strange car buying experence

[NGC414]

This is a first for me. I recently looked at a 10 year old LS1 car and made a offer. It was a couple hour drive so I had cash to buy on the spot. I thought it was a little odd that the car had 9k more miles than advertised and a year older than advertised, but it was clean and still worth the money.

The guy tells me he needs to check on the car he is buying before accepting the sale. At this point I am a little taken back (my offer was only 200 under his asking price) but tell him to call me when he finds out.
I get about 1 hour down the road and he calls accepting the offer. I tell him I will head back up to do the deal. He stammers a little and says he cant do anything until 2 days later since the title was in a parents name who was out of town.

I waite 2 days and call, no answer. I hate to text, but decide to anyway. I get a message back a few hours later that he needs 200 more for the car. since someone else wants it.
Im a little annoyed, but its the exact car I want and decide to just agree to the extra 200. Then ask if every thing is set to pick it up today. I get a message back that he has to work today until late and tomorrow will possibly work. This struck me as odd since he told me he was laid off.

I finally just tell him I understand if he does not want to sell the car, but let me know either way. I get a message back that he wants to sell and has title ready to be notorized, but just got busy and I can pick it up today maybe. He will let me know by 2pm.
Well its 2pm and Im sitting here thinking how strange this is.

[PocketThunder]

sounds like he has other offers in the waiting and he's trying to get the most money that he can.  If he's a couple hours away go back and show up and talk to him face to face again and bring a friend and if he doesnt sell it then walk away for good. 

Paul

[NGC414]

sounds like he has other offers in the waiting and he's trying to get the most money that he can.  If he's a couple hours away go back and show up and talk to him face to face again and bring a friend and if he doesnt sell it then walk away for good. 

Paul

I was thinking that or he just dont want to sell the car. he pulled the ad the day I looked at it so I assumed everything was good.
I just got a message that he is still working and cant meet up today. I suggested having the parent that has the title in their name meet me if he cant. After a few minutes He replied that the title is in his wallet.
I am 100% sure he is stalling, but not sure why. Why not just tell me if you dont want to sell?

[NGC414]

I got a message around 3pm to go ahead and come get the car and he was on his way home to meet me. I reply that I just need to stop at the bank and will be on the way.

About 30 min later I get a message to hold off because he thinks one of his parents cars is parked in front of the garage and they wont be back until late to move it. (the car is stored at his parents house)

I told him again that I understand if he is having second thoughts about selling, but he assures me he wants to sell me the car.

So I said lets not worry about today and shoot for tomorrow morning. I get a reply that he is not working tomorrow and that works better. I told him I will just plan on being there in the AM. The I get a message to call first incase something comes up  .

[aussiemuscle]

sounds like he doesn't want his parents to know he's selling the car.

[FlatbackFanatic]

I would just walk away, too much crap to be worth it. It just seems that there is something up. Just my

[68X426]

Drugs have a way of messing up what little mental ability some people have. He can't even complete a sale to get the dough in order to get stoned.

Walk away.

[bobs66440]

I would just walk away, too much crap to be worth it. It just seems that there is something up. Just my

I agree. I had a similar situation with a nut case that was selling a '33 Plymouth coupe hot rod. I wanted that car BAD but he just kept on jerking me around until I finally gave up. I don't know what's wrong with these people...

[tan top]

I would just walk away, too much crap to be worth it. It just seems that there is something up. Just my

yep walk away      with that type of dude could arange to meet & with cash  !! turn up at his door & he might not even be in    had one like that years ago ,  never again  not worth the agro , not as it it was a mile away but a two hour drive 

[ChgrSteve67]

If you finally get the car it will make one hell of a story.

[jaak]

I agree with most here, I have bought several cars over the years and some crazy things happen. I'm more cautious now, and If I were in your shoes....I'd walk away and start looking for another car. My 

Good luck,
Jason

[NGC414]

I have to agree, my instinct is telling me to walk away. But I want the thing bad and my impulse is telling me to give it one more chance. Like a bad ex girlfriend. I might need therapy after this.

[greenpigs]

Just how rare is this car?

I doubt it is a low production car & I would keep on looking as it sounds like he either is a crack head or trying to fix something that is broke before you pick it up.

[69 Bama R/T]

I would just walk away, too much crap to be worth it. It just seems that there is something up. Just my

[TK73]

Walk...

If somebody is gonna sell a car they need to sell the car.  F- the BS

[vancamp]

walk away the guy is definetly a flake, wrong year and mileage than what was in ad, parents have title,then there not home etc he s either a crackhead or trying to do something his parents dont agree with or illegal.

