$2,500 gamble. Should I do it?

[Motorhead350]

I was at Pep Boys last week and some guy approaches me and my truck. He was impressed on how well I took care of mine, but said his was cleaner. Nothing on the street is cleaner than mine... so he told me to come take a look at it and would sell it to me for $3,000. It's the same year, from the south and just got a new black paint job. I have had offers for mine for as much as $15,000 and if his is cleaner than mine, I might just buy it to sell it to make some money and get my supercharger for my Marauder!

The guy told me today that he'll sell it for $2,500. I'm going to check it out tomorrow. Does anyone have any experience with buying and selling cars? If I get anything more than what I paid for it, I'll be happy. I expect to get $6,000-$9,000 if it's in all good condition like the guy is claiming. I'm going to run the vin tomorrow and make sure it's not stolen or anything funny.

What would you do?

[MM03MOK]

If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

[96DiamondVIII]

If the title is clean, and the truck is in good mechanical condition with no "impending doom" problems, it sounds like a deal. But either go over it with a fine tooth comb yourself, or have someone who knows K5's check it out--the low price could be something fishy...

[Bigdogjim]

Always expect to spend at least $1000.00 on a used anything.

[sailsmen]

Have him meet you at Pep Boys when its open, they can check it for you.

They used to sell a warranty on used cars they have inspected.

You are smart to run the VIN for liens/stolen.

Don't let him take you to somewhere else unless it's a notary that you know.:nono:

(You don't want to be robbed or car jacked);)

[JonW]

If the truck is worth $6000 or more, why is he selling it for $2500? Something fishy here...

[Motorhead350]

Yes I agree. I'll keep everyone informed on what's going on. I'm going to take pictures. We already agreed to meet at the guys home. I was told it's a bad area. I was going to drive my truck over there, but it's a gangbanger truck in certian parts of the city and I was told thats one of them. So my dad told me to take his car. I don't want to since it cost $100,000 new (not to brag, but please follow) and if the guy sees it I know he won't go below $2,500. I was told to take the other car because of the licnese plate being only 2 letters people will know not to mess with me, wither it's the guy or people on the street. No one can get a place with only four stampings and if I drive a car that has two they really know not to screw with me.

I don't agree on taking the expensive car for safety. This is afterall in 2 in the afternoon and like I said the deal might not be as easy if I show up in daddys car, which is like I said something I don't wanna do.

Your thoughts?

[RCSignals]

Arrange to meet him somewhere else, as someone said, PeP boys maybe

This all sounds odd to me.

[Rider90]

I'm no expert, but Chicago has some very bad areas. So bad, that I don't think your two letter license plate will do jack. Even worse, a CHPD badge couldn't get you out of a mess. If it is a bad area, the deal sounds too good to be true, and you know something could very easily be fishy - I say stay at home and who cares how nice his truck is.

[Motorhead350]

The guy offered to meet me at Pep Boys and even wanted me to come over and check it out tonight. I know not to look at any car at night you might buy. Like I said I just wanna buy it to sell it. Quick money for the blower! If I buy it I might want you to detail it, it's funny what a difference in sales price a detail job can do. ;)

[96DiamondVIII]

If he'll meet you at Pep Boys (in daylight) that sounds like a much better proposition. If his place is in a bad area, and you'd have to show up in either a "gangbanger" truck or a very expensive ride, that just takes it from bad to worse...

[Motorhead350]

Yea I'll ask about meeting at Pep Boys again. Same place I saw the guy last time.

[MarauderMark]

Good luck.

[KillJoy]

Well...???

KillJoy

[Wags]

Not to be the negative voice, but the book value on a loaded '90 K5 in EXC. condition is around $2700. What is so special about this one that you think it will bring in 9K? Even is it has lift kit, lights, motor, stereo, ect. I really don't think you can get 9k for it, if he is selling it for only $2500. Please be wary of this deal.

Wags

[Motorhead350]

Yea I'm looking into it. The selling point for me is the condition. Because they guy said it's in better shape than mine and I get offers everyday for $8,000 or 6. This is why I am interested. I'm going to check it out in about an hour.

