I had a guy at a cruise night about 13 years ago ask how much for my belair. Sorry, not for sale. 15k? No sorry not for sale. 20k? Sorry man. 23k is as high as i can go.
I sometimes wonder what i’d have done with 23 grand in cash. I just don’t have it in me to sell that car, ever.
Patrick said:I had a guy at a cruise night about 13 years ago ask how much for my belair. Sorry, not for sale. 15k? No sorry not for sale. 20k? Sorry man. 23k is as high as i can go.
I sometimes wonder what i’d have done with 23 grand in cash. I just don’t have it in me to sell that car, ever.
I’d bet $23 he had no intention of actually buying it.
Or maybe $230.
Okay, $2300. $2300 is as high as I can go.
Tyler H said:I've tried that a couple of times, but I never toss an offer. Usually just introduce myself, complement the car, tell them if they ever consider selling, here's my card and I won't insult them with an unfair offer. Always in public, not on their home turf.
Tried it on an MR2 Turbo, twice on an E28 M5 and once on an M6. Never works.
Tried on an 83 SC a few times...would never sell it. A couple years later he sold it.
If you're respectful, worst case you make someone feel good about their car.
Same here. Still waiting on that call from the elderly dude with the pristine 86 civic hatch :/
I sold my 70 Chevelle to a guy that walked up in the yard asking. He wanted a number, I gave it to him, he pulled out cash. Done. He even returned the turbocharger kit off of it a couple of months later.
On occasion I regret selling it, but no more than any other car I've parted with.
Rolled into the local cruise-in one night with my Fairmont, and, as I extricated myself from the fixed-back racing seat, an older fella wandered up with a cane and said, "That's a real nice car. What'll it take?" Confused, I said, "Pardon me?" "To buy it. What'll it take?" Dude probably couldn't even push in the clutch! "Oh. Well, it would take me twenty one to build another." "That's a real nice car," and he wandered away.
That's where my fj40 went, some random guy knocked on my door. He asked if I still had the fj, and if ao did I want to sell it, I told him that for the right money everything is for sale. I didn't really want to sell it so I told him a number that I thought would be berkley off money, he wrote me a check. Now I'm sad cause I have no fj40. Keep all your cars forever. I regret selling my mkiv supra, my ra29 celica, my fj40, my tl1000r...... I regret selling most of em. Keep your E36 M3 if you can.
I think some of it is the result of the plethora of car shows on now with plenty of examples of people low balling someone on an obviously sellable car (when a simple internet search would tell them exactly what the car was worth and how easy it would be to sell), rolling it down the street and selling it for a "sweet profit".
"Hey brother, can I talk to you about your car... we're cars guys..."
I had some younger guy stop while driving by and ask me if I wanted to sell my 58 Ghia while I was working on it in the driveway. I of course said no, but thought at the time: Really, a-hole, I am pretty sure you are assuming I don't know what this car is worth, no way you are giving some "sweet offer" on it!
poopshovel again said:Having gone through this multiple times with the old V, to multiple people who didn’t flinch at the “I don’t want to sell it, but would sell it for this price” price, but then wasted hours of my time lowballing/bailing in the 11th hour, my new standard response is “If you have to ask, you can’t afford it.”
Ah, so Icy Hot Stuntaz and his speed shop partner never followed through, huh?
At least he pronounced it Porsche, instead of “Porsh” which would make my shoulders tense up....
aircooled said:I think some of it is the result of the plethora of car shows on now with plenty of examples of people low balling someone on an obviously sellable car (when a simple internet search would tell them exactly what the car was worth and how easy it would be to sell), rolling it down the street and selling it for a "sweet profit".
"Hey brother, can I talk to you about your car... we're cars guys..."
I had some younger guy stop while driving by and ask me if I wanted to sell my 58 Ghia while I was working on it in the driveway. I of course said no, but thought at the time: Really, a-hole, I am pretty sure you are assuming I don't know what this car is worth, no way you are giving some "sweet offer" on it!
I feel like they're the same people who use the classic "I know what I have" line...
Flyer said:aircooled said:I think some of it is the result of the plethora of car shows on now with plenty of examples of people low balling someone on an obviously sellable car (when a simple internet search would tell them exactly what the car was worth and how easy it would be to sell), rolling it down the street and selling it for a "sweet profit".
"Hey brother, can I talk to you about your car... we're cars guys..."
I had some younger guy stop while driving by and ask me if I wanted to sell my 58 Ghia while I was working on it in the driveway. I of course said no, but thought at the time: Really, a-hole, I am pretty sure you are assuming I don't know what this car is worth, no way you are giving some "sweet offer" on it!
I feel like they're the same people who use the classic "I know what I have" line...
"I know what YOU have"?
The worst I had was a ‘friend of a friend’ looking for a 12v Cummins powered Dodge. I had a pretty nice one, I didn’t have it up for sale at the time, but my friend talked me into pricing it. I said, “okay the price is xxxx firm. If he’s interested at that price he can come look at it, otherwise let’s just forget it”. Guy and his wife come over, spend two hours looking at the truck plus all my other cars, then offer over 30% less that my firm price. Obviously a no sale and he leaves.
