The best solution - which might be possible through our list - is to have
someone trustworthy, who lives in the area, examine the car for you. The
members of this live in most parts of the continent. Those who are willing
could take pictures and do a close examination - even shoot a video. You
could then examine the results and make the decision. Of course you would
have to arrange to compensate the examiner for his time and costs.
Perhaps those of us who are able and willing to do this work could identify
ourselves. I would be willing to help people in my area.
John McEwen
>Fellow SOLers,
>
>I have now calmed down enough to write about a recent experience. I have been
>trying to find an acceptable example of a 70-74 GT to purchase for about six
>months. It seems that most of the GTs are located either in the Northeast,
>California, or Northern climes. I don't know where all the GTs are in the
>Southwest but I can't seem to find one.
>
>I thought I had found the perfect car in the Northeast - '73, owned by elderly
>gentleman for last twenty years, only 38K miles, never driven in rain (yeah
>right), garaged, chrome wires, totally original. After extensive e-mail
>traffic where I asked about every question I could think of, he sent me a set
>of photos showing the vehicle. The photos showed a teal-blue w/ochre interior
>spectacular looking car. This GT looked like it had been sitting in a garage
>covered for the last twenty years. After further examining the photos with a
>magnifying glass (really) and additional questions I felt confident enough to
>make arrangements to make a visit. BTW, the gentleman seemed extremely sincere
>and knowledgeable about his car.
>
>After traveling from Dallas and spending the night I met the gentleman at the
>garage on Sunday morning where the car was kept. Imagine my surprise when we
>began to pull off the cover and discovered not only was the car Mallard green
>(no big deal) but the paint on the hood was totally cracked, i.e. where lacquer
>is sprayed over acrylic (or vice versa). I then proceeded to examine the car -
>dent on lower passenger front fender, bad bondo job on hatch, interior totally
>shot, door panels water damaged (so much for not driven in rain), slave
>cylinder leaking, multiple switches inoperative (not unusual for LBC).
>Needless to say we couldn't agree on a price and I went home with a much
>thinner wallet and no car.
>
>My point (there really is one) is, why do people constantly rate their cars as
>"excellent" when in reality they barely qualify as "good". I am so tired of
>looking a pieces of crap that people haven't taken care of for the last 10-20
>years and act like the cars are in perfect shape. A "little" rust means holes
>big enough to put your hands through. Recently "painted" means half-ass
>day-glo metallic over a perfectly good BRG. People run the crap out of these
>cars, don't do any maintenance, then expect to get top dollar for them because
>they have "sentimental" value.
>
>I kicked myself for going up to look at the car, but if you would have seen the
>pictures, the car did look beautiful (they were taken on a cloudy day which
>accounts for the defects not showing up). The gentleman could have had the
>decency to say the car needed body work and a paint job knowing full well I was
>traveling half way across the U.S. I don't want to leave you with the
>impression that I'm trying to steal a car from anyone, but if I am going to pay
>top dollar for an "excellent" example of a BGT I expect it to be "excellent".
>Yes, I realize beauty is in the eye of the beholder but alot of MG owners must
>have a low standard of beauty. BTW, I have owned an 80LE and two AH3000s so
>don't flame me for not being an LBC lover.
>
>If anyone has any recommendations about buying a car long distance I would be
>more than happy to hear from you. Thanks for listening I feel much better now.
>
>The nurse is here with my medication I've got to go now, later........
>
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>>From Bill Schleusner
>Texas Instruments Incorporated
>b-schleusner@ti.com
>972-917-6920
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