Need some help with a purchase

urseppos · urseppos's Garage

There's a C4S for sale here on Pelican & Rennlist at a very reasonable price. I've engaged with the owner & he has sent across pix of car, documents, pic of DL, a pic of the title & a selfie with & without the car, my request.

He has sent me his banking info, which I wasn't able to verify as the bank had already closed. Everything looks good but when I called House Automotive in Pasadena they said that the invoices were legit but the name I gave them did not mirror the name of the owner on the invoices ? I'm obviously being extremely cautious and I do not want to get scammed. I've called the current owner to discuss but had to leave a message. In the interim I thought I'd reach out to Pelican for some advice.

Is anybody near Tujunga Cali that may be able to help me verify that this is a real deal ? I would gladly cover fuel & lunch costs if someone would be willing to go see the car. Let me know what you guys think.

Thanks in advance for everybody's help.

Rick Brooklyn · 02:16 PM

His name is on the title?

I think you could ask him directly to explain why the invoices are in a different name.

None of my biz, but what about the GT3, are you selling it? Or is this car an addition?

Matt Monson · 05-16-2017, 02:14 PM

If it were me I would buy a plane ticket.

Toast54 · 05-16-2017, 02:16 PM

I'm quite new at this, but I thought a 2004 Carrera 4S at just over 19K seemed to be about 10K less than it's worth.

allaircooled · allaircooled's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matt Monson

If it were me I would buy a plane ticket.

This right here.

urseppos · urseppos's Garage

Quote:

None of my biz, but what about the GT3, are you selling it? Or is this car an addition?

It will be an addition & keeping the GT3.

I would fly out there but due to work & family I just can't do it. I'm reaching out to a friend in the LA area to see if he can facilitate. Why must this be so flipping difficult ?

HugoBear · 05-16-2017, 09:23 PM

I have my eye on that car because if it checks out, it is a crazy good deal. That makes me suspicious enough that I would want to do the transaction in person.

Macroni · Macroni's Garage

Call Techweenie and let him handle for you. Couple of dollars for a peaceful decision.

nathanbs · nathanbs's Garage

I'm super close to tujunga. If you can get him to come to me I'll check it out for you. Tell him I live in Altadena

DCAlbarran · 05-17-2017, 06:57 AM

Hey man I think I could make it over there today or tomorrow afternoon if you want to give me a call we can set something up, or put me in contact with the seller. I'm not qualified to do a full-on PPI or anything, but I can give you a neutral third-party set of eyes on the car and seller.

(805) 907-5246. Leave a message, got little ones who nap! Or DCAlbarran@gmail.com

-Danny

1979-930 · 1979-930's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by macroni

call techweenie and let him handle for you. Couple of dollars for a peaceful decision.

Ditto, Because there are no good deals.

specialtyoneinc · 05-17-2017, 08:31 AM

I would pay a professional to check it out or find a car more local. Plenty of C4S pop up and the M96 is not a engine to gamble on.

Anyhow, didn't you just get burnt on the last 996 purchase you made sight unseen?

"Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me"

Matt Monson · 05-17-2017, 10:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by specialtyoneinc

I would pay a professional to check it out or find a car more local. Plenty of C4S pop up and the M96 is not a engine to gamble on.

Anyhow, didn't you just get burnt on the last 996 purchase you made sight unseen?

"Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me"

And his daughter's car before the GT3.

urseppos · urseppos's Garage

So.....got hold of the shop that the fella just took the car to for an oil change and it needs about $7k worth of work, suggested by the shop. As many have mentioned previously, if it seems to good to be true it most likely is. I mean no disrespect to the owner of the car but at $19.5 one has to expect spending money in the not too distant future, also stated previously by one of the Pelicans. I am henceforth going to pass on her and hold off until something a bit closer to me comes up.

I appreciate all the advice from the panel. If anyone is interested in this car just let me know & I can forward some info across.

Once again, thank you all for your help.

urseppos · urseppos's Garage

Quote:

Anyhow, didn't you just get burnt on the last 996 purchase you made sight unseen?

"Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me"

lol Yes, very true & it just wasn't a home run purchase as I thought it may have been. I do at times buy cars sight unseen but when doing so I try to minimize risk by getting a PPI, photos, invoices, etc. Doesn't always work out in my favor but I've also had great success with some very honest & upstanding people. I unfortunately don't have the luxury of being able to fly as & when needed to see the cars as I would ideally prefer.

specialtyoneinc · 05-17-2017, 04:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by urseppos

lol Yes, very true & it just wasn't a home run purchase as I thought it may have been. I do at times buy cars sight unseen but when doing so I try to minimize risk by getting a PPI, photos, invoices, etc. Doesn't always work out in my favor but I've also had great success with some very honest & upstanding people. I unfortunately don't have the luxury of being able to fly as & when needed to see the cars as I would ideally prefer.

Glad you didn't buy that C4S. The jackoff seller just raised the asking price to $22.5k

As you know, the home run deals get swooped up in a matter of minutes on PP and RL...especially in the 964 market which I'm unfortunately in.

ranchy · 05-17-2017, 04:16 PM

No need to call me a jackoff seller. It's either you interested in my car or not. I have the right to increase the price if I want to. Thanks.

ranchy · 04:28 PM

Funny as it may seem, I just came up to update my asking price for the car and I come by all these. He didn't even have the decency of telling me directly that he was no longer interested in the car after providing all that he requested for. Fine by me. I'm back to taking offers for the car.

specialtyoneinc · 05-17-2017, 05:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ranchy

No need to call me a jackoff seller. It's either you interested in my car or not. I have the right to increase the price if I want to. Thanks.

Sorry if I offended you ranchy. I'm sure you're a nice guy

.

Rick Brooklyn · 02:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ranchy

Funny as it may seem, I just came up to update my asking price for the car and I come by all these. He didn't even have the decency of telling me directly that he was no longer interested in the car after providing all that he requested for. Fine by me. I'm back to taking offers for the car.

You sound like a decent guy, unfortunately the chance of finding a decent guy in the used car world is about one in eleventy billion, so unsurprisingly it turned out that in fact you're not nice at all.