(submitted by Kyle Murphy) On June 2nd, 2016, I drove by the Lou Glutz used car lot on Highway 99 around 4:30pm, as I had done every week day for about three months. The day only strands out to me because it was the first day they had parked a beautiful 1971 Buick Riviera (a former CC) out front. I immediately turned around and pulled into the dealership. My intent was to ask questions about it, inquire the price, and maybe if I was lucky, I’d get to sit in it. I’m still sitting in it, but it’s been quite the ride. As in, I was taken for a ride.
The man who helped me was very enthusiastic. He told me all kinds of things about the car, like how much work the previous owner had put into it, how new it was on the lot, and how I was the first person to even ask about it seriously. He came out of the office with a single piece of paper; printed on it was a long list of car parts. As we got out to the car, he opened the door and handed me the piece of paper. As I looked down at it and skimmed over some of the spreadsheet information, I noticed right away from the top, in big bold letters: Engine – rebuilt. Transmission – rebuilt. Brakes – replaced. Air conditioning/heating system – replaced. Etc.
As the list went on, I realized that almost everything had been either rebuilt or replaced, except the paint, which needed an obvious touch up, along with a few minor dents. So when I saw that the asking price was $11,900, I wasn’t really surprised, That was what the market value was currently going for these cars. Just as I got to the bottom of the list he turned the key and the thing started right up. Which for me, after driving a 1971 Plymouth Scamp since I was 18, was a huge surprise; not even my car ran that good. I opened up the hood and was impressed by the condition of the engine bay. I was almost completely sold.
At that point we started discussing numbers and values, to which they showed me this piece of paper that said everything had either been repaired or replaced and it was verified by a “professional estimate company.” So I couldn’t get anything off the asking price; how they saw it, it was worth more than what they were asking. At least this was their attitude. So I tried my dad’s old tactic of playing hard to get, taking a night to think it over, hoping to up my chances of getting the price a bit lower.
The next day they salesman gave me a call asking if I had made up my mind, which I was already on the fence, but it was something I felt I needed to have. My father owned a ’64 Skylark when I was a kid; he drove me to school everyday in that thing, tires burning and everything. So the Riviera really was a lot more to me then it might have been for other people. But this is my family’s curse, the love of old hot rods. The salesman gave me this pitch that if I wanted a chance at this Buick, I’d have to act now, because they already had two different people asking about it from other states, willing to pay immediately and have the car shipped to them. I panicked, I rushed to the bank, pulled out my down payment and got it before it was too late.
Of course this was just another tactic used on me to get the car sold. Maybe it was karma for trying to lessen the price, who knows. But I drove the car home, gave her an oil change, and started picking it apart.
(the original Lou Glutz Motors)
I quickly learned after driving it for a week that the engine had in fact not been rebuilt like I was told. Which should have been obvious when I changed the oil, (only about 2 quarts came out of a 5 quart engine). I also figured out that the transmission was in the same condition, almost no oil, with the original seals. When it all dawned on me five days after I had bought it that none of the work that had they had claimed to have been done was actually done, I drove straight to the dealership, with a very bad attitude. They claimed that the condition of the car when they got it checked out with the estimate, and regardless of what they had said to me at the time of the deal (in regards to what work had been done to the vehicle) it didn’t matter because I signed a piece of paper in the contract of any used vehicle that states I bought it “as is”.
This felt like I had been swindled, so I gritted my teeth and drove home. Well about two weeks later I was driving down Highway 99 at about 60 mph when I heard what can only be described as a very loud clunk. So I went to pull into the nearest driveway(rolling at about 10 mph) when I heard the pop, more like a gunshot. And just like that, the car fell the remaining four inches it had of travel straight onto the ground. I couldn’t even get a jack under it.
What had happened was the castle nut that held the lower ball joint together had popped off completely. The “suspension replacement” apparently meant that the suspension was taken apart and a few loops of the coil springs cut to lower it and then put back together. And it must have taken once or twice because the ball joint spindle had zero threads left, the castle nut was smooth on the inside. Meaning the only thing holding my front end together was a single cotter pin. I was furious, I felt as though I had been lied too. I read specifically that the suspension and steering system had been replaced.