[Chargerrtforme]

I understand how you can love a car. I would do the morning thing also but if that fails he would have to drive it to me next time.

[PocketThunder]

Just how rare is this car?

I doubt it is a low production car & I would keep on looking as it sounds like he either is a crack head or trying to fix something that is broke before you pick it up.

Ya, what is an LS1 anyways?  Corvette?  Camaro?  Impala?

[Khyron]

I would have told him to shove the car long ago. You have more tolerance then I do.

[Old Moparz]

This is a first for me. I recently looked at a 10 year old LS1 car and made a offer. It was a couple hour drive so I had cash to buy on the spot. I thought it was a little odd that the car had 9k more miles than advertised and a year older than advertised, but it was clean and still worth the money.

The guy tells me he needs to check on the car he is buying before accepting the sale. At this point I am a little taken back (my offer was only 200 under his asking price) but tell him to call me when he finds out.
I get about 1 hour down the road and he calls accepting the offer. I tell him I will head back up to do the deal. He stammers a little and says he cant do anything until 2 days later since the title was in a parents name who was out of town.

I waite 2 days and call, no answer. I hate to text, but decide to anyway. I get a message back a few hours later that he needs 200 more for the car. since someone else wants it.
Im a little annoyed, but its the exact car I want and decide to just agree to the extra 200. Then ask if every thing is set to pick it up today. I get a message back that he has to work today until late and tomorrow will possibly work. This struck me as odd since he told me he was laid off.

I finally just tell him I understand if he does not want to sell the car, but let me know either way. I get a message back that he wants to sell and has title ready to be notorized, but just got busy and I can pick it up today maybe. He will let me know by 2pm.
Well its 2pm and Im sitting here thinking how strange this is.

Do you need any more red flags to tell you something is wrong, or are you waiting to get kicked in the groin with a red boot?

Red Flag List:
1)  A misprint or a typo is always possible, but both the miles & the year are wrong.
2)  Title is in someone elses name.
3)  Change the price after accepting an offer.
4)  Reasons for not being available keep changing.
5)  You're letting the emotion of "having to have the car at all costs" cloud your judgment.

I'm a very patient person & always give someone the benefit of the doubt, but if things change for the worse during a deal I drop it & save myself the aggravation & loss of money by moving on & looking for another deal.

[chargd72]

What everyone else is saying!!!  This guy is trying to sell you a car and isn't even the title holder.  Find a differnet car, man.  You should never have to work this hard to give someone your money.  

[440]

The only thing I would do if I really wanted the car is talk to his parents... If he's working turn up and knock on the door and tell them the situation. If he happens to answer the door and he told you he was working you just caught him out... If those fail then I would walk away.

[NGC414]

The car is nothing special, it just hapens to have everything I was looking for and somewhat local. Plus a fair price and extremely clean bone stock car. It is a 99 black on black Camaro SS 6 speed car.

I really wasnt that attached until I went to see it. It was spotless and reminded me of my z28 from highschool. Once I sat in it and started it I had to have it. I did get the vibe while talking to him that he was really second guessing selling the car. He kept saying thins like he really hated to sell it and how much he loved the car, but was buying a friends truck for a good deal.

I did tell him I would need to meet and speak with the parent that the car is titled to as well (ohio requires sellers on a title to have their name notorized).
We had planned to meet this moring, but cannot now because we are getting a bad snow storm . It is supposed to snow all day today and into tomorrow. I dont want to try to drive it home in bad weather.

At this point the "I really want this car" is turning into "I can take it or leave it". I think I am going to tell him when the weather clears, if he can drop the car off at my house I will have cash waiting from him and throw in an extra 100 for delivering it.

[440]

I'd tell him he took too long and you have your eyes on another car, say if he really wants to sell it he can drop it off at your house and you'll have the cash ready for him. I wouldn't give him anything for delivering the car since he's wasted a lot of your time so it's fair. Turn the tables so the ball is in your court, he can take the deal or leave it.

My   

[NGC414]

I'd tell him he took too long and you have your eyes on another car, say if he really wants to sell it he can drop it off at your house and you'll have the cash ready for him. I wouldn't give him anything for delivering the car since he's wasted a lot of your time so it's fair. Turn the tables so the ball is in your court, he can take the deal or leave it.

My   

There is actually a 93 SVT cobra I was interested in. Its not local though. He sent me a message yesterday at one point that he could not meet due to working late.
I replied that I was going to check out anther car, If he is having second thoughts on selling I didnt want to miss out on both.
About 30 seconds later is when I got the message to go ahead and come get the car. By the time I got there he would be back from work.
maybe 40 min later is when I got the message that someones car was in front of the garage. The BS was almost comical.