.
They are just used car salesmen at the end of the day. They do get great cars in from time to time but they get a lot of junk and are just trying to make a buck. It's a pretty small family operation.
The dad told me once he likes selling cars to people across the pond and I assume that is because they have no recourse when the junk cars arrive.
They are just used car salesmen at the end of the day. They do get great cars in from time to time but they get a lot of junk and are just trying to make a buck. It's a pretty small family operation.
The dad told me once he likes selling cars to people across the pond and I assume that is because they have no recourse when the junk cars arrive.
12-09-2017, 08:44 AM
#66
Supporting Lifetime
Member Since: Sep 2005
Location: Syracuse NY
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2023 C1 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
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All I can tell you is about my own personal experience with them . . . I bought a rather expensive part from them, and it turned out to be even nicer than described. All through the transaction, they sent numerous photos and answered every question I had. As an out-of-state transaction, I realized I was taking a chance. The bottom line is, I have no complaints at all with this dealership. Now, whether I'm the one lucky exception, I can't say - but my luck rarely runs like that.
Last edited by fyreline; 12-09-2017 at 08:46 AM.
12-09-2017, 08:51 AM
#67
Team Owner
All I can tell you is about my own personal experience with them . . . I bought a rather expensive part from them, and it turned out to be even nicer than described. All through the transaction, they sent numerous photos and answered every question I had. As an out-of-state transaction, I realized I was taking a chance. The bottom line is, I have no complaints at all with this dealership. Now, whether I'm the one lucky exception, I can't say - but my luck rarely runs like that.
I think, occasionally, luck intervenes on these deals and you make out
12-09-2017, 12:24 PM
#68
Safety Car
These guys have been discussed here so many times I can not even imagine. Anyone whom can not simply do a search or easier yet google the name, is simply not doing their homework. As I recall, they were/are members ( brothers I believe) here under different names supporting this company during these types of discussions...
12-09-2017, 03:55 PM
#69
Safety Car
Member Since: Apr 2001
Location: Sarver Pa
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2021 C1 of the Year Finalist - Modified
Let the buyer beware ! I bought my 60 project car off em , went to look at it and knew what I was looking at. THAT'S the key to dealing with em. I got a fair deal , not great but it was in my price range and I have been enjoying the car ever since. They learned quickly they couldn't BS me and treated me well. OTOH, the last 2 Formula cars I bought, one from an individual and one from a prep shop, I was lied to badly. Screwed royally. Those cars have to be completely disassembled to know what you're getting . I know a lot about Formula cars now.
12-10-2017, 09:00 PM
#70
Le Mans Master
I've been doing this a long time and a few things I'd like to point out.
Now places like Valley are like many places. They are out to make a buck. They will present a car, show enough to make you want it, tell enough to be legal, and let you think it is something it isn't without saying such. And they let YOU decide you want it. Buyer Beware has always been good advice in buying used cars, and just because the used car you are looking at is now priced at $75,000 as opposed to $7,500 is no reason to do any less due diligence on the car.
They are under no obligation to say "the engine will quit in 7500 miles" or "the engine is a restamp". If they show a picture of the engine pad, and say nothing, it is YOU who make the assumption.
If they say "matching numbers", well, they do match. It is YOU who assumes that means it is original.
And Frankie, you paid $750 to someone to inspect a car? Let me know when you want another inspected.
- People will spend ($25,000, $50,000, $150,000) on a very old car which they know little about but are too cheap to pay ($100, $200, $500) for someone to give them expert advice that may very well save them ($5000, $20,000, $50,000) for a mistake they will make.
. - Most are completely ignorant of old Corvettes. A very high percentage think old Corvettes are like any old car - just old. The reality is that Corvettes have a history of being abused, run ragged, modified, customized, stolen, stripped, and more, much more than any other car of the same year.
.
- If you find an old '60s Cadillac with 30 years of dust in a barn, odds are everything is stock or original except tires, battery, hoses, and fan belts.
- If you find an old '60s Corvette with 30 years of dust in a barn, odds are very little is stock or original.
- People swapped engines, transmissions, rear ends, front clips, seats, interiors, trim, and so on with remarkable regularity on old Corvettes 50 years ago. This is almost unheard of in other makes unless they were hot rodded.
- If you find an old '60s Cadillac with 30 years of dust in a barn, odds are everything is stock or original except tires, battery, hoses, and fan belts.