This was what opened up an epic can of worms. I got the car up in a lift and that’s when the panic really set in. Nothing had been replaced except the exhaust system, tack welding together from auto zone parts. The carburetor had been upgraded, but installed by a three year old. The stock wheels were taken off, replaced with wheels from a popular tv show. The car was then washed and put on this lot, where I found her.
Where is she today? Everywhere. I drive it everywhere, and when something goes out, I replace it with proper new parts. Because I bought the car to keep, and drive. Treated right, they will last forever, and at least now I have my dream car.
When I took the car back, after the ball joint fell apart, the attitude I got in response for Lou Glutz was dismissive. They didn’t care that the car almost killed me, or my wife. They didn’t care that it was the only car I had to get to work. They didn’t care that I had just spent most my life savings to buy a car that was a complete lemon. When I asked them what I was supposed to do in this situation, they told me to find a better daily driver, and park her. After paying for a car that should run perfectly (or well enough to get me home), a car that should not have to have a multitude of parts replaced. It kills me every month when I have to pay top dollar for it, knowing full well I got ripped of by guys who tricked someone into buying something I loved under such false pretenses.
I wrote this because I hope that if anyone takes the time to hear my story, that they will really think about what you’re buying and especially who you are buying it from. The law in Oregon says that if a used car sold under the assumption that it will last, doesn’t last for three days, you can take the car back and get your money back. Three days, 72 hours, of a money back guarantee. If that cars engine seizes at hour 73, well you bought it “as is”; it’s your problem now. Anytime you buy a car, you can pay to have an independent professional evaluate it and tell you what the car is really worth. Don’t just take it from the dealership, or you will end up like me.
(This is a former CC that I shot on the street before it was sold to Lou Glutz Motors – PN)
Will a link to this article be shared with the dealer?
I had to look up “Lou Glutz” to see if it was a real place. It is!
This joins “Lou Fusz” in St. Louis in the pantheon of memorable dealership names.
Maybe its a chain of dealers starting with “Lou”… wouldn’t be surprised to read there is a ”Lou Butz” somewhere.
Phoenix haw Lou Grubb ( chevy I think)
Appreciate your courage to give warning to others about buying with your head, not just your heart.
A big ticket item such as this car is worth spending a little money to have checked out properly by a qualified mechanic or restorer.
Thanks for posting this, enjoy your car anyway, keep your heart happy! And besides, it’s a world famous car, having been posted by PN himself on CC last year, that’s an added bonus.
Good advice all around. And if the seller balks at an independent inspection, RUN.
Education isn’t cheap. You’ve learned a lot for your 12K. Older and wiser. Don’t feel too bad though. I’ve seen people make the same mistake overpaying for old houses that are way too far gone, need way too much work, only to realize that they are in way over their head with no way out. This sucks but it won’t break you.
You think education is expensive? Try ignorance. – Anonymous
Yep, that’s why I’m thinking ‘new tiny house’ instead of ‘early 19th century fixer-upper’. Both will work with my budget, one will be a lot less expensive and frustrating in the long run.
On the bright side, those Cragars with the juicer hubcaps are sweet!
Sorry to hear about your experience. Buying used cars is always a gamble and there is usually a reason the last owner is passing it on. Most people think that buying from a dealer should get your better car but the reality seems to differ.
Your story reminds me of the first car I bought when I was 18. Back in the early 90’s I bought a 74 vw van for the princely sum of $1100 CDN. It had some rust around the rockers but wasn’t to bad and drove well for what it was. Fast forward about 3-4 months and the engine dropped a vavle seat. Contacted the seller he felt bad but wasn’t going to fix it. However he did have a a used engine for it for $400. Bought the engine and after a couple of days and greasing up my new copy of “how to keep a vw alive, a step by step guide for the complete idiot” I had a running van again. That van ended up teaching me so much more than any high school auto class ever did. I sometimes miss the simplicity of an old air cooled vw and wish they had a manual like that for my previa, although YouTube videos are almost as good.
Thanks for sharing.
I will never, ever, ever buy from a stealership.
