For me, it is ostentatious, oversized rims and "little old lady" stories. I also get a kick out of "the car doesn't currently run - it just needs a $10 part from the salvage yard" line.
^I actually look for that! everything is negotiable as long as the price is."Mechanic's Special"
^This,lol. I'm a mechanic,when I sell a vehicle it was either put together cheap as possible intended for resale,it's at the point the value is less then the repairs,or I pieced it together from scraps parts or seconds that came from another vehicle I'm keeping,haha...and when a mechanic decides it's time to just get rid of the car, you probably don't want it.
Oh boy, this is just about every used car in Montreal!Aftermarket wheels. Excessive window tint. Evidence of tinkering with the air intake system. K&N anything. Evidence of tinkering with the OEM suspension. Aftermarket sound system. Hack jobs for muffler "upgrades". Oddball alarm and remote start systems, especially along with amateur install work. Rust in the lower fender and door seams. Over 100K miles. For a Northstar engine, earlier than year model 2000. An uncomfortable feeling that a transmission or clutch is not just right. Filthy oil on the engine dipstick. Overfilled transmission. ANY evidence of oil, gas or coolant snake oil use.
Likewise for all H-4 Subarus. Learned that one the hard way this month.Any ad on a pre 04 Northstar that reads "new rad or water pump or serviced cooling system, etc"
A friend of mine bought a 190k suburban for 1800 with a trans with 3 months on it.....I wouldn't say the truck is a money pit (needed tires, brakes, and the rear end rebuilt), but it sure isn't in the best of shape (then again, against my advise, he bought it at night)....he woke up in the morning to find (surprise!) that he bought a rustbucket truck with a rotted out cargo doors sill, rusty fenders, quarters, and rockersbigm57ict said:..and when a mechanic decides it's time to just get rid of the car, you probably don't want it.
:histeric:
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Amen! I've always wondered about this when i see an ad that says "less than 5000 miles on rebuilt/new engine".
This. I bought my 00 safari with a bad motor BECAUSE it had a bad motor (cheap, and because I had a motor in a totaled van, even with labor, purchase price+ engine swap came in at about 1/3 book of the 00)BlazerZR5 said:^I actually look for that! everything is negotiable as long as the price is.
I try to stay away from "main body damage"AKA roof,quarter panel..stuff like that,that requires welding or body filler. a bent up door,or fender is fine.even a bent frame as long as it unbolts.I stay away from "repainted" vehicles too. I'll buy a wreck long before I buy a rebuilt wreck.