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Possibly the greatest car sale story of all time


Brass is Best

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Names and places have been changed or omitted to protect the innocent. A few months ago I sold a wonderful automobile to a gentleman who lived some distance from me. He called and had several conversations. We sent additional information and helped him get an inspection and financed through a third party. Once everything was in place he was going to wire the funds. The day before he was set to wire funds his wife called and left a scathing 10 minute message on our answering machine which would garner a R rating in theaters. Her opinion was that we helped her husband buy this car behind her back and we were evil. She continued that he is not allowed to buy any more cars. We also received a nasty email from her explaining that her husband was not buying anything with out her permission. We assumed this was the end of the deal. The next day our customer called happy as could be. Said he was sending the funds and couldn't wait to get his car. I asked what about your wife? His response was that he was in the process of moving out and had already called a divorce attorney. She asked him the choose between her and another car. He added that he couldn't wait to get the car. So the age old excuse that guys love to use: "I have to check with my wife" has been made null and void. You don't need to check with the wife, just have a good divorce attorney.

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A memorable story, Andy!  I'm happy to wade in.

 

I've known people with sizeable car collections, and

the wives at least go along supportively, even if they

aren't car fans themselves.  They go to shows with

their husbands and take something to read, and

happily talk to other people at the show.  They attend

club events and love to take the passenger's seat on

car tours so they can get the best view of the scenery.

Maybe they even take another couple along to ride

in the back seat and share the experience.  The woman

in the story needed to learn that support of her husband's

interests by a wife, and vice versa, goes a long way to 

making a happy family.

 

The A.A.C.A. does an excellent job of providing interesting

things for both husbands AND wives.  She should have

participated!

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6 minutes ago, John_S_in_Penna said:

A memorable story, Andy!  I'm happy to wade in.

 

I've known people with sizeable car collections, and

the wives at least go along supportively, even if they

aren't car fans themselves.  They go to shows with

their husbands and take something to read, and

happily talk to other people at the show.  They attend

club events and love to take the passenger's seat on

car tours so they can get the best view of the scenery.

Maybe they even take another couple along to ride

in the back seat and share the experience.  The woman

in the story needed to learn that support of her husband's

interests by a wife, and vice versa, goes a long way to 

making a happy family.

 

The A.A.C.A. does an excellent job of providing interesting

things for both husbands AND wives.  She should have

participated!

Hi, John.

 

I have a suggestion:  Get the gents home phone number from Andy and then you phone her to get involved, go for rides, etc.  Let us know how she responds...?

 

Almost forgot.  Have some earplugs at hand.

 

Regards,

 

Peter/

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She'll have to learn that lesson on her own, Peter.

"You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make [her] drink."

The AACA provides plenty of refreshing events.  She'll soften eventually, 

we hope in time for a happy marriage the second time around.

 

This is probably a very unhappy time for the wife, 

so we have to feel some sympathy for her, no matter

how much of the responsibility is hers.  At this point,

she probably WOULD appreciate going on a scenic tour

with a friend.

Edited by John_S_in_Penna (see edit history)
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Many years ago an older collector whose name some here would possibly recognize was given the same ultimatum. "Either the cars go or I go". His response "I can always get another wife, Duesenbergs are hard to find". I think the end came when she found the blankets off their bed covering the Dues or maybe it was a sore point that there was a Dues and several 16 cylinder Cads in the garage but they had nothing to drive to the grocery store except an old tow truck.

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At Hershey, while in a lift a few years ago, a lady was commenting incredulously about a couple she'd met that day who's husband had a collction of 90 plus vehicles. What she didn't know was that her own husband had a collection of over 400 cars! She thinks he has about six!

Edited by Ozstatman (see edit history)
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So I went to the motor vehicle department to license the car in my Wife's name. The lady at the counter pointed at the paper and said "She needs to sign this on the X". "Oh! She's out in the car. I'll be right back."

image.png.afae40fec11a9b6f28361c891ab6d03e.png

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My father had a friend who was a Buick guy. Had three or four old Buicks that would come to shows on a regular basis, including a '40 Super sport coupe like my father's 41, so they went everywhere together. Very nice guy, he had a son about my age and we would play together when going to shows and tours. All that good stuff.

 

The he started showing up with different Buicks. Like a different one at every show.

 

He passed away just a few years ago and it turns out that he had a commercial warehouse that he'd bought in the '80s and it was filled with old Buicks, maybe 80 or 90 of them, all in pretty good shape. He had been collecting them for years! There were also the three well-known ones that he kept at home. His wife never knew about the others. Never even suspected. I don't know the resolution, but I presume she also owned the building and all the cars upon his passing, so perhaps it was a windfall for her, albeit one that was likely a pain in the butt to resolve.


Personally, I found it a bit amusing. Isn't that always the dream? Finding a warehouse full of interesting cars? Bam! There is is.

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12 hours ago, zipdang said:

Of course, we don't know if the husband in question was using the rent and grocery money while running up the credit card bills and leaving his kids shoeless. Just saying...

 

I love my wife and she "understands" the car affliction!

 

Based on zip code and profession I think everybody had shoes (probably more than one pair) and plenty of food.

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Great story. I was a car nut before I met my wife so she knew the score from the beginning. She has always supported my "addiction" even though she does not understand it. On my side I always kept the car finances separate from the household and made sure my habit supported itself. I thank her and praise her tolerance to anyone listening, we are coming up on 45 years married!