I don’t know Scott. Read too many horror stories about Craigslist. And that creepy finger that pops up in all the photos.It might be the Devil’s Digit.
Truly, I’m with you. Used car dealers will do anything to sell a car, but one usually doesn’t take a chance of being robbed and killed either.
It’s a total crap shoot. And I watch too much Discovery ID.
I have always loved those Rivs, but the wheels and lowered stance would have scared me away.
Yes. Absolutely never buy anything that is lowered or has non-original wheels. Both are obvious total black flags.
Same. Major red flag.
Check oil and other fluids before the buy. Lowered, definitely inspect before purchase.
I know: woulda coulda shoulda.
I bought a 95 Saturn SL1 with a credit card, though I did go home and run a CarFax on it before slamming the door on common sense.
Little bro is still driving it with nearly 200,000 miles on it.
But, Guest Writer: some things one just has to have. Period. Rationality need not apply. You’ve learned valuable lessons.
And the thrill remains for you
I’d say you won.
I think a name like “Lou Glutz” would have been enough of a clue to keep me walking.
Sounds like you are toughing it out however and if you stay on it you’ll end up with an interesting, desirable car.
I think most have us have had this experience at least once. The old “I’ve some other people really interested so don’t take too long…” schtick. It is a striking car and looks really good lowered imho. If the body isn’t loaded with bondo hiding rust, you still have something worth refurbishing as you go. If you can do some of the work you can save some $$$.
Why wasn’t the Riviera checked out by a mechanic? I never would have spent that amount of money without a qualified mechanic looking it over first. Maybe emotions took over and they won!?!
Working in a dealership for over 20 years, I have seen it all. And to be perfectly honest, many customers can be downright difficult, nasty and simply awful to deal with. And buyers are liars too. Yes, some dealers are rotten and may have a reputation like the one our writer bought the Riviera from, but a lot of them are hard working, honest individuals that just want to make a living. You can’t win. People don’t trust you so you are “the bad guy” right off the bat. And as far as the dealer telling customers not to wait on a used car, I tell them that for their own good. If they like the car they shouldn’t hesitate. Why? With the internet, that car has thousands of people from all over the country looking at it, rather than how it was back in the day of calling and/or driving around looking for a car, or searching through classified ads and “picture ad” books from the drug store. I cannot tell you how many times a customer has looked at a particular used car, waited, saying “If it’s meant to be it’s meant to be”, only to have the car sell, and when they return a day or two later the car is gone and they are totally pissed off. I’ve even gotten “Why didn’t you ask for a deposit” or “If you knew others were interested in that car you should have told/called me”. So please give the dealers a break. A bad reputation, which dealerships have, is hard to break. Just remember not all of them are bad and not all of them are thieves. Dealing with the public every day is certainly not easy either.
If you ever find yourself tempted by some classic Bill Mitchell styled GM gold at a used car lot, just remember, there are many more out there. Keep looking and find a better deal.
Yep, BTDT. The singular desire to own a particular car can easily overwhelm one’s better judgement. Almost made that mistake again earlier this year looking to purchase a certain Italian GT car from afar. Decided to have a PPI done by a reputable euro car repair shop and glad I did. Ate the cost of some Benjamins but saved many many thousands.
Rule #1 Don’t follow in Clark Griswold’s steps, so don’t buy a car from a dealership that took its name from a movie.
Rule #2 Don’t buy a classic/hot rod car from a regular used car dealer.
Rule #3 Don’t buy a classic/hot rod car unless you know all there is to know about the particular make/model car or are bringing someone along who does.
That said they may have had the wool pulled over their eyes by the person they bought it from and didn’t just make up all the rebuilt/replaced items.
Either way a $6k lesson is always a hard one and always sucks.
I keep telling my Middle School kids that the difference between being a kid and an adult is simple. When a kid screws up, they get written up, sent to the office, and probably chewed out every way to Sunday. When I screw up, I generally don’t get chewed out. But every screw up does seem to involve my checkbook- which, at least to me, is infinitely more painful.
When I taught middle school students I told them: “Adults don’t know everything, but we should know where to look it up.”
