I’ve been on the Facebook marketplace for kicks. It does have some merit I’m sure; after all, I did find my used AMG wheels there. Let’s take a virtual tour of what’s on offer within 50 miles of me.
I’m no mechanic, but I think the fire under the hood may have something to do with the rough running….
Oh goodness, that’s tasty. Very nice black leather interior. 150,000 miles. By 2005 the air suspension was greatly improved upon from the factory. I can control myself. I can control myself. I can…
It’s a great car, for anybody trying to get from A to B. Except it’s a money pit that doesn’t move. And for goodness sakes, don’t waste the seller’s time unless you are serious! He’s doing you a favor bringing this to market, after all.
Forget driving impaired, don’t write your Facebook ads impaired! But it’s a “nice parked car” just to hang out in I suppose. A man cave of sorts.
The only words in this ad were “Runs Great”! Maybe the same person who had the F150 with a tree through it.
This would be mine tomorrow, except my wife would think I was out of my mind. Just look how clean that is for almost 27 years old! That would be a great weekend driver. Heck, it qualifies for Antique Auto plates here. Selling for original owner grandma, she can’t drive any more. This picture seems to back that story up. Too bad it’s a Custom instead of the more bordelloesque Limited.
“Here we go again”? What does she even mean? Does he keep getting sick, then gets well, buys a project car, then gets sick and has to sell, over and over?
Poor Saab. I still like Saabs. But they seem to be the Rodney Dangerfield of used cars now.
People are willing to pay way more for this Corolla,
or this Focus,
or this disheveled Accord, than this
lovely, low miles 9-5 that has a new looking black leather interior and a clean title. How bad could the Saab be? Is it really going to be any worse than an old S-Class? It’s GM mechanicals should be easily serviceable anywhere. Or am I missing something? These are all four at the same dealer. I’d have the Saab here tomorrow to bunk with Bertha if I could.
This seller gets bonus points for trying to keep the door shut, or the rain out. Maybe both?
Overlooking the typo, I wondered what makes a Town Car a “Floridian Edition”. Aren’t they all Floridian Editions in a sense, fresh from the factory?
Oh, I stand corrected!
The importance of flog lamps cannot be overstated. Flagellation in poor lighting conditions usually leads to unintended consequences.
That’s pricey, but when was the last time you saw one of these in running condition? It probably has $600 of kayaks on the roof, maybe they’ll include those.
This is a fresh build with a crate engine of some sort. They are looking for trades only, hence the $1 listing. I don’t understand a listing that states “trades only”. A lot of them say “won’t sell, don’t ask”. If someone wants to pay cash for something, are you really going to turn that down?
Subliminal messaging done right!
That Model A intrigues me on several levels- The owner has installed very modern brakes and rearview mirrors on it, but the rest of the body and chassis are very old school (putting safety first?).
It also lacks the requisite Chevy engine, instead substituting some type of inline option. From the valve cover flutes, I was thinking Quad 4 but a quick Google search proved that wrong. Given the width of the valve cover, I’m suspecting it’s OHC, but that’s as far I get…
Still, it’s an interesting, non-traditional build that appeals to the “let’s be different” crowd.
Is it the valve cover of an inline engine, or a custom air filter housing or scoop on an otherwise hidden V8?
Good call-
If you’re right, I’m suddenly less intrigued.
I can beat the price on the Focus if anyone wants mine (chirp, chirp) which has way less miles on it (chirp)… Or maybe I can trade for the Model A.
Yes if you’ve ever tried to sell a cheap car after a while you want to put SERIOUS INQUIRIES ONLY, STOP WASTING MY TIME, SHOW UP IF YOU SAID YOU WOULD, NO I WONT SELL FOR FIVE DOLLARS CASH. CHECK WITH YOUR INSURANCE COMPANY AND YOUR WIFE FIRST, MAYBE IF YOU PEOPLE WERE A BIT MORE ORGANIZED YOU’D HAVE A BETTER JOB AND YOU WOULDN’T BE LOOKING FOR A CRAPPY OLD CAR LIKE MINE in the ad. But you can’t.
