[72GTOMN]

I don't post too often on here, but I had to share a recent story. I was on Craigslist one night and up pops an add for a 1967 GTO. The add sounds too good to be true. 1967 GTO convertible original HO 4-speed car in Turquoise, black on black. The car looks awesome in the photos and the asking price is only $25,000. Mileage is 115,000. So, I immediately call the guy up 5 minutes after the add went up. It's a little after 9 at night. It's an old man and I start asking him questions. He's owned the car for 35 years! It's all original, never been restored. Never driven in the winter. No rust. I'm freaking out! Best of all the car is only 5 miles down the road. I should have run out and bought it right there and then. But it was a little late and so I told the guy I would be there tomorrow to look at it. The next morning the guy calls me with bad news, he just sold the car to a guy who handed him cash with no questions. I informed the guy that he made a huge mistake and that his car was worth at least twice what he was asking! Poor guy was shocked, but he should have done his homework! So, I've been watching e-bay and sure enough the car is there. The new owner is lying about the mileage and some details, but the current bid is around $75,000! How am I ever going to get over losing out on this car!

[Judge273]

Thanks for the story. I see it on eBay and it's a sweetie! Too bad about the chase ending. Hope it finds a good home.

[ho428]

I was on the other side of that once years ago. Passed this car lot every day, one day is a bright yellow Buick that catches my eye. I pull straight in, it's a GSX the guy just got on a trade.
I'm driving a Triumph GT-6, he knows nothing about the Buick, likes my little GT-6 and thinks he can sell it easier than the Buick. I go home 2 miles away, get the title and we trade right then.
Another guy (kid) stopped while I was gone, said he had to go get his dad. I got back before they did and traded even. I had something like $1000 in the GT-6

Wish I still had the GSX but I eventually sold it to the kid and his dad for a decent profit a few years later, they got my number from the lot and tried to buy if from me, I said they'd get first crack if I decided to sell and we kept in touch.

Make this thread about the one that got away and add your story to it.
Probably some good ones out there.

[PonchoV8]

I don't think I'd have told him the car was worth any amount of money greater than his asking price. Now he's crying tears too. I'd have told him it sounded like a really good deal and that I wish I'd have driven a few minutes to see it and been done with it. It's always easier to see how good the deal was after the fact too. I've gotten some good deals gambling on an item without knowing it's true value. Sometimes you only hit a bump or foul and break even.

I saw a RA IV engine posted on Craigslist about 90 minutes away once, and it was a low-low price. I assumed it was already gone to someone local or was bogus and didn't bother calling. Turned out to be real and someone here had made the deal for it.

I saw a Jackson Randy Rhoads American made neck-thru Flying Vee in a pawn shop once for $340. Another time I found a Rickenbacker Duo-sound bass for $225. I still cry about not buying those.

[72projectbird]

Originally Posted by PonchoV8

I don't think I'd have told him the car was worth any amount of money greater than his asking price. Now he's crying tears too. I'd have told him it sounded like a really good deal and that I wish I'd have driven a few minutes to see it and been done with it.

I know, I wouldn't have crushed him like that, especially with him being an older guy.

I mean, its not like you were gonna show up and hand him 50k

[68 Firebird Brian]

Everyone has missed at least one great car in their life. The guy that got the car learned his lesson years ago. Your a resent graduate now. You won't miss next time.

Remember a $50 non-refundable deposit holds a deal!

The previous owner of my 400 HO advertised the car on Racing junk with one poorly written line. It took me 2 months to get it and do so by negotiating from over 3,000 mi away. Being first to contact the seller is all important.

[bird72]

There ARE deals out there. Right place, right time, right mojo, right head in right place by chance that day, dumb azz luck, gift from Creator, finally your payback for all the rotten deals you've gotten over the years, BUT...... sometimes crafty, seasoned, intuitive, and eyeballs all around your head helps get you the catch also..... sometimes the deal is how you project yourself as a person and not the highest dollar, some people want their STUFF (aka George Carlin rap) to go to a good HOME....

Thanks for posting this... I am poised and looking in the modest $ range for that right car. The hunt is fun.... daily Craigs List scouring, ebay (slim luck there) and local rags and looking in flippin' backyards like some espionage dude, I find it great fun. I may never find "the deal".

[b-man]

Moral of this story: He who hesitates, loses.

Next time (if there ever is a next time) haul ass over there and seal the deal.