I’d double-check that part about Oregon law. Multiple locations on the OR DOJ web site state, with emphasis, that there is no 3 day right of rescission/cancellation in Oregon. That 3 day return rule is one of the most oft-repeated myths about car purchasing nationwide, yet few if any states (except kinda sorta CA sometimes) has such a law.
I’m not sure what it says about me, but having held a driver’s license for nearly 50 years, with 6 new cars and nearly 20 used cars…I’ve never owned a new car that cost 5 figures. That alone would have given me pause, and a sizeable one at that, before buying a used car for low 5 figures.
That said, I congratulate you on your attitude towards your purchase. If it had been me I think I would have been tempted to cut my losses at the earliest opportunity. In fact, one of my cheaper used cars was a 66 Impala wagon, that I “returned” to the seller when I discovered what I thought was a cracked block. After putting a set of new tires on this silent beast of burden, I was upset when I was told at the vehicle inspection station that I wouldn’t be passed as the car was leaking water. A check under the hood showed a near gush pouring out of the “V” in the engine. I realized LONG afterwards that I probably just had a leaking water pump or water pump gasket. Instead, I took the car back to the seller, handed him his keys, and wrote off the cost of the tires. I viewed my 2-3 weeks of temporary ownership as expensive car rental.
No one should be allowed to buy a vehicle (new or used) without watching all of Steve Lehto’s YouTube videos.
“As-is” car sales are as-is here in Indiana too, but outright fraud or misrepresentation is something else all together. You ought to see an attorney who handles consumer cases.
Over the last couple of years, I’ve assisted my teenage daughter with two used car purchases (the first was totaled when she was rear-ended at a light). She wound up being pretty picky about what she wanted so I got the opportunity to drill into her the hard lessons I’ve learned over the last 35 years of buying used cars (I’ve only bought 1 new car and will never buy another). By the time she purchased the second car, she was crawling all over them, under them, and through their records with a wonderful skepticism and an eye for detail. The first car – a Toyota Solara – she bought with advice from me and her mother, the second car – a Mazda 3 – she bought on her own with us just looking on to make sure everything was right. She picked a good car that she loves and negotiated a fair price on it. I’m very proud of her and the way she conducted her car business.
It can be hard to keep your head on a used car lot, especially when dealing with a skillful dealer and a car you really want. Here’s the rules I’ve learned the hard way:
1. Always remember the dealer needs you to buy the car a whole lot more than you do. Walk away – ALWAYS – walk away for at least three days after first driving the car. During that time, research problem areas with that make and model so you’ll know what you’re looking for later. When (and if) you go back, your initial excitement will have ebbed, and you’ll be able to scrutinize the car better on the second test drive.
2. If you’re serious about buying a car, ALWAYS take someone with you to look at it who does not particularly care for that make or model. Listen to their honest opinion.
3. Unless you have done repeat business with a particular dealer and are thus VERY familiar with his business practices, NEVER take the dealer’s word on the car’s condition. ALWAYS take it to an independent shop and have the car inspected. Make sure they put it up on a lift, and make sure you get a look underneath it as well. If they charge you a fee for this, pay it. If the dealer doesn’t want to let someone else look at it, walk away and DO NOT go back.
4. NEVER buy a 10 year old European car. The deferred maintenance will break you. 20 year old European cars may be OK.
5. NEVER buy a car from a used car dealer that has a large number of “interesting” cars on its lot. More than likely, they’re all crap.
6. NEVER buy a car with unusually low miles for its age if you’re planning on driving it every day. It will either have deteriorated from lack of use, or will be a rebuilt wreck, or will be a flood car, and either way, will almost certainly prove to be unreliable. A higher mileage car that otherwise checks out OK will be a better buy for the money.
7. NEVER buy a car that has the “check engine” light come on during a test drive. Despite what the dealer says, it’s almost certainly not a loose gas cap.
8. NEVER buy a car with obviously new oil on the dipstick. Old, blackened oil can be fingered, sniffed, examined for water in the oil, etc. Clean fresh oil means the dealer didn’t want you doing those things. WALK AWAY and do not go back.
9. NEVER buy a used car with completely new tires. Tires with a little wear can tell you a lot about what is and isn’t wrong with a car.