Then, and this is what really gets me, the guys buys a pos with a blown head gasket and has the nerve to call and ask my advice on the repair.
I’ve had many people stop and ask to buy some of my cars....I just tell them nothing is for sale and move on. These days if I sell something I either consign it at a dealer or let my neighbor sell them and give him a percentage. I’m done with the tire kickers.
Wait! Did we just come up with the ultimate get lost answer for the unsolicited sales request? I think we did.
"Hey, guy, you wanna sell that sweet ride?"
"I know what I have."
"Oh. Well...okay." <*wanders off with nothing left to say*>
You might be on to something.
Start by telling the unwanted offerer how rare, unique and collectable it is as well. They only made ### of these! All sure signs the price is going to be all kinda of silly.
It's people hoping to "steal" the car from you for a good price. Once they realize that you understand the value of what you have, they move on.
Had it happen to me when I owned a 2l 16v GTI, this was 1994.
"How much for it?"
It's not for sale.
"No, really, how much for it?"
$12k.
"That's too much!"
Well, I told you its not for sale...
When I go grocery shopping, I occasionally encounter someone with a 100% stock, one owner WRX wagon.
The first time he was very nice and allowed me to compliment him on the car. We had a brief discussion, the main topic being how rare it is to find an unmodified one, and I went on my way.
I saw the car again a few months later and left him a note with my name and phone number and enough information to remind him of our conversation. I said that if you ever wanted to sell the car to another adult, please give me a chance to make an offer.
A few months later, I saw him again and just said, "Hi, there's that nice Subaru." He started laughing, and had to emphasized that he still had the note, even showed it to me!
Still, I won't hold my breath.
At a cruise in a couple years ago a couple brothers looking at my Opel GT explained to me they just came into a big inheritance and wanted to buy a cool car. Asked how much for my car. Asked them if they could drive a manual, they said no but would learn. How about mechanical, could you work on it. Again no. Told them this isn't the car you want besides not for sale, I know the Hagerty value and I would take 3-4 times what that is. They left. Not that it's worth the Hagerty value but it got them to leave. Others that have asked I just tell them my dad gave me this car and he passed away years ago. That moves them along.
I often get people telling me about other Opel GTs for sale or just sitting rotting away. I just nod and say Ok. Really, I have a restored GT why would I want another one? Besides no room at my house for more cars. Admittedly, if I were to choose and buy an old sports car it probably wouldn't be an Opel GT. There interesting and not many around anymore but there were better sports cars in its day. Now not to say I don't like the car, I do. It's interesting and always draws a crowd. Has some interesting features, like the cable operated roll-over headlights. And not interesting to get rid of it any time soon.
Then there are those that tell me they pegged the speedo in one back in the day. Speedo goes to 160 mph. Yeah right, out of the factory they would only go just a bit over 100 mph and your was stock too? Nowadays when I hear that I just turn and walk away mid-sentence. Not worth bursting there bubble.
I have a couple collector vehicles and get that question all the time. In my experience most of those people have no intention or interest in buying the car, they just want to know how much it's worth.
This story goes well on both ends (buying/selling).... probably 2006
One of the few cars my dad/brothers/I have ever bought sight unseen was an 86 300zx. We had a yard sale and someone who worked at the local thrift store came to pick up the rest of the crap that hadn't sold and we were just donating. He mentions as we were packing up that someone had just donated the car with some rust, not working gauge cluster, manual, low miles - Price = $300=sold. We might have lost money that yard sale. Pick it up, wash it, weld a patch behind the wheel.
Fast forward to 4 months later. Dad is at a gas station a town over and someone asks him how much...$2500=sold. He calls me to come pick him up from the guys bank.
I've never had someone make an unsolicited offer on a car I've owned. I've only owned interesting cars, albeit not exceedingly rare ones.
pinchvalve said
Being on the job hunt, I learned that many employment software platforms will filter out any applicants not currently employed. Yep, if your LinkedIn profile shows that you are not working, you can't get a job. Perhaps the same applies for cars, people assume that if it is for sale there is something wrong with it. They only want to buy cars that are not for sale.
I'm not sure if it translates to cars.
It's true when it comes to jobs. I find it incredibly odd, in this world where layoffs have become a regular part of business and are a valid practice when revenues decline. It's held against you even if you were literally the last person to be let go. It's hard finding a job when you don't have one. I was legitimately a regular top performer and I'm in an in demand field, albeit in a small market. I've applied for a bunch of jobs which would be a step down and hear mostly crickets.
I might have mentioned this encounter on my personal Facebook as well. Today I was out front doing lawn work. My friend Chuck was passing by on his scooter. He screeched to a halt: "Hey, how much for your Porsche!?" (By the way, if anyone's looking for a totally cherry Honda RC51--like 3000 miles from new--he's got one for sale. And, no, he's not giving it away.)
My friend's dad always had cool cars growing up and kept them in pristine shape. When I finally had a real job, I .offered to buy his latest ride at the time; a 135i. Finally, after 4 years, he took me up on the offer and gave me a smoking deal on it. I only wish that I could have somehow bought his '97 Integra GSR back in high school.
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