A reason that owners let their cars sit and rot

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J-MacsMopars

Shade Tree Vintage Auto on YouTube
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The reason people would rather let a car sit and rot vs sell

I have sold hundreds of muscle cars over the last 15 years and really enjoyed doing so up until the last few years. I have noticed, and I am sure a lot of other people have as well that over the last five or so years, potential buyers (I am using that word VERY loosely) are getting to be very rude and ignorant. A lot of people don't even make offers, they just tell you (regardless of asking price) that your asking to much. And when they do offer something, more often than not its scrap price. I have also noticed that people like to bully the sellers, as if they think that's going to help.

I know of a whole collection of mopars that are going to rot into the ground and or be scrapped due to someone trying to bully the seller. The seller used to sell cars and parts at very reasonable prices till one person disrespected him and his family. Someone trying to bully him and get things for scrap prices and literally making threats towards him unless he sold them for the potential buyers offer.

A lot of people feel they are just entitled to own these cars and that the people letting them sit are *** holes. Not true!

A note to Mr. buyer. If you want a car, pony up the cash and don't get mad at the seller. It's their car and they can do with what they want. If you want the car, pay for it. Otherwise, don't sit there and bash and bully the current owner, don't call them *** holes or get all bent out of shape. Treat the current owner how you would want to be treated in the same circumstances.

I have all but quit the hobby due to how the hobbyists have been ruining it over the last few years. I have helped lots of younger kids get into the hobby even giving them very nice parts, or finding them great deals or giving them great deals on cars. I recently offered a car for sell for reasonable even offering to take payments, and a few people on here were very abusive and rude about it making claims about my car that were not true and they had no reason to make or way to back up.

People, please be polite to sellers. Treat them how you would want to be treated if you were selling a car. Being a bully is not the right way to make someone sell. I have ALWAYS bought and sold with one major philosophy:

"It doesn't matter the price paid, a good deal is simply when the buyer and the seller make an agreement that they both walk away happy about."

If you do go ask about a car and the current owner is not willing to talk, be friendly and patient, check back later and just go talk to them, not even about the car. Make friends with them and you'll end up with a friend and the car. Then stay in touch. Change the way the hobby is steering.


Happy hunting
-Jeremy
 
My Daddy always told me. " Son, the only good deal is a good deal for both the seller and the buyer " Still miss Dad.
 
Have to agree,

But also I gave a guy a good deal with most the parts needed to get the car road worthy, only to see it parted out and then for sale here and on craigslist numerous times

I paid much more for the car said above than I wanted to pay. But had been trying to buy it for several years. When they finally said how much I had to think about it then agreed to his price, then took about 2 years to get the title for the seller. Was his dad's car and he had passed away, the car was bought in 1969 and the son was 70 years old at the time I bought it.

Had a NOT FOR SALE sign on my 72 Challenger because so many people would ask about it

If you stop and ask about a car sitting in someone's yard and they say it isn't for sale, ask if it is ok to leave your name and number in case they change their mind. If they give you a CRAZY $$$$$ amount say thank you for your time and walk away
 
Barret Jackson is in part to blame. People watch that crap on tv and think the car is worth 10 times what its worth. But I agree that bullying the owner is just plain rude and shows poor up bring. If you look at some ones car and ask the price or they say make an offer show respect. Give an honest offer or if you think the price is too high just say thanks its out of my range and shake hands and walk away. There is a difference between dickering and being rude!
 
I appreciate what is being said. However, this is a two-way street. There are quite a few rude and arrogant sellers out there, too. In my mind they fall into two categories. First, is the guy who tells you how rare his condition 4 or 5 225/904 Duster is while asking a B-J 340 condition 1 pricing. The second is well intentioned saying he plans to fix up the car himself, but lacks the motivation and resources to move the process along. This guy will sometimes take down your name and contact information but fails to call when he changes his mind or will call only when the car has taken a dramatic turn for the worse.

It seems to me for every unpleasant buyer there is an unpleasant seller. Common courtesy has become uncommon. That's part of why we're having this discussion.
 
Barret Jackson is in part to blame. People watch that crap on tv and think the car is worth 10 times what its worth.

Please explain to me "what something is worth" Its worth whatever the next man is willing to pay. These threads always crack me up.. :happy1:
 
Please explain to me "what something is worth" Its worth whatever the next man is willing to pay. These threads always crack me up.. :happy1:

While there may be some truth to that, there is still NO reason to bully the owner.
 
