did anyone see the original add? look carefully at those pics and tell me if you see a smart car..look at the discs still steel not choroded rust..is that what i found when i arrived do you think?
anyway..i had spoke to the guy told him i was a trader also and whats the score with the car ..he told me a little scrape on the side..i asked if it would make a good one and he told me easily thats why he hasn't sent it off to the auction..also that it was a great motor and driver
when i got there i found the whole side badly rippled and i mean badly including swage line which as you know are a horror to sort when creased up,both arches rotten with metal flaked away so inside lips nearly gone..(i had asked if it had any rust and been told there was none) i am already aware of scottish roads and salt/damp issues from my van buying from there and they rot much more than further south..
i didn't need to look too hard underneath..
the brakes i had been warned had issues(on the day) but worked ,were badly rusted and choroded so it had been stood a fair while, tyres were good but cheap, every wheel needed refurb.. light cups some choroded, rear bumper crack in corner again needing replacing or full sorting and painting as did whole side..
interior.. fronts very worn worst i have seen probably 3 bolsters needed replacing..
but the real clincher was the motor..it was sick very cammy sounded like the old datsuns 240s etc when they got worn out ..and then i was litteraly speechless when i went for the bonnet pull cable and it had been removed! which is the oldest trick in the book when you dont want someone under the bonnet..tried to tell me it had snapped on him that morning! but there was no ends or sign of it at all
it was a complete shed.. to me beyond doing anything with..
as a trader i expect the worst i have heard it all and seen it all before so was prepared to take it as a breaker even.. but it wasn't worth taking for that!
it would have cost me £150 to get there and get it home at least so it would owe me £900.. to get my money back and make it worth the time and effort was not possible
how much would you spend refurbing to get £300 back on wheels?
how much are 3 bolsters fitted ? all the running round stripping out delivering to specialists ..time and money involved in it all ..unless you have done it you have no idea what breaking one and selling the bits entails
sure there were a few panels,lights etc but they are all 10 a penny now on ebay and the forum the only bits of worth were the plus bits which were all shit..the engine was not saleable,turbo smoked,couldn't see what was wrong under bonnet so i doubt there was saleable goods there.. it has to be in good condition for people to want it..
there were other issues as well but the main thing was it would never have got me 200+ miles home..i said to the guy "would you drive that over 200 miles?"
his answer was "the owner was driving it"
i asked again and he once again diverted from answering
the reason he has listed more of its faults was because i was bloody angry and told him if someone else came they could likely be more upset than me so he should relist and be honest about the state of the car
anyone buying take a trailer..you'll be lucky to get home..take some tools lift the bonnet and see if it has oil in it as it doesn't sound like theres much in there! and fix the skirts to the car as they are flapping and you will lose them
rest assured dan you had a lucky escape and i copped unlucky!
couldn't have happened to a nicer guy some of you may titter
do not go thinking you will fix it up its a rotter..unless you want a full restoration leave it alone