10. PRACTICE. When you’re not looking to buy a car, make a habit of test driving cars on dealers’ lots. You’ll quickly learn which dealers are crooked and which are straight, and you’ll encounter enough cars with problems that you’ll learn how to put the above rules into practice.
‘9. NEVER buy a used car with completely new tires. Tires with a little wear can tell you a lot about what is and isn’t wrong with a car.’
Ditto for the brake pedal. Seeing a brand new brake pedal is a good indicator that the former owner was a hardcore slave driver…
Excellent advice, especially about researching the make and model’s vagaries. My nephew is dealing with his beloved X-Terra as we speak – who knew the transmission sent a line of fluid through the radiator to act as a cooler, and when the inevitable corrosion took place the coolant invades the transmission and everything is fried. Sounds brilliant to me….
I’ve had 36 cars since 1974, and one thing I learned the hard way, was don’t EVER buy a used car from a “used car lot”. I bought a 1972 VW Bug from “Hans’ Used Cars” in Bettendorf, Iowa in 1978. “As Is”. It looked new. The engine seized a month later! I got a rebuilt engine from a private shop installed, and after that, it was a good car, except, of course for no heat, which went with the Bug territory. That was 1978.
Well, there is a lesson learned. The old, “I have another buyer” shtick is as old as the books.
A car this old needs special attention. The first thing I would do is join a club. They will happily supply you with all the information you need, and access to cars, too. Chances are they are good ones, too, as they wouldn’t want to ruin their reps in the club.
Any purchase off a beater lot would be best avoided, but if you must, take the car to the dealer and have it inspected. A GM store will know more about their brand than any other. In the case of a car this old, a classic auto place could easily do it.
The good news is every part for this car is available and relatively easy to install. All it takes is money and/or time.
In all fairness to your family, it might actually cost you less to buy,say an Elantra, for family duties. Then you can tinker with your baby and not have to worry about it conking out in traffic.
I don’t know what you guys will think of this, but I have bought 10 used cars in my lifetime–never had a mechanic check them out, some of them I didn’t even test drive, and… I’ve never had a complaint about any of them! All the cars were 1958-2005 models, and I am happy with all my transactions. All these cars have given (and still give) years of dependable service. They all needed some kind of work, but that expense was “budgeted in” from the beginning. They ranged in price from $800-$5500.
I have sold 2 cars to buyers who bought them sight unseen, and 2 others where the buyer didn’t even want to test drive! I like this arrangement because I don’t want the rigamarole of having someone take it to the mechanic for “inspection.”
I would say, buy what you really like and be a good (and realistic) negotiator because all of this really comes down to $$. And realize that life itself is a risky business, nothing is perfect, and don’t expect it to be.
In the last 4 years or so I have bought 8 used vehicles w/o even driving them and after spending 10 minutes or so looking at them. They were all govt auction vehicles though. The only real surprise was that the battery that was less than two years old was bad on one of them, despite it being from a reputable mfg. But I’m not complaining when I got a truck out the door for $3500 that I could sell for $5000 all day long and twice on Sunday.
Of course since they were gov’t fleet cars they had been maintained and they weren’t trying to hide anything. In fact 2 of them were sent to auction because of problems, one even noted that it was a pest vehicle, while the other was noted as being uneconomical to fix due to too many codes. Turns out the pest had two TPMS sensors with the same ID causing the computer to occasionally get confused. The too many codes to fix was a simple bad coil that was fixed in the parking lot before I got it home.
Tonight I almost bought one while I am on the other side of the country but some people decided they wanted it enough to bid it up into retail price territory so I let them have it.
Hey, ya get a boat tail Riviera. Some maintenance required, but they are stylish,…..
This hopefully taught the author to always always always have it inspected, or if you can do it yourself, do it yourself. And write down everything wrong with it, and don’t fall in love with a POS just because you’ve always wanted one. A friend of mine is also learning the hard way to have a used car inspected before you buy it. It was in a big wreck, and he only found out because the dome light kept coming on because the wires going to the switch were messed up because of the shitty repair job done. He can’t even claim ignorance, because he and I know people who had been ripped off, and we are both close to being able to collect Social Security. When I asked him after he told me about the dome light issue if he had it inspected, he said, with a totally straight face, “Well the dealer did that!”. I had to laugh.
