Tell this kid to sell me my car back...

Driven5 wrote: Regardless it sounds like you may be SOL. Obviously this car is a "make me sell" rather than a "need to sell" kind of deal, and I doubt if getting upset with him or enlisting others to get on his case is going to help your case at all.

Yeah, the "Need to Sell" vs. "Want to Sell" is a very good point.

While I understand WHY the OP wants to buy the car back, it's not like this is the last Firebird left on Earth.

Trying to buy this car back sounds like it could cause more headaches than just moving on an starting over with a different car, IMO.

Challenge him to an autocross for pinks?

can not tell you anything. sorry!

JohnInKansas wrote: Challenge him to an autocross for pinks?

I had originally said that, then deleted it. I don't know if I should be proud or sad that another GRMer had the same idea....

I would say "Move-on".

Buying back your beloved for more money than you sold her is going to taint the relationship; especially if there are any issues to be dealt with as you are re-united.

Maybe I'm missing something. Is there a verbal or written agreement the kid should sell you the car back?

Yes? Whip it out.

No? Don't embarrass yourself. Kid's a putz, but you can sleep better knowing that what goes around comes around.

Dan

14,500?! Are the pistons made of berkeleying gold?!

He probably has to pay the photographer and the cost of renting out the mulch yard.

z31maniac wrote: Free market. He can try to sell it at whatever price he wants. "We are not your personal army."

Sorry about your car, but it's his now and he can ask anything he wants for it.

Considder your self lucky that you actually found it and have the opertunity to get it back. There are a couple cars of mine out there that I can not find (probably crushed by now) but I would really like them back. #1 on my list would be my 86 FC

Sorry about the seller's remorse, but I bet the kid opened the catalogs to find out how much everything is, realized the deal he got, now isn't happy from peer pressure no doubt, and is selling for what things really cost.

He is just a douche nozzle. While it is a unique color, "unique" wheels, and generally not the normal Fireturd, it is far better to cut your losses and start over. You have made your offer, wait. I doubt anyone bites on his asking price, unless they are clearly monetary decision challenged.

+1 for finding the Corvette he wants for way less money and trading it to him. Win/win.

Vigo wrote: MURRICA

LOL I hope it was the kid who made this pic

"Dear Kid on Craigslist with the Firebird,

I'm too far away to buy your sick car, but I just want you to know that the car is worth way, way more than what you're asking for it!

Seriously, I know a ton of E36 M3 about cars!

Sincerely,

Some Guy That You Don't Know"

Hey, it IS his car and he has the right to ask any price he wants whether or not this group thinks different.

Move on.

It's easy to say "it's a T/A, there are plenty of them, move on", but in the OPs defense I'm sure he has tons of time and labor in the car. I'm one of those guys that gets attched to cars and when you spend that much time with something, and know every nut and bolt on it, it means a lot. I would never sell my 85 911 even if it meant i could go get a 911 Turbo, so really the T/A vs Corvette point is moot if dude is emotionally invested in the car.

My advice...if this is something you want to keep in the family, talk to you kid(s) about the times you had with it and how you built it, maybe pass it on down to them down the road...i'd keep working with the idiot kid and try and get a deal going eventually. Some cars just can't be replaced imho.

It's the kids car paid in full even if he is construed as an unappreciative dickweed. All it takes is for one person to agree on his high price or w/ trade/ negotiations... if not, rude awakening kid. If he doesn't get the price I'd leave myself open as a first in line interested buyer.... but I wouldn't piss him off doing it, that ain't gonna get ya very far.

I fully understand becoming attached to a particular vehicle; I bought my Impreza back with a locked up engine! Mostly for my wife but I felt a twinge too when I heard it was headed to the scrapper.

What makes it worse is the kid didn't pay for it and most likely hasn't done any of the most recent work himself. He's not attached to it and the car is just the flavor of the week. I used to work with a kid like that. He changed cars every year or so and called his nearly mint Cadillac CTS a "winter beater".

As much as it may hurt, I'd suggest moving on and maybe finding a more kid friendly toy. Even though you may have built this one EXACTLY how you wanted, I believe the build portion is the biggest part of the gearhead journey. Building another may be just the ticket to falling in love again and you could apply any lessons learned with the T/A to the newest acquisition.

Make your offer, if he doesn't take it then move on. The worst position to be in when buying is having the seller know you really really want the car.

That's a tough one. You kinda put us in the position to nitpick and justify a low value for a car that you obviously have a lot, personally and economically, invested in. As a current (2nd gen) Trans Am owner and former 4th Gen owner, I follow the F-body boards and have a general idea of what stuff is worth.

Right now, the 4th gen's with values in the mid-teens and above are

1) low mileage,

2) highly optioned (WS6, 30th's, NHRA, CE's) and

3) very original.

Despite all the nice mods, this car doesn't have any of those things going for it (my understanding is that it isn't a WS-6). The things it does have going for it are performance modifications, rebuilt/upgraded components and a nice repaint in a non-factory color. Fortunately for you those things don't really help much for resale, and the non-factory color probably even hurts it.

My advice is to tell the kid that you are interested and leave it at that. Human nature being what it is, in all likelyhood this kid will find the Corvette he wants before long and maybe even buy it. Then he will be the one in a hurry to sell.

So what ended up happening with this? Did you buy it back?

He still has the car, took the CCWs off and put some knock offs on. I wrote a check for $12,500, sent him a picture of it (with critical information blacked out) and he refused even though it was his new asking price sans the wheels.

Some of his friends informed me that he had beat the car up pretty bad and it wasn't running right. Even with a horrible driver the car should be a high 12s car and he was running mid 13s with it.

He then texted me that he was selling the car to some old guy for $12k after I had already given up on trying to buy it. I asked him what his major malfunction was as I had offered him more $ than that and he politely told me to f' off and thanks for my service. Proceeded to do the whole block me on facebook thingy too lol.

A prick/twat/punk are a few adjectives that could be used to describe him. But like you shiny happy people said he can choose who he wants to sell it to. Not that I care, I have a new project now in the 02 WRX and I saved some cash in the process for modifications.

I just learned a hard lesson that you never make concessions for random people. When selling the car last year I backed out on the deal because I thought maybe I should keep it. His mom called me the next day saying "Xander has been crying all night, this is his dream car, could you please rethink it." I gave in because like I said I needed the cash, next time...I won't give in to a crappy sob story.

Is there still time for a dick punch?

900 miles away and have better things to do with my time although it would be funny to see.

DirtyBird222 wrote: Proceeded to do the whole block me on facebook thingy too lol.

wait.....you were facebook friends with him?

Wow, he had mommy call to beg after throwing a tantrum? That's pathetic..