1976 Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser on ebay NOW

Selling this car for a friend so I thought you guys might want to see it. Thanks for looking.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/e...0308819199&sspagename=STRK:MESELX:IT&viewitem=

 

I've taken a hard look at that car on Ebay. Looks to be a nice rig. I debated contacting the seller (didn't know it was a member here) to set up a look-see. I'm not that far from Chicago. I'm very particular about my wagons and I do have a couple of problems with this one considering the money it's drawing. Biggest problem for me....I don't like blue cars. Especially light blue. It is a nice car though. I would really like to know the weight of this wagon if anyone here has that info.

 

This is a very nice example and what a blast to drive

I am selling it for a friend and IF it fit in my garage it wouldn't be on ebay. Had 1 guy out from the auction to inspect it and he exclaimed that it looked much nicer in person than in the ebay pics. I have another possible buyer coming Thursday or Friday and I always encourage that if near Chicago. This car runs, drives better than I could have imagined. Smooth and solid...straight down the road. Nice thing about this car is that everything works except the windshield washer pump which is minimal. Usually these option lade cars are a night mare, but not this one. By the way, the weight on these monsters was 5,118 LBS and I thought my '78 Eldorado was a heavyweight at 4,900 LBS...huh ?

Rich

 

A nice car, no doubt. Everyone has their own head set when it comes to cars though. At some point I always try to consider what the money for this car would also buy. Your car is going to go higher than I would want to pay when I look at other alternatives. Not that I wouldn't like to have it. I would. And if it was a different color I might be in the bidding. But...I don't like Ebay. As a BUYER. As a seller it's hard to beat. My greatest fear about this nice wagon is that it will go overseas. It's a prime example of what they like over there. If it were my car to sell, it would be a USA buyer only. No matter what the European offer. This car is a beautiful representative of old Detroit engineering.

 

I bought it

funny to run across this, as the new owner. I was the high bidder and I got it and I love it. There was more wrong with it than a washer pump, but I am very particular about mechanicals:

• especially driveability (want it perfect) so carb overhaul and major tune up
• A/C did some upgrades:
• wired max door shut so I have recirc on Lo, Med and Med High, not just high, makes for about a 10* cooler temp at vent
• Retrofitted VIR so now I have a cycling compressor clutch (makes for another 10* difference at vents, now getting 38* at vents)
• cooling system (new radiator, thermostat and cooling system flush)
• audio upgrade (4 new speakers, all were shot) satellite and iPod hookups to play through flawless factory AM/FM Stereo with working 8 track (this car has the best stereo out of all 3 of my cars, and they are all good)
• master cylinder (pedal went to the floor at a red light - very scary, thank goodness I was at a stop)
• valve cover gaskets (they were original and pouring oil, representation said otherwise, but not a major fix)
• transmission service

Most of this was normal maintenance, and I was happy to do it, but it was not represented to be this way, or need this much. I am not saying that it was misleading, as I said, I am very particular. I always plan on a couple grand in needed repairs to any car, in the best condition, so I was not really blown away about it.

The thing that surprised me about this car was that it was so dirty. The doors and windows and door locks barely worked because they were so full of dirt.

I had all the door panels removed and all the mechanisms lubed then lubed again (windows, door latches and door locks). Again, I like things right.

I just didn't get it, I mean that is something so simple, a detail or 2 a year!

I would say that the representation on a scale of 1 - 10, 10 being best this particular deal gets an 8+

I am delighted to have this car, and I do not mind that I had to do what I had to do.

As you can see by my signature, I am an Olds guy. They are all in excellent condition.

It is now a daily driver, and I smile when I drive it, it's a welcome addition to my fleet.

 

I'm just like you, Jeff. That's the way these old cars should be treated. I'm glad that old wagon got a good owner! As for ebay...I really hate it. Between a friend and me we have gone to see or pick up 6 vehicles. We came home with 2 out of the 6. It's hard to run checks on older vehicles so you have to rely on the pix and the sellers honesty. There ARE some honest people just selling their car on ebay. And then there are those that try doctoring junk and will lie. Your wagon was an easy choice comparatively. I'm glad it found a good home.

