Still looking for that one special car deal...
First day of the newspaper ad, I call on an 87 Taurus wagon, only 82,000 miles, it's out in the rural area past Stanwood, where people measure thier lots in acres instead of feet.
Old guy's wife answers, but before I can finish saying "Hi, I'm calling about the Taurus station wago--* - She barks "Just a minute!" - Then the guy gets on the phone, answers my questions, I'm getting hopeful, I have conjured the image that this is the couple that posed for the painting in front of the barn with the guy holding the pitchfork- American Gothic?
Anyway, I zip up there, anticipating a gleaming machine for only $2,000, with piles of oil-change and blinker repair reciepts and plastic on the back seat.
No such luck... Turns out the old guy doesn't have the title yet... He buys a car about once a month from his son the car dealer. You would think his son would shoot old dad something saleable anyway, but no... This thing had at least 182k, maybe 282k on it... Engine louder than a Cessna... Shifts with a jerk and a thud.
So, lesson learned. Asking about the whereabouts of the title and if the seller's name is on it when you make the call can save a lot of wasted gas and time. I had another one I asked about on the phone, "I'm selling it for the guy upstairs, he doesn't speak any English, he got laid off so he needs to sell it- I'm his mechanic and can vouch for the condition of the car." Maybe I should have asked his chauffeur how it drives?
Old guy's wife answers, but before I can finish saying "Hi, I'm calling about the Taurus station wago--* - She barks "Just a minute!" - Then the guy gets on the phone, answers my questions, I'm getting hopeful, I have conjured the image that this is the couple that posed for the painting in front of the barn with the guy holding the pitchfork- American Gothic?
Anyway, I zip up there, anticipating a gleaming machine for only $2,000, with piles of oil-change and blinker repair reciepts and plastic on the back seat.
No such luck... Turns out the old guy doesn't have the title yet... He buys a car about once a month from his son the car dealer. You would think his son would shoot old dad something saleable anyway, but no... This thing had at least 182k, maybe 282k on it... Engine louder than a Cessna... Shifts with a jerk and a thud.
So, lesson learned. Asking about the whereabouts of the title and if the seller's name is on it when you make the call can save a lot of wasted gas and time. I had another one I asked about on the phone, "I'm selling it for the guy upstairs, he doesn't speak any English, he got laid off so he needs to sell it- I'm his mechanic and can vouch for the condition of the car." Maybe I should have asked his chauffeur how it drives?
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