Dear Melissa,
Sorry to hear about your bad experience. Just about everyone who buys cars
eventually comes across a crook, so don't feel alone.
As Dick B pointed out, you can ask an IML member to go inspect a car. If you
can't find someone in the area, there are professional car appraisers who will
do it for you. You can find them advertised in Hemmings (www.hemmings.com).
It may cost you $200, but I always feel losing $200 is cheap if it saves you
from losing $2000. I use appraisers not to give me an idea of worth, but just
to have an objective pair of eyeballs on a car (and to take pictures). One
saved me from making a similar mistake with an Imperial in Miami (Ted Vernon
motors-- careful). Same story there: car was claimed to be near perfect and it
was full of rust & bondo.
I agree with the fellow who says to contact the state dept. of Consumer
Affairs. This is not something you have to accept helplessly. The state can
put a serious bite into a bad dearlership's business, and you may be surprised
how cooperative they become after they find out you've notified the proper
authorities.
Good luck!
Mark M
>
> From: "M Turner" <tminjesu@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Date: 2004/06/20 Sun AM 09:20:14 EDT
> To: <mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Subject: Re: IML: Warning: bad dealership!!
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Melissa Swenson
> To: mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Sent: Sunday, June 20, 2004 12:01 AM
> Subject: IML: Warning: bad dealership!!
>
>
>
> Eric found a 1965 Imperial for sale at a dealership that was mentioned on
>this site right after we purchased it, called Country Classic Cars, located in
>Staunton Illinois. The main thing is, is that we bought this car soley on the
>fact that we would be able to go for family rides this summer in it. The car
>will not even drive around our yard. It is so not driveable that he can
>barely even start it up. I am no car expert so I don't know everything that
>is wrong, but I feel bad for Eric that he was taken advantage of so badly. >>
>I urge you to report this to the State's Attorney General's office, State of
>Illinois, and to their office of consumer affairs. I feel certain they have
>consumer affairs office or bureau, even though I do not live in Illinois. You
>also should look into a way you might be able to pull this guy's license to
>operate. Just for the record: Be careful with eBay sellers too. eBay offers
>an inspection service, which saved me a SERIOUS headache on a 1960 Imperial
>Crown Southampton that I was "dieing to
have." The deal died after I got the report from the inspector, which
presented a very different car from what the sellers were presenting.
> Vince in Boston
>
>
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