I can understand the frustration you feel but really unless you have some background working on cars you should NEVER buy a car like this before you have a mechanic (or at least some one who knows cars) look at it. Sellers cannot be trusted as, in general, they have a perverse interest to shift the vehicle asap and even at the best of times tend to gloss over any faults the car has. I’ve just taken two long trips (to Berlin and Graz – I live near Vienna, Austria) to see two cars (a 68 Pontiac Le Mans and a 73 Holden Monaro HQ) which were not as advertised but that’s how the cake crumbles unfortunately.
On the plus side, those Buicks are relatively simple to maintain and as long as it does not have any serious rust issues, over a period of time you will sort out all of the problems (a lot of which you could do on your own if you are prepared to learn how to work on cars) and have a vehicle which value increases.
One lives and learns.
There is a special civil court in NJ for amounts over what would be handled in small claims. You can represent yourself, but if you pay an attorney to represent you the results will be better. The judge will have you speak to the person (arbitration) before s/he hears the case. Most car dealers will fold because the judge has seen them many times before. You might get stuck with “as is”, but I’ve taken people to court and have more often seen “what’s fair” prevail.
Good on you for sharing the story. That takes courage. I have made similar mistakes before, (though admittedly not so expensive), and it feels humiliating.
I also agree with Tom C above about the fact that the internet has made life hard for honest car dealers, and that the public can be deceptive, as my best friend has run a reputable (new car) dealership for years. You’d be surprised that lot of a car dealers’ valuation of a car is based on what the owner told them, particularly when, as here, it seemed to check out visually under the hood. This so particularly if the car isn’t something they ordinarily sell. I hasten to add that I’d strongly suspect Lou Glutz motors here knew the truth.
I also agree with JP Cavanaugh that it’s worth your time at with at least one visit to a local attorney for an opinion, as misleading or deceptive conduct is surely at least a basis for a stern letter and the lawyer then negotiating with the dealer to pay at least some, if not all, of the repairs since needed.
That dealership should be renamed Rip Meoof !!!!!
Oh dear…sorry but not surprised.
These things can happen so when I was interested in a car found on the internet a plane ride away I thought I had better be wary. The approach went like this:
1. Talk to seller, view more photos, establish the car is worth pursuing.
2. Have seller take car to marque specialist for assessment and report.
3. Have friend who lives locally and knows the model talk at length to interstate
specialist to confirm findings, explore any questionable areas.
4. Having established it is worth pursuing, plane ticket was purchased and off to
see/negotiate price
So after all that, I did buy the car. Fitted 5 new tyres and drove it home. Where it promptly came unravelled. Much unhappiness ensued, but like the Riveria, I had counted on keeping it long term so gritted my teeth and started the rolling restoration. Everything under the bonnet, with the exception of the block, pistons, rods, crank and oil pump have been replaced or reconditioned.
And on the garage wall hangs a beautiful piece of sorcery – what looks like a head gasket, but is in fact a 1/8″ sheet steel spacer inserted after the head was milled below minimum thickness.
The catalyst for the overly careful approach was, of course the previous vehicle purchase undertaken in a more casual way where major problems appeared as soon as the shipping container was opened. “Drive it home,” that vendor said and luckily I didn’t do that – it wouldn’t have made it out of the state.
Best of luck with the Riv for along and happy association where the purchase story becomes just family folklore.
The head saver shims have been around for a very long time, nothing really wrong about using quality ones, though I’ve never heard of one .125 thick, most are .020 or .040.
When I lived in Denver during the early Noughties, I came across a right-hand-drive 1966 Mini Cooper in ‘pristine condition’ for sale. I seriously wanted one as it was fashionable to drive the original Mini at that time.
The guy asked $10,000 for this particular model, and I thought was too expensive, given its ‘rarity’ (not really—anyone can bag one in the United Kingdom and ship it over to the US for less than that amount). I looked at the engine bay and body carefully. However, I felt something like Bondo under the chassis (a red flag here). I asked the guy if I could hold it for a couple of days.
