Found Another Fairmont, Anyone In Montana?

I found another Fairmont 4-speed wagon. Looks to be in good shape, runs and drives. Anyone near there that could look at it for me? If its good, I'd have a truck bring it to me in Indiana.
http://montana.craigslist.org/cto/2392791566.html

 

Just got off the phone with the seller. Sound like a good car, six cylinder, manual OD trans, decent interior, solid body, runs and drives well.
Anyone know what shipping will cost me? I'm hoping for $500 or so, or is that a pipe dream? My jobs won't allow me to take a week off to go get it.

 

Got a few on-line quotes, looks like around $800 to ship to me. Ouch!!

 

Is it drivable? Could you fly out to....well somewhere in Montana and drive it back? I haven't checked on car shipping rates in a while, but I bet it costs $700-$1000 these days.

 

I may buy it and store it somewhere till I can bring it home.

 

Just MHO... You will eat up that 300 bucks between what you budgeted and what you were quoted real quick in storage.

Just bite the bullet and have the thing shipped now. Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and Mac and cheese dinners will taste better looking out the window and seeing the car...

 

What about rust, DR? I know it's cheap but I think you need a lot more pix rather than just the phone info.

 

If it's driveable maybe you can find someone to take a trip there with you.

That's what Norm and I did, we drove down to ND in one car and drove both cars back.

 

Okay, I was assuming that the OP did his due diligence just like I did when I bought my Astre.

Shame on me for assuming. Cripes.

 

???? I don't get this, doc???

 

I looked up Victor, MT, DR. Looks like a hard place to get to. I have been looking for a specific car for a long time and I find a lot of them out in that area of the country. No matter how you look at it, those of us here in the mid-west are going to find it difficult to access a car form out there. I have racked my brain several times to find a way to get a car back from that area. If you find a way...let me know. I wish you luck but I think any way you cut it, getting that car to IN is going to run that cheap price up quite a bit. I find this problem to be one of the more frustrating aspects of car shopping online. Good luck, DR....if you want it I hope you get it.

 

What I was referring to is that when i bought my astre Panel, I had the seller take a pile of photos with proof of date in them.

He sent me over 30 photos of the car. I gave him specific areas i wanted to see. The photos were were so good, I used then for submitting to the insurance company for proof how clean the car was and justifying the value i placed on the car.

I assumed the DrgRcr had done the same... For the money that the guy is asking for the car, I don't see what the big deal is. Even with the shipping, the price isn't crazy. At best he will end up with a cool car. at worst, he will have an excellent parts car.

I went to Barrie, ON to get my car. My friend and I trailered it to Buffalo and had the shipper pick it up there. The only reason i actually went to Buffalo was to visit my best friend and make an adventure out of it.

I went on line and got a shipper. There are websites that rate the shippers and allow clients to leave feedback on their experiences. My shipper was highly rated, had good feedback, and I found that his price was fair.

I researched it very well. It is all part of the due diligence in buying a car out of state.

 

I looked up Victor, MT... Not too far from a major NW interstate highway. I really don't think $800 from there to Indiana is an outrageous amount of money. Hell, you couldn't get there and drive it back for that kind of money...

I figure... Approx 1900 miles there... roughly 28 hours drive time... $350-400 in gas... $100 in motels... $120 in meals... and that is each way.

Don't forget to add the trailer rental if you don't have one.

Time and money outweigh the cost of shipping. Not to mention, they are responsible to make sure the car gets to you in one piece.

I wouldn't go and drive the car home. That is long haul in a car you know little about. That is why I had the Astre shipped. I was money and time ahead.

 

You're totally right. The more I thought about it, I didn't like the idea of driving a $400 car across the country. I have a guy I know going to look at it for me and take lots of pics. Like you said, I really can't go wrong with the car.

 

You are doing the right thing. Find someone who's judgment you trust. Tell him exactly what places you want photos of.

With the Astre, and knowing H Bodies as well as I do, I knew what spots are prone to rust and wear and tear. The seller was very accommodating. I believe that the list of photos I wanted let him know I knew what i was talking about and that i was a serious buyer.

You are looking at $1300 bucks for a really clean looking car. Even if the motor is crap, the body is the expensive part to replace and repair anyways. Motors are cheap. Ask me how i know...

Hey, I wasn't born with this knowledge... I went to school for it. Yeah, the school of Hard Knocks. School colors were black and blue.. i still have yet to graduate. I remember my Daddy telling me... "Son, there are just way too many mistakes to be made during a lifetime and not not enough time. Sometimes you need to learn from other people's pain."

That Fairmont wagon brings back a memory... I almost bought one in 1980. It was a Buckskin color with matching interior with a four speed. It was ordered and the buyer backed out. the dealer willing to unload the car cheap. I liked the car but that color just sucked.

Fairmonts were good driving cars. Perky with decent milage and the styling was decent too. I thought that they should have had a two door wagon. I would have liked that...

Keep us posted on the car.