My small dilemma......

Topic: My small dilemma...... (Read 2718 times) previous topic - next topic

My small dilemma......

April 28, 2013, 11:31:17 AM

Hey guys, I don't post on here much, usually just lurk around, but I've come to a point where I'm thinking of selling my 84 Turbo Coupe to build another car I've had for several years (been collecting some parts for it and deciding on how I want it to be exactly) but I'm having a small problem....

Between another forum (FEP) and facebook, I've become friends with a guy who has shown interest in the Bird....well thats great and he has agreed to my asking price but no actual agreement has been made and here's why: It'd be his only daily driven car for he and his family. Now hear me out......once I sign off on a title, all I can hope for is that it goes to a good home and is taken care of the way I would, right? But.....my bird is a pretty nice survivor car that I've taken really good care of over the years (covered in the garage out of the elements etc) and I just can't bring myself to sell it to someone who's not a "collector/enthusiast" and just wants to drive it to WalMart and the grocery store etc.

Am I being to over-protective (it's ok, you can say CRAZY...you won't be the first!!!) or does anyone else feel I'm kinda on the right path with this train of thought?? As I see it, it's a fairly rare car and finding good parts for it would be a difficult task for him when/if something happened to it.

Thoughts? Opinions??

My small dilemma......

Reply #1 – April 28, 2013, 12:35:22 PM

Personally, I'd be real selective as to who I sold it to based on your pic above. That's a very beautiful car!!

My small dilemma......

Reply #2 – April 28, 2013, 01:22:16 PM

No matter what anybody tells you they will do do with it after they buy it, once the title changes hands, they can do whatever they wish to do with it. If it means that much to you, keep the car. For now, I use the Sport as a daily driver, and the cold hard truth is, if the new guy wants to drive it daily, it WILL get some level of damage to it from road debris, stone chips, and general every day use. If I were you, and you like the car this much, keep it, and get funds for your next project another way.

My small dilemma......

Reply #3 – April 28, 2013, 03:19:16 PM

let the guy drive and appreciate it. better then some 16 year old kid that'll wrap it around a tree.

My small dilemma......

Reply #4 – April 28, 2013, 04:51:00 PM

All 4 of the cougars in my signature picture have been killed by the "well-meaning" new owners.

The first one on the left, I traded in to a small car dealer. He promptly wanted to "see what it can do" and blew the engine. He sent it up the road to a mechanic. The mechanic shop burned down with the car inside.

The black one I sold to a friend who let his son drive it. His son moved out and left the car. He got sick of seeing it in the driveway and junked it! Nothing wrong with it at all, and he junked it.

I sold the red Cougar to a guy who promised me he'd love it and take care of it. I told him if he ever wanted to get rid of it, to bring it back to me first. He brought it back about a month later with the quarter smashed in, and the whole interior caked in cigarette ashes. He was moving away and wanted to see if I would buy it back for the same price... Yeah right. And get the hell out of here.

I sold the tan one in my sig to a guy who promised to make a father-son project out of it. He drove it home, used it to pack up and leave his wife and kids and run off. He junked it not long after, and it's sitting in my local junk yard.

I decided that when I sell a car, it might as well be as good as dead to me. If you still like the car, keep it. I have NEVER sold a car to somebody who actually made me proud... and I have sold probably 30 cars in my life. Nobody ever treats a car the way you think it should be treated. I prefer selling cars to people who live far away, so I never have to see it again, and I can dream that that they are treating it right.

My small dilemma......

Reply #5 – April 28, 2013, 05:02:03 PM

It would be hard to let a car like that go, especially to someone for a daily driver. The only way to ensure it's treated as you would is to keep it. If you sell it, make sure it goes far enough away you don't have to see it.... I know a bodyman in Monona IA that may be interested.

My small dilemma......

Reply #6 – April 28, 2013, 06:11:52 PM

I agree with everything stated above....to the OP. What cant your TC do with a different drive train that
Wouldn't make you happy. Its a beautiful car, but u have already modified it. So no big loss if u really go to town.

Travis

My small dilemma......

