1974 Buick Estate Wagon

You're just as full of it as the rest of them. Where did I ask for a #1 condition car? I simply asked that the seller demonstrate that all that is needed to make the A/C work is to replace the belt, as he claimed. Air conditioning is not a trivial system, and it's legitimate to ask questions about it.

I have enough "common sense" to know that an old car might have issues. (I also have enough common sense to beware of a pig in a poke.) That is not the issue here. I asked about a specific claim made by the seller.

For that simple request, which is quite reasonable, I get called names, I get crucified, I get sworn at. Nice. I'll add your name to the list of people I would not buy a car from.

 

No biggie. I think I was already on that list. To be fair, you're definitely on one of my lists.

 

I've bought vehicles, motorcycles, from afar and have flown in to drive home, thousands of miles. It's legitimate to ask a seller to demonstrate that the vehicle has full functionality of a system before making such a trip no matter what the age of the vehicle. If it needs a belt, put it on and share the results as that will have some effect on negotiations on site if, in this case, the a/c system is in need of a rebuild or the compressor is fried. I know that when I put $7K down on a motorcycle after flying in I appreciated full honesty upfront. To fry someone for wanting all information on a vehicle that costs $6k is unconscionable, I support full disclosure without attitude on the sellers part. You ask $6k for something you're selling be prepared to sell it without an attitude, and be friendly about the process. Seller makes a claim, back it up with principle and positive proof. That's it plain and simple.

 

Couldn't have said it better. Thank you.

 

You're welcome. People misconstrue a request for honesty as a personal attack to deflect perceived attacks which aren't happening in true reality. Someone wants me to part with my hard earned $6K then every question I ask is on the table for potential negotiation and relevant to MY choice to buy that vehicle. That being said, if a/c is fried in an older car, compressor belt and r134a conversion are potentially $1-1.5K in negotiations, provided their fried. Why am I supposed to pay more for a car for nostalgia's sake a premium for broken parts, simply because they're not making a 1974 buick anymore. I buy a 1974 buick for $6K with an a/c option then it ought to work for $6K. No need for attitude at all, don't care for that behavior in adults or children when it comes to a purchase. Jaunty75 is correct in asking for the details and whether they work on the vehicle, all attitude toward that as an attack on the seller is contrived BS and deflecting the question and the facts of the matter: Does it work or doesn't it, and now how does that affect price? Plain and simple once again.

 

Be aware that you will likely be sworn at and accused of being one of "those guys" (we're everywhere, you know) who wants a #1 condition car for $1000.

 

I know that's a deflection, like you I never said I was taking $5K off the price, I'm willing to take on the ridicule as it's based on emotion not FACT. That's the problem in america today-people ignore the facts and fight based on emotion needlessly. A manipulation that emotionally I don't care for. As you have said I never asked for the car to be $1K, I simply want the deal to be an honest representation of the add by the seller. Attack me all you want, I would take my business elsewhere as it's not a one off like the Mona Lisa, it's a buick for god's sake, one for $6K and I want my value for that price for all options to work as represented.....an ambiguity needs to answered, since it was represented that the a/c is unknown to work then get it worked out and it works for both of us. Without that answer I'm deducting from the $6K for a fried a/c system unless you can prove otherwise. I don't care that the store is 30 miles away. I fly in from 3,000 miles away then he can make the trip to the auto parts store. Ridiculous, and hiding behind the badge of the forum as a member to mask the absurdity of the notion of putting any more effort into the auto for sale....BS!

 

Opinions duly noted.

 

Personally if you tried to bang me up for 1-1.5K for a non working AC system I would be happy to tell you to blow it out your arse. Your way off base or you get taken on vehicle repairs a lot, and in fact have a very happy mechanic.

Seriously if your looking at the car to buy it be smart enough to see the missing belt and ASSUME accordingly. Quite a few people such as myself don't hardly ever use it anyhow and it would have no bearing on price for me. And if selling I would tell you, I don't use it I don't know.

 

Your opinion. Negotiation points to worked out on a deal. Work up the numbers for a 1974 Buick replacement compressor and/or rebuild labor to throw it in and that's pricing. If you work 80 hours a week, I'd have it done. As far as ASSUMING, I don't do that, only work with facts, perhaps you feel comfortable making assumptions, I do not, I like facts. I'd appreciate you not projecting your "ASSUMING" logic onto me as that's not your right to do so. I like facts, perhaps you don't. Facts are the basis of determining the condition of something. Facts affect price. Assumptions blow in the wind. As far as your feeling that a/c is a non-crucial working option, I don't feel the same way about it. It's a crucial option. So I would negotiate, and were we dealing with one another I would find another car besides yours solely due to your assumptions about what matters to me. Exactly as you said because it doesn't matter for you doesn't mean it's the same for me, I don't share your opinion, and I don't appreciate you telling me what my purchase preferences ought to be.

 

Guess you guys won't be buying this car, and in all factuality neither of you were buyers to begin with. Certain people on here just like to argue and never buy a single thing they make comments about.

 

The comments I've made are not argumentative. I see somebody taking heat for questioning factual information regarding the condition of a vehicle, then the information that is secured in determining the facts about a vehicle that makes contact with this forum becomes information that becomes a resource for someone that is buying the car. So if I make a comment about a car on this forum do I have to be a pre-qualified buyer?, I don't think that was the intention of the why this forum was set up to begin with. It's about sharing and determining the factual condition of the vehicle. I enjoy the level of detail that is created here for cars that show up here over the years, some more than once, so with that being said, it's good to see the continued dedication people in this forum put into researching cars that are for sale via, craigslist, hemmings, etc. and what they've found out about the car via inspection and personal contact.

Getting ridicule for determining the factual condition of a vehicle discussed here is just not appropriate, whether I buy the car or not. It's a discussion, and the logic can be applied to any vehicle that's up on the block for sale. We just are at this point due to opinion. Pre-qualified buyers can only make comments about a car is ridiculous, a car gets shared here it's fair game to determine it's condition without pre-qualification for buying, as the intention is to share knowledge so when someone does pull the trigger on a vehicle we know as much as possible about it.

 

You don't know this, and it's completely irrelevant, anyway, for the reasons Thunderwing spelled out. It's a discussion group. We discuss things. We ask questions. We don't deserve to be cussed out for it.

By the way, didn't you promise to go away?

 

I decided that I won't let a certain person run me off, and I know your not a buyer. You never are

 

What a laugh. You don't know anything. Is this a requirement to visit this site? Is this a requirement to post on this site? I don't think so.

I may not have purchased collector cars on this site, but I've certainly owned my fair share over the years, and I have one right now. I had to buy them somewhere.