[groovydude]

Thanks for all your comments!

I doubt any PPI would include draining the oil and popping off the valve covers, unless the buyer paid an extra couple of hundred. I figured that the engine having been rebuilt 12K miles ago gives me some assurance about the head studs.

We all have probably had an experience similar to blau911, I certainly have. So when the mechanic told me "it's probably a bad WUR", I realized it could be a number of other things. But at least he told me that the car was having warm up issues.

I weighed the idea of flying to SL to inspect the car myself. But I had a budget in buying this, and I could easily see 5 or 6 plane flights across the country to look at cars, and weeks of personal time, if I were to have that mindset. Pretty soon my budget is blown just looking. I knew I was rolling the dice a bit.

I doubt I'll sue, it's just likely to be more time wasted. But I'll "out" this guy here, and everywhere else I can. I know I didn't have a point-by-point list, but clearly when some "expert" doesn't see the fact that obvious parts are missing in the car, he f***ed up. I noticed the belts and visors in under a minute. The inspection cost me $250. Used belts will cost me that much, so if he follows through on the belt offer then it cost me nothing, which is about what it was worth.

The last thing I'll say is about value. I don't think it was chance that I bought the car from someone in the mid-west. This car, as is, would have cost me $3-5K more at any dealer in Seattle. We're in a very hot economy here, lots of classic car buyers, and no inventory. Had I lived in another city I probably would have just waited it out for a local car to show up. So I'm not crying that I have to spend an extra $1-2K to get the car up to snuff. Just annoyed as hell at the time and inconvenience.