Reply #7 – April 28, 2013, 07:03:48 PM

I'd buy it if I could afford it right now.

My small dilemma......

Reply #8 – April 28, 2013, 10:49:29 PM

For you it's an enthusiast's car, a survivor and a beautiful one at that. For the buyer, it may be just another used car, but one which would not be ideal (it sounds like) for his economic situation and lifestyle. Even leaving the obvious garaged vs outdoor parking, etc., would he be able to afford the repairs a car this age would need, and be able to wait on a specialized part or source through ebay or a boneyard for a part no longer made nor supported by FoMoCo? Would his job allow him to miss work to repair the car? These cars can be daily commuters, but it does take a bit more work and knowledge than many have ability, money and time for.

If I were you, I'd sell your car to a collector--one who'd appreciate it for what it is. A collector, not a used-car buyer, will pay more for the car and treat it with more respect. And you'd sleep easier. :)

My small dilemma......

Reply #9 – April 29, 2013, 09:27:28 AM

Wow......great responses and I'm glad people are seeing my point here!! I'd hate to just "throw this car to the wolves" so to speak since it's such a nice survivor. I tried telling him be could probably find something like a Taurus for around the same money and have the ease of four doors, plenty of junkyard parts plus even maybe better fuel economy but I'm not sure he gets the whole "daily driver/family car" versus a collector/toy car scenario. I think all he's looking at is he likes the looks of the car, not the overall upkeep and parts replacement of a 30yr old vehicle.

My small dilemma......

Reply #10 – April 29, 2013, 11:11:01 AM

If the guys not an enthusiast of old cars in general, and you do give it up, you can pretty much expect it to be ran into the ground. I've sold some of my beloved rides off in the past to irresponsible people, and I've seen it happen firsthand. They where all local, so I actually had to watch the cars go to shiznit over time. I've came to the conclusion that most people just don't have what it takes to keep up with an old car. Some people will love it, and baby it, up until the point that something major breaks, then off to the boneyard it goes. It really does take having a love for working on and fixing up old cars, to keep someone going with one in the long run.

My 2 cents, I would find some other way to fund your next project other than selling your car. If you have to sell one of your cars to be able to afford to complete your next project, then it's probably not a wise decision to start on another project right now in the first place.

My small dilemma......

Reply #11 – May 02, 2013, 10:26:25 PM

"If you have to sell one of your cars to be able to afford to complete your next project, then it's probably not a wise decision to start on another project right now in the first place."

Well apparently my checkbook isn't as fat as yours to be able to do that. The way I see it is, I have a car that I no longer do anything with, that if sold for a fair price, would pay for all the little things plus some upgrades on another toy I have sitting here that has been waiting on the sidelines as I collected alot of parts. Rather than pulling money from a savings account this seems to make the most reasonable financial sense, if the Bird sells it sells.....if not, it'll stay parked in the corner of the garage where it's been for the past 4-5 years and the other project will still be built, only at a slower pace.

Thanks to all who commented.

My small dilemma......

Reply #12 – May 03, 2013, 08:24:24 AM

I don't know if this is on subject or not, but here it is anyway. I'm building my car to drive, not just to a show, although it was not ever intended to be a show car, but to be driven and enjoyed.
The way I see it, If you're not taking the car out enjoying it, why not let someone else. Maybe he does have a family that he wants to share/make memories with in this car.

My small dilemma......

Reply #13 – May 06, 2013, 12:09:10 PM

I don't know what you're asking for the car, but if it's your magic number, It'd take it. Higher end, nice thunderbrids/cougars don't seem to sell very well. Honestly, someone who is going to "treasure" it is just as likely to destroy it as a guy to use it everyday. Think about it, when you're in your second car, you "special" car, you're much more likely to hot foot around and that leads to accidents.

If this was a rare high dollar car, I would have a different attitude. But for cars that hasn't appreciated much in 10 years, it's not worth losing sleep over. JMHO.

My small dilemma......

Reply #14 – May 08, 2013, 03:43:32 PM

First off it's a nice looking car, If your happy with the price let it go. He must see something he really likes about it and will hopefully take care of it.