[jcc3inc]

When I bought my '91 the costs were as follows (car in N. Car, I'm in IL)

Airline $144
Motels $132
Gas $96
Meals $30
TOTAL $403

And I CERTAINLY WOULD NOT SEND $ before I had seen the car!!!

Regards,
Jack C.

[Ronnie]

Originally Posted by BJM

Ronnie,

I understand and have had people keep my money and disappear but I'm not wired that way. I'm a handshake kind of guy. I leave my keys in my car (under the seat) when I shop and I send money. If the seller sounded shady on the phone, then I would not send anything. But if it sounds legitimate and I send the money and never hear from him again, that's OK.

Like the old saying goes..."A fool and his money soon part."

[padgett]

Am fortunate in living in a rust free area (but plenty is imported), all of the cars I have bought in the last 10 years have come from within 100 miles.

Of course the nicest seem to come from the Pacific northwest - west of the Cascades. Southern cars tend to get a lot of sun damage but do have rust free bodys - as long as not near salt water. 'nother thing about the Souf, distandes tend to be larrger than in the "thickly settled" parts of the country. Here I drive about 5 miles to get to Sam's. In the NE you would be in the next town.

Nice thing about expensive cars is that they tend to be garaged.

BTW, last time I looked, shipping for a car was about a dollar a mile.

[Richard D]

Listing has been removed by seller.

[mongeonman]

bought this 90 on ebay last month from future classics in New Jersey just looking at the pics,had it delvered home and i think i did a very good buy,runs perfect,no rust at all,great interior, new tires ect...I WAS LUCKY!

[CMJAnew]

Originally Posted by mongeonman

bought this 90 on ebay last month from future classics in New Jersey just looking at the pics,had it delvered home and i think i did a very good buy,runs perfect,no rust at all,great interior, new tires ect...I WAS LUCKY!

You did better than I. My eBay purchase was very disappointing. Ah, but my lack of presearch is my son's gain.

[steveskyhawk]

If BJM or anyone else is serious about buying that car in Mission Viejo CA I'd be happy to go preview it for them. I could tell you if it was worth the trip. I have bought 7 of these cars with no regrets and have stripped many of them in salvage yards. The cars here are salvaged without any body damage OR corrosion. Cradle bushing problems are non existent.

I have personally spent more than the cost of that car on Southwest tickets to go and look at Reattas. Worth every penny. Weather here this week is predicted to be in the low 80s with light and variable winds and cloudless skies. Now if someone prefers a rust bucket it is up to them.

[BJM]

Originally Posted by Richard D

Listing has been removed by seller.

Yea I called him and he sold it already. In fact, I didn't necessarily want this post to be about the Reatta market in general, but oh well.

Using the "Site Mash" tool site mash : : combined classified and auction listings

I spent about 2 hours looking at Reattas yesterday. I was not seriously searching, but like I said, I have about $1200 and thought what the heck.

Most of what I would call "reasonable" priced ads, those prices from about $750 to $2000 - many many had the posting removed by the Craigs Lister telling me the vehicles have been sold.

This happened on at least 25-35 Reattas and the list of offered Reattas went into the 300's.

Extrapolating this as an unofficial survey, this bodes well that these cars are being "recycled" re-purchased and driven as used cars by people who recognize their value, style and luxury.

I mean, if you have only so much money and your choice is a 1989 Reatta that runs well or a 1989 Chevy Corsica, it's an easy choice.

So my unofficial survey shows these cars are mving but there is a price point for sure.

[BJM]

Originally Posted by Ronnie

Like the old saying goes..."A fool and his money soon part."

Personally not necessary. I have seen the world go from places where houses were unlocked, hand shakes meant something to a paranoid distrustful place where some people try to get off on others.

I refuse to go that route is all. Have I been burned? Yes a couple of times but I've also met a lot of great people and a lot of it is my fault.

I buy 'very few' cars sight unseen now. In the old days before digital photos became commonplace, I bought a few cars sight unseen because I felt that if I waited, they would be sold. What arrived a couple of times at my house was simply junk.

What this told me was that I needed to be overly honest in turn - in my descriptions of cars I was selling. I would write out my thoughts on the car, then go back through and find some more things wrong with it or double check my comments.

I lost a lot of money on my cars over the years. I have not made good choices. Luckily, I have made some money on a few of them.

The original car in consideration here was in Minneapolis, Minnesota. I am in central Iowa. I buy a lot of cars out of Minnesota, despite the rust issue because typically Minnesotans are honest and affable folks and I can go up there in about 3/12 to 4 hours. True, I probably would not buy a car from So cal without a go-between but I might.

I have co-worker that locks his car in the employee parking lot, checks the door handles for about 2 minutes, all four doors, walking around the car, pulling up on the handles several times before coming in. He is an older bachelor - he does the same thing with his desk drawer and I suspect with his condo front door.

I drive into the same lot, turn off my car and leave the keys under the front seat, car unlocked. You are wel;come to my car if you really want to steal it. I guess that means you need it and the moral burden that thought would carry - more then I do. I can get another car.

[BJM]

Originally Posted by padgett

Am fortunate in living in a rust free area (but plenty is imported), all of the cars I have bought in the last 10 years have come from within 100 miles.

This is what I have done lately. I have spent about $30,000 on transport the last 20 years and I am done with it. Of the four cars in my footer, they come from Missouri, Iowa, Iowa and Northern Illinois. (I live in central Iowa)

They have all been or will be brought to my house using a friends truck and trailer.

Yes I have seen cars I lusted after in california and elsewhere but I get over it.

Craigs List is great for this. I found the 49 Chrysler on the AACA forum, the 88 Buick and the 66 Buick on CL, the 72 Buick off the forum with members noting the ebay auction.

There is no real need to go out of your local area and plus - most Reattas are purchased running anyway.