Stories from the Sales Frontlines

snakeweasel

What? And you didn't look me up so I could give you the two bit tour of our slums?

Anyway I hope you did take the opportunity to take your new car down Lake Shore Drive.

isellhondas

The road to Hana??

You are kidding, right?

How about Hwy 1 by Big Sur? Talk about beautiful!

snakeweasel

I am not kidding it is an great drive along the coast of Maui through lush tropical rain forest along some awesome views and beaches. Sure it's windy and slow but it has great views.

When we did it we didn't turn around at the 7 pools ( the actual name I cannot recall) and continued all the way around the island. There are some fantastic views as you come around to the leeward side of the island.

cdnpinhead

"When we did it we didn't turn around at the 7 pools ( the actual name I cannot recall) and continued all the way around the island. There are some fantastic views as you come around to the leeward side of the island."

I did the same thing and agree completely. However, at least at that time, you weren't supposed to take a rental car on that road, so I'm glad I didn't break down or whatever. Wasn't that bad a road, so I don't know what they were worried about. Went to the top of Mauna Kea on the Big Island too, off the saddle highway, and that's another one that was banned to rental cars.

No guts, no glory.

isellhondas

Yeah, I guess.

Still, that's a ride most people do only once. When you FINALLY get to Hana there really isn't much to see that is different than other places.

I know I wouldn't want to make that trip at night!

graphicguy

snakeweasel...I go to Chicago all the time...at least 8-9 times/year. I have some business there. But, I also have quite a few friends there (Hinsdale, mainly) that I visit. I also helped build a display at the Adler Planetarium several years ago (the wide field of view flight simulator).

Going to be there over Thanksgiving, as a matter of fact. Staying over by the old firehouse and Loyola.

Love the city.

snakeweasel

Well you have another here just that my town isn't up to the same level as Hinsdale but then again few are. But please tell me your friends don't live in a teardown house.

oldfarmer50

"...from Cincinnati..."

Cincinnati, Chicago, it's all C's. Anyway, here's a few for you:

http://dayton.craigslist.org/cto/4124888252.html

http://indianapolis.craigslist.org/cto/4142374863.html

http://columbus.craigslist.org/cto/4137458373.html

oldfarmer50

"...the coast of Maui..."

Try driving a carburetor equipped rental up Mt. Haleakala if you want a real driving experience. At 10,000 feet you had to get out and push. Impressive views once you crawled up there. Like being on the moon because you couldn't breath.

tjc78

That Mark VIII is a great color.

snakeweasel

Drove up there and it is impressive however it was in a car with fuel injection. A few years ago we took the rag top up Mt. Evans. 10,000 feet is just a rest stop on that drive and the views are fantastic there too. IIRC it tops off at just over 14,000 feet. I was wondering how the Sebring would perform at that altitude climbing that mountain, it did pretty good.

Edited to add: You want to talk about out of breath there are people that bike up to the top of Mt. Evans. Can you imagine biking up a hill at 14,000 feet?

explorerx4

Imagine that, a red car in Ohio.

stickguy

I do like that Lincoln. Kind of scary. Bleech on the Caddy.

The Acura? Those are well built cars, but that one gives me an odd vibe. Maybe because they talk about roll down rear windows (in a car where no one will ever sit in back seat) but totally ignore miles?

driver100

Anyway, here's a few for you:

Geez, I'd buy all 3 for under $10K.

At least one of them should start in the morning.

If they don't, then you can always just sit in them and imagine you are going somewhere, at that price you can't lose.

You can be like the cheaper version of Jay Leno.

oldfarmer50

"...cheaper version of Jay Leno..."

GG wants a luxury winter beater under $3k so the choice is limited. As to reliability you get what you pay for and nobody ever sold a used car because it was running TOO good.

I bought the 93 Deville for my son in 2010 with 81k miles for $1200. Initially it had a mystery battery drain which we fixed by disconnecting the security module (who's going to steal a 20 yo Caddy?). Later, the radio stopped working. Over the years it's needed other repairs that I would consider routine. Still starts up every time so even an old beater can be reliable transportation.

graphicguy

oldfarmer...thanks a bunch. I really like that Acura. I like the Lincoln, too. Nothing like an "arrest me red" car.

I'll call this a.m. and see what the story is on those.

Not sure about the Caddy....it doesn't seem to "grab" me.

Snakeweasal...not sure what you mean by a "tear down" house. I think you're referring to the fact that a lot of people are buying homes in Hinsdale just to tear them down and put up a McMansion.

My friends are sitting on a nice piece of property there. They've been in it probably about 20 years. I'd say their home was probably built in the '40s, maybe '50s. It's a ranch, too. I don't think they have any plans on tearing it down, but you never know.

oldfarmer50

"...nothing like an "arrest me red" car..."