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On the flip side I had another customer several years ago buy a wonderful 1932 Ford roadster. An older couple showed up at our shop and asked to see the 32 Ford. I pulled it out and the gentleman and I looked over the car and test drove it. When we returned his wife asked him is it everything you expected? He replied yes but I want to think it over. She walked over to me and pulled out a cashiers check for the full asking price. Then she explained that this car was all she has heard about for a month. There was no way he wasn't buying it. She had to put a stop to his constantly discussing the car with friends, family and strangers. The only way to do that was to buy it for him.

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Awesome story. "Like"  times 1000.

 

Anytime I get the "I need to check with my wife" line I tell them to go shopping elsewhere.

 

Awhile back, a prolific and current poster on this very forum spent two months "interested" in a car I had for sale. He pestered me incessantly and I provided everything he asked for. We finally agreed to a price and he agreed to purchase the car. He was supposed to send a deposit and I agreed to split the payments between two months once the deposit was received. After sending him this agreement in writing, he stopped contacting me (yet, continued to post frequently on this forum). After numerous attempts to reach him, he responded that his wife told him he could not by the car. For the heck of it, I googled his name. You know what? He is not married!!! I also checked with someone else who knew him and confirmed he is not married.  Not only is he a flake, but a liar as well!!!

 

Most of the collectors I know and tour with are husband and wife teams. They both encourage each other to enjoy the hobby to its fullest. I, too, have closed many deals because the wife encouraged the husband to buy a particular car.

 

I also know a few people who continually lie about their purchases to their spouses and, of course, their spouses resent their involvement with the hobby. Who could blame them? Honesty is always the best policy.

 

 

 

 

Edited by motoringicons (see edit history)
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I told my wife at the time that a friend was coming to pick me up, and while gone I was going to look at a customers car that wanted some work done. I came home with the customers car. Went inside and told the wife that I just drove the car back so I could do some work on it. Told her she should go out and look at it, I knew she liked those cars. She walked around the car and thought it was very nice. It was all BS. I had bought the car for her. She drove it around all the time for about two years. Cars are fun, you have to include everyone.

69 mustang outside _2 057[1].JPG

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A slightly different slant on the issue...

 

A new and used car dealer I know has a great line which gets women to sign up immediately. Having determined that a woman liked a particular car, he'd say to them:

 

"I guess you have to get your husband's approval before you can buy it?"

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3 hours ago, motoringicons said:

Awesome story. "Like"  times 1000.

 

Anytime I get the "I need to check with my wife" line I tell them to go shopping elsewhere.

 

Awhile back, a prolific and current poster on this very forum spent two months "interested" in a car I had for sale. He pestered me incessantly and I provided everything he asked for. We finally agreed to a price and he agreed to purchase the car. He was supposed to send a deposit and I agreed to split the payments between two months once the deposit was received. After sending him this agreement in writing, he stopped contacting me (yet, continued to post frequently on this forum). After numerous attempts to reach him, he responded that his wife told him he could not by the car. For the heck of it, I googled his name. You know what? He is not married!!! I also checked with someone else who knew him and confirmed he is not married.  Not only is he a flake, but a liar as well!!!

 

Most of the collectors I know and tour with are husband and wife teams. They both encourage each other to enjoy the hobby to its fullest. I, too, have closed many deals because the wife encouraged the husband to buy a particular car.

 

I also know a few people who continually lie about their purchases to their spouses and, of course, their spouses resent their involvement with the hobby. Who could blame them? Honesty is always the best policy.

 

 

 

 

 

Along the same lines I once had a customer fake his own death. He called on a very well restored Brass Era car and made a deal to purchase. I prepared him a contract and necessary documents. I sent them and he returned them. But he didn't send the payment. So I called his cell phone. No answer. I called his business. His son answered and explained that Dad was in a bad car accident this morning on the way to the bank. Now I feel really bad. I call the next day and ask how Dad is doing and the son tells me not well give them some time. A few days later I have another party who wants to buy the car. So I call and ask how is Dad? The son tells me that Dad passed last night so he won't be buying the car. A few months later I am walking the swap meet at Hershey. I come to a vendor spot and recognize a name as the son of the dead customer. As I am getting ready to give my condolences an older guy comes out of a camper and says "Son I'm gonna go walk around". I asked are you John Doe? the old guy says I sure am. I ask are you from New Jersey and run Fill in the Blank Industries? He says "That's me". I said your the best looking dead guy I have ever seen. 

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I just had a guy come 125 miles to see a car I have For Sale.   He checked it all out and drove it like he stole it.  I was pretty sure when the ride ended that he would buy.  Then he asked if he could take some pictures to show his new wife of 3 years (Didn't say what # she was) and left.

Haven't heard from him and don;t expect to.   

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I never checked with my wife about a purchase. I talked to her about why it was a good buy, or the reason behind the purchase. She was also bought this vette. She drove it around for a couple of years. Sold it, and made a few bucks on it. Have to include everyone on the cars. There is a make/model of car for everyone to enjoy for awhile.

56 Corvette 056.jpg

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11 minutes ago, SC38DLS said:

Bhigdog — don’t you know you should never buy anything that eats while you sleep!! 

Dave S 

While i sleep. While im awake. Makes no difference.  It never stops. Damn things eat like a horse. We operate using the dont ask dont tell system. I never ask what the horses cost, she never asks what the cars cost, and neither of us tells. Works for us......bob

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Yeah my wife and I operate with  the don’t ask don’t tell policy as well. I remember a few years ago we were both sitting at ordering stuff. She was ordering clothing, I was ordering car parts when she looked up and asked “how much are those parts going to cost dear” my reply “Not sure how much is that clothing.” She smiles a knowing smile and nods and not another word is spoken about money. That’s how it has worked for us since 

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