I have to admit: I don’t always buy the smartest car. I spend time I don’t have on eBay and Craigslist and then buy old, crooked cars and trucks that need a lot of work. And I love every minute of it. But there is a clever way and a… less clever way to buy a “dumb” car and bring it home.
Don’t be fooled
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“I found it!” My wife screamed in my office. She’s been searching for the perfect Jeep Cherokee for months now; I wasn’t surprised when she came at work, her phone in hand, to show me an ad on Craigslist.
She was looking at a red Cherokee with a manual transmission, sunroof, leather interior and less than 30,000 miles on the odometer. Asking price was $1400 – a steal. The ad had two sentences: “My grandfather is dead, I want to get rid of his old 4×4 ASAP. I’m not sure what it is or its value, I just want it to be gone.”
I sent a message through the Craigslist email relay and the response was quick – very fast. “I hate Craigslist, can you send me your personal email or mobile number so we can talk?”
I copied the ad images and did a reverse image search. Sure enough, the same images have been used for similar ads across the country for years. Someone, somewhere, was running a scam on Craigslist to collect and sell contact information. I was fortunate that I knew the right questions to ask.
Stealing your contact information is far from the worst scam you can possibly encounter. I’m always particularly keen on sending a deposit, especially without the security of a well-known website like eBay. If you are worried that someone else is buying a car before you can get to it, you can always ask the seller to call you and explain that the car is there. Or you can hire a mechanic near you to inspect the used vehicle and check the VIN number and availability.
Get home safely
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I first started looking for less popular cars to fix when I was in high school. Whenever I wanted to buy something and drive it home, my mom would ask, “Seat belts, steering, and brakes?” If any of those systems were questionable, I had to drag it.
The lesson was: Trying to drive a project car home with a poorly tuned carburetor or a clogged fuel filter could result in an awkward stall or two. I might even have to throw in the towel and call the clouds. But a brake failure on the road would have been a real disaster. It is unsafe and unethical to take such a car on the road.
Another lesson I learned is that if the car salesman drives them daily, or even weekly, they have a pretty good idea of what systems might break on my way home. But if it’s been parked in a field for years, even if the engine catches on, you have no idea what’s going to crash a few miles down the road.
It is always best to tow the project car home. Even if you can get it home, a few visits to the emergency parts store on the way can add up quickly—maybe costing you more than a tow.
Do your paperwork
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You might think that cashing an old car or truck, then banning it at home, sounds like an adventure. But maybe Johnny Lowe wouldn’t agree. If you are stopped in an unregistered, uninsured, and unchecked vehicle, you may not be allowed to take your ticket and continue on your fun road.
First, check if your state has a temporary registration before you go to look at the car. You may be able to print the transfer plate to attach it to the rear window. Double-check the length of the grace period before you need to pass the examination.
Second, call your insurance company and ask about putting your newly purchased car on your policy before putting one tire on the road. If the worst happens, and you get hit in a wreck, it would be a double whammy to be unprotected.
In the age of the smartphone, there’s no excuse not to register and insure your new car after you’ve bought it but before you’ve driven it away.
The ‘dumb’ car buying adventure
Finding and buying the perfect quirky project vehicle can be a great adventure. Just make sure to be safe and smart about the next “dumb” old car you decide to buy.
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