- Inspecting cars is a lot more than knowing right from wrong. Many advise going to an NCRS judge, but not all judges have knowledge of how the car runs, and things underneath (remember, you don't judge on a lift or at 60 mph on the road).
. - Most people inspect AFTER buying. That is far too late.
. - People seem to think if a dealer specializes in Classic Cars, he is more honest than Honest John's Used Cars. They couldn't be more wrong.
. - Most buyers like all that glitters. If it is pretty and shiny, it must be good. Do you think the lighting is by accident on Barrett Jackson?
. - There is a tremendous amount of bad advice on the Internet and many read it, believing they are now as well-informed after an hour of study as those who grew up and lived with these cars daily for decades.
. - It is getting harder and harder to inspect a car. Just because the hired expert misses something doesn't make him a crook. One I did a few years ago, I could not get access to a lift. Three different shops with lifts would not loan or rent me time on their lift to do a look. This means you are more likely that the inspector can't find some issues.
This is one reason why I don't anymore, at least not on an active basis. The other is liability. Without being about to tear it apart to check birdcages and not being able to get on a lift, you could easily miss something, and suddenly, you are on the limb for a costly mistake. The idea of being responsible for a $10,000 or $50,000 mistake, and no liability insurance to cover that, was a good reason to stop.
When I do a car now, it is with that understanding that there may be something, or that I am unable to check certain things.
.
Now places like Valley are like many places. They are out to make a buck. They will present a car, show enough to make you want it, tell enough to be legal, and let you think it is something it isn't without saying such. And they let YOU decide you want it. Buyer Beware has always been good advice in buying used cars, and just because the used car you are looking at is now priced at $75,000 as opposed to $7,500 is no reason to do any less due diligence on the car.
They are under no obligation to say "the engine will quit in 7500 miles" or "the engine is a restamp". If they show a picture of the engine pad, and say nothing, it is YOU who make the assumption.
If they say "matching numbers", well, they do match. It is YOU who assumes that means it is original.
And Frankie, you paid $750 to someone to inspect a car? Let me know when you want another inspected.
Last edited by Procrastination Racing; 12-10-2017 at 09:02 PM.
12-10-2017, 09:48 PM
#71
Team Owner
That was $750 total for TWO different inspections
But I'll keep you in mind...
All else you've stated is spot on...
If you walk into a dealership like some country rube with little knowledge and deep pockets they'll fleece you like a sheep with no regrets. The dealer is under no obligation to educate you or dial down their price because they know of a vehicle's defects.
If you walk into the same dealership with some actual knowledge and some negotiation skills then the 'game is afoot Watson' and you can get a car that meets your expectations at a decent price
But I'll keep you in mind...
All else you've stated is spot on...
If you walk into a dealership like some country rube with little knowledge and deep pockets they'll fleece you like a sheep with no regrets. The dealer is under no obligation to educate you or dial down their price because they know of a vehicle's defects.
If you walk into the same dealership with some actual knowledge and some negotiation skills then the 'game is afoot Watson' and you can get a car that meets your expectations at a decent price
12-11-2017, 10:22 AM
#72
Administrator
Member Since: Jul 2000
Location: About 1100 miles from where I call home. Blue lives matter.
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I've been doing this a long time and a few things I'd like to point out.
Now places like Valley are like many places. They are out to make a buck. They will present a car, show enough to make you want it, tell enough to be legal, and let you think it is something it isn't without saying such. And they let YOU decide you want it. Buyer Beware has always been good advice in buying used cars, and just because the used car you are looking at is now priced at $75,000 as opposed to $7,500 is no reason to do any less due diligence on the car.
They are under no obligation to say "the engine will quit in 7500 miles" or "the engine is a restamp". If they show a picture of the engine pad, and say nothing, it is YOU who make the assumption.
If they say "matching numbers", well, they do match. It is YOU who assumes that means it is original.
.
- People will spend ($25,000, $50,000, $150,000) on a very old car which they know little about but are too cheap to pay ($100, $200, $500) for someone to give them expert advice that may very well save them ($5000, $20,000, $50,000) for a mistake they will make.
. - Most are completely ignorant of old Corvettes. A very high percentage think old Corvettes are like any old car - just old. The reality is that Corvettes have a history of being abused, run ragged, modified, customized, stolen, stripped, and more, much more than any other car of the same year.
.