I visited the Mini Owners Club during their monthly meeting and queried them about that Mini. They adamantly forbid me from buying it because it had been in a freak accident and poorly repaired. What sort of accident, I didn’t know.
The guy was all piss-and-vinegar about my decision not to buy it, citing the suspicious Bondo repair.
So awful they took advantage of you. It’s a shame.
The dealer committed fraud by knowingly misrepresenting the car’s condition. What that means for you is, it doesn’t matter that the contract said “as-is” – they are still liable.
Do you still have the document – or any documentation – evidencing their claims of a rebuilt engine and suspension and all the new parts? If yes, then lawyer up my friend! At the very least contact the state’s AGs office and file a complaint, and contact the local tv stations consumer reporters, they love these stories.
this was my thoughts too, but action should have been taken sooner. Still a lawyer could be consulted.
I have a few ideas to share concerning this post:
First, I’m a certified vehicle appraiser, which is my side job in addition to being a 20+ year LEO with a background in collision reconstruction. In other words, my specialty is working with broken cars, from determining how they got broken to how they got fixed. In the course of my career, I learned that the stereotype in the world of cars attracting some of the biggest liars and thieves on the planet is very much true so I thought I would use my experience to advocate for the consumer. In the event that a buyer cant do their own detailed personal inspection on a used car, I urge the prospective buyer to get a professional inspection from a vetted inspector. As seen here, paying a couple of hundred dollars for an inspection can save tens of thousands (or more) later on. Next to your house, your car is your biggest purchase; respect your money enough to treat as such.
Second, avoid buying classic and used cars from dealers, even late models. They didn’t own the car and they don’t know its maintenance history, they are only there to make money on its sale. Carfax is a great buyers tool but the reports are only as good as those who input the info and many shops don’t. Therefore, when buying from a private seller, ask for the maintenance records. And when looking at cars from private sellers, ask to meet at a safe neutral location like a police department parking lot.
Finally, I own several classic cars and use them all as daily drivers. When I buy them, I assume they need everything, so when I get them home, I do my own inspection, repair what needs immediate attention in order to get them safe enough to drive on public roads, and then run them around town locally for about 100 miles. After they pass the 100 mile break-in, then I will give them the blessing to be reliable enough to serve me on my 110-mile daily commute, and even then I carry a few tools and replacement parts with me and have 100-mile tow insurance. In other words, when it comes to used cars, especially 30+ year old antiques, apply the crawl-walk-run principle before running them on the road. Never “fly in and drive home” unless you have vacation time to burn and unlimited tow miles on your insurance policy.
Good luck with the Riviera, I love those cars
“Because I bought the car to keep, and drive. Treated right, they will last forever, and at least now I have my dream car.”
You paid, what with the purchase price and repairs added up, about what it would have cost for a new/nearly new base model Corolla. You’ll keep this car, whereas you won’t keep your ‘Corolla’. Enjoy it, wax it regularly and maintain it, and it will last you the rest of your life. A Corolla won’t.
The old car hobby is filled with stories like this.
I’m familiar with people who bought so-called “special interest cars” on the basis of a few internet photos. The paint and upholstery looks nice in the photos, so they go ahead with the transaction. They assume that purchasing a fifty year old car is the same as buying a brand new car. What could possibly go wrong?
But when their old car arrives, they find that they’ve purchased a bondo-bucket. Or worse, a car that’s suffered a life time of botched mechanical repairs at the hands of some prior hack owner.
If you don’t know how to inspect a car from top to bottom, then bring somebody with you who does. Especially if that someone is an authority on the particular kind of car you want to buy, e.g. a Buick guy when you’re shopping for an old Buick. Join a good car club first and make friends with members who know what to look for. And be patient when shopping.
P.S. As far as that Riviera is concerned, be glad nobody actually rebuilt the engine. With proper care, it will probably outlive us all!
I Thought Used Car Dealers Are A Bunch Of Lying S.O.Bs Here Only.Apparently It’s A Global Issue.
