F451

Hey guys,

Just had to share this emotional roller coaster.

A guy up here in the Seattle area advertised on craigslist an '84 Euro, 5p, 80k miles, for $2500. See this thread: https://rennlist.com/forums/showthre...highlight=euro

I figured it had to be bs, but emailed and called the guy, but never got a response. Then the ad was deleted and I figured I must have missed out on a great deal or it was all bs from the start.

Next thing I know, the ad is back, and the guys says that due to overwhelming response, the car will be available for viewing and sale this morning up in Marysville, WA, at a Kmart. AND the price was the same, $2500 cash.

Now, I was not in the market for another 928, but I just couldn't resist this one, so I somehow convinced the wife that I should buy this, and she finally gave in.

Sooo, I drive all the way up there, get there nice and early, and pick my spot, trying to figure out where this guy will drive in and park, and how to position myself so I can be the first guy to talk to him and make my offer.

Much to my dismay, but not surprisingly, I see the vultures pull in one by one and pick their spots. We all exchanged steely glances at each other, all thinking the same thing. It like an old western, who is going to blink first as we all stare each other down.

And I pretty knew I wouldn't get the car as I figured a bidding war would erupt, and I could only go up to $2700.

FINALLY, the 928 pulls in. Holy ****, it looks pretty good! And he pulls in just down from me, exactly where I hoped he would. I get out of my car, and I'm first to reach him. I casually say hi, look the car over quickly, ask him if there are any major mechanical issues with the car, he says no, so I tell him I'll take the car for the $2500, and I have the cash right here.

He seems surprised and asks me don't I even want to look it over, and I tell him, no, I saw you pull in, and it looks pretty good. I ask him if he has the title, he says yes and pulls it out, AND we shake hands. We have a deal!

Wa-hoo! I can't believe I scored it.

As the other guys walk up, I annouce to them, the cars sold. And for a moment it holds the vultures off. Then this jack off offers the guy $3000 and the seller looks at me.

I ask him if I can talk to him a minute, and offer him $2700 cash, and emphasis that we had already shaken on the deal, and that I was a 928 guy, and would take good care of the car. This seemed to have an effect on him and I could see he was thinking it over.

Then the other guy chimes in that he will trade him his 911 if he wants that instead, or he would give him the $3000.

Again the seller was thinking it over, and in the end he told the other guy he would take the $3000. He told me sorry, and I told him no problem, but that we did have a deal, and we shook on it, and in my book, a deal is a deal, but that it was his car, so no problem.

So, I was pretty conflicted about the whole thing. For a minute there I was thinking I had scored big time, then I was a bit upset with the seller, even though I couldn't blame him at all.

Then I was ticked at the 911 guy, but again, I probably would have done the same thing.

While driving home, alls I could think about was I had missed a great car for $300! Three hundred bucks!

Then I realized I had to calm down and accept it. It was all good. And then I was actually relieved that I didn't get it as it needed some work, and I already have 2 928's, and I am temporarily extended a bit financially, so I'm feeling much better about the whole thing.

STILL! An '84 euro in good running condition for $3000!

Ha ha....

Anyway, just wanted to share some 928 drama.

Ed

F451

ps: there's a '77 911 Targa for sale in my home town that I am considering going to look at. Its only $4500. I'm waiting to hear from the seller what mechincal work it needs. Heh heh...

http://seattle.craigslist.org/est/car/334470220.html

macreel

Ed... I think you dodged a bullet. That former 928 jockey is a schmuck
for reneging on the deal he shook hands on. Just my opinion.

Probably hordes of gremlins snickering under the hood and behind
the electrical panel, don't you think ?

Good luck.

djurek

Ed,
You should blame the seller. A handshake is all a man requires. It's a good thing that most men would have dismissed the other offers and signed the title. he is just a simple "chump"

FlyingDog

IIRC, he told Rich S. the car was his when the ad first popped up.

BC

Sounds like a bugger. Who here can honestly say they would stick with the original deal on a handshake? What is your word worth? Honor? If offered the 2500 I would have took it obviously, but then when re-offered the 2700 I would have accepted, stating the other offer, but I would have gone no further. A deal is a deal, but this is not true for many.

This is a rhetorical question (but I answered it), but it bears asking.

Richard S

Nah, I was just yanking all of yer chains......only one guy took the bait, so you guys are getting good. I was expecting hate mail for suggesting parting it out.

Rich

ACG

Ed,

I am sorry to hear about your ordeal. PorKen introduced me to a 1984 928S Guards Red for $1,500. The car is not running, but it seemed to be in pretty good shape for a $1,500 (missing turn signal, broken fog lamp, broken air dam, broken timing belt and brakes). It would make a great fixer upper for me to learn about 928s instead of practicing it on my other running 928S.

The problem is I am currently in Singapore and will not return to the States unitl next week. I contacted the seller and we have a gentleman's agreement that he holds the car until my return.

(Man, I got the addiction real bad. No 928s last month. And now, I own two).

F451

Good to see I'm not the only one that thinks an agreement and a handshake still means something.

You know, years ago this would have really bothered me, but I guess I am starting to except that not everyone is the way I think they should be, and its ok. I mean its not ok to renege on an agreement, but its ok that there are people like that because there is nothing I can do about it, so I'm not going to let it bother me.

SERENITY NOW!

F451

Hey Andrew,

I remember hearing about that car, and you got a great deal on it. And its nice to hear the seller is working with you. Very cool.

And now that I'm done renovating my house, I should be able to attend one of the PacNW get togethers.

Ed

ps: I travelled to Singapore on business a couple of times, its a neat place.

Mike Frye

Ed,

A handshake deal is only as good as both men's integrity. If one is willing to turn around and listen to someone else, it wasn't worth anything in the first place.

Brendan,
I would have honored the deal at the expense of $500 and slept well that night.

At the same time Ed, it's probably a good thing you didn't take it. Who knows what kind of 'quick fixes' and patches a person would make before bringing the car to an impromptu Kmart auction?

brutus

The fact that the owner chose to meet at a neutral location really might mean he did not want anyone to know where he lives . Who knows whose name was on the title and who the guy at K mart really was ?

duggee

that was me, I believe, that thought you were serious. I thought you
might be kidding, but I'm kinda new here.

ACG

I recollect studying somewhere in my MBA Business Law course that a contract consitutes two key elements: an offer and acceptance. IIRC, a gentleman's agreement (or verbal agreement) can actually be binding in the court of law if there is mutual offer (by the seller), valid consideration (by both parties) and reciprocal acceptance (by the buyer):
Source: http://www.duhaime.org/LegalResource...cceptance.aspx

ACG

Excellent Ed. I look forward to meeting you at one of the PacNW gatherings. I lived in Seattle and Bellevue from 1988 to 2002. I still miss it!