While I am a real fan of most red cars I don't care for that car in red. White, black or even dark green looks better to me. But hey, color is the LEAST important thing in buying a beater.

"...not sure about the Caddy..."

I agree. Just threw that in there to round out the field and because it was the only 2002 for under $3k. If I were shopping that model I would take a low milage 1992-93 since it looked identical, had the less problematic 4.9L motor and would probably be cheaper.

http://louisville.craigslist.org/cto/4099952832.html

driver100

GG wants a luxury winter beater under $3k so the choice is limited.

Oldfarmer, you are really good at tracking down these old beaters. I am sure there are other people who would like one too, but they don't know how to sniff them out like you do.

I think you should open up a business for people, they pay you to find them a beater. Maybe it could be called, Beaters are Us, or Beater World, or Beater Man, or Beater City, or Beater World....the possibilities are endless..........

driver100

http://louisville.craigslist.org/cto/4099952832.html

How come the glove compartment door is open and the seats are tilted back to a 30% angle...does the guy sleep while driving.

Always a good idea to take the water bottles out before a picture. I do like the way he says "if you are interested give me a call", like would someone call who wasn't interested.

kyfdx

GG only lives about 30 minutes from that red Lincoln.... he might have already bought it by now....

jayrider

"Nobody ever sold a used car because it was running too good." Reminds me of my thoughts at the casino when I see a tech working on a slot machine. No one works on a slot machine because it wasn't paying enough.

fezo

Tear down houses are all over the place in this neck of the woods. Out on the island that I'm five miles off of people buy up houses strictly for the land.

Heck, back in 92 I made the mistake of not looking into something. This is when we built the house we're still in. A house on the island, maybe 4 off the ocean, that we used to stay in a month every summer when I was a little kid came up for sale. Pretty typical Cape Cod house built sideways on the lot was for sale. The husband had been long gone and the wife was 86 and in a nursing home. No kids. Learned this all from a neighbor when I stopped to look at the for sale sign. At the time maybe we could have just managed it. My wife didn't want to inquire. Whoever bought it tore it down and built a raised contemporary in its place. The house then went for maybe $125K. An easy million now.

Of course Sandy created several instant tear downs just a bout a year ago today, but in out neck of the woods all the oceanside houses survived fine. The bayside ones got flooded and at least 50 of them are shot. The town that maintains great dunes and preserve marshes was virtually untouched. Were it not for the fact that it would be a 40 mile round trip to the grocery store and the house prices.

I lived bayside in one of the towns that wasn't so well protected when I got married - my last two single years and my first two married years. Lived in half a duplex that my folks bought for $89K in 1983 and sold for $165K in 1987. Survived Hurricane Gloria in it. Current owners say the house took in four feet of water and while they removed six feet of drywall the rest is up to the next owner. It's listed at $350K.

I miss being able to sometimes hear the ocean from my front yard but where we are beats a constantly worried wife.

snakeweasel

You can be like the cheaper version of Jay Leno.

Wouldn't that be like a junk yard?

snakeweasel

Snakeweasal...not sure what you mean by a "tear down" house. I think you're referring to the fact that a lot of people are buying homes in Hinsdale just to tear them down and put up a McMansion.

That's exactly what I mean, Hinsdale has always been an upscale area and most of the homes that were torn down were upscale with many dating back up to a hundred years. Many architectural treasures have been lost to the tear down culture.

oldfarmer50

http://cincinnati.craigslist.org/ctd/4092842357.html

snakeweasel

But it gets lousy gas mileage (look at the second picture).

sterlingdog

I still like the yellow Caddy that you found the other day. It seemed really nice for the money.

You are such a master at locating cars for sale. I have a search for you. Find me a black 1955 Cadillac DeVille. It's my favorite car of all time.

Richard

oldfarmer50

"...find me a black 1955 Cadillac Deville..."

Finding a 55 caddy was easy but in black was hard. Best I could do was this:

http://losangeles.craigslist.org/lac/cto/4152619691.html

If you take it in green Or other colors there are a bunch of 55s.

http://phoenix.craigslist.org/nph/cto/4091614794.html

http://www.autotraderclassics.com/classic-car/1955-Cadillac-Series+62-1067506.xh- - tml?conversationId=694102

http://losangeles.craigslist.org/lac/cto/4149722596.html

http://tampa.craigslist.org/pnl/cto/4113451392.html

http://tampa.craigslist.org/pnl/ctd/4117594300.html

roadburner

this puppy wasn't a slushbox: Zed Drei

roadburner

2008 1er

Although it is now possible to re-flash the transmission control unit with the software from the Alpina B3- which transforms the performance of the ZF autobox...

oldfarmer50

"...2008 1er..."

And you SAVE $1866!