Gotta say, I feel better for having typed that though…
Glad to be here for you, Doug! 😉
I agree with most of what you said, Doug, except that there are a few of us out here who are reasonably organized and have good paying jobs who like buying and driving crappy old cars! 🙂
cresys- I agree!
As one of those of in the hunt, let me list a couple of issues I have with sellers-
Include good photos in the listing — Don’t show pictures of the good side and leave off the bad side — List any issues you are aware of — List the engine and transmission — List a price so I know where you stand — and most importantly- RESPOND TO TEXTS OR PICK UP YOUR PHONE (Even just to tell me it’s sold- I’m fine with that).
Agree with all points. I also hate sellers who just go on fishing trips, looking for nibbles but won’t reel in a buyer. I’m looking at two different Lincoln Mk V’s. I’ve got money in hand, I’m ready to buy, the ads are still up… and they won’t reply to calls. Come on, if you’re not serious, why place the ad?
Here’s another tip for sellers….. if you write “call or text only. I will ignore emails”….. the INCLUDE YOUR PHONE NUMBER IN THE AD.
Really…. I’ve seen several ads with this simple omission.
True dat, there’s another good reason not to put that in the ad.
Besides, I’m one of them too. Evidently not as organized as I’d hoped, since I still have the car and will lose money on my efforts to sell it safety checked. 🙁
I have a good paying job and I love driving my old P71 😀 !
But will you take six sort of equal payments totaling less than half your asking price spread over the next 11 months? Or five payments and a little bit of weed?
A buddy of mine went to sell his 300K mile Chevy Lumina on CL a few years back. He bought the sob story from some guy who was going to pay him in installments. That didn’t go as planned. After six months he DID get his old Lumina back and it was (surprisingly) in one piece. I think he somehow managed to dodge a bullet…
I’ve had a few experiences selling stuff on CL, you have to be prepared to put up with a lot of bullsh!t…
CL isn’t worth it, not after the experiences I’ve had with it. I’d rather be screwed with by a dealer than by amateurs. At least the dealer will know how to screw you professionally.
Loving this series. These ads and your commentary are very entertaining!
Facebook Marketplace is like the Tinder of automobile ads. The interior of the 1991 LeSabre is indeed nice, but it has the dreaded door mounted seat belts…
I had to double check the pics on the LeSabre to see that it had power windows.
My school district had some 1991s in the fleet that had crank windows, but the 3800 V6 and four speed auto went to 200,000 miles before being auctioned off still in running condition.
…and you’d think the seller would’ve wanted to get that empty bottle off the seat, nice as that interior is.
The Town Car Floridian Edition has a left turn signal that blinks continuously.
And it won’t go over 55mph in the left lane on freeways.
It comes with your choice of a free alligator, nutria, or python.
Nutria! No, wait… Python! No… Nutria! I’m sure this time…
Wait…
Did I say Nutria? OK, then. Alligator.
Had to rush through this post, but still thought some weren’t too far off the money mark.
If I needed a good used car, grandma’s Buick would make the short list.
Depending on how willing the seller is to deal, even that $850 Stratus might make an OK mechanic’s special.
I’ll say this about “flog lamps”…
“Autocorrect, stop messing with my words, you mother forklift!” 😉
“Did you whip the prisoners as ordered, Igor?”
“No, sir; it ‘s just too dark down in the dungeon.”
“I told you to order those flog lamps months ago, you lunkhead!”
The beatings will continue until morale improves.
We apologise again for the fault in the subtitles. Those responsible for sacking the people who have just been sacked have been sacked.
Regarding the Saab, I think a lot of people who aren’t “car people” aren’t aware that the mechanicals are GM. All they know that they don’t make them anymore, and therefore assume they must be impossible to get parts for. Or that they’ll have to have parts shipped from Sweden.
