Has anyone ever had a car in thier sights ,that they thought were going to get or at least had a fair shot at obtaining-only to have the rug jerked out from under them?-Kevin
I remember it happening once when buying my second car. My dad reminded me that was for a reason and the next to come along would be a better car. It seems throughout the rest of my car buying life, it held true. The best cars were usually the second or third and seldom the first choice.
Not sure what you’re asking, Kevin. Maybe you could give us an example.
Do you mean someone came along and offered more money? In that case I’d shrug and assume they wanted it more than I did. Then I’d go find another car.
I’ve never wanted a car badly enough to pay too much for it.
This happened to me with a French Horn. I answered an advertisement in the American Federation of Musician’s Journal. All the work was done by e-mail and I had said that I would buy the instrument. The e-mail was received and then I received word that the instrument was sold to someone else on approval. I then received another e-mail offering again to sell me the horn. I was fed up that the seller backed out on the original deal, so I said no.
This also happened to my first wife’s father on a car. He spotted a left over 1968 Mercury Montego after the 1969 Mercurys had hit the showrooms at the Lincoln/Mercury dealer when he came for a visit. He called me after he went home and I went in and made arrangements for the car. He came the next day and we even drove the car. When we got back from the test drive, the salesman found that the car had been sold the evening before by another saleman. My father-in-law asked if there had been a trade-in for the car. It turned out that the new purchaser had traded in a 1965 Mercury Monterey with only 22,000 miles. The dealership gave him an excellent deal for the Monterey and it turned out to be an excellent car, and was more within his budget.
Take the advice of my dad: “There will always be cars”.
Does a motorcycle count?
In 2005, when I was learning to ride a motorcycle, a friend of mine was selling his 1985 Honda Goldwing. However, I didn’t have the money and nobody wanted to finance the purchase with reasonable terms. I talked my friend into putting the bike on consignment at a dealership so I could get financing, but when I showed up at the dealership, they gave me the runaround so much, I just gave up.
Eventually, a bike I wanted just as much became available, and I have turned it into a sport touring motorcycle (pictured below).
Kevin, this type of thing happens all the time and to many different people. It’s like a fishing story of the “big one that got away”.
It’s a sign of maturity to not fret on this and go on, since there are more fish in the sea in nearly all cases.
Well these events occured when I was a teenager or thereabouts,one car was a 53 Ford Crown vic(cherry body)the other one was a 63 2 dr Bel Air v-8,factory air ,what a let down,oh well-Kevin
Well I so wanted to buy my bosses 1968 mgb gt, a six cylinder I got to drive on occasion and loved the car. It was back in the olden days and I had a week until he was going to trade it in, no information from the bank company after 1 week, he traded it in and the next day I got the approval for the loan. It still makes me sad.
I’ve always wanted a circa 1987-1989 Mustang LX 5.0L But it’s hard to find one that still close to stock, in good condition, and doesn’t have 200k on the clock. A couple years ago while I was getting the cruise control recall work done on my Bronco, I was talking with the head mechanic at the Ford dealership, he’s pretty well known guy in the local Mustang scene, and he builds engines on the side. He had recently built a mild 306 for my brother’s F-150, and I had been talking to him about rebuilding the 351W in my Bronco and making a 408 out if it. The coversation switched gears to Mustangs, I had always wanted one, he mentioned that he was restoring a 1988 LX 5.0L that he had picked up, and that he planned on selling it when he was done restoring it. I told him to give me call when he was done, and I would probably be intrested in it.
A few months go by and he calls me up and says that it’s done, and that if I want I can stop by his place and take it for spin. So I go over to his house and there is sat. Better than showroom condtion. The interior was flaweless, the seats were ones out of a Saleen, and reupholstered in black a red leather, new carpet,new headliner, new radio, the dash was new, new switches and knobs, event the clear plastic lens over the gauges was new. On the outside, the body was flawless no dings or dents, it had just got $4000 paint job (black), new weld wheels, new headlights,etc. Under the hood sat a new blueprinted 347 stroker. The car had Saleen suspension bits, and rear disc brake conversion. It was magnificent (to me). Keith (the builder) said he would let it go for $10k which was a bargain. However at the time, I was in college and though I was making decent-for-a-college-kid money working part time at a body shop. I just couldn’t swing it. I also already had a vehicle that was paid for, and as much as I wanted that Mustang, I couldn’t justify the purchase. The car was a want not a need. And at that point in my life I figured it would be more prudent to save my money.
Here’s where it gets intresting. I tell Keith that it’s an amazing car, and I would love to have it, but I just couldn’t part with that kind of money whilst still in school. He said it was no problem and that he understands where I coming from. So I leave.
A week later I’m talking to my brother who is 16 at the time, he mentions that his buddy, who is also 16 just got a 5.0L Mustang. A couple days later the friend stops by, and low and behold he’s driving the same Mustang I had walked away from the previous week.
Now it’s 10 years later. Gifford, the guy who got the Mustang when he was 16 still has it, and it’s garage kept and still in fantastic shape. He’s a officer in the Army and should be finishing up his 2nd tour in Iraq in about two weeks. He doesn’t drive the 88 5.0L much, as he has an equally nice 2006 Mustang GT. I’m still thinking about making him an offer on the 1988.
Good grief,maybe time has made you wiser.You are getting a second chance ,hope you have no regrets after this window closes -Kevin
Is a sad tale-Kevin
Yeah. In '93 I wanted a gorgeous creme-colored Mazda 929. They let me take it home for the weekend. My wife (now my ex) pulled the rug out from under the idea.
That is truly a shame-Kevin
I ended up with a 1968 cougar xr7 instead, wish I still had it, thanks K