 

Jeff,

I hate to see ebay sellers criticized as trying to dupe a buyer. I'm sure that there are many dishonest sellers on ebay but can assure you that I am not one of them. I whole heartedly believe that this car was described pretty darn well. It was not advertised as a " restored " car, but as an original car that had been very well kept. If I owned the car, I too would be looking to fine tune some things as well.

Please consider that this car is original and 33 years old and I am more than sure that the previous owners were more concerned about how well it ran and drove and were not as worried if the windows were a bit slow or the door lock buttons stuck a bit.

You have mentioned some detailed areas of repair but mention nothing about how solid and straight the car is...how solid the engine is and that it doesn't knock or burn oil...how well the transmission shifts or how straight and solid the car drives.

You mention the master cylinder but it was fine when it left here. Perhaps the extreme pressure of the car carrier driver's leg when loading and unloading had something to do with this ? The transmission fluid ? That was done less than 1,500 miles ago so I'm not sure why it needed to be done again...same for the modulator ? You also mentioned that the valve cover gaskets were pouring oil, yet we never had a drop on the garage floor or any residual burning off the exhaust manifolds ?

I listing this car was merely doing a favor for a friend in need and received nothing more than a thank you. If I had done all the things you have, the car would not have brought a penny more for the sale or my pocketbook. I did, and always do, suggest that potential buyers come out to inspect or hire a service that does so, so that any and all questions would be answered before the bid process.

I have cut and pasted the comments you made via email after taking delivery of this car and truly thought that this comment was your signature of approval. I'm confused. :banghead3:

" not bad not bad at all thanks guys runs great, has a few issues but all in all not bad. thanks for the sinatra 8 track pulled up to have dinner and there was a crowd around it in less than a minute at the restaurant "

Rich

 

Rich, I did not in any way say I was duped. The email you cut and pasted was before I got the list from my mechanic. And I still do love it. But it was not as it was represented.

 

None of my business...but, I don't think Jeff was knocking the car at all. You have to understand that any of us that appreciate and buy old cars are perfectionists at heart. If we weren't we would be buying new, plastic, throw aways. Jeff gave the car an 8+. That's an extremely NICE old car. Whenever I buy one I do what Jeff does. I go through everything and clean, fix or replace whatever I feel it needs. That doesn't mean that the car's a dud. Those things are done out of love for the car. If it were a dud I wouldn't buy it and if Jeff thought this car was a dud I doubt he would have bought it. We all like this wagon and I don't think you need be defensive about it in any way. I'm sure Jeff, as the new owner, went through this car with far more scrutiny than you, as a second party seller, did. Just as you would do after a purchase of an old car. I looked hard at this wagon myself and liked it then and like it now. Frankly, you should be happy that someone purchased this car that will care for it and give it a good home. But, like I said, it's really none of my business.

 

I appreciate the report on how the deal was.
I don't think that you, Loadmaster, should be complaining, after all the buyer isn't.
You're blaming the car carrier for blowing out a master cylinder?
You're arguing that it doesn't leak oil - c'mion if the guy says it's leaking are you saying he's lying?

 

OK guys. Let's get a few things straight. My 1st sentence probably should have read " I hate to see so many ebay sellers get criticized as trying to dupe buyers or be classified as all being deceptive ". And Jeff, I never felt that you saw me that way. I belong to a number of different forums and get tired of people bashing ebay sellers. I've been buying on ebay for years and have never had a bad experience with a seller.

I'm really not trying to be defensive but do take great pride in delivering what I say I will. Jeff's comment that " There was more wrong with it than a washer pump, but I am very particular about mechanicals:" could make someone think I had been deceptive in my auction description or purposly ignored these items.

I am a car guy myself and have owned over 150 collector car over my 56 years on this planet. I agree, and it is a known factor that we often go through things have to repair stuff once we have a new toy too play with and to me, that's the fun part.