Hmmm… the chassis, electrics and lots of bits and pieces are indeed GM. Gearbox is from Aisin if memory serves me well.
The engine on these is 100% Saab. And with a very characterful note.
Parts are still plentiful and in some cases dirt cheap if you poke Rockauto properly.
If there’s no chain rattle or engine knocks, I’d go for it.
I had a similar LeSabre in college. People thought I was crazy for having an old man car. Then they rode in it. Pretty soon the Buick was the go to road trip mobile.
They are wonderful on the Interstate.
I had a Park Avenue a few years older than the featured LeSabre in high school and part of college. I was always the one driving the carpool because I had a much roomier car than everyone else. Not that I minded, the more people to chip in for gas the better.
As a Volvo fan, I say… Save the Saab from being run to the ground. You won’t lose that much, in if you keep it nicely, it will give you very good miles.
The GMC, maybe $800 at best. $400 is probably more like it.
Most MoPars built by Daimler or Cerberus shall have electrical issues. Pass on the Stratus.
What’s with the “yeah, I just pulled this ’55 outta the woods” pic for the ’55? Maybe $3,000 since it’s a four-door, but c’mon, you can still find pristine Tri-Fives with more doors for under $15k. Prices on them haven’t exploded…YET.
The Buick and Hyundai look like deals. Also the Saab.
I think prices on Tri-Fives peaked some time ago and are on their way down, straight up demographics just like Model A’s and T’s before.
A fellow I know just sold his nice 4 door ’56 to Australia, he’s driving it down to the container port tomorrow. I think he was asking $17k and couldn’t find a buyer on this continent.
1940 Mopars are still popular with Turkeys though 🙂
I think you are correct. The demographics are aging out for tri-fives. The funny thing to me is that the bone stock ones are now the ones carrying any money. A stock 4 door has more appeal to a collector than a restomodded 2 door, and everyone and their brother seemed to build one at one point or another. I think muscle cars will hit that same wall sooner than later. They cost too much, and the target demographic is quickly getting out of the market and nobody seems to be stepping up to pay the big money paid in the last few years.
Oh, that’s music to my ears.
I’ve always believed that you can’t possibly go wrong restoring to original. Styles come and go, but there’s always a market for a rolling museum piece.
Or at least make the mods simple bolt-ons, and keep the original parts.
Stock or precisely restored Bugs will always have value. Maybe even well done Bajas. I think the demos on those are slowly going down as well.
You got my attention. The last time I saw a running Scout, ok it wasn’t running at the time, was just a few seconds ago when I looked out my Window and there are a few that I see running around the area, of course very rarely when I’m driving one of mine. The prices have definitely risen from when I was buying. If everything is done right $10k isn’t out of line.
I love these adverts .
FWIW, once you actually _work_ on a Saab, you’ll stop thinking they’re anything like Mercedes’ .
Example : the alternator is against the FIREWALL and underneath other crap that has to be removed first .
I like the ’55 Chevy but then I like all ’55 Chevies….
-Nate
I like the Saab and the Buick from that list.
The truck -> RUN!
I usually go hunting in Gumtree and the local auctions. This week brought a Daewoo Lanos w/ 36K kms. Looks like a new car inside.
For Don, I spotted a W116 for sale in one of my bike rides last week. Good condition, no plates, “make an offer” sign. Let me know if you want details on location.
Regarding someone wanting a trade over cash: perhaps it’s a way of avoiding paying sales tax.
True, since they only assess you on how much actual cash you handed over.
Damn, I’d have been all over that LeSabre had it been in my area. I like that 3.8 litre V-6, and it’s a great highway car. And they built these for I forget how many years in this body style.
Who CARES if it’s 27 years old? With that kind of mileage, it’s just broken in.
Make mine the LeSabre. Come 2021, I can keep it LHD & road registered.
Make a nice companion to my ’69 Skylark