[Alvin]

Amazing what can be had from poorly written FS Ads by simply "Showing Up" with $$$ in hand and a little "Due Diligence"...from CL, "Trader" Ads, etc.

[Bob Dillon]

About 5 years ago, my local mechanic bought a '64 Plymouth out of a garage in San Francisco from a newspaper ad. He needed body parts and answered the ad, the guy said he had stored the car for years and wanted to clear his garage. No parts, guy wanted to sell the whole car only. Dale went to look at it anyway.

It was a 426 Max Wedge. Guy didn't know what he had, Dale bought the whole car for $1100, the seller's asking price.

Craziness is out there, and sometimes ya get lucky, but to do so, ya gotta get out on the floor and dance. I carry some business-size cards with just my name and phone number on them. When I drive around and see a car I might be interested in, I stop and ask. If it's not for sale, I give them a card and ask them to toss it in the car's glovebox, and to please call me first if they decide to sell. I've garnered 2 GVille parts cars like that.

I still have my eye on A '64 Tempest post car (326) here locally. Drive by it all the time, but the girl is still driving it every day. Boy, I'd love to have that car!

[Chris65LeMans]

I don't see it on Ebay. I was wondering how the current bid could possibly be up to $75,000 unless it was fully restored and in pristine condition.

[ho428]

Worst one I missed was when I was a teenager, '77 or '78.
I needed a block and got a lead on one. A local racer was selling off everything. He had five new blocks, $250 each. I bought one with all the money I had, found out they were all RA-V blocks, took me a day or two to figure out how to come up with the rest of the money to buy them all, went back and they were all sold and gone.

[geeteeohguy]

There's a thread on this forum all about this '67. It's listed as a 16,000 miles original. It's been repainted, and the guys have picked it apart here and there, but the consensus is that it's a high dollar car simply because real H.O. convertibles with a 4 speed are super rare. In 40 years of looking, I haven't seen a real one. Too bad it got away.

[72GTOMN]

Weird, the add seems to have disappeared from E-bay. I hope something happened with the sale and the old guy gets his car back, then sells it for what it's worth!

[400 4spd.]

I know of a similar car, a survivor 67 HO convertible 4 speed. Been sitting dry in the same steel building since 1984. The car is loaded with options. I was trying to work a deal with the elderly owner last year without being pushy. He wanted to hang onto it but was beginning to realize his health was getting worse and he was considering letting it go.
He died suddenly and his family is fighting over his collection of about 15 cars.

[sonjaab]

I was driving my 67 Chevelle SS 396 and wrecked it!
Back in 74 during our supposed "oil embargo" and gas shot up from .15 CENTS or so to
a big .33 CENTS and climbed to nearly a DOLLAR a gallon.......(LOL).........not to mention we we suffering thru the odd/even purchasing days a local used car lot that specialized in late model performance cars had a couple of beauties.

One was a 69 Indy pace car Camaro rs/ss ragtop 350 auto, fresh paint and stripes.
They also had this oddball 68 Camaro plain jane 427 4 speed and it had a weird hood with molded in snorkels and had 427 and some weird Yenko emblems on the fenders.
It also had SYC printed on the headrests !!!!!!!

The dealer wanted $2400 each !

My dad was pissed over the Chevelle and wouldn't co-sign a loan for me to buy either!

So I got my Pontiac instead and still own it today !
I am told Reggie Jackson ended up with the Yenko for his collection..........................

[Jerry H.]

Here is the thread on here about the car:

http://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/...d.php?t=755003

And here is the ebay link to the car:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Pontiac-GTO-...US_Cars_Trucks

[salem1912]

I email this guy about a '70 Chevelle SS he was asking $800 on CL. I should have got his ph# but I thought it was a joke. Well the joke was on me, guy from NY gave him $7800 for a '70 SS 454 4spd with 64k on the clock. There was one thing, the car had been garaged since '84 because of a fender bender. I talked with the new (2nd) owner and he said it was a unbelievable deal. He gave the old fellow more than he was asking but still got it as a steal. 3/4 frt end and buff the rest of the car and sold it for over 50K. He lived no more than 5 miles from my house.

[fiedlerh]

Learned from a car/motorcycle collector that he always carries at least $5K in cash on him in case he runs into unexpected deals so he can put a deposit down. He says there are guys with more cash on hand that beat him out sometimes.

[Chris65LeMans]

It's back...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Pontiac-GTO-...US_Cars_Trucks