Finding a private sale, at least around here is almost non existent. They are all flippers, no nothing about the vehicle and don't even have plates on them. Most often the title is just signed over from the person they just got it from.
Shady used car dealers
- Thread starter Hamfists
- Start date
Finding a private sale, at least around here is almost non existent. They are all flippers, no nothing about the vehicle and don't even have plates on them. Most often the title is just signed over from the person they just got it from.
I can still find private sellers, but apparently not with the vehicle I currently want.
That's reason #1 why I won't buy a new vehicle. Price is reason #2. Uninteresting, tech-heavy modern vehicles is reason #3, but I don't want to summon zorba into my purchase.
Too late.
I once had a fairly reputable shop try to screw me with automotive A/C repair. My current work car is an 8th gen Civic. A few years ago I had an A/C issue where it would blow cold for a while, then ambient, and the cycle would repeat. At the time I was too busy to dig into it, so I sent the wife to have it diagnosed at a local "import" mechanic shop who has, or had, a good reputation. I ask them to check freon levels and diagnose. For $80 they wrote up diagnostics and a quote (somewhere around $2,500) to basically replace the A/C system, with verbiage specifically stating things they checked, like the relay stating it was good, and specifically stating the compressor shaft was "bent and wobbling". That smelled like bullshit to me, and they never checked the line pressures like I requested, so I took 30 minutes or less to do a little verification and digging, starting with the compressor, which was fine. Forum searches said it was likely the factory relay, which it was, and that cost me $20. We talked to the shop manager about our issue and fix, who then proceeded to tell us to pound sand in the usual roundabout way. Creeping up on 100K later, and I haven't touched the A/C system.
That's because a woman brought it in. Mechanics are NOTORIOUS for pulling bullshit with women.
IDK man, Banks Power has been pretty good to me.
All seriousness aside, the financial industry is largely a house of cards, and it's infuriating to know how much of our GDP comes from the top banks through institutional investing. We can thank Clinton and the Republican Congress for approving the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act that repealed the Glass-Steagall Act. We didn't make it a decade before the crash came down upon us.
But it's ok, because we solved nothing by having the big banks turn into Mega Banks by buying the failing big banks. Carry on.
If you appear to be ignorant or act ignorant, then you are ripe for being taken advantage of (it's sad but that's our reality). A shop recently quoted my friend $1400 to change two speed sensors in her vehicle (my head almost exploded). There are relatively few shops out there that truly have your back. If you find one, then hold on to them tightly. Nowadays, it pays to understand things even if you don't do the work yourself.
My ex-GF was once told that her house's AC evaporator was so corroded that it was beyond saving. Mind you it was July in Vegas so she was in a bind and staring down an expensive bill for a new system. Instead of hanging out in her dad's pool on July 4th, I went up top and realized that the system had not been opened in many years. The aged aluminum tape was still over the sheet metal screws. I got it open and that evaporator was as pristine as it gets for an older system. A similar issue happened with a landlord's AC system, the guy told her and then us that it needed to be replaced (but it either didn't exist or needed to be special ordered...$$$$). My buddy and I found that it just had a leak and we paid a guy to braze the leak shut.
You can bet your ass that they generally categorize women.
But, just so we are clear, the nonsense all starts at a step above just being a woman. They pray on ignorance, and women are a nice juicy branch down the logic tree that has proven to be easier pickings over time because most aren't mechanically and electrically inclined. They aren't necessarily stupid at all...but, they generally have different skill sets.
Dishonest folks call "a spade a spade" until you provide evidence to the contrary. It's wrong, but that's how it is. My friend's rotors were warped and his radiator was leaking back in college. I told him we could fix it, but his annoying AF gf said that her mechanic friend would take care of it. That dude quoted them $3200 for the fix and my buddy was super depressed when I got home. I took him to my work and we replaced the pads/rotors and ordered him a new radiator. He wasn't any better at fixing things than she was, but she was likely much more emotional giving the mechanic dude multiple hugs that cost a grand each.
Hopefully he evacuated the system and filled it with nitrogen to prevent phosgene gas or heavy oxidation scale from forming
Recently a friends father went in for a safety inspection.shop gave him a 500$ quote for a couple bulbs and a lense. I replaced it all for 40$
Everything y’all are saying about the BS is why am here learning from you fine folks. I’ve also taken this approach into other areas. I’m now extremely antagonistic to having anyone do anything to any of my stuff unless I get some pretty seriously good recommendations and it makes sense when I learn something about it myself and can put my hands on it and confirm it’s a problem.
I helped a neighbors sister with her TJ a month ago. She showed me the shops estimate. Three estimates totaling $3200. This girl doesn’t even have a job right now. I trimmed it to $320 for parts and it would take about 1.5 hours for me to install it all. The rest needs more confirmation and if it turns out she needs it would cost about $75, but the time investment would be several hours.
As for stepping on a car lot, no chance in HELL!!!
I helped a neighbors sister with her TJ a month ago. She showed me the shops estimate. Three estimates totaling $3200. This girl doesn’t even have a job right now. I trimmed it to $320 for parts and it would take about 1.5 hours for me to install it all. The rest needs more confirmation and if it turns out she needs it would cost about $75, but the time investment would be several hours.
As for stepping on a car lot, no chance in HELL!!!
Kudos, kudos. If I corrected all the bad spelling on here I’d have another 23,000 posts. I strain to restrain myself. Daily I see stuff like brake for break (and vice versa), loose for lose, wench for winch, and don’t get me started on grammar!!!
Hey man. I do try to use better grammar with you,knowing you're a teacher. I told myself I wouldn't be like my parents and let it slip as I got older but
. I was a state spelling bee champ in Oregon once apon a time 
Must have been thinking lovense?
In 2019, I found a 2018 GMC Sierra 4x4 V8 2-door short bed online in Twin Falls Idaho. I called their Internet sales and after a few hours of emailing documents the deal was done. I asked the sales manager to text a video walking around the rig to make sure all was good before renting a car and driving 12-hrs. Now, I watched that video 2-3 times and didn’t catch it that he ended the video just short of where he started. I show up and couldn’t believe that they deliberately didn’t display the big ass dent at the lower corner of the door! Car dealers are Hacks.. They don’t give a shit about anything but selling!
Hey man. I do try to use better grammar with you,knowing you're a teacher. I told myself I wouldn't be like my parents and let it slip as I got older but
You’re awesome. I don’t judge, obviously.
But I never noticed any bad grammar from you, except you forgot to put a space after the comma in your post. That’s awesome about the spelling bee in OR. I mean, that’s really impressive. Those competitions and words are no joke.