[ckadiddle]

Not to be the negative voice, but the book value on a loaded '90 K5 in EXC. condition is around $2700. What is so special about this one that you think it will bring in 9K? Even is it has lift kit, lights, motor, stereo, ect. I really don't think you can get 9k for it, if he is selling it for only $2500. Please be wary of this deal.

Wags
That's what I was thinking. It's only worth book value unless someone is a K5 afficionado. I love Marauders, and because of that am willing to pay a poremium a little above what the book says to get one. Remember that 90 percent of the population has no clue what a K5 is. I have an acquaintance that owns one, who explained then to me.

Is there a K5 bulletin board or someplace similar to mm.net where you can zoom in ant specifically target on K5 freaks? Otherwise to me it's just a nice older truck that sucks a lot of gas. See what I mean? You could just end up being lucky to sell it for what you had into it. That's what I would be worrying about.

[jabo731]

Excuse my ignorance, but WTF is a gangbanger truck?

[RCSignals]

Yea I'm looking into it. The selling point for me is the condition. Because they guy said it's in better shape than mine and I get offers everyday for $8,000 or 6. This is why I am interested. I'm going to check it out in about an hour.

When someone offers 8K for yours today, why don't you just take it?

Buy the other guy's K5 and your S/C ?

[jgc61sr2002]

Like Mary said " it sounds too good to be true".:)

[KillJoy]

Well....????

KillJoy

[Motorhead350]

A gangbanger truck is a vehicle thats gangs choose to use. So if I was rolling around in a gangbanger truck on the wrong side of the city I may get shot at and I had a friend in high school get shot for driving the wrong car on the wrong street at the wrong time.

I checked it out and this is totally something to pass on. The paint is decent, but I agreed to meet the owner at 2pm. I went to his house called his cell phone and he told me he forgot about me. So about 2 hours later I meet the truck at Pep Boys (not the owner, but possibly his son) By than it was sunset and almost dark. Luckly my friend who was with me and supplied me with the ride brought a flashlight so I could check everything. His car happened to be a white Crown Vic by the way so I was happy not to drive daddys car.

What I found is what I expected. The guy who drove it over didn't point out anything to me, I had to discover problems on my own. My friend noticed the rubber in the weather seal was painted too and as a result some fell apart and would probably cause a massive wind noise. I noticed a little dent by the gas door, the drivers tail light was cracked. The thing had 170,000 miles and wasn't rebuilt or at least thats what they are telling me. It ran kinda rough. It would go, but when it idoled it shook the whole truck. Some gage lights were out, only once radio speaker worked it and it was in left rear. The dash had a pad on it because the old one was probably cracked. The tires were all bald and this was before I test drove it.

Neatless to say it was probably worth less than $2,500. Maybe $1,800 and the only selling point was the paint which was nice. The interior was in good shape, but not great shape. I'm running the vin anyway just for the hell of it. I still have the best street Blazer in Chicago or have yet to find a match. Also the one Blazer site is ck5.com, but it's like 20 bucks for that. Maybe I really should join. Well thats it for now and I think I'm going to pass. Also I cannot ever get rid of my truck. It means more to me than my Marauder.

[KillJoy]

So my dad told me to take his car. I don't want to since it cost $100,000 new


I though you / your father were having a MAJOR financial situation not too long ago regarding your Marauder?????

KillJoy

[RCSignals]

So, what was it that made the guy think his was 'cleaner'?

[Motorhead350]

It's a werid situation. Lets just say it's a company car, which it is, but thats off topic. Things are better now. There was a lotta B.S. to deal with when a partnership breaks up.

[Motorhead350]

So, what was it that made the guy think his was 'cleaner'?

I guess because he didn't have any rust at all because it's a southern truck. It was a pretty shine, but my truck was still better condition no question. I think the guy really wanted to get rid of it.

[Dragcity]

Be careful out there Bro....

[Motorhead350]

I do my best.