- If you find an old '60s Cadillac with 30 years of dust in a barn, odds are everything is stock or original except tires, battery, hoses, and fan belts.
- If you find an old '60s Corvette with 30 years of dust in a barn, odds are very little is stock or original.
- People swapped engines, transmissions, rear ends, front clips, seats, interiors, trim, and so on with remarkable regularity on old Corvettes 50 years ago. This is almost unheard of in other makes unless they were hot rodded.
- If you find an old '60s Cadillac with 30 years of dust in a barn, odds are everything is stock or original except tires, battery, hoses, and fan belts.
- Inspecting cars is a lot more than knowing right from wrong. Many advise going to an NCRS judge, but not all judges have knowledge of how the car runs, and things underneath (remember, you don't judge on a lift or at 60 mph on the road).
. - Most people inspect AFTER buying. That is far too late.
. - People seem to think if a dealer specializes in Classic Cars, he is more honest than Honest John's Used Cars. They couldn't be more wrong.
. - Most buyers like all that glitters. If it is pretty and shiny, it must be good. Do you think the lighting is by accident on Barrett Jackson?
. - There is a tremendous amount of bad advice on the Internet and many read it, believing they are now as well-informed after an hour of study as those who grew up and lived with these cars daily for decades.
. - It is getting harder and harder to inspect a car. Just because the hired expert misses something doesn't make him a crook. One I did a few years ago, I could not get access to a lift. Three different shops with lifts would not loan or rent me time on their lift to do a look. This means you are more likely that the inspector can't find some issues.
This is one reason why I don't anymore, at least not on an active basis. The other is liability. Without being about to tear it apart to check birdcages and not being able to get on a lift, you could easily miss something, and suddenly, you are on the limb for a costly mistake. The idea of being responsible for a $10,000 or $50,000 mistake, and no liability insurance to cover that, was a good reason to stop.
When I do a car now, it is with that understanding that there may be something, or that I am unable to check certain things.
.
Now places like Valley are like many places. They are out to make a buck. They will present a car, show enough to make you want it, tell enough to be legal, and let you think it is something it isn't without saying such. And they let YOU decide you want it. Buyer Beware has always been good advice in buying used cars, and just because the used car you are looking at is now priced at $75,000 as opposed to $7,500 is no reason to do any less due diligence on the car.
They are under no obligation to say "the engine will quit in 7500 miles" or "the engine is a restamp". If they show a picture of the engine pad, and say nothing, it is YOU who make the assumption.
If they say "matching numbers", well, they do match. It is YOU who assumes that means it is original.
.
Well stated.
I especially like:
-Most people inspect AFTER buying. That is far too late.
SO true. I can’t count how many times I looked over a car for someone and realized they bought it already, and asked, “why are you doing this NOW?”
And this:
- ...This is one reason why I don't anymore, at least not on an active basis. The other is liability...
I’ve helped people buy Corvettes since the 80s, but nowadays it’s a different world. First, everyone is an expert even if they don’t know anything, as long as they have an Internet connection and the Velocity Channel. Entry level cars that cost $4000 in 1980 are $40,000 today. I’m not sure if there’s more shysters out there now (both private AND dealer) but they have the Internet and the Velocity channel too so they have dollar signs in their eyes and are better at faking stuff than ever.
And finally, the liability angle. Most newbie buyers that want you to look at a car that’s $50, 75, 100k... suddenly want some sort of guarantee. And already have a lawyer. No thanks.
12-22-2017, 05:30 PM
#73
Racer
This should be titled BE AWARE. There are people/businesses that can be trusted sight unseen. Some in person only and don't leave until its in the mail or on the trailer. And some, run !
This business has tons of cars and parts as long as one pays according to condition. And if they can be negotiated accordingly in price. I would believe most anyone on this forum, if they knew the reality of this car would have no problem paying $15-20 (my guess on what it may be worth as is. Good basis for a restomod, drag or road racer.
C Ya, Joseph Rock
Frankenstein 59
This business has tons of cars and parts as long as one pays according to condition. And if they can be negotiated accordingly in price. I would believe most anyone on this forum, if they knew the reality of this car would have no problem paying $15-20 (my guess on what it may be worth as is. Good basis for a restomod, drag or road racer.
C Ya, Joseph Rock
Frankenstein 59
01-02-2018, 10:56 AM
#74
Pro
Thanks to everyone. Valley Auto has a 66 convertible that has caught my eye....shiny "lipstick"....price seems fair.