I acted as an agent for the owner, just as a homeowner would hire a real estate agent to sell their home. With that in mind, please consider that one cannot expect a real estate agent to fix everything around your house to insure the sale. If the agent is respectable, they will make recommedations for repairs that will help the sale or advise on things that may be code violations that would interfere with a closing.

This is what I did with respect to this Custom Cruiser. I handled the things that were the most obvious. Things like the rear tailgate window motor, power antenna, idler arm, tie rod end, alignment etc.. When selling any car, I've always been of the belief that it must start, stop and steer. I would never want to be the blame for someone else's misfortune. With that said, I would have considered the valve cover gaskets an easy replacement for me to do prior to sale and the master cylinder a safety issue that I wouldn't ignore. I drove this car at 65 mph on the highway and in the inner city alot before it hit the car carrier and never felt that the master cylinder was a threat. If I had, it would have been replaced as it would be a minor expense to insure safety in the grand scheme of things.

Strange things do happen tho... I have been selling diecast toy cars on ebay for about nine years. A couple years back I sold two cars to a fellow in Texas. I pack my stuff like Fort Knox to make sure it gets to buyers like it left here. When the buyer received his parcel, he called to complain about damage. He sent pics of 2 badly crushed cars and of the box in mint condition. How this happened I'll never know, however, hearing his kids screaming in the background I have my assumptions of what may have happened.

Hopefully this clears up my position. I am glad that Jeff purchased this car and that he will keep it up and away from demolition derbys as way too many of these neat old wagons have gone that way.

Rich

 

I think a lot of things are subject to interpretation, i.e. tones of voice, acusations and the like. There were things wrong with the car that while not deal-breakers, I would have liked to have known so that I could make an informed decision. There were things wrong with the car that were not mentioned by the seller, nor by me in my description on these forums. I never mentioned the chipped windshield. I never mentioned the bad hood latch. I never mentioned the peeling chrome off the grill. For me, these things will be part of the process of the project.

FWIW, I said that the DEAL on a scale of 1 - 10 was an 8+

The car itself I would give a solid 8

Also, with any of my cars, I never leave anything waiting to be done. I want to be able to jump in any of the 3 with just a set of keys and my wallet.

Suffice it to say that each car has its own satellite radio, its own garage opener, its own spare pack of Parliaments in the glove box. It goes without saying that they have gas in them and all services are up to date. Nothing I own is neglected, and with no disrespect to the previous owner, there are (were) several areas of neglect on this car.

I will however repeat that I love it and am delighted to have it, and thought the price was fair and that the deal was an 8+

But there was more wrong than just the washer pump.

 

Windshield chip ? Not when it left Chicago. Couldn't be something that happened on an open car carrier could it ? I tried to make every effort to accomodate any buyer as you can see below. I respect what you have done to improve the car. Some may choose to do more and some may choose to do less. everyone is different. As for the hood latch...I thought I mentioned this to you and taht it needed a small return spring.​

When bidding, please remember that this is a 33 year old car and one might notice some minor things not seen or mentioned once you have seen the car.

CAR IS AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION BY APPOINTMENT AND IS STORED IN CHICAGO NEAR OHARE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. There are many inspection services available and I highly advise serious bidders to use one or inspect the car themselves before bidding as again, ALL SALES ARE FINAL.
I have many more pictures of this car and additional pictures are available upon request. Any questions ? Please ask via email or feel free to call Rich at 773-XXX-XXXX between 9 AM and 9 Pm CST.
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I suppose, like I said, we are all different.

I make a point of disclosing the bad, or anything that is needed. I have been buying and selling cars for a long time as well, and I guess that I just imagined that it was different.

But no need to take offense. I was not intentionally accusing anyone of anything.

I guess I am old enough to remember these new, which is one reason why they are my favorite vintage. I just lost sight of the fact that this car is 33 years old, because my other ones are so like new. It does not seem that long ago to me that they were high school rides, and I forget that time has marched on.

 

150 collector cars!?!?