I saw your thread Jeremy, and I dont blame you for being upset. It is the owners property, not just a car it is his/her property. They can sell/do whatever the heck they want with it. Whether that is rotting in a field or restoring it.
I dont blame BJ, its easy to point the finger and blame at them...people have to be responsible for their own actions. Why buy the /6 904 Duster if the price is too high?? Go find another 1, they are all over the place.
 
While there may be some truth to that, there is still NO reason to bully the owner.


I totally agree with what your saying. I remember a 57 belair 2 door hardtop I watched rot in a guys backyard because he was gonna fix it up one day. It was his car to rot. just hated to see it though. I just don't agree when people say a certain car isn't worth what someone is asking. If your not willing to pay it then move on. He will either adjust to what "others" sell for or he might have hard work and some custom things done to it. Like I said. its worth what someone is willing to pay. Not a penny more or less.
 
I like it when I ask the seller if he would like to sell or if they have a price in mind and they give you the CRAZY $$$$$ amount or the B-J market value. At least at this point I now know there is interest in selling the car.......now as a buyer I just need to find the agreeable medium for both parties.....
 
Sometimes documentation on similar cars helps create realistic prices, but theres never an excuse for rudeness. Certainly doesn't help the negotiation process. I've seen cars go for a lot cheaper to someone who appreciates the car.
 
You are correct Jeremy!These guys that rant and rave about BJ auction making the"hobby" unattainable for the "little guy" are the same ones that when you have a nice part they have been looking for,they want to stiff you out of shipping!But are all pissed when you sell it to someone that will pay shipping!You really want to know where these cars and parts go when you play the"cheap bastard game"?They get scrapped!!!
 
buying, selling, cars, parts was fun back when: I could find a worthy car( plenty of miles and networking friends all over the country sometimes involved in finding them) and a buyer that was really happy to be able to buy such car. desirable car at fair price... buyer paid fair price and I made a small profit which generally went into one of "my" ( keeper) cars. I had more than a few people CALL me from states away wanting to sell me a car. did that many times. it wouykld always be a desirable car at more than fair price. yea, I had to travel a ways..
I have seen families .... with say for instance , 69 runner vert sitting in front of the mobile home with 3-4 barefoot dirty ragged rugrats running around the yard. " NOPE, not for sale, gonna fix it up one day" O K that's his car and his business. I walk away. we have all seen that!
I have seen cars sit for years, leave my number, check back HOW? many times. just to see years later, find it gone, seller decided to sell, and JOE BLOW came along at right time. O K his business! LOL
B J has caused lot of people to get unrealistic opinion of the value of their car for sure. we all know those B J cars will probably NEVER again bring those prices anywhere unless maybe back at B J!?? LOL
craigslist???? 99% od the time, price stuff 3 times the worth and dicker down!?????
feebay!? ha

a lot of people have no people skills!?? learn them at a swap where you might dicker on a price and NOT piss off the seller? same for trying to buy an old car!??

I was raised in the sticks down South. try to dicker down the price on an item already way cheap..... many times the seller would tell ya to get out a-- off his property and fast! LOL



a car is worth SCRAP price, ANYTHING more is salesmanship!!????? LOL
 
People, please be polite to sellers. Treat them how you would want to be treated if you were selling a car. Being a bully is not the right way to make someone sell.

Nail on the head. I always find it arrogant for people to assume what people are going to do with their cars and property without asking. I have a 69 dart that a local guy is after and the first time he was polite even though Its not for sale....he left his name and number and all was well.

The second time he came around he was acting kinda rude and made the remark that its sitting there rotting. So I came in the house and got his number and tore it up. The car is still not for sale but if I ever decide to dump it then I know someone I wont be calling.

And the nerve of him to assume that when little does he know that I have been collecting parts for it and I have a plastic tub in the rafters with everything to do a GTS clone.

Amazing how assumptions work.

The other thing is judging a book by its cover. I have had people stop by asking for the owner of the dart out back.....I tell them yea I am the owner can I help you. they cant get over that a girl owns classic muscle. Well news flash, a lot of different people own stuff that you would never guess but when you talk down and act like they shouldn't be owning a certain car .....your not going to be making friends.
 