Kudos for owing up to it, publicly. You should feel better just because you did owe up. I have been taken for a ride too but it was not as expensive. There was a silver Peugeot 304. I got rid of it after one year. And there was a ’81 Mercury Capri that I bought for my wife. I too got rid of it after probably less than one year. It had two crashes in its life and leaked oil form the rear axle. I saw that oil and the sales man said it was brake fluid from bleeding the brakes. That was a lie….
My brother in Germany experienced a double whammy with a VW 1302. He bought it, then let me check it out. I found a few flaws. The major one was a worn out front suspension. Rather than repairing it they sold it. Some auto mechanics had a look and bought it without much haggling. A few days later they came back and demanded a good chunk of the money back because the car had a worn out front suspension.
What happened was that a recent law suite decided that a buyer could request reimbursement for repairs if the need was not expressively stated at the time of the sale. This was also applied in private party sales. These guys knew, my brother did not.
Keep working on your Riviera. Use quality parts and hopefully you will have a good time with your dream car.
I had one salesman for a used car lot of a major make dealership actually try to interest me in a mid 00s Grand Prix: “Neighborhood car. Owned by an elderly woman who never had it over 60 mph”.
Dead serious, 3 or four years ago.
He must have thought I was stupid because I was inquiring about an 09 Chrysler Sebring at the time.
This is a cautionary tale that has been told many times, and will be told again by someone else in the future. An old classic or collector car is tough to buy, because you don’t know anything about it’s past. Or about it’s owner. Even if the seller is honest, the car could have many hidden problems that are unbeknownst to him. If the previous owner is mechanically inclined he may have done a lot of work but there isn’t any guarantee that it was done right. Having the car inspected by a reputable mechanic is a good idea. Although I will look over a purchase pretty carefully, nothing compares to getting the car on a lift for a look.
I have bought a a lot of cars from Craig’s List and I haven’t yet met with a actual lying crook, maybe I’ve just been lucky. Most of the cars I buy usually cost under three grand. For a car as expensive as that I would have done a bit more homework. T would think that you have a legal case since the car was mis represented.
Still… You have a very cool car! I had one and thought that it was great to look at and drive. I recommend that you join the Riviera Owners Association. They are a great group and can help you out a lot. Good Luck!
so THAT’S what they mean in the ad when it says: WON’T LAST!
Reminds me of the $1900 ’92 Plymouth Acclaim from hell…..
One very expensive lesson, unfortunately, one I’ve made a few times, just not as expensive.
I’m certain that if you stick with the car and restore the suspension to factory specs, and if most everything else checks out, you should be good to go that you can fix the rest of the problems over time.
Wishing you the best on your dream ride!
In 1979, when I was 21, I spotted a 15-year-old car at a used car lot in L.A. for $1,000, which was all the money I had in the world. The car was a red 1964 Mustang, clean, straight, tight, and I wanted it, so I went broke getting it. My father was disappointed. He said that those kind of used car dealers put in heavy oil, to mask more serious mechanical problems. But it ran great, I said. That is, for a few short months it did, until a tow truck hauled it to our family mechanic who gave us an estimate far in excess of the original price of the car. Lesson learned. Ironically, all these years later, I again drive a 15-year-old car, a Dodge Stratus. Something tells me it will never attain the cool status of that Mustang from so long ago. At least I don’t have to put “heavy oil” in it.
Looks like it’s O.K. as the O.P. says he loves it and is driving it whilst doing the needed repairs .
These are not my cuppa tea but are indeed very good and popular cars .
-Nate
I too bought a lemon from Lou Glutz. I don’t know who I’m more upset with, the salesman, the dealership, or myself…less than 30 days of owning an 86 chevy g20 van, the tranny needs replacement or rebuild. I sunk my savings into it, and my stimulus check and did a rebuild with cabinets and a bed deck on the interior to make it my home, and now I’m SOL and sitting in a mechanics lot after a week – they can’t find the right tranny after I paid them + shipping for a replacement – which upon arriving, found out its the wrong one.
If anyone has a quaalude, a loaded gun, you know, maybe a noose, I might be able to find peace about this.
For now I’m sitting in the van on the shop lot with nowhere to turn and waiting for some magical unicorn to poop out the correct tranny (a 700r4 with elec. Plugs) in my lap.
Thanks for listening.