Nice car though.

houdini1

Reminds me of a few years ago, we were taking a train trip thru the Canadian Rockies and the darn train broke down. They had to call taxis to ferry us to our next stop to spend the night.

Apparently, at that time anyway, the taxis were equipped to run on gasoline or natural gas. The guy we got was out of gas and was running on natural gas. When we got past a certain altitude the cab would only go about 5 mph and the engine kept dying. Try pushing a cab at 10,000 ft. with other traffic whizzing past.

The cab finally started to sputter along, but the cab driver was so flustered he asked me to drive, which I was glad to do because the guy was a basket case. We finally made it to the next town and got some gasoline.

After asking me to drive I kept waiting for him to ask me where to go for a good time.

roadburner

And you SAVE $1866!

I'd be surprised if I couldn't get it for $18,000 or better- the dealer has had it on the lot since 8/7...

houdini1

I had a friend who had a 55 Cadillac like the green one with a nice set of ti, uh protrusions, on the front like that. He had to cut two holes in his garage for the "protrusions" to fit into in order to close the garage door. The car's name was Marilyn.

explorerx4

Although I am younger than a '55 Cadillac, I believe the correct term is 'Dagmars'.

driver100

Went to see Ron Howard's movie "Rush" today. This was an excellent movie BASED on a true story........a battle between Formula 1 racing car drivers Niki Lauder and James hunt.

The movie is very well done whether you like racing cars or not....a great story and well made movie.

bwia

Thought I'd share another auto gadget for the monied class.

Count this as one of those things I would really like to have in my garage--an automated brush-less car wash system. One drawback though, the unit cost about $30K plus another $4K for installation.
The system was featured on Motor Week yesterday. I did a Google search and came up with this video. Enjoy and comment. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRKv83l0tbU&feature=youtu.be

tjc78

So, let's see the math. 34,000 / 25.00 for a good hand wash. That's 1360 washes, at once a week that's roughly 26 years worth of washes to break even. That's also not considering operating costs and maintenance.

I don't see his company making it.

driver100

--an automated brush-less car wash system.

A great item if you have $34K burning a hole in your pocket and if you have OCD about having a clean car.

Even a car wash once a week is only going to cost $300 or $400 a year, it will take a long time to pay to own your own car wash.

Michaell

Wouldn't having multiple cars bring down the break even point?

Heck, with andre's stable, he'd break even in just a few months. ;-)

graphicguy

oldfarmer...thanks so much for your leg work. kyfdx...You're right, Dayton (Centerville) is about a 30 minute drive for me.

A neighbor ended up needing my help yesterday. So, car shopping didn't happen. Today, yard work is calling my name.

So, maybe make a few phone calls on those cars, but I doubt I'll be able to see them today...maybe middle week or next weekend?

Again, thanks for the legwork. I might take a little 2 hour drive to see that Acura coupe, if it's still agailable Tuesday or Wednesday. That would be my first choice. Price is right...mileage doesn't scare me...looks in the pics to be well cared for (as does the Lincoln).

snakeweasel

That's a lot of money to get your cars washed. But remember there are people out there with more money than God (come to think of it why would God need money?) that wouldn't notice if they spent an additional $35K one day. I can see it selling but in very limited quantities.

oldfarmer50

"...$25 for a good hand wash..."

You'd pay me $25 to wash your car? what's your address, I'm on my way!

houdini1

HE always needs money. At least that is what my pastor says.

stickguy

he only lives about 10-15 minutes from me. I'll do it. Hey, that is $25 more than the freeloaders in my family pay when I wash their cars.

sb55

A guy in my town just built a multi (many multi) million dollar home on a dirt road. He put one of these car washers in his very large garage. Even if he starts out with a clean car from home, it will be dirty by the time he gets to the pavement. I live on a dirt road too, and if I had money to burn, I would pay the town to pave the 1.5 miles from my driveway to the nearest pavement. I live with muddy or dusty cars a lot. It seems counter intuitive, but cars are cleaner in the winter because there is snow over the dirt.

snakeweasel

Driving around the back dirt roads here you can always tell when you pass a farm owned by a better off farmer. It seems that they paved the roads in front of their homes to keep down the dust from passing cars.

It's funny that you drive a mile along a gravel road then all of a sudden its paved for a few hundred feet past a farm house then back to gravel for a mile or so until you pass another farm house where they paved a few hundred feet in front of their home. Back and forth between gravel and short patches of paved.

sterlingdog

Thanks for finding all of those two door models. I should have mentioned that I wanted the '55 four door model as in DRIVING MISS DAISY. Still, I enjoyed looking at your findings. That one for $50K was a real beauty. There was another one that looked about as good for a lot less money.

Richard

sterlingdog

There you go again speaking in tongues. (Grin)

Richard

sterlingdog

"He had to cut two holes in his garage..."

LMAO!!!

Richard