Yes, piss off the person that has what you want to buy.
Works good huh?
Hey, people are stupid. What can I say?
And this is for those that would rather let it rot in their yard rather than let someone save it.
Two sides to the coin.
[ame]http://youtu.be/RKMNPQ35OUc[/ame]
 
I liked it better when you could haggle and find real deals. You had to know your ****.Today you can just google a car to research value, Anyone can do it and selleers know what they can get so the days of a smoking deal are gone.
 
I liked it better when you could haggle and find real deals. You had to know your ****.Today you can just google a car to research value, Anyone can do it and selleers know what they can get so the days of a smoking deal are gone.

Sad but true. There's an old saying that goes "Even a blind squirrel can find an acorn every once in a while." I think that idea keeps a lot of us searching for a deal we can't refuse.
 
Before the world "discovered" Mopars, they were cheap to buy....everyone wanted Mustangs, Camaros and such.....now everyone wants top dollar for their Mopar as they're more popular than they were back 30 years ago.
 
People now a day think everyone is broke and need to give their car away. I have a nice survivor 86 Mustang GT convertible. I think its worth 4 grand. The guys that want to buy it offer me 2 grand. I will keep it. I don't drive it much, but I wont give it away either.
Oh and another thing, there is no "For sale" sign on it. It is annoying when people waste my time with their crappy low ball offers. It is funny that people will always want what you have. It doesn't matter what it is if you know what I mean. If I was a younger angry man, it just may piss me off, but I am to the age where I can pick and choose what to get pissed off about. As for my 340 Dart, I have paid for a rented storage unit to store that car for 20+ years. I have since built a garage at my home and life is good. I can work on it whenever I get the urge. I have saved that car from going to the scrap pile in the early 90's. It is still in body and paint phase, but I have all the parts to complete it. If I were to sell it, the price would reflect my investment in the preservation of this fine rust free specimen of an H code car. I know I will not get all of my investment back, because some expense is considered loss, but the hard body work is done it is prep and paint / assembly time. The buyer would not understand that and lowball me. People want but they don't want to Pay.
 
Even swap meets ain't cheap anymore!!!

well it definitely is a grown up sport. I always laugh at "car guys" who act really broke all the time. If anyone is going to restore an old car and cant even spare a couple hundred dollars a month then it might be time for a new hobby.

I actually gave up some other hobbies to put more into my cars. I used to have a bad *** model railroad setup .....well its all gone now but it lives on in the form of a four speed in my dart. I used the money from the sale of the model rail stuff to buy a 4 speed set up for the dart. Every time I am driving around rowing gears I think how much it was worth it.

But each have their own priorities....whatever that might be.
 
Please explain to me "what something is worth" Its worth whatever the next man is willing to pay. These threads always crack me up.. :happy1:

Me to.
I make an offer of what I'm willing to pay.
If it's not enough and we can't work something out, I thank them profusely
and drive away, no sense beating each other up.
I leave my card and check back later.
They usually reconsider and call me.
If you don't know how to negotiate fairly you should just stop because
you just make it harder for me and everybody else with your stupidity.
I've been very fortunate as I started at a very early age when money
was tight and trading was king.
Todays bunch think attitude is king, I'm old will tell you to beat it in a heartbeat, but I will bend over backwards if you approach me right.

Get busy, work harder, quit whining and good things will come your way.
 
People can do what they want with their cars, they want them to rot, then that's how it goes...sucks. Many rotting old cars, people have dreams and hopes to fix them up but they need to realize it will never happen and let them go to a new home. I have a Mopar friend who has a Mopar hoard and won't sell anything, well over 100 old Mopars, many rare muscle cars...he will never be able to restore even a handful of them...but insists on letting them sit.... Oh well :glasses7:

And, if you want to buy a car in a yard, you have to be nice and polite :glasses7:
 
My ex boss sold a back halved 70 Challenger R/T 383 ,no drive train. He didn't advertise, hates the idiocy it can bring. He was asking 5 k, for a workable car/hot rod. He had agreed to a 4500 deal, all cash up front. The guy, (he knows him,to boot) shows up with a trailer. He offers 5 bills up front, rest on monthly payments on a 3500 offer. The owner simply closed the shop door, said " bring cash..." simple and painless. Don't let emotions affect you on a deal, as a seller. A simple "yes or no", seems to work for me. J Mac, as a occasional used parts seller,I understand.
 
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