Suckered in Sunny Arizona

[2mAn]

maybe the title should also be changed to HUMBLED in Sunny Arizona

[theunz]

As I mentioned previously, I met with the seller previously on behalf of another member.
He seemed very sincere and trustworthy to me, and it does not surprise me that he tried to make things right with you.
As for pricing, I said he was asking around $7,000, it's quite possible it may have been $7,900, it was a year or so ago. He is a member here, albeit a very inactive one, so he knows the value of the roadsters and his increase in asking price reflects the current upswing in value we have seen recently.
While as the saying goes, you can't judge a book by it's cover, my guess is that any amount he refunded you affected him to a higher degree than you. Again, just a guess, and I may be way off base here.
Glad to see you are going to keep the car, and I'm pretty sure it won't be long before your glad you did. Good luck with your endeavors.

[akaloosey]

Humbled? Not really. I have not forgotten that, in my opinion, a wrongdoing was initially undertook. It was later replaced by a more honorable act. Relieved, yes. Encouraged maybe. A lessening of despair for sure.

As someone who has combed the internet for months looking at Roadsters, I feel like I have a decent idea of realistic valuations of these cars. Of course you will see a few astronomical asking prices on Ebay and such. They are not SELLING. In fact, after I received this car, I sent the seller 6 links to craigslist ads that depicted cars that were in equal or better shape to his* that had much lower asking prices than what I paid. (* of course neither of us know for sure the real condition because they are simply words and photos on a computer screen and as I just learned the hard way, they do not paint you the honest picture).

This is not a $9500 car or even a $7500 car. I was so disappointed the first days after getting the car I reached out to some Datsun owners in Phoenix. Sent close up photos and detailed description of the car. Flat out told them my loss is your gain. Offered it for $5500 and no one was interested. No one even came and looked. Why? I think I know why but some on this board keep dropping hints this is an $7000+ car. So did I before i unsuccessfully tried to drive it.

As for who this affected more seems irrelevant to me. If a poor man fashions a counterfeit coin and passes it off as rare and valuable, is the offense any less egregious if he sells it to a wealthy man? I can assure you I am part of the 97% underclass who just works everyday for a living sir. The roadster was a big purchase for me. If it wasn't, I wouldn't be on this forum whining like I am. LOL.

Anyway, thank you for your insight into the car and the seller whom neither of us really know at all. I have reached out to him again and am trying to have a dialogue just to have a better understanding of why certain things happened the way they did. To be perfectly honest with you, I have not even decided if I will keep the refund portion or not. The gesture alone took a lot of weight off my shoulders. This car purchase ended up being a lot more drama and confusion than what i had bargained for that is for sure.

[bakerjf]

I’m confused. You have a good understanding of Roadster prices from “searching for months” for one...but after you bought this car you sent the seller six Craigslist ads showing cars in similar condition for a lower price. Disclaimers aside, why didn’t you buy one of those then? Why didn’t you present that information to the seller BEFORE you bought it?

Next, this “poor man, counterfeit coin” analogy is off-base IMO. I believe the poor man here legitimately thought he had a “rare coin.” For sure he had a “coin.” The fact that he ever responded to you again after the sale is proof in my mind that he wasn’t out to defraud you. Using the coin analogy, you did not conduct even a cursory appraisal of the coin before you bought it, you accepted the seller’s representations on their face. The problems you found could have been discovered within two minutes of driving the car. Your resulting disappointment due to the consequence of that decision is really all on you IMO, not the seller.

People who hold on to things for years and years, especially older folks, tend to inject personal sentimentality into the value equation; not unlike a hoarder who thinks the little pizza box tables even have value and are worth saving. Craigslist is always a roll of the dice. I’ve purchased two cars using that site, including my Roadster. I remember tearing into my car over the next couple of years often lamenting that I had overpaid, or should have chose another car. Not once did it even occur to me to blame the seller for my situation...

Throw all assumptions out the window when buying a car that way. Sellers may or may not be honest, smart, or sophisticated. Often, their asking prices are borderline delusional; ever see what the average 60’s muscle car owner is asking for their worn-out POS on Craigslist these days? It’s literally laughable. At the end of the day you do your best to vet the vehicle, accept responsibility for the purchase, and move on with your life.

[AC77]

Caveat emptor. In my opinion kicking back some $ seemed pretty straight up. Best of luck on your build.

[fj20spl311]

I’m confused.
Craigslist is always a roll of the dice.
I remember..... lamenting that I had overpaid, or should have chose another car.
At the end of the day you do your best to vet the vehicle, accept responsibility for the purchase, and move on with your life.

I agree completely.

I remember buying my yellow 2000 with comp. suspension and Solexes for $2000 and thinking I over paid....but that was 1999.

[akaloosey]

"I'm confused. You have a good understanding of Roadster prices from “searching for months” for one...but after you bought this car you sent the seller six Craigslist ads showing cars in similar condition for a lower price. Disclaimers aside, why didn’t you buy one of those then?"

That's simple. This car was misrepresented. Problems were not mentioned even when asked point blank. Was it a geritol moment or was it flat out misleading someone? Neither of us will ever truly know because we are not mind readers. I paid more for a car that I thought was in much better condition. After learning the real condition I found comparable models that I could have had much cheaper.

" you did not conduct even a cursory appraisal of the coin before you bought it, you accepted the seller’s representations on their face."

True. I trusted the sellers representation which was way off. To the point that I have come to the conclusion it was not simply carelessness or accidental.

"Your resulting disappointment due to the consequence of that decision is really all on you IMO, not the seller."

That is your opinion. I harbor a different one.